Are you looking for the best things to do in San Diego this April? Check out 30+ top San Diego events, including festivals, concerts, Padres games, theater and more.
Uncorked: San Diego Wine Festival
April 2. Enjoy tasting more than 100 different wines at Uncorked’s inaugural festival in America’s Finest City. The event will feature food trucks, live music and more. $55/pp. Embarcadero Marina Park North, 500 Kettner Blvd., San Diego Marina. uncorkedwinefestivals.com
Vindiego Wine & Food Fest
April 2. Wine and food enthusiasts can enjoy unlimited samples from more than 300 distinct, award-winning wines from 75+ wineries. Guests will also taste food and appetizers from more than 20 San Diego eateries while listening to live music performances. NTC Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Rd., Point Loma. vindiego.com
Food Quart
April 2. Enjoy East Villages’ Quartyard venue for a day where “food and fun collide.” The event will feature 20 local restaurants, live music and DJ sets in the playful Quartyard setting. $25/pp. 4-9 p.m. 1102 Market St., East Village, ticketfly.com
San Diego Crew Classic Regatta
April 2-3. The country’s top competitive rowers gather at Mission Bay for a grueling competition, now in its 43rd year. Crown Point Shores, Mission Bay. crewclassic.org
Chocolate Festival
April 3. The only criteria for having a great time at this festival is that you must love chocolate. Enjoy cooking demonstrations, beer, wine and chocolate pairings, chocolate sampling and building a chocolate pizza as the Maritime Museum hosts this chocolate-centric celebration. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 North Harbor Dr., 619.234.9153. sdmaritime.org
East Village Opening Day Block Party
April 4. It’s baseball season and East Village invites baseball enthusiasts (or those just looking for an excuse to root for the home team) to enjoy a free, family-friendly block party. Enjoy live entertainment from local bands and DJ’s, indulge in the local craft beer garden and dine on food selections from local restaurants and food trucks. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. J Street between 6th and 10th Ave., East Village. eastvillagesandiego.com
Dodgers vs. Padres (Home Opener)
April 4. San Diego welcomes age-old rivals, LA Dodgers, to Petco Park for the season home opener. Join in the excitement as baseball season kicks off and grab a seat in the stands or head to a local watering hole to cheer on the Padres. 100 Park Blvd., East Village, 619.795.5025. sandiego.padres.mlb.com
Rhythm & Moves Rooftop Yoga
April 6, 27. Yoga feels even better with a gorgeous oceanfront sunset. Head to Belmont Park’s Coaster Terrace for 75 minutes of yoga paired with a DJ set. After yoga, enjoy local craft brew or wine (21+) and samples from local vendors. $20/pp. 3125 Ocean Front Walk, Mission Beach. belmontpark.com
La Jolla Concours d’Elegance
April 8-10. Classic car enthusiasts can enjoy three days of fun at this community auto show, including a Rolls Royce-themed cocktail party (Friday), Tour d’Elegance (Saturday) and the Concours (Sunday) which features more than 300 vehicles parked along the Pacific. La Jolla Cove, Ellen Browning Scripps Park, 1133 Coast Blvd., La Jolla. lajollaconcourse.com
Rhythm & Brews
April 9. The San Diego Brewers Guild hosts the 5th annual Rhythm & Brews Music and Craft Beer Festival. Listen to seven musical acts perform on two stages, while sampling from 60+ breweries. $50/pp, 1-4 p.m. Historic downtown Vista Village, E. Broadway and S. Citrus Ave., Vista. sdrhythmandbrews.com
San Diego BBQ Fest
April 9. Turn up the heat as the San Diego BBQ Fest takes over SILO at Makers Quarter. Savor BBQ specialties, spirits and craft brews from local vendors and breweries, while listening to the best of old school music. $30/pp, Noon-4 p.m. 753 15th St., East Village. eliteeventssd.com
ArtFest at San Diego Botanic Garden
April 9-10. The San Diego Botanic Garden serves as the beautiful backdrop for more than 20 regional artists presenting their works. Visitors will also have the chance to view locally owned Woody cars on display on Saturday. 230 Quail Gardens Dr., Encinitas, 760.436.3036. sdbgarden.org
Fight for Air Climb
April 10. Stairmaster’s got nothing on the Fight for Air challenge as participants hike the 657 steps up to the 32nd floor of One America Plaza. Those wanting to take an extra challenge can opt for the Double Climb, a total of 1,314 steps. Enjoy an afterparty featuring a jumbo screen with live feed from inside the stairwell, beer garden, food and refreshments and free giveaways. $45/pp. One America Plaza, 600 West Broadway, downtown. action.lung.org
San Diego Rum Run
