San Diego, CA
‘Bubble Queen of Mission Bay’ Reggie Dyer Veit reigns with joy
About half an hour before sunset, something extraordinary happens at Mission Bay Park. Giant, iridescent bubbles float through the air, some stretching 8 to 12 feet, occasionally drifting over Interstate 5 and past apartment windows, leaving wonder in their wake.
Behind this phenomenon is a bubble artist who has called San Diego home since 1987 and spent the past nine years perfecting her craft and earning the nickname “Bubble Queen of Mission Bay.”
Reggie Dyer Veit’s journey into bubble artistry began nearly 40 years ago at the Ocean Beach Christmas Parade, where she first saw a bubble artist perform.
“I just fell in love with it. I thought that’s so neat,” Dyer Veit said.
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An onlooker snaps a picture of the “Bubble Queen” at Mission Bay Park. (Photo by Barry Alman) -
The “Bubble Queen” in the zone at Mission Bay Park. (Photo by Barry Alman) -
Dyer Veit with her apprentice Steve Coy. (Photo by Barry Alman) -
The “Bubble Queen” smiles as a child chases a bubble behind her at Mission Bay Park. (Photo by Barry Alman)
But life got in the way and she waited three decades before pursuing her passion. The turning point came when she spotted someone creating giant bubbles on the dunes in Pacific Beach.
“I went home that night and started learning everything I could about bubbles,” Dyer Veit said.
What followed was an intensive self-education. Dyer Veit discovered a wiki site with information about bubble physics and history, spending four or five days absorbed in reading. Within her first year, she became a certified bubbleologist — a designation requiring both theoretical knowledge and practical skill.
“You have to take a test to become a bubbleologist,” Dyer Veit said. “You have to be able to do certain tricks with the bubble.”
One of the most challenging tricks she learned is called “the cube,” created by renowned bubble artist Tom Noddy, who performed on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” The trick involves blowing five bubbles around two connected bubbles to form a cube shape in the center.
Like other bubble enthusiasts, Dyer Veit is part of a community with its own vocabulary.
“We have our own bubble language,” she said. “You’ll hear us talk about things like the dragon and the wick.”
Dyer Veit said October is often her best month for bubbling, as higher humidity helps the bubbles last longer. She has spent years perfecting her bubble juice recipe, a secret mix of five ingredients besides water. Her goal is to create bubbles that can withstand wind and drift for extended periods.
“If you can get a bubble to last over 30 seconds, that’s pretty good,” she said. “I’ve had them go for almost three minutes.”
Mission Bay provides ideal conditions due to the moisture in the air. However, she also ventures to La Jolla, Dog Beach in Ocean Beach and the Torrey Pines Gliderport, where updrafts can send bubbles soaring over cliffs.
The reactions she witnesses range from pure delight to the downright surreal. Her most unusual encounter happened at De Anza Cove when one of her giant bubbles floated over the freeway, high above the hillside.
“A hawk was circling and dive bombed the bubble,” she said. “That was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen.”
More often, Dyer Veit sees faces light up, moods shift and she hears a lot of “wows.”
“I know that I’m going to turn somebody’s day around,” she said.
Dyer Veit has made many friends through bubbling, including Steve Coy, who has apprenticed with her for two years. While she favors a few giant bubbles at a time, Coy prefers a garland that releases 20 to 60 medium bubbles with each sweep.
The “Bubble Queen’s” passion isn’t confined to California skies. Nearly three years ago, Dyer Veit took her bubble wands on a four-day train trip from Sacramento to Detroit.
“Every time the train stopped long enough, I got off and did bubbles,” she said, sharing her art with strangers along the way.
What Dyer Veit didn’t expect was how deeply the practice would affect her. Once shy and introverted, she found herself opening up through her art.
“It just takes a little bubble in the air to change your whole attitude,” Dyer Veit said.
These days, she spends most evenings at Mission Bay, delighting onlookers with giant bubbles.
“I wish I were like that before I started bubbles,” Dyer Veit said. “Bubbles did that to me.”
NASCAR will honor the 250th birthday of the United States and the US Navy’s 250th anniversary with a race brand new to the racing calendar.
