This weekend in San Diego is stacked. Beetlejuice the Musical wraps its run at the Civic Theatre with five performances, the San Diego Symphony kicks off the Brahms Festival at Jacobs Music Center, and SeaWorld launches the Seven Seas Food Festival — which means spring is basically here even if the calendar disagrees. Over in Del Mar, you can watch live sumo wrestling while eating sushi or browse thousands of gemstones at the Gem Faire. And if you just want to laugh, Finnish comedian ISMO is holding court at the Comedy Store in La Jolla. Here is everything worth doing this weekend.
Table of Contents
Arts & Culture
Beetlejuice the Musical
Friday Feb 27 – Sunday Mar 1 — San Diego Civic Theatre, Downtown
The ghost with the most is haunting downtown San Diego through this weekend and then he is gone. Based on Tim Burton’s beloved film, this Broadway touring production features jaw-dropping sets, a killer soundtrack, and Justin Collette absolutely crushing it as the titular demon. Shows Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 PM and 8 PM, and Sunday at 1 PM and 6:30 PM — so you have no excuses. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Tickets from $109.
San Diego Symphony: Brahms Festival
Friday Feb 27 & Saturday Feb 28, 7:30 PM — Jacobs Music Center, Downtown
The San Diego Symphony is going full Brahms this month and the two biggest concerts land right on our weekend. Friday night is A German Requiem — one of the most powerful choral works ever written — conducted by Rafael Payare with the full Symphony Chorus. Saturday night features Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2 back to back, which is basically a masterclass in emotional depth. Even if classical music is not usually your thing, the newly renovated Jacobs Music Center is reason enough to go.
Mao Fujita — La Jolla Music Society Piano Series
Friday Feb 27, 7:30 PM — Baker-Baum Concert Hall, La Jolla
Japanese pianist Mao Fujita is one of the most talked-about young classical musicians in the world right now, and catching him in the intimate 513-seat Baker-Baum Concert Hall is about as good as it gets. The guy won silver at the Tchaikovsky Competition at age 20 and his technique is borderline supernatural. If you have even a passing interest in piano, this is the move on Friday night.
Festivals & Events
Sumo + Sushi
Friday Feb 27 – Sunday Mar 1 — Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar
Watch live professional sumo wrestling while eating sushi. That is not a fantasy — it is happening right now at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. This is one of the most hilarious things San Diego does all year and it really is a blast. Wrestlers will be throwing down on the mat and you will be eating some excellent food. Friday 5-10 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10 AM-5 PM. You need to buy tickets in advance on the website.
SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival — Opening Weekend
Friday Feb 27 – Sunday Mar 1, 10 AM – 10 PM — SeaWorld San Diego, Mission Bay
The Seven Seas Food Festival is basically the answer to the question: what if SeaWorld gave you a reason to actually go to SeaWorld besides watching the shows you have already seen a hundred times? From Friday through Sunday, the park opens its kitchens to 25+ vendor stalls and you can walk around tasting food from around the world without having to leave SoCal. Everything from Korean bibimbap to fish tacos to chocolate-dipped strawberries. One-day admission is $79 and you can add a meal plan to grab everything you are thinking about.
Gem Faire
Friday Feb 27 – Sunday Mar 1 — Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar
If you are into gemstones, crystals, handmade jewelry, or just like shiny things, the Gem Faire is back at the Del Mar Fairgrounds with about 80 vendors selling everything from rough minerals and fossils to finished fine jewelry. It is basically a treasure hunt with no bad outcomes. Friday noon to 6 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. Just $7 for a weekend pass at the door and kids 12 and under are free.
San Diego Chinese New Year Food & Cultural Fair
Saturday Feb 28 – Sunday Mar 1, 10 AM – 5 PM — 3rd Avenue & J Street, Downtown
The 43rd annual Chinese New Year Fair takes over the streets of San Diego’s historic Chinatown district to celebrate the Year of the Horse. Expect lion dances, martial arts demos, live music, and more food vendors than you can reasonably visit in one afternoon. Free admission, all ages — which means your only expense is however many pork buns you can carry.
