San Diego band 8 Track Highway filled Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion with classic 70s and 80s rock ‘n roll music this evening, and the concert was free! Do you know about the concert series Twilight in the Park?
During the summer, Tuesday through Thursday, a wide variety of musical performers entertain all comers for free up on the stage of the historic Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Concerts last one hour, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
It’s the 45th anniversary of Twilight in the Park. Can you believe it? They’re providing 28 concerts this year–right through the end of August.
Offerings include everything from Jazz to Blues to Zydeco to Classic Country to Musicals to Oldies to Funk, to songs by the Beatles, the Pretenders, Santana and much more! You can see the upcoming schedule (and perhaps help them out with a donation) by clicking here.
This year Twilight in the Park is partnering with Save Starlight, the organization working to revitalize the Starlight Bowl amphitheater in Balboa Park. Their mission is to repurpose San Diego’s abandoned historic Starlight Bowl, restoring and modernizing the facility under community collaboration into an inclusive and innovative interaction of arts, culture, and education for all.
With the help of the San Diego community, Save Starlight has been making progress toward their goal.
I’ve supported the organization over the years. I have great memories of the Starlight Bowl from my youth.
One way you can help revive the Starlight Bowl is by becoming a Legacy Donor. Among other perks, you’ll get a personalized star on the Walk of Fame and a commemorative plaque on the Donor Wall! And you’ll help bring one of San Diego’s most iconic outdoor venues back to life!
To learn more about Save Starlight and many different opportunities, visit their website here!
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Everyone is invited to enjoy a free festival this Saturday in City Heights. Love City Heights Day will take place at Pop-up Winona, at 4951 El Cajon Boulevard.
There will be live music, live painting, food, community vendors and fun for the whole family!
Come by between 2 and 9 pm. Check out the above flyer for all the info.
A cool opportunity for youth in San Diego to meet others, share, learn and create is coming up on June 3, 2026!
Youth Summit 2026 will be taking place in Balboa Park. The free event is hosted by the City of San Diego Office of Child and Youth Success, in partnership with the San Diego Public Library, Youth Will, Reality Changers, The LGBTQ+ Community Center, and Our Time to Act.
There will be speakers (including San Diego Poet Laureate), art presenters, breakout sessions, workshops, fun games, and hands-on activities. Youth will learn how to access useful resources, too.
I saw the above announcement in Balboa Park today and thought I’d share it. Do you know any young people who might like to participate?
A free family screening of the sports comedy movie GOAT will take place this Friday, May 29, 5:30 -7:30 pm, at the Encinitas Community & Senior Center!
The event is hosted by the Encinitas Youth Commission and will include a good time watching the funny animated movie plus activities for youth and teens. There will also be raffle prizes featuring movie merch!
How cool is this?
The movie screening is being done in partnership with the Kevin Love Fund and Sony Pictures Animation. This event is in recognition of Mental Health Awareness month.
You can register for the fun event by clicking here!
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At today’s 15th Annual Vista Strawberry Festival in historic downtown Vista, tens of thousands would crowd into multiple city blocks, exploring over 500 vendors, buying strawberry-themed gifts, enjoying live entertainment, having bushels of fun, devouring every sort of strawberry treat imaginable!
Families wore strawberry costumes, strawberry hats, strawberry dresses and shirts. Dogs often resembled berries. The standout color at the festival was red, not surprisingly.
Kids filled with sugar didn’t need the bounce houses to get jumping.
Smiles and funny surprises everywhere!
Almost forgot to mention–there were loads and loads of actual fresh strawberries for sale, too!
Photographs…
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A public Memorial Day ceremony will be held next Monday in National City at La Vista Memorial Park.
The family-friendly event welcomes everybody. It will remember and honor U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
There will be a rifle salute and flyover, and special Civil War honors. Those attending will enjoy live music and a free picnic lunch. Kids will enjoy a petting zoo.
I experienced Memorial Day at La Vista Memorial Park three years ago. You can see how special and emotionally moving it was from this past blog post.
The event will take place at 3191 Orange Street in National City on Monday, May 25th, between 1 and 3 pm.
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Art and creativity were busting out everywhere at today’s big, very colorful Goldenpalooza festival at the Golden Hill Recreation Center! Check it out!
The festival offered families creative opportunities at every turn. There were multiple art-making stations and workshops for every age. You could learn how to make a cyanotype, a monster and a zine!
Friendly artists were painting, printmaking, demonstrating their technique and showcasing fantastic creations. There was even a cool, highly original video game created by San Diego locals that kids (or adults) could play!
All this while listening to live music from the stage!
Literacy also had a big presence at the festival. Kids were encouraged to read. Reading is fun and expands your mind!
Okay, can you tell I really loved Goldenpalooza? It was my first ever visit to the festival, and will likely not be my last.
Words Alive San Diego encourages children to read. It’s done with art and adult participation.A lot of activities for Makers!Sun Art! Golden Hill is the perfect place for this!The Joey, Jeremy & Camille Trio wave from the Goldenpalooza stage.INSIDE:ART (@insideart_sd) supports the fostering of identity for adults with developmental disabilities through dignified access to the creative arts community of San Diego.The Wall of Questions & Colors by Compagnia Creativa (@compagniacreativa) asks festival goers “What makes you smile?”Made me smile!Testing out the cool, locally developed Behemoth video game (find it on STEAM). A bit like the classic arcade game Joust.
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Star Wars fans will soon be gathering at the San Diego Central Library. Fun, creative activities will be available in the IDEA Maker Lab on May the Fourth (be with you) and (revenge of the) Fifth!
You’ll have the opportunity to paint mini lightsabers, 3D print droids, make Star Wars buttons, participate in a scavenger hunt (and win prizes), and more. All ages welcome.
Registration is encouraged but not required.
To learn more about this cool event, click here and here!
By driving east of San Diego to Campo this weekend, you can enjoy free admission to four cool attractions!
Admission will be free at the Campo Railroad Museum, the Motor Transport Museum, the Gaskill Brothers Stone Store, and the Camp Lockett Equestrian and Event Facility!
This weekend, May 2-3, 2026, Campo Days promises unforgettable family-friendly experiences. Pile the kids in the car and have an adventure!
The incredible Campo Railroad Museum, operated by the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association, itself is worth the trip. You can explore many old train cars parked on tracks at the museum, and even ride a vintage train should you purchase a ticket! Learn more about the Campo Railroad Museum at their website here.
I learned about Campo Days when I swung by the La Mesa Depot Museum today. This small free museum is also operated by the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association.
Station master Timothy showed me some of the work being done to restore No. 3, the 1923 steam locomotive which you might have seen while driving through downtown La Mesa. I blogged about its history and restoration about a year ago here.
Timothy loves to talk about trains and his personal experience as an engineer. The always free La Mesa Depot Museum also has a cool HO-scale train layout kids love.
If you can’t make it to Campo Days this weekend, head to La Mesa on a Tuesday or Thursday from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm, when the La Mesa Depot Museum is open. Admit it–you love trains, too!
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