I don’t think San Diego has had a more stacked weekend all year. March Madness is at Viejas Arena with four first-round games (Arizona, Kansas, St. John’s, Villanova), the Savannah Bananas are doing their thing at Petco Park, Foreigner is playing with a 57-piece symphony at the Rady Shell, and Tiffany Haddish is at the Laugh Factory. San Diego FC has a home match, the Seals have a charity game, the Gulls are playing, and there’s a half marathon through downtown. You’re going to have to make some hard choices this weekend.
Table of Contents
Sports
NCAA March Madness – First and second rounds
Friday, March 20 and Sunday, March 22 – Viejas Arena
San Diego is a March Madness host city this year, and the matchups are solid. Friday’s first-round slate has No. 1 Arizona vs. LIU, No. 4 Kansas vs. California Baptist, No. 5 St. John’s vs. Northern Iowa, and No. 8 Villanova vs. Utah State. The winners come back Sunday for the second round. Viejas gets loud for basketball, the arena is the right size for tournament games, and if you’ve never been to March Madness in person, it’s a completely different experience than watching on TV. All-session passes are the move if you want to camp out all day.
Savannah Bananas at Petco Park
Saturday, March 21 at 6:30pm and Sunday, March 22 at 2:30pm – Petco Park
If you somehow haven’t heard of the Savannah Bananas, they play “Banana Ball” which is basically baseball with TikTok energy: two-hour time limits, no stepping out of the batter’s box, no bunting, and choreographed celebrations between innings. It’s a show more than a game, and it sells out everywhere they go. Tickets on the secondary market are steep ($100+), but the vibe at Petco is going to be ridiculous. Gallagher Square opens at 2pm Saturday and 10am Sunday if you want to make a day of it.
San Diego FC vs. Real Salt Lake
Sunday, March 22 at 4pm – Snapdragon Stadium
San Diego’s MLS team hosts Real Salt Lake at Snapdragon. The atmosphere at SDFC home games has been building all season, and Sunday afternoon matches have a particular energy when the weather cooperates (and it’s March in San Diego, so it will).
San Diego Seals vs. Buffalo Bandits (Seals Mania)
Saturday, March 21 at 7pm – Pechanga Arena
The Seals’ annual Seals Mania game benefits Rady Children’s Health Foundation, which is reason enough to show up. Box lacrosse is fast, physical, and surprisingly fun to watch live even if you’ve never followed the sport. The Bandits are one of the NLL’s best teams, so this should be a good one.
San Diego Gulls
Friday, March 20 at 7pm – Pechanga Arena
Friday night hockey at Pechanga to kick off the weekend. AHL games are cheap, the arena’s easy to get to, and you can probably get a last-minute ticket without much trouble.
GOVX San Diego Half Marathon and 5K
Sunday, March 22 starting at 6:30am – downtown San Diego
The course runs along the waterfront and through downtown, finishing in the Gaslamp Quarter. The 5K kicks off at 6:30am, the half marathon at 6:50am. If you’re not running, just be aware that some downtown streets will be closed Sunday morning.
Concerts
Foreigner with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra
Friday, March 20 at 7:30pm – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
Foreigner’s 50th anniversary show, backed by 57 musicians from the San Diego Symphony. Stuart Chafetz conducts. “I Want to Know What Love Is” with a full orchestra at the Rady Shell sounds like the kind of thing that gives people chills whether they intended to care or not. The Rady Shell on a March evening is about as good as outdoor concert venues get.
The White Buffalo
Saturday, March 21 at 8pm – Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach
Jake Smith (aka The White Buffalo) has one of those voices that makes you stop what you’re doing. If you know him from Sons of Anarchy or his Americana records, you already know. If you don’t, the Belly Up is the ideal place to find out. Trouble In The Wind opens. Expect it to sell out.
The Band Perry at SeaWorld Seven Seas Concert Series
Saturday, March 21 at 6pm – Bayside Amphitheater, SeaWorld
The Band Perry performs at SeaWorld’s Bayside Amphitheater as part of the Seven Seas Concert Series. The concert is included with park admission, which means you get roller coasters, craft beer, international food, and a live show for one ticket. Not a bad deal.
Comedy
Tiffany Haddish Live
Friday, March 20 at 8pm and 10pm – Laugh Factory San Diego
Tiffany Haddish at a venue as small as the Laugh Factory is kind of rare at this point. She’s done Netflix specials, hosted awards shows, and starred in a bunch of movies, but she still comes back to small club rooms like this. Two shows Friday night. The late show tends to be looser. Both are sold out as of this writing, but keep an eye on resale sites.
Family and outdoors
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch
Open daily through May 10 – Carlsbad
We’re deep into peak bloom now. The ranunculus rows are filling in completely and the whole hillside is striped with color. Late March is honestly the sweet spot before Easter weekend crowds show up. Go on a weekday morning if you can swing it, but weekends still work if you get there early.
Elephant Valley at SD Zoo Safari Park
Now open – San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido
Elephant Valley has been open for a few weeks now and the initial rush is starting to settle. The elephants are getting more comfortable in the space, which means you’re more likely to see them moving around and interacting. The two-story Mkutano House restaurant overlooking the watering hole is worth the visit on its own.
Food and drink
SeaWorld Seven Seas Craft Beer and Food Festival
Ongoing through April 26 – SeaWorld San Diego
The food festival continues with 125+ options and The Band Perry performing Saturday evening. Included with park admission, running every weekend through late April.
