{"id":267617,"date":"2025-09-30T22:43:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T22:43:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/267617\/"},"modified":"2025-09-30T22:43:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T22:43:19","slug":"16-things-to-do-in-san-diego-this-weekend-october-1-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/267617\/","title":{"rendered":"16 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: October 1-5"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re now nearly three quarters of the way through 2025, and with fall in full swing, there are many ways to be out and about in San Diego this weekend. Those looking for some festival fun can check out the free Pacific Beachfest, the second annual SDTJ International Jazz Festival and weekend-long Oktoberfests in El Cajon and La Mesa<\/a>. History buffs can dive into the past<\/a> via San Diego History Center\u2019s Dine & Doom speakeasy experience and the traveling production of the Broadway musical Suffs at the Civic Theatre. Plus, families with kids ages 12 and under can plan for an October full of discounted and complimentary experiences as part of Kids Free San Diego<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Food & Drink<\/a> | Concerts & Festivals<\/a> | Theater & Art Exhibits<\/a> | More Fun Things to Do<\/a><\/p>\n

\"FunCourtesy of Taste of North Park<\/p>\n

Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend<\/p>\n

Taste of North Park<\/p>\n

October 4<\/p>\n

North Park<\/a> is well-known as one of SD\u2019s creative capitals, and this Saturday the neighborhood will flex its culinary muscles. The Taste of North Park<\/a> will feature over 500 food options and 15 drink stops, plus live music and art pop-ups, with the chance to explore ice cream shops, gourmet gastronomy, and teamups from local breweries and boutiques. The tasting will begin at 11 a.m., with food until 3:30 p.m. and beverage options closing at 4 p.m. Food-only and shareable sip tickets have already sold out, so secure a 21+ food & sip ticket<\/a> ($65) while they\u2019re still on sale.\u00a0<\/p>\n

North Park<\/p>\n

Dine & Doom: San Diego Speakeasy at San Diego History Center<\/p>\n

October 4<\/p>\n

Experience an interactive speakeasy with Prohibition-era mystique<\/a> this Saturday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the San Diego History Center\u2019s Dine & Doom<\/a>. Once the secret password is given, guests will descend into a Roaring Twenties\u2013themed venue rich with previously archived artifacts and performers chronicling stories of bootlegging\u2019s heyday. Guests are invited to dress in a period appropriate costume, and purchase beer, wine or soda at this 21+ event. Admission is $75<\/a> for San Diego History Center and Women\u2019s Museum of California members and $85 for non-members.<\/p>\n

1649 El Prado, Balboa Park<\/p>\n

Mexico in a Bottle: San Diego at Bread & Salt Gallery<\/p>\n

October 5<\/p>\n

This Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m., Bread & Salt Gallery will host an all-encompassing look at Mexican distilling traditions, one bottle at a time. Dozens of vendors will share bites, sips, and history behind several Mexican whiskey, rum, gin and agave spirits during Mexico in a Bottle<\/a>. Attendees can also check out a sensory-focused presentation from Genius Liquids founder Mike Groener and a talk from Francissco Terrazas, executive director of agave advocacy group Tequila Interchange Project<\/a>. All-inclusive tickets start at $66<\/a> for Mexico in a Bottle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1955 Julian Avenue, Logan Heights<\/p>\n

\"FunCourtesy of Thee Sacred Souls<\/p>\n

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend<\/p>\n

San Diego Italian Film Festival<\/p>\n

October 1-11<\/p>\n

Bellissimo! The San Diego Italian Film Festival<\/a>\u2019s 19th annual feStivale returns this week with the theme of \u201cCourage: The Art of Fearless Storytelling\u201d and six days of Italian film screenings at the Museum of Photographic Arts. The cinematic offerings begin Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. with a lineup of eight short films at Digital Gym Cinema during Ristretto Shorts Night and will conclude with the celebratory feSta<\/a> on Oct. 11 with food, live music and awards. Tickets for individual screenings and Ristretto Shorts Night<\/a> are $22 and feSta tickets are $90<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1100 Market Street, East Village | 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park<\/p>\n

Thee Sacred Souls & UB40 at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre<\/p>\n

