Oceanside, the site of one of this weekend’s Juneteenth celebrations. Photo credit: @VisitOceanside, via Facebook
Looking for a reason to make merry with summer’s official beginning just around the corner? Jump in for big celebrations of family and legacy this San Diego weekend.
It’s the second year that Juneteenth – marking the day in 1865 that a group of former slaves in Texas learned of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation – has been a national holiday. Here’s some of the events on tap:
- The Cooper Family Foundation hosts its Juneteenth Festival at 11 a.m. Saturday. Head to Memorial Park in Logan Heights to see gospel, jazz, drums and dance on two stages, along with a history wall, kids zone and food trucks.
- In Oceanside, there’s the North San Diego County Juneteenth, at 10 a.m. Saturday. The event, at Pier View Way and Freeman Street, includes local artists and musicians, a kids zone, sports clinics, vendor booths, free health screenings and a vaccine station.
- The Old Globe Theatre hosts a free day of music, poetry, storytelling and comedy for Juneteenth, at noon Saturday. Register online for tickets for the show, at the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre in Balboa Park.
Then there’s dear ol’ dad. Father’s Day is Sunday and if that standout among the pops you know is a music fan, a couple throwbacks are in town this weekend:
- Take a trip down memory lane with Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Santana and Earth, Wind and Fire as the bands take the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre stage at 7 p.m. Friday Resale tix, starting at $150, are available for the Miraculous Supernatural Tour in Chula Vista.
- Another Hall of Famer, Bob Dylan, performs at the San Diego Civic Theatre as part of his Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour. Resale tix for the show, at 8 p.m. Saturday, are available as well, starting at $120.
Of course, a couple of other big local fests make great destinations for families and culture lovers alike:
- Missed the San Diego Greek Festival in Hillcrest? Its pandemic pause ends at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church with live Greek music, dancing, all manner of delicacies and church tours too. Admission is $3, with shuttles leaving from the nearby San Diego Unified headquarters lot.
- Love pups? Love pints? Then the Barks and Brews Fest, at the downtown Waterfront Park, is your place to play at 2 p.m. Saturday. Enjoy craft beer tastings and food on the bayfront, in the company of your favorite furball. Dog contests include most talented and best dressed. Tickets with tastings start at $45.
- Like it hot? Taste the West Coast Hot Sauce Experience at Broadway Pier Saturday and Sunday. The event, in which vendors from across the U.S. and as far away as New Zealand bring their hottest sauces and spices to the table, opens at 10 a.m. each day. Tickets start at $20.