Events
Asian Pacific Cultural Festival
May 16. Presented by the Asian Culture and Media Alliance, and the House of Pacific Relations in Balboa Park, the 13th annual Asian Pacific Cultural Festival is a celebration of culture and community. Family-friendly festivities include Asian food booths, artisan vendors selling unique wares, two stages of live entertainment and Asian cultural performances, martial arts and interactive cultural experiences. See website for more details. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free entry. House of Pacific Relations International Cottages, 2191 Pan American W. Road, Balboa Park. Details
Spring Makers Market at Broadway Pier
May 16-17. Ready to shop till you drop? Markets for Makers presents its San Diego Spring Makers Market at Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier this weekend. Explore and shop for one-of-a-kind finds among 90-plus “makers,” independent artists and small brands—spanning art, fashion, jewelry, skincare and cosmetics, home decor, food, libations, and much more. Plus: DIY stations, photo walls and free tote bags. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. See website for parking tips and ticket pricing; free entry for kids ages 12 and under. 1000 N. Harbor Drive, downtown. Details
Escondido Street Festival
May 17. Now in its 37th year, this family-friendly street fair in the heart of downtown Escondido features live local bands; international and artisanal food vendors, including barbecue, Mexican, Hawaiian, Italian, Thai, gourmet desserts, hot sauce, jarred foods and coffee; retail, craft and art vendors selling unique, handcrafted gifts, homewares, clothing, accessories and jewelry; a beer, wine and spirits garden; and a kids zone. See website for more details. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free entry. Grand Avenue (between Escondido Boulevard and Juniper Street), Escondido. Details
Food + Drink
Aleschmidt Maifest
May 16. AleSmith Brewing Company hosts Aleschmidt Maifest, a German-inspired celebration of craft beer, food, live music and local art. (Think of it as a springtime version of Oktoberfest.) Guests can enjoy pours of Maibock, a traditional German-style spring lager, known for its smooth malt character and golden color; music by Sauer Sam Oktoberfest Band; and food vendors including Pretzels & Pints, The Sunday Collective, Kujo Eats, Zoe’s Place, Dough Boi, and Raclette Stand. Noon-6 p.m. See website to reserve your spot. 9990 AleSmith Court, Miramar. Details
San Diego Crawfish Boil
May 16. The LSU Alumni of San Diego presents the 37th annual San Diego Crawfish Boil at Waterfront Park. It’s the largest crawfish boil in the world, bringing together around 4,000 people to enjoy 20,000 pounds of crawfish trucked in from Louisiana. Guests can enjoy live music all afternoon, including performances by Cowboy Mouth and Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers; craft beer and libations; and local food vendors like Crab Hut and Louisiana Purchase. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. See website for tickets. 1600 Pacific Highway, downtown. Details
Wisteria Rooftop at Rustic Root Gaslamp
Now Open. Gaslamp hot spot Rustic Root launches Wisteria Rooftop, a seasonal open-air retreat—with garden-inspired decor and a brand-new cocktail menu—running through early summer. Head to the Rooftop for new libations like the Princess Jazzy, a refreshing vodka cocktail with jasmine and cucumber; The Bitter Passion, a bourbon-based blend of Aperol and passion fruit; and Pretty in Purple, a clarified ube punch with bright citrus notes—all enjoyed amid a relaxed ambiance with cascading wisteria. See website for hours. 535 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. Details
Arts + Culture
Jacobs Music Center: S.D. Symphony Concerts
May 15-16. Jacobs Masterworks concerts await at Jacobs Music Center, presented by San Diego Symphony. Violinist Jeff Thayer (pictured) joins the Symphony Orchestra and conductor Rafael Payare for Berg’s Violin Concerto; plus Peru Negro by Jimmy López; and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3. Thayer, the John Forrest Concertmaster Chair of the San Diego Symphony, studied at Conservatorio Superior in Spain; and has performed with acclaimed orchestras around the world. Sa-Su 7:30 p.m. See website for ticket pricing. 750 B St., downtown, 619.235.0804. Details
The Old Globe: Kim’s Convenience
May 15-June 14. The Old Globe stages the San Diego premiere of Kim’s Convenience. Ins Choi’s award-winning comedic play that inspired the Netflix series follows Mr. Kim, a Korean-born operator of a convenience store in Toronto, who is challenged by issues of gentrification while raising his Canadian children with traditional values. (Pictured: Ins Choi and Esther Chung.) Toronto Star describes it as “a timeless, beautiful, and heartfelt ode to the immigrant experience.” See website for showtimes and tickets. 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, 619.234.5623. theoldglobe.org
La Jolla Playhouse: Purpose
Through June 7. The Tony Award-winner for “Best Play” in 2025, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Purpose runs at La Jolla Playhouse. Directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg (pictured), the play also garnered a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2025. It centers on the Jasper family of Chicago, known as a pillar of Black American politics. Tensions erupt in the family when youngest son Nazareth brings an uninvited friend home. The New York Post hails it as “unstoppably fierce, funny and ruthless.” See website for times and tickets. 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, 858.550.1010. lajollaplayhouse.org
Oceanside Museum of Art: Matrix Multiplied
Now On View. Oceanside Museum of Art presents Matrix Multiplied: Hybrid Approaches to Printmaking, through Aug. 2. The exhibit features works by 18 artists who use experimental, hybrid processes that combine two or more printmaking techniques. These include lithography, intaglio, silkscreen and relief; layered with drawing, collage and/or digital technologies to create one-of-a-kind, multidimensional prints and sculptures. Matrix Multiplied encourages you to consider not only the narrative behind each piece—from the environment to family history—but also the process. 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside, 760.435.3720. oma-online.org
Photo credits: Wisteria Rooftop is courtesy of RMD Group. The Old Globe / “Kim’s Convenience” is by Dahlia Katz. Oceanside Museum of Art image is titled “Fredrick 61, San Diego, 2025,” by artist Neil Shigley. All other images are courtesy of the venues and businesses featured.
