San Diego Weekend Guide: June 14-16 – Retro Rhythm

Ah, June and July in San Diego. The days (we bow to Calvin and Hobbes) are just packed.

And on this San Diego weekend, and during the next three weeks right after that, the days are full of fair fun in Del Mar.

The 2024 San Diego County Fair’s first weekend includes all the best of the fair, from thrill rides and carnival games to high-calorie delights and blue-ribbon winners. Don’t forget daily beer and wine tastings, all-star performers and local acts too. And since opening weekend coincides with Father’s Day, why not celebrate Dad at the fairgrounds? The fair, with the theme “Let’s Go Retro,” continues through July 7. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Weekend general admission costs $20.

The Switchfoot BRO-AM Foundation opens the annual Beach Fest, a free community event, bright and early, 7 a.m. Saturday at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. It includes surf contests, live concerts on the beach with Grammy award-winners – and locals – Switchfoot and guests including Little Image and Jordy Searcy. Stroll vendor booths at the marketplace and learn how to be an “ocean hero.” RSVP online.

Juneteenth is Wednesday, but events to mark the date, also known as Emancipation Day, begin this weekend:

• The Cooper Family Foundation hosts the Juneteenth Healing the Community Festival at 11 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Park. The festival includes music on two stages, including Lakeside, Erissa and the Annointed Men, food trucks, a kids’ zone and health and wellness resources.
• Old Globe’s Axis program includes the Juneteenth Celebration at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Performers include Brittany Taylor, Everybody’s Dancing and Pat Murray, Kendrick Dial and the Lyrical Groove and David Dredden and the Undefeated.
• Quartyard in East Village will host the R&B Block Party: Juneteenth Celebration at 5 p.m. Saturday with music from blue-eyed soul to 70’s jams and R&B fusion, including hip-hop, dance hall, reggae and Afrocentric/Caribbean beats. Tickets start at $25.

The fourth annual City Heights Street Food Festival opens along University Avenue at 37th and 38th streets at 11 a.m. Saturday. Try eats from dozens of food vendors and take youngsters to the kids zone. General admission is $15 with discounts for community residents.

Stop by the Summer Pop-Up Market at NOVO Brazil Brewing Company‘s Imperial Beach sports pub, 535 Florence St., at 5 p.m. Saturday. More than 20 small businesses will set up on the outdoor patio, including Ella Art Studio MJ2 Handmade Creations, Sexy Nerd Artworks, and Stephanie Inger Floral.

Spend Father’s Day at Belmont Park in Mission Beach for the 11th annual Father’s Day Car Show. There will be over 100 classic cars, from muscle machines to vintage gems and custom racers. Groove to live tunes, sip beer from the taps of a vintage Chevy Suburban and grab food and drink specials across the park. See the show for free, starting at 10 a.m. Park passes and ride tickets are available online too.