San Diego, CA

Celebrate San Diego at These Can't-Miss Events

Published

1 year ago

September 30, 2024

Press Room

Celebrate San Diego at These Can't-Miss Events

CRSSD Music Festival | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism

There are many ways to approach a visit to San Diego. You could organize your trip by neighborhoods, attempting to try the best foods in each corner of the city. Or you could get even more specific, sampling only the best, say, rooftop bars or wellness activities. But these itineraries risk missing out on some of the best year-round events, festivals, and celebrations that the city has to offer. Since temps rarely go below 60 degrees, that means the city can stay happening all year long. Check out these options to get you started:

Plane geeks, history buffs, and anyone who can appreciate some aeronautical acrobatics flock to Miramar for this performance — a show-off of some of the best flying in the world. Everything from WWII-era P-51 planes to the uber-futuristic, vertical-landing F-35Bs are highlighted at this show, plus plenty of stunt flying from the Blue Angels and Red Bull’s Air Wing teams. Visitors can even tour the inside of several planes, including massive cargo haulers flown by the Marines Corps. It’s a great chance to see some of the most awe-inspiring technology the military is allowed to disclose to the public.

CRSSD — September 28-29, 2024

Hosted alongside the lush fountains of Waterfront Park, CRSSD (you can pronounce it “Crossed,” if you’d like) is San Diego’s largest electronic music festival, bringing dozens of big names in house and techno to three stages. This year’s lineup includes well-known draws like Disclosure and Four Tet as headliners, but even the undercard has some heavy hitters on it: Nora En Pure, Neil Frances, and Quest, among many others. CRSSD also has the perk of being less swampy than your typical rave, thanks to breezes off the San Diego Bay that make it easy to maintain your stamina all night long.

Breeders’ Cup World Championship | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism

October is the best month to be a kid in San Diego thanks to Kids Free, a program that opens up over 50 city museums and attractions to kids, free of admission. The variety to choose from is enormous, ranging from pop culture exhibits like the Comic-Con Museum or LEGOLAND California to historic and scientific museums like the Fleet Science Center, the San Diego Zoo, and the Birch Aquarium. It’s an amazing opportunity for the family to explore all that San Diego has to offer — including local history hotspots like the California Surf Museum or Maritime Museum of San Diego.

San Diego’s hottest chefs — plus others flying in across the country — show off their stuff during this seaside enclave’s food festival. The Del Mar Wine + Food Festival hosts six days of specially-crafted dinners across San Diego, harvest celebrations, and ingredient-themed events, culminating in The Grand Tasting on the former polo grounds at Surf Sports Park in Del Mar. The individual events are jam-packed with celebrity guests and chefs — including a pickleball tournament hosted by Drew Brees — but don’t think it’s all just for fun. The event also aims to raise $25,000 for hunger relief group Feeding San Diego, so your ticket price goes towards a good cause.

If you want to see the city all dressed up, look no further than the Breeders’ Cup World Championship (i.e., the end of international horse racing’s season). Hosted at the spectacular Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the event puts on several races of different age groups in a weekend-long celebration of luxury. It’s a chance to see the Del Mar at its most elegant, which is saying something for an already-glamorous European-style beach town. The racing events themselves are thundering and adrenaline-inducing, with over $31 million on the line, but the event is worth a visit just to explore the race grounds alone.

Wave FC is San Diego’s beloved women’s fútbol club who call the new Snapdragon Stadium their home. Despite having only been around for a few years (2022 was their debut season), the team has an impressive win record, taking home the NWSL Shield for best regular season record in 2023 and winning the NWSL Challenge Cup this year. As of this writing, they’re in contention for the Champions Cup. Games will be played throughout the fall, with a final home game scheduled for November 3, but be sure to check out Snapdragon’s other offerings: they host the San Diego State Aztecs, the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby, and are the home of the Holiday Bowl.

This expansive series of food-focused events celebrates their 20th anniversary this year, and will feature over 300 chefs, wineries, farmers, artists, and brands over the course of the week. The events include documentary screenings, vineyard tastings, and neighborhood-specific tours of San Diego’s best culinary scenes. This series culminates in a Grand Tasting as well as a Grand Fiesta (including a taco taste-off), both held right on the scenic waterfront of San Diego Bay, just steps from downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter.

The NCAA season starts to heat up in November, and the best place to watch some of the biggest teams in college basketball is at LionTree Arena on the UCSD campus. This year, teams from Ole Miss, NC State, Purdue, and BYU will be among those facing off in the Thanksgiving tournament, which benefits Rady Children’s Hospital.

