The best things to do this weekend in San Diego: May 24-26 (2024)

Here are some of the best things to do this weekend in San Diego from Friday, May 24 to Sunday, May 26.

For details on Memorial Day events, click the link below.

Friday

Lebanese Festival: Throughout Memorial Day weekend, St. Ephrem Church will host a Lebanese Festival with traditional foods, music, dancing, a beer and wine garden, carnival games and a raffle for prizes. A kids zone will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. with $35 all-day tickets. 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $5 admission. Kids under age 3 can attend for free. stephremchurch.com/#

New exhibits at The Nat: As part of its 150th birthday celebrations, the San Diego Museum of Natural History is hosting special activities and events this summer, with several this weekend. Today an immersive nature garden outside the museum will open to the public and is free to explore. A new exhibit, “Action from the Archives: The Nat at 150,” will open with a display of photos representing 150 years of history and the people who have contributed the museum through the years. This weekend also kicks off the museum’s Summer of Wonder events series, which can be explored through its online calendar. San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park. sdnhm.org/exhibitions

Tierra Caliente recital: Tierra Caliente Academy of Arts will present its spring recital of ballet folklorico dance. 7 p.m. Friday. California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. $20. (800) 988-4253, artcenter.org

Amica Hunter’s solo show “Anatomica: A Comedy About Meat, Bones & The Skin You’re In” is being presented at the 2024 San Diego International Fringe Festival.

(Courtesy of San Diego International Fringe Festival)

San Diego International Fringe Festival: This year’s Fringe fest, which continues through Sunday, with 70 theater, dance and comedy shows from around the world at 11 venues citywide including Amica Hunter’s body-focused solo show “Anatomica” (pictured). The Fringe website offers details on each show, their locations and show times, as well as a show rating for family or adult themes. Tickets, which must be purchased online, are $13 per show or multishow passes, plus the one-time purchase of a $7 Fringe tag. For Lineup, showtimes, locations and details, visit sdfringe.org

“Next to Normal”: Oceanside Theatre Company presents Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize award-winning musical about a mother battling mental illness and her family’s struggle to cope. 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Brooks Theater, 217 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside. $20. (760) 433-8900, oceansidetheatre.org

Free admission for teachers at USS Midway Museum: The USS Midway Museum provides free single-day admission for active and certified K-12 San Diego County credentialed classroom teachers through May 31 to thank teachers for their work. This free ticket offer is available at the Midway ticket booth only. Teachers must provide proof by presenting a teacher credential ID. The offer is available to teachers only. midway.org/visit/special-offers

‘Stir’: The Old Globe presents the world premiere of Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez’s play about a two siblings who reconnect to re-create their late mother’s favorite recipe. 7 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. $33 and up. (619) 234-5623, theoldglobe.org

Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration: The Padres will take on the Yankees Friday night amid a celebration of San Diego’s Puerto Rican community. Theme game tickets come with a special themed hat and Friday night at the ball park also brings with it Party in the Park. Fans with tickets can find discounted drinks and entertainment in Gallagher Square leading up to the first pitch. 6:40 p.m. Friday. Petco Park. Tickets start at $49. mlb.com/padres

‘Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812’: Cygnet Theatre presents the West Coast premiere of this Tony-nominated electropop opera adapted from a portion of Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel “War and Peace.” 7 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town San Diego. $58-$73 (619) 337-1525, cygnettheatre.com

‘Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Board Members’: Moxie Theatre presents this drag “fantasmagoria” about a trans woman who decides to kill off members of a New York finance board. 8 p.m. Friday. 2 and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Ste. N, Rolando. $20-$50. (858) 598-7620, moxietheatre.com

Saturday

Pro Motocross Championship: Kicking off a new season of the Pro Motocross Championship, San Diego County’s Fox Raceway will host the Honda Fox Raceway National. Competitors from around the world, including El Cajon native Christian Craig, will compete in multiple rounds of racing that fans can watch from alongside the track. This event is the first in an 11-round series that will tour 10 states. Fans can purchase general admission tickets, pit passes and VIP ticket options to attend. Practice and qualifying rounds will begin at 8 a.m. with opening ceremonies at 12:30 p.m. taking place ahead of the first races at 1 p.m. 12:30 p.m. Saturday Fox Raceway, 12799 California Highway 76, Pala. Tickets start at $35. promotocross.com/schedule

