Events

Oceanside Sunset Market 

Jan. 18. Oceanside’s popular seaside market comprises four city blocks and 200 merchants—including artisanal food vendors, international street food, eclectic shopping, art, kids’ activities and live music by local bands and musicians. Shop for gifts, fashion accessories and home wares at World Marketplace; and sample gourmet cuisine from around the world, including Latin American, African, Middle Eastern, Asian/Pacific and Jamaican. The year-round event takes place every Thursday; see website for special themed evenings and seasonal events. 5-9 p.m. Free entry. Along Pier View Way Oceanside. More Info

“Jurassic Quest” at Del Mar Fairgrounds

Jan. 19-21. For one weekend only, travel back in time about 100 million years to go walking with dinosaurs via this interactive exhibit. The outdoor parking areas at the Del Mar Fairgrounds have been transformed into a prehistoric fantasyland—filled with more than 70 full-size, animatronic dinosaurs. Jurassic Quest collaborated with paleontologists to painstakingly create the moving, life-like replicas. Beware of 50-foot-long Megalodon and the swinging tail of the 80-foot-long Spinosaurus! Fun photo ops abound. See website for hours and to purchase advance tickets. 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. More Info

Shen Yun at the Civic Theatre 

Jan. 19-21. New York-based dance company Shen Yun visits the Civic Theatre this weekend. The show takes us into ancient China, exploring its history, spiritual roots and culture. Founded in 2006, Shen Yun is known for its classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk-dance choreography; along with history-rich, story-based dance, high-tech backdrops, live orchestral accompaniments, both group and solo performers, jaw-dropping acrobatics, and vibrantly colorful staging and costumes. See website for showtimes and tickets. 1100 Third Ave., downtown. More Info

Compass Hot-Air Balloon Tours 

Ongoing. Soar over San Diego at sunset with a hot-air balloon ride with Compass Balloons. Its private and semi-private tours (up to 10 people) take you up and over the beachfront and coastal canyons of Del Mar, and the rolling hills and luxury real estate of Rancho Santa Fe—with likely glimpses of the Torrey Pines Golf Course and Palomar Mountain in the distance. Tours last three hours and 30 minutes and include Champagne, cheese, fruit, water, soda and boundless photo opportunities. Starting at $300 per person. 1969 Villa Cardiff Drive, Cardiff, 760.704.7407. compassballoons.com

San Diego Sailing Tours

Ongoing. All aboard! During the height of whale-watching season (which is right now), San Diego is best explored by sea. Indulge in a coastal adventure by booking a private tour of the bay aboard a classic sailing yacht via San Diego Sailing Tours. Packages can be customized and range from a two-hour daytime sail, to a fully catered sunset cruise for two, to a private charter for up to six guests; plus packages for larger groups. The experience comes complete with your own captain, beverages and snacks. Cabrillo Isle Marina, 1450 Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island, 619.786.0173. sandiegosailingtours.com

Food + Drink

NOVO Brazil Brewing Mission Valley

Now Open. South Bay-based sports bar NOVO Brazil Brewing has opened its newest location in Mission Valley. The 11,500-square-foot space (formerly the Tilted Kilt) features a 352-seat dining room, a 40-seat indoor/outdoor bar with 64 taps, an onsite microbrewery, LED video walls and fire pits. On the menu: NOVO’s popular IPAs, lagers, stouts, pilsners and hard kombuchas; as well as gastropub fare, Brazilian plates like the picanha (prime sirloin) skewers, and a “#BeHealthy” selection of bowls and wraps. See website for hours. 1640 Camino del Rio North, Suite 341, Mission Valley, 619.310.5387. novobrew.com

Il Posto

Now Open. South Park welcomes a new ristorante and pizzeria: Il Posto. Brought to us by Italian natives Mauricio Carbone, Fabio Montagna and chef Antonio Pappagallo, the family-friendly cucina serves antipasti, such as caprese and carpaccio di manzo; homemade pasta dishes like lasagna and spaghetti carbonara; entrees including classic cioppino and pollo parmigiana; build-your-own-pizzas and specialty pies (try the Rustica with sausage and potato cream with rosemary); plenty of vegan options; desserts like Nutella panna cotta; and a daily happy hour. See website for hours. 2145 Fern St., South Park, 619.915.5301. ilpostosd.com

Arts + Culture

The Music of The Carpenters

Jan. 20-21. Kicking off its 2024 Center Cabaret season at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, CCAE Theatricals presents The Music of The Carpenters. The cabaret-style show takes place on the center’s Concert Hall stage—around which guests can reserve tables and enjoy wine and charcuterie (available via preorder) from Bellamy’s Restaurant. A talented cast and band perform hits by Richard and Karen Carpenter; the duo spiked to fame in the 1970s, known for songs like “Close to You” and “We’ve Only Just Begun.” See website for tickets. 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. More Info

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill

Upcoming | Jan. 24-Feb. 18. Cygnet Theatre, in association with Ebony Repertory Theatre, brings us Lanie Robertson’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill—opening at Old Town Theatre next Wednesday. Travel back to 1959 Philadelphia, where legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday shares her life story via songs—belting out one of her last performances of her lifetime in a small bar. Wren T. Brown directs; with Karole Foreman (pictured, known for her role in A Little Night Music) starring as Holiday. See website for show times and tickets. 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town, 619.337.1525. cygnettheatre.com

California Surf Museum

Open. This surfing-lover’s haven is stocked with surfboards, surf art, photographs, videos, memorabilia, surfing equipment and literature that capture and celebrate the surfing lifestyle and sport. Don’t miss the exhibit Let’s Boogie! Tom Morey and the Evolution of the Boogie Board, which spotlights the history of the flexible piece of foam that became known as the “boogie board,” dating back to the early 1970s; and Courageous Inspiration, the story of Bethany Hamilton losing her arm to a tiger shark while surfing in Kauai. Open daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 312 Pier View Way, Oceanside, 760.721.6876. surfmuseum.org

Photo credits: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Craig Schwartz Photography. All other images are courtesy of the venues and businesses featured.