Torrey Pines golf course | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism

The earliest events of the PGA Tour naturally seek out warmer weather, and the Farmers Insurance Open is one of these, held at the public Torrey Pines golf course. A cliffside course with views of the Pacific, Torrey Pines gives city dwellers the chance to play a world-class round of golf for only $25. (Playing the course also then enables you to backseat the pros during the Open, opining on how you would’ve done things differently.) The Farmers Insurance Open sets the tone for the longer PGA season, and has historically been the launching point of many of golf’s biggest stars.

San Diego FC Season Kickoff — February 2025

San Diego FC, San Diego’s first men’s Major League Soccer team, kicks off its inaugural season in 2025. Also hosted in Snapdragon Stadium, the team is composed of an international roster of elite players, so new fans will have an easy time connecting with their favorites coming in from other leagues. As with the recently-formed San Diego Wave FC, this season represents a one-time opportunity to get on board with fandom before anyone else. The team’s culture and identity will be shaped by their inauguration and early games, so you won’t want to miss any of the season openers.

Concours D’elegance | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism

SoCal means classic cars, and America’s Finest City shines during the La Jolla Concours D’elegance where where 150+ cars are displayed along the pristine Pacific Ocean. This car show is the biggest all year, bringing in everything from early-automobile classics to more modern fan favorites. The categories range from “British Royalty” to “Japanese, 1967–1998” so there is something for all auto buffs to appreciate. For a taste of the gleaming chrome you can expect to see, take a peek at last year’s winners.

Although many San Diego festivals take advantage of the waterfront access that the city offers, few make as much of the space as Wonderfront. Boat flotilla parties and sunset cruises are part of the weekend, paired with huge names performing on stages across the bay. Although the lineup for 2025 hasn’t been announced yet, 2024’s headliners spanned several genres, including Weezer, T-Pain, and Beck, so you’ll be able to find something to like.

FUNDED IN PART WITH CITY OF SAN DIEGO TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT ASSESSMENT FUNDS.

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San Diego, CA

Mayor Gloria defends Balboa Park paid parking, blames council for rocky rollout

Published

2 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Mayor Gloria defends Balboa Park paid parking, blames council for rocky rollout

San Diego will put off issuing citations for paid parking in Balboa Park for about one month while improvements are made, but Mayor Todd Gloria says the new system is functioning well and being “actively adopted.”

In a long and harshly worded memo released Thursday, Gloria said recent calls by City Council members to suspend the program were politically motivated and examples of bad governance and erratic decision-making.

Gloria also deflected blame for the chaotic way enforcement began Monday, when city officials raced to put stickers about resident discounts on parking kiosks and lobbied a vendor to deliver crucial missing signs.

The mayor said the council had “shaped, amended and approved” paid parking in Balboa Park and contended an accelerated timeline chosen by the council made it hard for his administration to implement it flawlessly.

The mayor’s memo came in response to a Tuesday memo from Councilmembers Kent Lee and Sean Elo-Rivera in which they called implementation of paid parking “haphazard” and “not ready for prime time.”

Lee and Elo-Rivera said the process for city residents to get approved for discounts was so complex, cumbersome and confusing that Gloria should waive fees for residents until they have had time to adapt and learn.

While Gloria rejected that suggestion in part of his memo, he later said “enforcement remains focused on education, not punishment, during this early phase, to ensure park users are aware of the new parking fees.”

Dave Rolland, a spokesperson for Gloria, said Thursday that no specific date had been set for when the city would shift from education to enforcement. But he added that “about a month” would be an accurate timeline.

City officials have already corrected one key mistake: Signs that were missing Monday — alerting drivers that the 951-space lower Inspiration Point lot is free for three hours — have since been installed.

Lee and Elo-Rivera in their memo decried “an inadequate effort to educate the public on how to use this new system.”

They said San Diegans had not been clearly informed about when a portal for city resident discounts would go live or how to use it.

And they complained that residents weren’t told they couldn’t buy discounted parking passes in person, or when enforcement with citations would actually begin.

City residents must apply for discounts online, pay $5 to have their residency verified, then wait two days for that verification and choose the day they will visit in advance.

Lee and Elo-Rivera called the city’s efforts “a haphazard rollout that will surely lead to San Diegans missing out on their resident discount and paying higher parking rates than they have to.”

Gloria said the city collected $23,000 in parking fees on Monday and Tuesday and another $106,000 in daily, monthly and quarterly passes — mostly from residents who get discounts on such passes.

“Early data shows that the program is functioning and being used,” he said. “These are not the metrics of a system that is failing to function. They are the metrics of a system that is new, actively being adopted, and continuing to improve as public familiarity increases.”

While Gloria conceded that some improvements are still necessary, he rejected calls from Lee and Elo-Rivera for a suspension, citing his concerns it would jeopardize city finances and confuse the public.

“Your proposal to suspend paid parking for residents two days into the new program would have immediate and serious fiscal consequences,” Gloria said. “This reversal could introduce confusion among park users and would disregard investments already made to establish the system, potentially compromising the program’s effectiveness.”