Santee Street Fair: This street fair and craft beer festival expects more than 30,000 visitors and is in its 14th year in Santee. It showcases local breweries and will also offer food and vendor booths, a kids zone, live local entertainment, art and more. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Town Center Parkway and Riverview Parkway, Santee. Free with separate fees for beer garden and rides. santeestreetfair.com

Africa Day / African Liberation Day Celebration: This arts and culture festival, highlighting Ghana, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Liberia and Unganda will include musical performances, storytelling, dancing and traditional food. It celebrates African independence and identity, and is hosted by the the San Diego – Tema Sister City Society. Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. Balboa Park International Cottages Lawn Stage, 668 Pan America Way, San Diego.

Hip-hop and R&B brunch: Cielo Rooftop Lounge is hosting a hip-hop and R&B brunch on Saturday. Bruch N’ Vibez is a day party featuring a buffet brunch, hip-hop and R&B music by DJ Reyfino and a full bar. This is a 21 and over age limit event. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of the event and $25 for the buffet brunch. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. 701 Sixth Ave., San Diego. eventbrite.com

Pianist Jeremy Denk will perform Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto with the San Diego Symphony at the Rady Shell on May 25.

(Courtesy of Shervin Lainez)

Pianist Jeremy Denk performs Beethoven: San Diego Symphony, under the baton of music director Rafael Payare, will present Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Stravinsky’s complete The Firebird. 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, 222 Marina Park Way, downtown. $25-$108. (619) 235-0804, sandiegysymphony.org

“Undocumented Times” exhibit: On Saturday, Oceanside Museum of Art will open a “Undocumented Times / Queer Yearnings,” an exhibit curated by M. Liliana Ramirez featuring the artwork of Alexa Vasquez. The exhibit delves into the experiences of undocumented queer immigrants who migrated to the U.S. as children and navigated their coming-of-age within its borders. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays. Through Oct. 6. 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. (760) 435-3720, oma-online.org

“Hunt” exhibit opens: Madison Gallery presents a solo exhibition by painter, sculptor and printmaker Hunt Slonem, whose work is represented in more than 250 international galleries. Opening reception and artist talk, 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. through July 1. 320 S. Cedros Ave., Suite 200, Solana Beach. (858) 523-9155, madisongalleries.com

“Vanity Fair”: Scripps Ranch Theatre presents Kate Hamill’s contemporary adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s 1840s novel about two young women, one born into wealth, the other a poor orphan, and their efforts to navigate an unforgiving society. Opens Saturday and runs through June 16. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Legler-Benbough Theatre, Alliant International University, , 9783 Avenue of Nations, San Diego. $29-$49. (858) 395-0573, scrippsranchtheatre.org

Sunday

Vista Strawberry Festival: Celebrating all things strawberry, this festival features a play zone for kids, art, entertainment, a film festival and various food and drink vendors. On the schedule of events is a 5K run at 7:30 a.m., a San Diego FC soccer competition, a beer stein-holding contest, a costume contest, a pie-eating contest and live music and performances. Visitors are invited to wear strawberry-themed attire. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Main Street historical area, Vista. Free with charges for some activities. vistastrawberryfest.com

Movies on the Beach: The Hotel del Coronado’s summertime Movies on the Beach series begins with “The Sandlot” on Sunday. The lineup of movies, which will be played on Sundays through Sept. 8, includes “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Some Like It Hot,” “Moana,” “Grease” and “The Parent Trap.” Sand chairs are provided with general admission and family packages are available for beach bonfires with s’mores. 8 p.m. Sunday Coronado Beach next to Hotel del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado. $25 for general admission. hoteldel.com/events/movies-on-the-beach

Poway Symphony Orchestra: ‘Classical Gems’: The orchestra, led by conductor John LoPiccolo, welcomes noted pianist Ching-Ming Cheng to perform Schumann’s piano concerto. An award-winning music professor at California State University San Marcos, Cheng has performed in Taiwan, Japan, China and the U.S. 4 p.m. Sunday. Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road, Poway. $15-$40. (858) 748-0505, powaysymphonyorchestra.org