From food festivals and fun runs to art exhibitions and theater, San Diego has tons of fabulous events to look forward to this November.
Edited by Lisa Kelley
Old Town Dia de los Muertos
Nov. 1-2. Tour more than 40 traditional altars set up in museums and shops, enjoy art-making activities and participate in a candlelight procession to the cemetery (night of Nov. 2) at this colorful celebration honoring those who have died. Various locations, Old Town, 619.297.9327. dayofthedeadsd.com
Dia de los Muertos Festival
Nov. 1. Join the fiesta at the 21st annual Dia de los Muertos celebration, featuring live music, arts and crafts, interactive art and more. The free festival also features food and handmade goods available for purchase. 6 p.m. California Center for the Arts, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. artcenter.org
Miss You Like Hell
Through Dec. 4. Featuring compelling original songs that are as diverse and eclectic as the U.S., this new musical exudes the joy, love and frustration of being a family in a changing country. Mandell Weiss Theatre at the La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla, 858.550.1010. lajollaplayhouse.org
San Diego Asian Film Festival
Nov. 3-12. The 17th annual event includes feature films, shorts and animation from Asian artists worldwide. Check website for times and venues. pacarts.org
Art San Diego
Nov. 3-6. Enjoy San Diego’s top contemporary art show with more than 60 international galleries featuring cutting-edge film, video and new media works, paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, and more. The theme is “Threshold: Standing at the Precipice of What’s Yet to Come.” Balboa Park Activity Center, 2145 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. art-sandiego.com
San Diego Beer Week
Nov. 4-13. Celebrate the art of craft beers during this annual event, featuring dozens of local breweries and a lineup of tastings, festivals, brewery tours, cheese pairings and beer dinners. Various locations. sdbw.org
Made Market
Nov. 4-5. Get holiday shopping finished early and support local artisans at Made Market San Diego featuring more than 30 carefully curated vendors. Friday, 4-9 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 10960 Via Frontera, Rancho Bernardo. mademarketsd.com
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Nov. 5-Dec. 26. Back for its 19th year, the classic, whimsical musical based upon the beloved Dr. Seuss book takes the stage at the Old Globe Theatre. Enjoy this holiday favorite as the stage is transformed into the snow-covered land of Whoville. Old Globe Theatre, 619.234.5623. theoldglobe.org
San Diego Brewers Guild Festival
Nov. 5. As San Diego Beer Week’s biggest event features San Diego’s finest craft breweries, food from local purveyors and live musical performances. 2-5 p.m. The Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier, 1000 N. Harbor Dr., San Diego Marina. sdbw.org
Escondido Tamale Festival
Nov. 5. The second annual Escondido Tamale Festival is back and in addition to featuring delicious traditional, vegetarian and gourmet tamales, the event includes a local craft beer and wine garden, live music and dance, craft vendors, kids zone and more. Grape Day Park, 321 N. Broadway, Escondido. escondidotamalefestival.org
Carlsbad Village Fair
Nov. 6. This annual street fair features more than 900 vendors with international food, art and live entertainment. Grand Ave., between Carlsbad Blvd. and Jefferson St., Carlsbad, 760.945.9288. visitcarlsbad.com
Fall Back Festival
Nov. 6. Fall back in time at the Fall Back Festival in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. Three blocks of the historic neighborhood will be transformed into a western town of the past filled with storefronts, a sarsaparilla saloon, a penny candy store, and even a town jail. The free event features food and fun activities for the entire family, including gold mining, pony riding, black smithery, and more. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. gaslamp.org
Del Mar Racing
Nov. 11-Dec. 4. The fall “Bing Meet” features thoroughbred racing four days a week (dark M-W). Post time is 12:30 p.m. Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, 858.755.1141. dmtc.com
Veteran’s Day Parade
Nov. 11. The 30th annual San Diego Veteran’s Day Parade is themed “A Tribute to the Guardians of Freedom,” and will recognize the veterans of every era as well as serving soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, and coast guardsmen. Harbor Dr., San Diego Embarcadero. sdvetparade.org
Visible Vaults
Opens Nov. 12. The San Diego Museum of Art launches an interactive exhibition that brings works of art from the museum’s vault to the public eye, many for the first time. The exhibition features nearly 300 culturally diverse works and is designed to offer a behind-the-scenes look by inviting guests to open drawers, peek into virtual storerooms and more. 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.232.7931. sdmart.org
Sausage & Beer Festival
Nov. 12. Enjoy dining and drinking at the beautiful Liberty Station for the inaugural Sausage and Beer Fest. Tickets include unlimited tastings of gourmet sausages as well as unlimited samplings of local and regional craft brews. Liberty Station Barracks 17 Plaza, Liberty Station. eventbrite.com
Silver Strand Half Marathon
Nov. 13. Run with the waves of the Pacific Ocean on the right and the San Diego Bay and downtown skyline on the left, during the 17th annual Silver Strand Half Marathon. The 10 Miler division of the race is also open walkers, skaters, ellipticals, hand cycles and wheelchairs. Sunset Park, Coronado to Imperial Beach Pier Plaza. kozevents.com
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