The Anduril 250 will take place on a road course built on Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California. The 3.4-mile track has 19 turns. The race is 255 miles total and drivers will do 75 laps.
Shane van Gisbergen, who is widely considered to be NASCAR’s best road course driver, will start in pole position. van Gisbergen has won seven road races in 14 total starts, and he is just two road wins away from tying Jeff Gordon’s record of nine.
nascar anduril 250: what to know
- When: June 21, 4 p.m. ET
- Where: Coronado Street Course (Naval Base Coronado, San Diego, California)
- Channel: Streaming exclusive
- Streaming: Prime Video (30 days free)
Here’s everything you need to know about today’s NASCAR Cup Series race on the Coronado Street Course.
NASCAR Cup race at San Diego start time:
Today’s (June 21) NASCAR race, the Anduril 250, begins at 4 p.m. ET.
What channel is today’s (June 21) NASCAR race on?
Today’s NASCAR race won’t be on traditional television; it will air exclusively on Prime Video.
How to watch the NASCAR Anduril 250 for free:
With Prime Video, you can also take advantage of the streamer’s Shop the Race storefront, exclusively on the Amazon mobile app, to shop gear, flags, and more for your favorite driver.
NASCAR San Diego starting lineup:
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Carson Hocevar
- Ryan Blaney
- Zane Smith
- Todd Gilliland
- Daniel Suárez
- Ryan Preece
- Connor Zilisch
- Michael McDowell
- Austin Hill
- Ty Gibbs
- Bubba Wallace
- Corey Heim
- Kyle Larson
- AJ Allmendinger
- Chris Buescher
- Tyler Reddick
- Austin Dillon
- Joey Logano
- Alex Bowman
- Kevin Magnussen
- Chase Briscoe
- Ross Chastain
- Riley Herbst
- Cole Custer
- Denny Hamlin
- William Byron
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Brad Keselowski
- Chase Elliott
- Austin Cindric
- Noah Gragson
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Ty Dillon
- Josh Berry
- Jimmie Johnson
- Christopher Bell
- Erik Jones
- Cody Ware
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Shane van Gisbergen earned his sixth career pole and second of the 2026 season on Saturday, rocketing to pole position around NASCAR’s all-new 3.4-mile street course at Naval Base Coronado. He even touched the wall twice on his fast lap, pushing to the absolute limit.
“A little bit (surprised),” said Van Gisbergen, who went out with the first group of qualifiers. “I thought the track would be better, and I thought people would execute a bit better. As I said, it’s just so difficult. There’s three or four corners you’re seeing for the first time of the day, and it’s on your heater. Amazing. The Red Bull Chevy is really good. Thank you to Trackhouse for doing a great job from yesterday, and we just need to get the driver a bit better,” he concluded with a smile.”
Watch: SVG surprised to win Busch Light Pole at San Diego
Van Gisbergen bested Carson Hocevar by 0.0156s with a fast lap of 2:14.788s. Ryan Blaney will start third, Zane Smith fourth, and Todd Gilliland fifth. Blaney was a little bit quicker than SVG for most of his lap, but lost it through the final set of corners.
Daniel Suarez, Ryan Preece, Connor Zilisch, Michael McDowell, and Austin Hill will out the remainder of the top ten on the starting grid.
Project 91 driver Kevin Magnussen qualified 21st for his NASCAR Cup debut. Notably, championship leader Tyler Reddick spun out, but still reached 17th on the grid. Denny Hamlin is just 19 points behind him, and will start 26th.
Watch: Reddick loops it in Turn 2 during qualifying
Some other notable drivers very deep in the field include William Byron in 27th, Chase Elliott 30th, and an injured Christopher Bell 37th. He will have Brent Crews on standby, and may finish the race for Bell on Sunday.
Jimmie Johnson was the first driver to set a time, and showed just how tricky things were as he had to use the runoff area in Turn 2 to avoid an incident. Erik Jones also smacked the wall at the exit of Turn 16, but there were no red flags during the session.
NASCAR Cup San Diego ‘Anduril 250’ Full Starting Lineup
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