This weekend in San Diego is absolutely stacked. The city’s biggest Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration takes over Liberty Station, Colter Wall brings his Memories and Empties Tour to Gallagher Square for two nights, San Diego FC kicks off their 2026 home season at Snapdragon Stadium, and the Harlem Globetrotters roll into Pechanga Arena for their 100-year anniversary tour. Throw in SeaWorld’s Mardi Gras finale, a masquerade ball, Charlie Berens at the Balboa Theatre, Maz Jobrani holding court at the Comedy Store, and enough Lunar New Year events to fill a whole calendar, and you’ve got yourself one of the most packed weekends of the year.
Table of Contents
Comedy
Charlie Berens: The Lost and Found Tour
Feb 20, 2026
The Manitowoc Minute creator and New York Times bestselling author is bringing his Midwestern charm to the Balboa Theatre for one night only. If you have ever wanted to hear someone make ranch dressing and deer hunting sound like stand-up gold, Charlie Berens is your guy. Tickets start at $48 and the show is 18+ so leave the kids at home with a casserole.
Maz Jobrani at The Comedy Store La Jolla
Feb 20-22, 2026
The founding member of the Axis of Evil comedy tour and Netflix special veteran is taking over the Comedy Store in La Jolla for five shows across three nights. Maz Jobrani’s razor-sharp takes on immigration, culture clashes, and the Iranian-American experience are somehow both deeply personal and universally hilarious. All shows are 21+ with a two-drink minimum and your phone goes in a Yondr bag so just be present for once in your life.
Concerts
Colter Wall: Memories and Empties Tour
Feb 20-21, 2026
The Canadian cowboy with a voice that sounds like gravel soaked in whiskey is taking over Gallagher Square at Petco Park for two nights with special guest Hayden Redwine. Colter Wall is the real deal — country, folk, and western music stripped down to its bones and delivered with the kind of authenticity that makes Nashville blush. Tickets start around $73 and are sold exclusively through Ticketmaster at face value so scalpers can kick rocks.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band at Belly Up
Feb 20, 2026
The legendary keepers of New Orleans jazz tradition have been carrying the torch since 1961 and they are bringing all that energy to the Belly Up on Friday night. Seeing the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in a 600-person room is the kind of intimate experience that makes you wonder why anyone bothers with arena shows. Tickets are $45 in advance and the show kicks off at 9:30 PM so you can grab dinner in the Cedros Design District first.
Steve Poltz: 17th Annual 50th Birthday Bash
Feb 21-22, 2026
San Diego’s most lovable musical mad scientist is throwing his 17th Annual 50th Birthday Bash at the Belly Up with The Rugburns in tow. If you have never experienced a Steve Poltz show you are missing out on one of the most unpredictable and genuinely joyful live performances in music — the man co-wrote Jewel’s biggest hit and somehow that is the least interesting thing about him. Saturday is a standing show and Sunday is seated so pick your adventure.
CupcakKe at House of Blues
Feb 22, 2026
Chicago rapper CupcakKe brings her unapologetically explicit and wildly entertaining show to House of Blues on Sunday night. Her brazen bars and high-energy stage presence have earned her a devoted cult following and viral fame for good reason — nobody else in hip-hop sounds remotely like her. All ages welcome with a 7 PM start time and if you know the lyrics to “Deepthroat” you are going to have a great time.
Festival
San Diego Tet Festival
Feb 20-22, 2026
The largest Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration in San Diego returns to NTC Park at Liberty Station for three days of free admission, lion dances, firecrackers, carnival rides, and enough Vietnamese street food to completely ruin your weekend meal prep. This year celebrates the Year of the Fire Horse with headliners including Adonix, Thái Tài, and Bảo Hân plus the Miss Vietnam of San Diego Pageant. Over 25,000 people show up every year so rideshare is strongly recommended since parking is basically a competitive sport.
Chinese New Year Fair at Balboa Park
Feb 21-22, 2026
The House of China San Diego throws its annual Chinese New Year Fair at the International Cottages in Balboa Park with free admission, cultural performances, lion dances, and food that makes the trek worth it every single year. This is a family-friendly celebration of the Year of the Horse running 11 AM to 5 PM both days and it is the kind of event that reminds you Balboa Park is good for more than just the zoo. Combine it with Museum Month half-price admission and you have got yourself a full Saturday.