October 2-4\u00a0<\/p>\n

Concertgoers can enjoy two nights of oldie-inspired melodies, and a Saturday night showcase of reggae and ska this week at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. First, South Bay soul revivalists Thee Sacred Souls<\/a> will hold it down for two consecutive evenings at 8 p.m., joined by opening acts Brainstory on Thursday and The Emkays on Friday. Tickets start at $55 for Thursday\u2019s concert<\/a> and $85 for Friday\u2019s<\/a>, with more availability for the former show. Then, UB40<\/a>, known for their chart-topping covers of \u201cRed Red Wine\u201d and \u201cCan\u2019t Help Falling in Love,\u201d will be joined by ska group The English Beat; tickets start at $30<\/a> for this concert.\u00a0<\/p>\n

5500 Campanile Drive, Rolando<\/p>\n

French Literary and Arts Festival<\/p>\n

October 2-4<\/p>\n

Alliance Fran\u00e7aise San Diego has organized three days of Francophone festivities with the first-ever French Literary and Arts Festival<\/a>. There will be artistic gatherings all over La Jolla, beginning Thursday (6 p.m.) with a free Theater Night<\/a> at Lycee Francais de San Diego and followed by Friday Movie night<\/a> ($15) at the San Diego French-American School. Then, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library there will be free workshops and panels, plus the piano concert A French Emotional Journey<\/a> ($45).\u00a0<\/p>\n

La Jolla<\/p>\n

San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival<\/p>\n

October 2, 4 & 5<\/p>\n

Year two of the immersive San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival<\/a> begins with a bang on Thursday<\/a> from 5 to 9 p.m. at Quartyard with free performances from Binational Youth Ensemble, The Less Likely, Irving Flores Afro Cuban Sextet. This border region bash will continue Saturday at California Center for the Arts, Escondido<\/a>, with a headliner set from Arturo O\u2019Farrill and the Afro Latin Ensemble with the Fandango Fronterizo Colectivo, with the proceedings concluding across the border Sunday<\/a> at the free Tijuana Jazz and Blues Festival. Tickets range from $42 to $118<\/a>, with additional VIP add-ons available, for Saturday\u2019s concerts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1301 Market Street, East Village | 340 North Escondido Boulevard, Escondido<\/p>\n

Local Oktoberfests\u00a0<\/p>\n

October 3-5<\/p>\n

The spirit of Oktoberfest is spreading all over San Diego, with the return of the three-day La Mesa Oktoberfest<\/a> and weekend two of German American Societies of San Diego\u2019s Oktoberfest in El Cajon<\/a>. The German-themed gathering in La Mesa is free to attend, and will include games, an artisan market, a ferris wheel, dog races and VIP beer garden experiences<\/a> Friday-Sunday. In El Cajon, festivalgoers can explore German cuisine, stein-holding competitions, traditional folk dancing and the sounds of oom-pah also happening Friday-Sunday; adult tickets are $15 on Friday and Saturday and $5 on Sunday, with free entry for those under 21.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8361 Allison Avenue, La Mesa | 1017 South Mollison Avenue, El Cajon<\/p>\n

Pacific Beachfest<\/p>\n

October 4<\/p>\n

Spend your Saturday beachside trying local craft beer, perusing an arts and craft village with more than 60 vendors, and watching performances on three live entertainment stages at the free Pacific Beachfest<\/a>. This Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., there will also be a kids action alley, beach soccer and volleyball tournaments, a San Diego FC<\/a> watch party, and a neighborhood 5K <\/a>(plus a half marathon on Sunday). The Best of the Beach Fish Taco Contest is also slated to return from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; tickets are $20 and come with five samples to eat and rate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Felpar Street to Thomas Street, Pacific Beach<\/p>\n

\"FunCourtesy of Andrea Tarman<\/p>\n

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend<\/p>\n

Suffs at Civic Theatre<\/p>\n

September 30 \u2013 October 5<\/p>\n

Now on its first nationwide tour, Shaina Taub\u2019s historically-inspired musical Suffs<\/a> recounts an instrumental moment in the women\u2019s suffrage movement. Through pivotal figures such as Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells and Carrie Chapman Catt, Suffs spotlights the end of first wave feminism through the 1920 ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment whilst acknowledging the battles still being fought. Tickets start at $52<\/a>, with eight performances this week at the Civic Theatre.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1100 Third Avenue, Gaslamp<\/p>\n

