Table of Contents
Festival
San Diego Food + Wine Festival
Nov 7–9, 2025
Now in its 21st year, this Grand Weekend corrals hundreds of wineries, top local and cross-border chefs, and cocktail pros for mega tastings, chef-hosted dinners, workshops, film screenings, and elevated bites. It’s a high-energy, dress-to-impress scene tailor-made for foodies and wine lovers—come for the pours, stay for the bragging rights when you discover your new favorite pairing. Pro tip: hydrate, pace yourself, and practice your ‘notes of blackberry’ face in the mirror.
San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF)
Nov 6–15, 2025
Ten days, 150+ films, 30+ countries—this is where your watchlist goes supernova. Expect premieres, filmmaker Q&As, special screenings, and lively community conversations across multiple San Diego venues, all spotlighting Asian and Asian American voices. Get tickets early for the marquee nights and bring your hottest takes—your Letterboxd will be busy.
Sails & Ales Beer Fest
Nov 8, 2025
Sip your way through 30+ local breweries (plus craft spirits and wines) right on the Kona Kai marina, with live music, sunset views, and a Mediterranean-style menu that understands the assignment: pairable, portable, crushable. The vibe is relaxed-resort meets locals-only hang, so you can debate hazy vs. crisp while sea breezes do quality control. Bonus: some proceeds support a local environmental charity—so your hop-forward decision-making finally helps the planet.
Coronado Island Film Festival
Nov 5 – 9, 2025
Catch narrative and documentary gems in Coronado’s historic seaside village, then stick around for industry panels and special events that bring a little Hollywood polish to the island. The vibe is classy-but-chill, and the fest often links up with the SD Food + Wine Festival for a Culinary Cinema Series—so your post-screening Q&A might come with actual bites. It’s five days of surf-adjacent cinema with red-carpet energy and zero parking-lot despair.
Sports
San Diego Gulls vs Ontario Reign
Nov 7, 2025
SoCal AHL rivalry hits Pechanga Arena as the Gulls take on the Reign—expect fast shifts, big hits, and a crowd that turns hockey night into a neighborhood block party on ice. Between the booming goal horn, in-game antics, and a sea of orange-and-blue, it’s a high-energy, high-value fix for live sports. Show up ready to chant, heckle politely, and maybe catch yourself on the fan cam.
Silver Strand Half Marathon, 10 Miler & 5K
Nov 9, 2025
Ocean on one side, bay on the other—this point-to-point gem from Coronado to Imperial Beach is a flat, fast PR factory with postcard views. Choose your vibe (half, 10 miler, or 5K), snag the surfboard-shaped bling, and ride the beachy post-race party like a victory wave.
Music
Kenny G
Nov 7, 2025
Trade your Friday-night chaos for sax that’s smoother than a Mission Beach sunset. Kenny G brings slow-burn solos to the outdoor waterfront stage at Humphreys by the Bay on Shelter Island—think palm trees, marina breezes, and a grown-up crowd that actually listens. Ideal for a mellow date night where the loudest thing might be the seagulls applauding between songs.
Concert (Rock/Psychedelic)
Tame Impala – Deadbeat Tour
Nov 9, 2025
Kevin Parker’s technicolor juggernaut lands at Pechanga Arena with a full-tilt light show, stadium-sized grooves, and sing-along dreamscapes like The Less I Know The Better. Expect an arena-wide kaleidoscope of visuals and neo-psych bops that turn the ice rink into a cosmic dance floor—aka the most fun you can have in San Diego without a beach permit.
Expo
SnowJam San Diego 2025
Nov 7-9, 2025
Part gear blowout, part winter stoke rally—the SnowJam Ski & Snowboard Expo lines up aisles of discounted ski and snowboard gear with legit show-only lift-ticket offers. Chat up experts and resort reps for real advice (boot fit, board sizing, the works) and walk out ready for first chair. If you’re chasing savings and stoke before the first flake hits SoCal, this is your preseason power move.
Comedy
Michael Yo
Nov 7, 2025
Michael Yo brings his high-energy, hot-take humor on family, fatherhood, and pop culture to The Comedy Store La Jolla’s legendary, intimate room—aka the perfect spot to hear every punchline land. Expect sharp, TV-tested chops and a classic 21+ club night with the crowd right on top of the action. If you’re overdue for a real laugh-out-loud reset, this is a prime pick.