Lunar New Year at the San Diego Zoo
Feb 21-22, 2026
The San Diego Zoo gets in on the Lunar New Year action with its Wild Weekend Asia celebration featuring family crafts, a Wishes for Conservation tree, a special Flavors of Asia menu, and an Early Morning with Pandas walking tour. You can knock out the pandas, the Lunar New Year festivities, and a full zoo day in one shot which is the kind of efficiency that would make the Year of the Horse proud. Included with regular zoo admission starting at 10 AM.
Mardi Gras at SeaWorld (Final Weekend)
Feb 20-22, 2026
This is your last chance to catch SeaWorld’s family-friendly Mardi Gras celebration before it wraps up for the year. The Royal Mardi Gras Parade rolls through with floats and jazz bands, fire dancers light up Wild Arctic Plaza at night, and you can walk through a tunnel of over 5,000 colorful lights while pretending you are actually in New Orleans. Cajun food favorites like jambalaya, po-boys, and beignets are available throughout the park and the whole thing is included with admission.
Sports
San Diego FC 2026 Home Opener
Feb 21, 2026
After a historic inaugural season that saw them finish as the number one seed in the Western Conference, San Diego FC kicks off year two at Snapdragon Stadium against CF Montreal at 7:30 PM. Led by MLS Newcomer of the Year Anders Dreyer, SDFC is the hottest ticket in town and this home opener is going to be absolutely electric with new celebration night giveaways kicking off the 17-game home schedule. If you slept on San Diego FC last year now is your chance to get on the bandwagon before it gets too crowded.
Harlem Globetrotters 100 Year Tour
Feb 22, 2026
The Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating 100 years of jaw-dropping basketball tricks and making the Washington Generals question their life choices, and they are bringing the party to Pechanga Arena at 3 PM on Sunday. This centennial tour features new 100 Year jerseys, a Golden Basketball by Spalding, and the free 5th Quarter Autograph session that makes it worth every penny for the kids. Tickets start around $47 and this is the kind of show where your eight-year-old will remember it forever even if you are just there for the nachos.
Arts & Culture
Swan Lake: World Ballet Company
Feb 21, 2026
The World Ballet Company brings Tchaikovsky’s most iconic ballet to the San Diego Civic Theatre with a cast of 50 dancers, hand-painted sets, and a live orchestra that will make you forget you are in the same building where they host Comic-Con panels. The production features over 150 hand-sewn costumes and the Black Swan’s legendary 32 fouettés that will leave even non-ballet people slack-jawed. Tickets range from $72 to $167 and the show runs two and a half hours with intermission starting at 7 PM.
Rabbit Hole at Trinity Theatre Company
Feb 20-22, 2026
Trinity Theatre Company’s production of David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about a couple navigating the loss of their young son has been getting stellar reviews from the San Diego Union-Tribune. The intimate Mission Valley venue makes this beautifully crafted portrait of grief and resilience hit even harder than it would in a larger space. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM with tickets at $30.
Nightlife
Tortured Hearts Ball 2026
Feb 21, 2026
Silk Road Productions is throwing a fantasy masquerade ball at the Handlery Hotel that promises to be too bold for San Diego, and based on last year that is not an exaggeration. Expect two DJs including the legendary Robin Roth, a ballroom dance hall, a hidden speakeasy, a gaming den, karaoke salon, and side quests that turn the entire hotel into an interactive experience. Costumes are mandatory for entry so your jeans and a nice shirt energy will not work here — tickets start at $50 and this is 18+.
Family
San Diego Family Fun Fest
Feb 22, 2026
San Diego Family Magazine’s FREE Family Fun Fest takes over the Salvation Army Kroc Center from 10 AM to 1 PM with a zipline, inflatable obstacle course, bounce house, themed crafts, and a free kids raffle. This is the kind of event where you can tire out your kids for free on a Sunday morning and still have the whole afternoon to recover while they nap. Grab free tickets on Eventbrite to reserve your spot.