Comedy
ISMO: Perseverance Tour
Friday Feb 27 – Sunday Mar 1 — The Comedy Store, La Jolla
ISMO is a Finnish comedian who tells stories about learning English and navigating American culture, and he is hilarious. The weird observations from the perspective of someone with a thick accent doing super dry deadpan humor just hits different, and he completely commits to the bit. He is at the Comedy Store all weekend — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday shows available.
Damon Darling at Mic Drop Comedy
Friday Feb 27 & Saturday Feb 28 — Mic Drop Comedy, San Diego
If you have spent any time on TikTok, you have probably seen Damon Darling’s drive-thru pranks — the guy has over 21 million page likes and a million followers. He is headlining Mic Drop Comedy this weekend alongside Bernice Ye, whose clips have racked up over 80 million views. Two comics built for the internet age doing their thing live. Check Mic Drop’s site for showtimes and tickets.
Bored Teachers: Is It Friday Yet?!
Sunday Mar 1, 3 PM — Balboa Theatre, Downtown
If you’ve ever survived a parent-teacher conference or graded papers at midnight, Bored Teachers is basically your therapy session with better lighting. With 10 million followers and over a billion views, they’ve sold out 200+ theaters across 49 states — and now they’re bringing the most relatable comedy show on Earth to the Balboa Theatre. Teachers, former teachers, and anyone who’s ever had a teacher (so, everyone) will be in tears. Tickets from $40.
Sports
San Diego Seals vs. Vancouver Warriors
Sunday Mar 1, 3 PM — Pechanga Arena, Midway District
Box lacrosse is the fastest-growing sport in the country and the San Diego Seals are one of the best teams in the NLL. Sunday’s 3 PM matinee against the Vancouver Warriors at Pechanga Arena is a great excuse to see pro lacrosse if you haven’t yet — it’s basically hockey meets basketball with sticks, and the atmosphere at The Electric Factory is legit. Family-friendly, loud, and way more affordable than most pro sports in town.
SDSU Women’s Basketball vs. Wyoming — Senior Day
Saturday Feb 28, 1 PM — Viejas Arena, SDSU Campus
The Aztecs are 20-4 and just clinched a share of the Mountain West title — and Saturday’s Senior Day matchup against Wyoming could be the game where they clinch it outright. This is also SDSU’s last season in the Mountain West before moving to the Pac-12, so there’s some extra weight to this one. Come early for the senior ceremony and stay for what should be a dominant home win at Viejas Arena.
Concerts
Artemas — LOVERCORE Tour
Saturday Feb 28, 8 PM — The Observatory North Park, San Diego
Artemas is young, talented, and has that rare combination of being able to make music that is both accessible and genuinely interesting. Her debut album dropped last year and the songs are super catchy — you probably know “Drowning” without even realizing that was her. She is going on tour right now and hitting the Observatory on Saturday night. If you are looking to expand your music horizons and catch a rising star before she gets too big, this is your chance.
Jordan Ward — THE APARTMENT TOUR
Saturday Feb 28, 8 PM — House of Blues, Downtown
Jordan Ward is basically proof that TikTok can still produce genuinely talented musicians. The dude went from posting bedroom recordings to having millions of streams and now he is touring around the country. His music is indie pop with some really interesting production choices and his live show is apparently excellent. The Apartment Tour hits House of Blues on Saturday — tickets are under $30 and it is first-come, first-served.
Summer Salt — Reside North America Tour
Sunday Mar 1, 7 PM — The Observatory North Park, San Diego
Summer Salt is a band that plays indie rock with heavy electronic production — lots of synths, lots of atmosphere, lots of vibes. Their new album dropped recently and the live show is a trip. If you are into bands like Tame Impala or Cage the Elephant, you should probably check this out. The Observatory on Sunday night is your chance to catch them on what is going to be a major tour once word gets out about how good they are.
Nightlife
Ghost World by Insomniac
Friday Feb 27, 10 PM — San Diego
Insomniac is throwing a massive electronic music festival in San Diego on Friday night — Ghost World is a rave with multiple stages, multiple genres (dubstep, house, techno, trap — you name it), and everything is pretty well produced. It is basically a portable music festival for the night. Get your dancing shoes on and your earplugs ready. Tickets are $80-120 depending on when you buy.
