18 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: May 26-31

by Nicolle Monico

Dive into the unexpected this weekend, where curated meals, experimental performances and behind-the-scenes experiences await. Foodies are invited to the first 2026 gathering of The Blank Table as well as Chef Onyi’s seasonal Rooted dinner at Millport. Broaden your artistic horizons with Project [BLANK]’s Working Title No. 5, or check out the genre-bending musical lineups at Seek Fest or Fiesta Del Sol. As an added bonus, The Rosin Box Project is pulling back the curtain and opening a trio of after-hours rehearsals to the public ahead of its new Incubator Lab show. 

Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend

San Diego Wine Week

May 25-31

San Diego may be a craft beer capital, but it’s also home to a diverse array of wineries. During the San Diego County Vintners Association’s annual San Diego Wine Week, oenophiles can sample several of the best pours the region has to offer. The centerpiece event, Sunday’s all-inclusive SDCVA Wine Festival from 3-6 p.m., will feature over 20 local wineries at Bernardo Winery; general admission is $90. Additional Wine Week events include Vintners Table at Cordiano Winery (Thursday), San Diego Wine Country at the Bay at Mission Beach Women’s Club (Thursday) and the Seedling Soiree at Olivewood Gardens (Saturday).

Citywide

The Blank Table

May 28 

The Blank Table series is an exercise in local culinary creativity, innovation and collaboration with the most secret of ingredients readily available: the element of surprise. On six Thursdays from May-October—with year seven of the series beginning this Thursday at 6 p.m.—60 patrons will be served a unique menu with five set courses, each with curated cocktail pairings. And to keep the air of mystery alive, the dinner location and menu will not be disclosed until 24 hours ahead of time. Tickets are $275 for Thursday’s dinner and a season pass for all six monthly dinners is $1,402; a portion of event proceeds will be donated to Feeding San Diego.  

Surprise Location

Rooted: A Dinner Experience by Chef Onyi at Millport

May 30

Chef Onyinyechukwu Akpa welcomes food lovers to try a seasonal spread, dually inspired by her mastery of West African flavors and California’s seasonal ingredients, during the second edition of Rooted: A Dinner Experience at Millport. This Saturday from 6-9 p.m., chef Onyi will serve a five-course tasting menu, with dishes such as slow roasted beef, plantain upside down cake and akara, Nigerian black-eyed pea fritters. The meal will be entirely gluten-free, with vegan accommodations also available. Tickets are $115 and can be purchased here.

775 13th Street, Imperial Beach

Bridgerton & Blooms High Tea at Estancia La Jolla

May 31

Dearest reader, Estanica La Jolla opens up its grounds once a month for its outdoor Tea in the Garden series, and you’re in luck, because this month’s tea time is inspired by the enchanted English setting of Bridgerton. During the Bridgerton & Blooms High Tea this Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., guests can savor an afternoon worthy of the ton, complete with floral accoutrements, custom teas, cocktails, finger foods and enough sweets treats for Lady Whistledown to write home about. Tickets are $82.

9700 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla

Courtesy of Fiesta Del Sol

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend

Juvenile with the 400 Degreez Band at House of Blues San Diego

May 29

Over the years, Juvenile has more than proven himself as an all-time emcee, with his breakout 1998 album 400 Degreez still a defining example of the South’s hip-hop brilliance. This Friday at 7 p.m. at House of Blues San Diego, Juvenile will play hits like “Slow Motion” and “Back That Azz Up,” along with selections from Boiling Point, his first album in 12 years. Plus, he’ll be joined by the sensational 400 Degreez Band, and as anyone who’s seen his NPR Tiny Desk performance already knows, Juvenile with a live ensemble is a match made in music heaven. Tickets start at $55 for this concert. 

1055 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp

Kuumba Fest

May 30

Kuumba Fest returns this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the theme of “Black 2 Mind, Spirit & Body” for its 34th annual iteration. This free community festival, organized in support of the city’s Black Arts + Culture District, will feature DJs, dancing, spoken word, musical performances and an African marketplace with food, apparel, health resources and more. Then from 6-8 p.m. at the Elementary Institute of Science, the festival will conclude with a screening of the documentary American Curl followed by a Q&A panel with the film’s producers. 

6381 Imperial Avenue, Encanto; 608 51st Street, Emerald Hills

Seek Fest at San Diego Made Factory

May 30

Live music, locally-crafted brews and even massages can be found during the multi-faceted Seek Fest from The Blank Slate and San Diego Music & Art Company. This Saturday from 5-11 p.m. at San Diego Made Factory, there will also be DJs, live bands, aged stout and sour beers, a cocktail bar, vegan food vendors, live painting, chainstitch embroidery and voter registration assistance. General admission is $45 for Seek Fest, and comes with a commemorative pint glass; a portion of proceeds will go to the Musician Empowerment Collective nonprofit. 

2031 Commercial Street, Logan Heights

Fiesta Del Sol 

May 30 & 31

See a range of live music—from pop to Chicano rock—by the beach this Saturday (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.) during the 45th annual Fiesta Del Sol. This free, two-day festival at Fletcher Cove will feature over a dozen performers, including headlining sets by The English Beat (Saturday) and Los Lobos (Sunday). There will also be a kids zone, local vendors and the return of the Solana Beach Firefighters Association’s pancake breakfast on Sunday from 7:30-10 a.m. Premium ticket options include Seaside Pavilion seating ($75) and VIP Deck admission ($160), which comes with a gift bag, meal ticket, drink ticket and more. 

