San Diego EventsFamily Fun for Every Month of the YearCheck out the calendar of events in San Diego California for upcoming events and specials before planning your next vacation. San Diego events range from bike rides to art festivals. There's something for everyone! Whether you're a local family or visiting from out-of-town, here are some fun seasonal things to do in San Diego:
JanuaryRestaurant Week - For a week in January every year, some of the city's finest restaurants offer meals at a fraction of the normal price. Menus are set at $30 and $40, including appetizer, entree and dessert. This is a great opportunity to try an expensive restaurant that normally may be out of reach for your family. See sandiegorestaurantweek.com for participating restaurants. This is a great San Diego event for the tastebuds and pocketbook!
FebruaryBuick Invitational Golf Tournament - This annual PGA Tour event is hosted in beautiful Torrey Pines with fantastic views and famous golfers. You might be able to see greats like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jon Daly and Fred Couples at this San Diego event. See www.buickinvitational.com for more info.
MarchKiwanis Ocean Beach Kite Festival - Kids love kites right? Learn to make and decorate your own kite, participate in an all-ages flying contest, and enjoy lots of food and entertainment in this fun venue at the beach. First Saturday in March. Call 619-531-1527 for more info.Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch - Talk about a photo op! One of the most spectacular sights in North County is the yearly blossoming of the Flower Fields in March and April. Rows of colorful flowers will delight your kids. You can see the flowers from Interstate 5 at the Palomar Airport Road exit.
AprilArtWalk - This 2-day event is now the largest art event in the San Diego/Tijuana area, with displays from hundreds of visual and performing artists. If your kids are interested in painting, sculpture, poetry, drama, video or design, they will enjoy this taste of the arts. They even offer KidsWalk activities geared for the younger set. Of course, there are plenty of food vendors too. ArtWalk 2009 happens on April 25 and 26 in Little Italy. See artwalksandiego.org for more info.Rosarito-Ensenada 50-mile Fun Bicycle Ride - This event isn't in San Diego, but it's fairly close. You probably want to leave your kids home for this one unless they are hard-core bikers! About 10,000 participants cycle from the Rosarito Beach Hotel along the two-lane road to Ensenada. There are lots of hills but it is very scenic. Visit www.rosaritoensenada.com for more info. The ride happens again in September.
MayFiesta Cinco de Mayo - All the festivities take place in Old Town as San Diego commemorates the 1862 triumph of Mexican soldiers over the French. The festivities include a battle re-enactment, mariachi bands, and plenty of tacos, burritos, carne asadas, and quesadillas! With 200,000 attending this 3-day fiesta, parking is a challenge. Try taking the trolley in...you'll avoid the hassle of parking and your younger kids will love trolley ride. Admission is free. The event happens the weekend closest to May 5. See www.fiestacincodemayo.com for more info.Carlsbad Spring Village Faire - If you like street fairs, this one will blow you away! Located at Grand and State streets, this San Diego event is billed as the biggest and best arts and crafts fair in Southern California. Downtown Carlsbad completely shuts down all traffic for this massive event. It usually happens mid-May. Call 760-931-8400 for more details.
JuneSan Diego County Fair - Our family is crazy about the San Diego County Fair, otherwise known by locals as the Del Mar Fair. It happens every summer at the Del Mar Fairgrounds from mid-June to early July, lasting more than 3 weeks! You'll find rides, livestock competitions, flower and garden shows, gem and mineral exhibits, food and craft booths, and lots of gadgets to buy for your home and health! See www.sdfair.com for more info.
Rock and Roll Marathon- Any runners out there? You'll love this 26 mile course through Balboa Park, downtown, and around Mission Bay, with live bands on 26 stages along the course. Go to www.rnrmarathon.com for more info. Next year, the marathon is May 31, 2009 but it usually is in early June.
JulySan Diego Comic Con - This is the largest comic book and pop culture convention in the world. Upward of 60,000 people come to San Diego's Convention Center for a weekend of auctions, dealers, autographs and seminars about fantasy and sci-fi movies and novels. See www.comic-con.org for more info. Del Mar Racing Season - "Turf meets the surf" at the beautiful seaside Del Mar Race Track. Post time is 2 p.m most days and the track is dark on Tuesdays. Horse racing season goes from mid-July to mid-September. Visit www.dmtc.com for more info. U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition - These elaborate sandcastles will amaze you and your kids! The weekend event happens at the Imperial Beach Pier. There's a parade and children's sandcastle contest on Saturday, followed by the main competition on Sunday. Too bad these masterpieces won't last. Visit www.usopensandcastle.com for more info.
AugustMidnight Madness - Sponsored by Hostelling International, this 20 mile bike ride starts at, you guessed it, midnight! This San Diego event beginning on a Saturday night in August. You'll ride through downtown San Diego, Harbor Island, Shelter Island, and other scenic parts of San Diego.
Click here for more photos and video from Midnight Madness. SeptemberJulian Fall Apple Harvest - The charming town of Julian is about 45 minutes north of San Diego. The popular apple harvest runs for 2 months in the early fall. Every weekend, local artisans display their wares. Enjoy delicious, and I mean delicious, apple cider and apple pie, plus brilliant fall colors.
OctoberMiramar Air Show - Located at MCAS Miramar, this is one of the world's best military air shows. The 2009 Miramar Air Show takes place October 2, 3 and 4. Admission, parking and blanket seating are free. If you want to sit in the grandstands, you'll have to pay admission. Don't worry, you can see plenty from the blanket seating and even outside of the military base, you'll see and hear those airplanes overhead. The Blue Angels will leave your kids in awe! See miramarairshow.com for schedules and information.
More about the Blue Angels and Miramar Air Show. NovemberDixieland Jazz Festival - More than 20 bands perform at this fun annual festival held over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Your kids can listen to vintage ragtime, swing and pure New Orleans Dixieland. Held in the Mission Valley neighborhood of San Diego, see dixielandjazzfestival.org for more info.
DecemberBalboa Park December Nights - This is a great way to kick off the Christmas season on the first Friday and Saturday of December in San Diego's premiere park. Enjoy a candlelight procession, traditional caroling, craft displays, ethnic food, traditional hot cider and a grand Christmas tree and Nativity scene in Spreckels Organ Pavilion. The event is free from 5-9 on both days and all the park's museums are also free during those hours. See balboapark.org/decembernights for more info.Mission Bay Boat Parade of Lights - Watch the bay light up in this festive boat parade from Quivira Basin in Mission Bay. Held on a Saturday in mid-December, the parade concludes with the lighting of a 320-foot tower of Christmas lights at SeaWorld. Good views from Crown Point on the east side of Vacation Island, or the west side of Fiesta Island.
More photos from the Big Bay Balloon Parade.
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San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade - New York City has it's Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade, and San Diego has the Big Bay Balloon Parade. This event is a must for kids. You'll see marching bands, floats, and enormous balloons like Thomas the Train and Clifford the Big Red Dog. Over 100,000 specators will enjoy this free parade down N. Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego. In 2008, the parade takes place on Monday, December 29 at 9:00 a.m.
