Walk your dog at the beach? Try your hand at surfing? Get to it – summer won’t be here forever. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Yes, it’s late summer. Perhaps you’re hankering for football and cooler days. Hence, the dog days. Friday though, is actually … wait for it … National Dog Day. How canny! But there’s festivals to stroll, anniversaries to toast and a cocktail to be had too.
First up, though – the yappers are cute and all, but there’s only one King of the Jungle. Simba and the gang take over the Civic Theatre for a tour stop of The Lion King, continuing through Sept. 11. Tickets for the Broadway San Diego production start at $25.50, with several matinees available for families.
Now to the pups! There’s a couple ways to go to the dogs (but other pets are up for grabs too) this San Diego weekend:
- Solana Beach – EC Gallery hosts the free family-friendly “Yappy Hour” at 2 p.m. Saturday. Dogs will be welcome for “Puppytinis” in the gallery. Hot dogs will be served and there will be “Pop Dogs’ art on view.
- Chula Vista – the community’s new Animal Care Facility, 130 Beyer Way, opens at 10 a.m. Saturday with pomp, including food trucks, dog-themed treats and big giveaways, including concert tickets. Another perk – adoption fees are waived Saturday only.
Get a birds-eye view of San Diego Bay via Bike the Bay, a once-a-year event. Photo credit: bikethebaysd, via Facebook.
Where can you raise a glass to Stone Brewing for its anniversary bash? Lots of places! When? All weekend! Hit tap rooms in Oceanside and downtown San Diego for smaller celebrations on Friday or hold out for the big fests the next two days. The flagship site, Escondido, hosts one at 3 p.m. Saturday, with another to follow at Liberty Station at 11 a.m. Sunday. There will be celebratory beer lists, tastings, live music and more, with entry starting at $40.
The Women’s Museum of California celebrates Women’s Equality Day an 11 a.m. festival Saturday. The event includes performances, scavenger hunts, workshops, a makers market and more at the Jacobs Center on Euclid Avenue.
Of course, Stone and our other famed local brewers bring the sudsy goodness. The region has its share of wineries too. But the fourth annual San Diego Distillers Guild Festival, at The Lane, downtown on Bayfront Court, calls attention to the spirit side of the local drinking scene. Try complimentary sips and cocktails from more than 20 craft distilleries, while enjoying live music at 6 p.m. Saturday. Admission costs $85.
At Bike the Bay, cyclists take a circuit around San Diego Bay through the city and South Bay, starting and ending at Embarcadero Marina Park South. In between, enjoy that rare golden opportunity to scoot over a car-free Coronado bridge. Registration for the 7 a.m. Sunday ride costs $75.