111 South Sierra Avenue, Solana Beach

Poway Spring Festival

May 31

Enjoy entertainment for the whole family during the inaugural Poway Spring Festival this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Poway Chamber of Commerce invites all to peruse blocks of business vendors, as well as food trucks, live music, kid’s activities and a beer and wine garden for the grownups. Plus, motorheads can check out a classic car show during this free street fair.  

Midland Road between Poway Road & Hilleary Place, Poway

Concert for Hope & Peace at Belly Up

May 31

Looking for a pleasant time to take your mind off of (*gestures broadly at everything*) current events? This Sunday at 7 p.m., Belly Up will host the Concert for Hope & Peace, an evening intended to harness the unifying power of good music for a great cause. The lineup will feature appearances by a plethora of SoCal-based acts, including locals like blues artists Laura Chavez, Robin Henkel, and the debut of the Playing For Peace All-Star Band. Tickets range from $33 (general admission) to $55 (reserved loft seating) for this 21+ concert; proceeds will benefit the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties and community outreach organizations.  

143 South Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend

The Rosin Box Project: Incubator Lab at Light Box Theater

May 26-31

Witness the execution and the behind-the-scenes development of The Rosin Box Project’s Incubator Lab. The ballet company will offer a studious glimpse into the making of premiere works from choreographers Bethany Green, Natasha Rader, and Alexandra Schooling during open rehearsals this Tuesday-Thursday at 7 p.m. Then, this Friday-Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at Light Box Theater, there will be nightly performances of Incubator Lab along with post-show artist talkbacks. Ticket options include Process Passes ($29) for each rehearsal, individual performance tickets are $50 and a virtual show stream ($29), available from June 5-14.

2590 Truxtun Road, Point Loma

The Sound of Music at Civic Theatre

May 26-31

For two decades, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II flourished within a symbiotic creative partnership. Their collective brilliance produced 11 musicals, beginning with Oklahoma! and ending with their magnum opus, The Sound of Music. Boasting songs like “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things” and the irresistible title track, its creation ensured the duo went out on a high note. This week, the Civic Theatre stage will come to life with The Sound of Music, with Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39 for the production. 

1100 Third Avenue, Gaslamp

Project [BLANK]: Working Title No. 5 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral

May 28-30

Project [BLANK]’s fifth season concludes this week with an exploration of experimental sounds and visuals amongst the Sanctuary of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. This Thursday from 6-9 p.m., visitors can see multimedia installations, performance artwork and experimental music performances from border region artists, which incorporate sculptures, video, movement and electronic instruments. Each night will also include a performance of composer Michelle Lou’s Excerpts from the Office of the Dead. Tickets range from $17-$27 for Working Title No. 5.

2728 Sixth Avenue, Bankers Hill

Pieces at Point Loma Playhouse Pop-Up

May 29–June 7

Moving on from a personal tragedy is no small feat, and grief can pack punches in ways that can’t be foreseen. In the world premiere drama pieces, written by Thomas J. Misuraca, a woman mourning her husband’s death tries to find solace in those who received his organs. This play from 3Peace Studios and the Point Loma Playhouse is the debut production through the Playhouse’s Curtain Up! Originals initiative. Tickets are $35 and VIP sofas (for three people) are $130, with performances this Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 3 & 7:30 p.m. at the Playhouse’s Bankers Hill pop-up space.

3148 Fifth Avenue, Bankers Hill

Endless Summer at Techne Art Center

May 30–August 1

Techne Art Center’s new group exhibition Endless Summer lauds San Diego as both a paradise of sun-filled splendor and a naturally inspiring place for artists to thrive. To prove these points and simultaneously highlight SD’s wealth of talent, the Oceanside gallery has gathered a baker’s dozen of local artists—curated by painter and San Diego art convert Chuck Thomas—each of whom can attest to the city’s place as a creative powerhouse. Endless Summer will have a free opening reception this Saturday from 5-8 p.m.

1609 Ord Way, Oceanside

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend

Burke Revival Film and Discussion Series: Brazil at Digital Gym Cinema

May 28 

The third season of the Burke Revival Film and Discussion Series at Digital Gym Cinema begins Thursday at 7 p.m. with a screening of Terry Gilliam’s 1985 sci-fi classic Brazil. Channeling the totalitarian surveillance of George Orwell’s 1984, the film centers on an average citizen’s fantastical attempts to break free from oppressive societal order. Following the screening, Rev. Scott Young will lead a discussion on the themes of Brazil and its resonance in the modern day. Tickets are $10 for the public and $7 for Burke Lectureship on Religion & Society members. 

1100 Market Street, East Village

Craig Robinson at American Comedy Co.

May 28-30

A veteran of Second City, beloved sitcoms, Seth Rogen cinematic universe and hilarious presence on sitcoms, Craig Robinson is a reliable funnyman. But prior to making it big in comedy, Robinson developed his skills as a music teacher, and years later his musical acumen is still an integral part of his standup routine. San Diegans can see Robinson work his keyboard magic this week at Gaslamp’s American Comedy Co., with 21+ shows Thursday at 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday at 7 & 9 p.m. General admission is $48 and includes a two drink minimum.

818 Sixth Avenue, Gaslamp

U.S. Air Guitar Championships at Booze Brothers Brewing Co.

May 30

Ever wanted to put your inanimate string instrument skills to the test? Then stop by Booze Brothers Brewing Co. this Saturday at 7 p.m. to partake in a regional qualifier for the U.S. Air Guitar Championships. Those who are up for the task are encouraged to lean into the spectacle with eye-catching outfits, rockstar attitudes and strident dedication to fake playing. The winner of Saturday’s event will represent San Diego during the U.S. Air Guitar National Finals this August in San Francisco. Spectators can attend for free while contestant entry is $18.

2545 Progress Street, Vista

The post 18 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: May 26-31 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

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