Annual Events & Festivals - Annual Events

San Diego County’s many cities, towns, and neighborhoods have good cause for celebration. There are so many activities taking place each week that it’s hard to choose whether to participate in a marathon, build a sand castle, or shop for handicrafts at a street fair.

Our goal with the list is to bring San Diego’s special fun to you. We’ve included plenty of free events and festivals from the Mother Goose Parade to the Rancho Santa Fe Rummage Sale (the primo sale of the year) to the Mainly Mozart Festival. We’ve also tried to blend the expected events with the unusual, notable, and eccentric ones, such as the Over-the-Line Tournament and the Pegleg Smith Liars Contest. If there’s an adult-only aspect, we’ve included that; where it’s family fun, we’ve stressed that, too.

Typically the outdoor events include food booths. If not, there’s always a market or restaurant nearby. We’ve listed the current fee or cost, if it’s known. We also let you know when the event is free.

Remember when looking at the calendar of events that we’ve organized this chapter by months rather than region. Keep in mind that you’ll want to call to double-check locations and times or to verify prices. Some phones are handled by volunteers. Try to call during normal work hours.

Many communities have mini-events and cultural activities that are big news for neighborhoods but are too small to be listed here. If you’ve just moved into the San Diego area and wonder what’s happening, ask a neighbor or call the city’s parks and recreation office. Events, athletic tournaments, community picnics, and concerts are also often listed on bulletin boards in libraries and neighborhood shops.

We’ve tried to make it easy for you to use this list by ordering events chronologically. If an event happens in the beginning of any month, you’ll find it among the first listings; if it’s at the end of the month, you’ll find it listed last.