Arms and the Man at Lamb\u2019s Players Theatre<\/p>\n

October 1 \u2013 November 16<\/p>\n

The first of many theatrical hits for legendary British dramatist George Bernard Shaw was his 1894 wartime romantic comedy Arms and the Man<\/a>. This amusing story, in which a counter-stereotypical soldier hiding from battle sparks a series of romantic entanglements, will be adapted for the stage of the Lamb\u2019s Players Theatre in a new production directed by Deborah Gilmour Smyth. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday matinees<\/a> range from $48 to $98 and all other performances range from $28 to $78, with showtimes Wednesday-Sunday through Nov. 16.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1142 Orange Avenue, Coronado<\/p>\n

Blues For An Alabama Sky at MOXIE Theatre\u00a0<\/p>\n

October 2-26<\/p>\n

Starting off Season 21: Connections at the MOXIE Theatre<\/a> is Pearl Cleage\u2019s Blues For An Alabama Sky<\/a>, directed by Desire\u00e9 Clarke Miller, a bleak but beautiful look at the downslide from the Harlem Renaissance into the Great Depression. Set in 1930 Harlem, a group of friends with creative aspirations claw and struggle to make a name for themselves as the cruelness of reality threatens to squash their dreams for good. Tickets range from $5 to $100<\/a> for Blues For An Alabama Sky, with daily performances this Thursday-Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

6663 El Cajon Blvd Suite North, El Cajon<\/p>\n

A Step Beyond at Walter Redondo Fine Art Collection<\/p>\n

October 3-9<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there life on Mars?<\/a>\u201d \u2013 David Bowie mused many years ago. Well for World Space Week<\/a>, local artists Andrea Tarman<\/a> and Walter Redondo have dared to envision what it would look like to call the Red Planet home. A Step Beyond<\/a> reaches for the stars, channeling the spectacle of outer space to create dreamy installations, a Mars colony living room, interactive community artwork, a martian diary and informative astronomy and physics presentations. This exhibition opens Friday with an artist talk and meet-and-greet from 6 to 9 p.m. and will close Oct. 9 with a final viewing from 5 to 8 p.m. at Walter Redondo Fine Art Collection<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

789 W Harbor Drive, Embarcadero<\/p>\n

Emotion X Connection Opening Reception at Ashton Gallery<\/p>\n

October 4<\/p>\n

Friends and collaborators Anuj Jenveja and Priyanka Pathak have drawn from their professional experiences as psychotherapists, as well as their South Asian ancestry, to craft over 10 acrylic and mixed media paintings for Emotion X Connection<\/a>. This expressive and symbolic exhibition will have a free opening reception<\/a> featuring the artists this Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ashton Gallery<\/a>, alongside the opening of the gallery\u2019s juried Fall in Love exhibition. Emotion X Connection will remain on display, with items available for purchase, through Oct. 31.<\/p>\n

4434 30th Street, North Park<\/p>\n

\"FunCourtesy of The New Children\u2019s Museum<\/p>\n

More Fun Things To Do in San Diego This Weekend<\/p>\n

Kids Free San Diego<\/p>\n

October 1-31<\/p>\n

It\u2019s said that the best things in life are free, and all throughout October, kids ages 12 and under with a paid adult can take advantage of complimentary perks through Kids Free San Diego<\/a>. This deal extends to over 60 San Diego County arts and culture institutions<\/a>, including the Birch Aquarium, Cabrillo National Monument, the Japanese Friendship Garden and the Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center, as well as hotel stays, local tours and discounted meals. Just search by category, download your Kids Free Coupons<\/a> and enjoy all the savings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Citywide<\/p>\n

Fashion Week San Diego<\/p>\n

October 4-5<\/p>\n

Strut over to UCSD Park & Market for a couture-filled weekend from Fashion Week San Diego<\/a>. Models will showcase new designer lines during 18+ runway shows Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. featuring live music, entertainment and a complimentary beverage for attendees. Day two is the all-ages trunk show & awards Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. offering guests the chance to buy rare items, converse with designers and study the latest fashion trends. Tickets to the runway show<\/a> range from $100 to $175, and come with entry to the trunk show, while trunk show-only tickets are $15.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1100 Market Street, East Village<\/p>\n

PARTNER CONTENT<\/p>\n


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\n Summer Escapes Guide 2025
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