Paid parking in Balboa Park is expected to generate about $3.7 million during the fiscal year that ends June 30, but revenue is expected to rise substantially when the fees are in place for a full fiscal year.

Gloria said the money is a small part of the city’s overall solution to recurring deficits it faces of more than $100 million per year.

“What we will not do is reverse course days into implementation in a way that undermines fiscal stability, creates uncertainty, and sends the message that addressing a decades-old structural budget deficit that has plagued our city is optional because it is politically uncomfortable,” he said. “That kind of erratic decision-making is not good governance, and San Diegans deserve better.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the San Diego Zoo said Thursday that paid parking there has continued to go smoothly since it began on Monday.

The zoo, which is using Ace Parking for enforcement, opted for immediate citations instead of an educational grace period.

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San Diego, CA

Barricaded individual in custody following police response in Mission Valley

Published

14 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Barricaded individual in custody following police response in Mission Valley

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego Police responded to a barricaded individual in the Mission Valley area Thursday afternoon, prompting a heavy law enforcement presence.

The Nexstar Media video above details resources for crime victims

The department confirmed around 1 p.m. that officers were on scene in the 1400 block of Hotel Circle North, and are working to safely resolve the situation. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area and allow officers the space needed to conduct their operations.

Police described the incident as a domestic violence restraining order violation. At this time, it’s unknown if the person is armed.

No injuries have been reported.

The suspect was taken into custody within an hour.

Further details about the barricaded person were not immediately released. Police say updates will be shared as more information becomes available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Luis Campusano

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Padres roster review: Luis Campusano – San Diego Union-Tribune

LUIS CAMPUSANO

Position(s): Catcher
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2026 opening day age: 27
Height / Weight: 5-foot-10 / 232 pounds
How acquired: Second round of the draft in 2017 (Cross Creek HS, Ga.)
Contract status: Will make $900,000 after agreeing to a one-year deal to avoid arbitration; Will not be a free agent until 2029.
fWAR in 2025: Minus-0.4
Key 2025 stats: .000 AVG, .222 OBP, .000 SLG, 0 HRs, 0 RBIs, 0 runs, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts, 0 steals (10 games, 27 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

1 — The number of plate appearances for Campusano while in the majors between June 1 and June 13 and the one at-bat resulted in a weak, pinch-hit groundout against a position player (Kike Hernandez) on the mound in mop-up duty. Campusano was recalled to the majors four times in 2025 but did not get a real opportunity get settled after he went 0-for-6 with four walks and a strikeout in three straight starts as a DH in early May. Of course, hitting .227/.281/.361 with eight homers over 299 plate appearances after getting the first real chance to start in 2024 likely informed how the Padres viewed his opportunity in 2025.

Down — Called up a final time on the last day of the regular season, Campusano balked at the idea that the season did not go the way he wanted. “I had a great season,” he said as he and his teammates packed for the NL Wild Card Series in Chicago. And he did … for Triple-A El Paso. He hit more home runs than ever (25), drove in more runs (95) and finished with a career-high 1.036 OPS, tops among all qualifying Triple-A hitters. The disappointment inferred in the question posed to Campusano was that he was not able to impact the big-league team in any way in 2025, which began with the team choosing to bring in a 40-year-old Yuli Gurriel a chance on the opening day roster over a homegrown product. Once billed as the catcher of the future, Campusno did not catch a single game in the majors, nor did he get any hits, although the opportunity to play was sporadic after getting three straight starts as a DH in early May (see stat to note). The Padres even lost back-up catcher Elias Díaz to an oblique injury over the final weekend of the regular season, but Campusano — who played out the string for a Triple-A El Paso team that did not make the playoffs rather than participate in the majors as a September call-up — was added to the postseason roster more as a right-handed bat than a third catcher (Martín Maldonado was also re-added to the team for the playoffs as the defensive back-up to Freddy Fermin). Campusano, of course, was not asked to help the team in either capacity before the Padres were eliminated in three games.

2026 OUTLOOK

Campusano is finally out of minor league options this year, so the Padres will either have to carry him on the roster, trade him or expose him to waivers. He has fans in the organization, but two big-league staffs headed by Bob Melvin and Mike Shildt seemingly lost faith in his ability to catch a game and all the responsibilities that come with that. It remains to be seen what impact the arrival of robo umps will have on how new manager Craig Stammen views Campusano’s ability behind the plate, but he’s been a potent minor league hitter who has yet to truly get on track in the majors beyond the second half of 2023 (.875 OPS, 6 HRs). Campusano has dabbled at first base in recent years in the minors (12 starts total), so perhaps he settles into a role as a second catcher/right-handed DH/first base option to start 2026.

Luis Campusano #15 of the San Diego Padres and Nick Pivetta #27 walk to the dugout during a practice before the Wildcard series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept. 29, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)