April 10. Complete a 10K course that transports participants to a Caribbean-inspired finish complete with food, music, Caribbean music, and of course rum. Participants can enjoy a Kraken Rum Mojito or Mai Tai and a a cold Kona Brew (21+). Paradise Point Resort, 1404 Vacation Rd., Mission Bay. energyevents.com
Tacos & Beer Tasting
April 14. Enjoy two of San Diego’s specialties in one place as the San Diego Museum of Man hosts a night of Tacos & Beer Tasting. Tickets include entrance to the museum, beer and food tastings from local taco shops, restaurants and breweries, and photoshop fun. 6-8 p.m. 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.239.2001. museumofman.org
Taste of Hillcrest
April 16. Hillcrest is known for its fabulous cuisines, and now, guests can stroll and sample through a self-guided culinary tour of the neighborhood. Taste of Hillcrest features more than 35 restaurants specializing in different types of international cuisines. $35/pp, noon-4 p.m. Various locations. fabuloushillcrest.com
Fallbrook Avocado Fest
April 17. Head to the “Avocado Capital of the World” in northeast San Diego County to celebrate and eat the best of the crop, including avocado-themed gifts, guacamole contests, live music and entertainment, beer gardens and plenty of food other than avocados. Downtown Fallbrook. fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org
San Diego Earthfair
April 17. The world’s largest annual environmental fair features 300+ educational exhibits, kids’ entertainment, food vendors and live music. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Balboa Park. earthdayweb.org
Taste of Point Loma
April 20. Explore the tastes and flavors from an array of restaurants in Point Loma. Some of the neighborhood’s top restaurants come out to offer tastes of their most popular items. There will be drinks for purchase as well. This year a few spots offer dog-friendly patios too—just look for a paw print next to a restaurant’s logo. $25/pp. 5:30-Various locations, Point Loma, tasteofpointloma.eventbrite.com
Del Mar National Horse Show
April 21-May 8. One of the oldest and most prestigious equestrian competitions in the Western U.S. features beautiful horses and various events for equine enthusiasts, including Western Week (April 21-24), Dressage Week (April 28-May), and Hunter/Jumper Week (May 3-8). Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Dl Mar. delmarnational.com
Festival of Beers
April 23. Rock out to local bands performing live music as guests sample some of San Diego’s best craft beer at the 9th annual Festival of Beers. Enjoy music from Hills Like Elephants, Mayfield and Oh, Spirit. $40/pp. 2-5 p.m. Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. sandiegomusicfoundation.org
Meet the Chefs
April 24. Sample signature dishes from more than a dozen premier restaurants and chefs in Del Mar, complemented by an extensive selection of wines and champagne. Also enjoy live music by Legal Tender, a live auction and the beautiful poolside setting at Hilton San Diego Del Mar. $150/pp. 12:30-4:30 p.m. 15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. casadeamparo.org
Bikes, Boards & Brews
April 24. Celebrate the Pacific Beach culture and all the neighborhood’s unique eateries and breweries at the 7th annual Bikes, Boards and Brews event. Tickets include 10 tasters from San Diego’s best craft breweries, food pairings from local restaurants, live entertainment, and more. The Catamaran Resort overlooks Mission Bay and will be decorated with surf boards, beach cruisers and beach inspired art. $30/pp. Noon-5 p.m. 3999 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach. pacificbeach.org
Bloom Bash
April 29. The Art Alive weekend kicks off with this annual celebration at the San Diego Museum of Art, featuring art, flowers, glowing sculptures, tastes from top local eateries, craft cocktails, live music and dancing, interactive art, and more than 100 floral interpretations of famous works from the permanent collection. $250/pp. 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.696.1934. sdmart.org
Art Alive
April 29-May 1. This annual three-day exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art features more than 100 intricate floral interpretations of the museum’s permanent collection by floral designers invited to put their artistic talents to the test. 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. sdmart.org
Adams Avenue Unplugged
April 30-May 1. Enjoy more than 150 acoustic performances across 25 stages (both indoor and outdoor) as this stretch of Adams Avenue transforms into a block party showcasing blues, folk, jazz, country and world music, plus a bevy o local artists. Adams Avenue, between Texas Street in University Heights and Marlborough Dr. in Kensington. adamsavenuebusiness.com