Nov. 13-19. SoCal’s largest wine and culinary event includes the Grand Tasting event, wine-tasting seminars and dinners, cooking classes and celebrity chefs galore. Embarcadero Marina Park North, San Diego Embarcadero, sandiegowineclassic.com
The Sound of Music
Nov. 15-20. This brand-new production of the beloved story of Maria and the von Trapp Family will delight audiences with its Tony-, Grammy- and Academy Award-winning score, including “My Favorite Things,” “Edelweiss” and the title song. Broadway/San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown, 619.570.1100. broadwaysd.com
The Mystery of Love and Sex
Nov. 17-Dec. 24. Traversing years, shifting relationships and unexpected outcomes, this provocative Southern Gothic romantic comedy peeks behind the curtain of sexuality and race to illuminate secrets of the heart and the fabric of a family. Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights, 619.220.0097. diversionary.org
Fantasy on Ice
Nov. 17-Jan. 8. The weather might still be pretty warm, but those looking to get into the holiday spirit can enjoy skating on the outdoor ice rink situated in the heart of Liberty Station. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. 2875 Dewey Rd., Liberty Station. fantasyonicesd.com
National Beer Mile
Nov. 19. Multi-tasking at its finest: participants in this one mile run/walk can exercise and drink beer at the same time. The race includes four beers throughout the route, and a free beer after party following the race. Qualcomm Stadium, 9449 Friars Rd., Mission Valley. nationalbeermile.com
Mother Goose Parade
Nov. 20. El Cajon’s 70-year tradition continues as bands, drill units, floats, clowns, equestrian teams, dignitaries and more parade along Main Street, with a huge Mother Goose float as the grand finale. Main Street, El Cajon. mothergooseparade.org
San Diego Ramen Festival
Nov. 20. Noodles are the star of the show at the San Diego Ramen Festival featuring eating contests, ramen art, a beer garden, sake specials and ramen from some of San Diego’s top restaurants. Sushi on a Roll, 1620 National Ave., Barrio Logan. sdramenfest.com
The Dybbuk for Hannah & Sam’s Wedding
Nov. 23-Dec. 18. World-renowned performer Ron Campbell is joined by Klezmer musician Yale Strom in this immersive retelling of the most celebrated play in Yiddish literature, S. Ansky’s The Dybbuk. San Diego Rep, Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, downtown, 619.544.1000. sdrep.org
San Diego Jazz Fest
Nov. 23-27. San Diego’s annual Jazz Fest features a wide variety of traditional jazz, dixieland, ragtime, swing and rockabilly styles. Town & Country Hotel and Convention Center, 500 Hotel Circle North, Mission Valley. sdjazzfest.org
Father Joe’s Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K
Nov. 24. Before filling up on Thanksgiving dinner, join 7,500 runners and walkers at the family and canine-friendly 15th annual Father Joe’s Villages 5K. After the finish line, enjoy a live blues band, refreshments, beer garden and costume contest plus delicious pies available for purchase. $35-45/pp. Spreckels Organ Pavilion, 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park. thanksgivingrun.org
Oceanside Turkey Trot
Nov. 24. Kick off Thanksgiving celebrations with the Oceanside Turkey Trot featuring a 10K Harbor/Pier run, 5K run/walk and multiple kids’ races. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes. Oceanside Civic Center, 330 N. Coast Hwy., Oceanside. osideturkeytrot.com
Skating by the Sea
Nov. 24-Jan. 2. Hotel del Coronado’s iconic Windsor Lawn transforms to a spectacular ice rink overlooking the Pacific. Enjoy skating, then sip a cup of hot chocolate while catching the sunset. 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado. hoteldel.com
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Nov. 25-Dec. 4. Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont ski lodge, which just so happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former army commander. Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway, downtown, 858.560.5740. sdmt.org
Plaid Tidings
Nov. 25-Dec. 31. At first, Francis, Jinx, Smudge and Sparky aren’t sure why they’ve returned to Earth for another posthumous performance, but a phone call from the heavenly Rosemary Clooney lets them know that they’re needed to put a little harmony into a discordant world. Sprinkled among the Christmas offerings are audience favorites, like their riotous three-minute-and-eleven-second version of The Ed Sullivan Show—this time featuring The Rockettes, The Chipmunks and The Vienna Boys Choir and A Plaid Caribbean Christmas. welkresorts.com
Del Mar Craft Beer & Cider and Food Truck Festival.
Nov. 26. After catching the horse races, purchase samples from over 100 local and international brews plus a variety of ales and ciders. Beverages can be paired with food from 30+ of the hottest food trucks in Southern California. 12-4 p.m. Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. dmtc.com
Taste of the Season
Nov. 26. Kick off holiday shopping with wine in hand during “Small Business Saturday” at Bernardo Winery’s Taste of the Season event. Enjoy complimentary small bites and drink samples while wandering through the beautiful shops at the winery. 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte, Rancho Bernardo, 858.487.1866. bernardowinery.com
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Nov. 29-Dec. 4. This genre-bending, fourth-wall smashing, Tony Award-winning musical sensation tells the story of one of the most unique characters to ever hit the stage, and features an electric rock score. Broadway/San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown, 619.570.1100. broadwaysd.com
