Events

Island Vibe Music Festival

June 14. Celebrate the culture, cuisine and music of the Pacific Islands—including Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia—at this annual festival, taking place this year at Embarcadero Marina Park North along San Diego Bay. Enjoy unique performances by cultural dancers from across the Pacific Islands; Islander-inspired merchandise, including apparel and art, available in the vendor village; and plenty of authentic cuisine. The entertainment lineup includes High Watah (pictured), Anuhea, Siaosi and Bo Napoleon. See website for all details. Noon-7 p.m. Tickets start at $18 per person. 400 Kettner Blvd., downtown. Details 

“Movies at Memorial” Summer Film Series

June 14. Enjoy family-friendly, summer movie nights under the stars at downtown Chula Vista’s Memorial Park, running Saturday, June 14 and continuing on select dates through Aug. 9 (see website for schedule). The series kicks off on Saturday with a screening of the 1985 cult classic, The Goonies. Grab dinner and treats from nearby restaurants and bring them to enjoy, along with your own blankets and chairs. Open seating is available, first come; first served. Screenings begin at dusk (approximately 7:30 p.m.), and admission is free. 373 Park Way, Chula Vista. Details

San Diego Brew Festival

June 14. Because there’s no such thing as too many beer celebrations in America’s Finest City, the 14th annual San Diego Brew Festival returns to Liberty Station’s NTC Park. The event will showcase around 200 beers from more than 70 local and international craft breweries; along with lawn games, live music and fare from 10 popular San Diego food trucks. Breweries include Mike Hess Brewing, Helix Brewing Co., Societe Brewing Company, Tarantula Hill, Modern Times Beer and many more. Noon-4 p.m. $50-$65 per person (no pets allowed; ages 21+). 2455 Cushing Road, Liberty Station. sandiegobeerfest.com

Taste of Little Italy

Upcoming | June 17-18. One of San Diego’s more popular culinary ‘hoods, Little Italy is brimming with delicious outposts at every turn. For this annual celebration, order your “Taste Passport” in advance and embark on a culinary walking tour—sampling bites from dozens of eateries over two days. Participants include Bencotto, Buon Appetito, Ballast Point, Barbusa, Davanti Enoteca, Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar, Isola Pizza Bar, Barra Oliba, Cloak & Petal, Pali Wine Co. and Filippi’s Pizza Grotto. 4-8 p.m. $70.50 per day. Check-in at Piazza della Famiglia, 523 W. Date St., Little Italy. littleitalysd.com

Food + Drink

Bianchi Pizza & Pasta

Now Open. Enjoy Neapolitan-inspired Italian fare by the bay thanks to Bianchi Pizza & Pasta—the latest culinary concept by Evans Hotels, now open at Bahia Resort Hotel. The casually elegant restaurant offers cozy indoor dining, a piazza-style patio, private dining for groups, and a marble bar. The menu—crafted by chef Ignazio Tagliavia (born and raised in Palermo, Italy)—offers artisanal pizzas wood-fired in a Marra Forni oven; house-made pasta dishes; table-side tiramisu and panna cotta for dessert; and Italian cocktails including spritzes and limoncello. Open daily at 4 p.m. 998 W. Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. More Info

Lilo

Now Open. Chef Eric Bost and restaurateur John Resnick continue to elevate the Carlsbad dining scene with their latest culinary destination: Lilo. The fine-dining urban retreat is a nature-inspired haven, dreamt up by renowned design firm Bells & Whistles. Begin and end your immersive dinner experience on the enchanting garden patio with a firepit and lounge seating. Inside, just 22 seats surround a wide-open kitchen, where Bost and team prepare a 12-course tasting menu spanning caviar atop orgeat ice cream, wagyu ribeye and dry-aged squab. See website for reservations. 2571 Roosevelt St., Carlsbad, 442.303.8245. restaurantlilo.com

10th Anniversary Menu at Civico 1845

Now Available. Civico 1845—helmed by owner/GM Dario Gallo and executive chef Pietro Gallo—is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a special “10 Years of ‘Calabrifornia’ Menu,” in collaboration with acclaimed local chefs, who have contributed their own exclusive dishes. Travis Swikard created a tempura zucchini blossom stuffed with caciocavallo cheese and marinated in Calabrian chili peppers and local honey. Accursio Lota and Brad Wise each created a pasta dish; Enea Sintoni, profiteroles; and Claudia Sandoval, a pork belly taco. See website for full menu. 1845 India St., Little Italy, 619.431.5990. civico1845.com

Daily Brunch at Dive Rooftop

Now Available. Brunch is now served at Dive, Coronado’s only rooftop bar—perched atop new luxury boutique hotel The Bower Coronado. The “Dive Into Brunch” experience comprises breakfast and lunch classics with creative twists. Indulge in such dishes as the Lemon Lox Tartine with smoked salmon; the Dive Melt Slider with American wagyu and habanero jack cheese; Cinnamon Mascarpone French Toast; and the Matcha Berry Bowl. Enjoy with a Bloody Maria and take in unparalleled views from Point Loma to Mexico. Brunch is served daily, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 1417 Orange Ave., Coronado. Details

Arts + Culture

L.J. Playhouse: Jaja’s African Hair Braiding

Through June 15. Don’t miss Jocelyn Bioh’s Broadway hit, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, at La Jolla Playhouse. The comedic play takes us inside a bustling hair-braiding shop in Harlem, where a group of West Africa hair braiders create masterpieces on the heads women in the neighborhood. We get to know these dynamic women as the summer heat rises, spanning love, dreams and friendships that get tasted—a capture of the spirit of women, courage and community. Whitney White directs. See website for showtimes and tickets. 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, 858.550.1010. lajollaplayhouse.org

Museum of Illusions San Diego

Now Open. The world’s fastest-growing museum opens its first California outpost downtown. Museum of Illusions San Diego is an immersive, mesmerizing mind-bender at every turn. It houses 80-plus exhibits, including “illusion rooms” that play tricks on your mind; installations that shock the senses; images from mind-boggling holograms to optical illusions; and San Diego exclusives such as the surf shack-themed “Reversed Room.” They’re part science, part magic and all fun—collectively making the impossible seem possible. See website for details, hours and admission info. 665 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. moisandiego.com

Photo credits: Taste of Little Italy is courtesy of the Little Italy Association. Bianchi by Zack Benson. Lilo by Kimberly Motos. Civico 1845 by Arlene Ibarra. All other images are courtesy of the venues and businesses featured.