Mission Federal Artwalk
Apr. 30-May 1. Little Italy transforms into the city’s largest urban art gallery and festival spanning 17 blocks for the 32nd year— packed with works by hundreds of talented emerging artists, a range of live music across multiple stages, food vendors and hands-on children’s activities. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. India Street, between Fir and beech Streets, Little Italy. artwalksandiego.org
ARTS | CULTURE
The Killers
April 2. American rock band and international sensation, The Killers, hits the center state at Harrah’s SoCal Resort. 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. caesars.com
Tori Kelly
April 5. Tori Kelly, American singer and songwriter, brings her Unbreakable Tour to San Diego stage at Humphrey’s. Tori first gained traction after appearing on American Idol and is known for the hit single “Nobody Love” which appeared on her Unbreakable Smile album. 2241 Shelter Island Dr., Shelter Island. humphreysconcerts.com
Constellations
April 9-May 8. This Broadway hit play takes a chance encounter between two lost souls and opens the door to the infinite possibilities of their relationship. Contains strong language. White Theatre at the Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, 619.234.5623. theoldglobe.org
Way Downriver
April 13-May 8. Adapted from William Faulkner’s short story, Old Man, this powerful play presented by North Coast Rep follows an unlikely pair of old souls bound together by the forces of nature, as they struggle to overcome their fears and prejudice in order to survive. North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987-D Lomas Santa Fe Dr., Solana Beach, 858.481.1055. northcoastrep.org
Madame Butterfly
April 16, 19, 22, 24. San Diego Opera presents Madame Butterfly, a story in which hope, devotion, and betrayal find their fateful and desperate home. Amidst the cherry blossoms of Nagasaki, a young woman makes a stand to support herself as a geisha after her disgraced father takes his life. Fate intervenes and brings her an American Naval Officer and she falls desperately in love. Not aware she is just a dalliance, she believes they are married and renounces her religion as he sails away promising to return. And return he does, ready to take their child and raise him with his American wife. Her father’s shadow looms as her heart breaks and she must choose to live with dishonor or die with honor. San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown. sdopera.org
Flesh and the Devil
April 16. Celebrate the Jacobs Music Center’s heritage and history as The Fox Theatre Film Series brings a new slate of films from the Silent Era. Symphony Hall was originally opened in 1929 as Fox Theatre, and the series brings back the 1926 film Flesh and the Devil, accompanied by the Fox Theatre Symphonic Organ as played by theatre organ master Russ Peck. In this film, a beautiful, married countess becomes involved with two young German soldiers (and boyhood pals), leading to romantic and tragic consequences. Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., downtown. sandiegosymphony.org
Rupture, Blister, Burn
April 21-May 15. In this smart and funny comedy, three generations of American women debate on how women’s lives have and have not changed since the 1970s. SD Rep at Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, downtown, 619.544.1000. sdrep.org
Dinner with Marlene
April 22-May 29. Based on actual events, singer/movie star Marlene Dietrich and a fascinating assortment of artists, writers and socialites gather for a dinner party in 11938 Paris. Lamb’s Players Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.437.6000. lambsplayers.org
Ellie Goulding
April 23. British indie pop star, Ellie Goulding hits the stage at Viejas Arena as a stop on her Delirium tour. The multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter will also be joined by Years & Years. 5500 Canyon Crest, University Area, 619.594.0234. viejasarena.org
Taking the Title: A Celebration of the World’s Largest Outdoor Pipe Organ
Apr. 23. Celebrate with the Spreckels Organ Society as the 100-year-old San Diego icon takes the title of “Largest Outdoor Pipe Organ in the World,” following recent updates and renovations. The celebration includes a grand processional of musicians and dignitaries and performances by Emeritus Robert Plimpton, Russ Peck, Diane Alexander and Miles Anderson. Admission and parking are free. 7 p.m. 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.702.8138. spreckelsorgan.org
