San Diego Weekend Guide: June 16-18 – Father’s Day edition

One of the things about those special May and June days – for moms last month and and dads this weekend – don’t be stereotypical! It doesn’t have to be all flowers and ties and brunch! Take that special guy out this San Diego weekend to have a tasty bite, enjoy a cultural experience or two or listen to a cross-section of throwback tunes.

We’ll break it down by category:

For the sophisticates –

• Summer Jazz Series – Stop by the Fairmont Grand Del Mar Friday for special guest Gilbert Castellanos, winner of a 2023 San Diego Music Award for Album of the Year. He will perform twice a month on select Fridays starting this week at 6:30 p.m.
• Wine Festival – at the San Diego County Fair on Saturday, where award winners from the Toast of the Coast competition will be available for sipping.

Culture lovers – there’s a big milestone and events marking Juneteenth too.

• Mission San Luis Rey is turning 225 – now that’s an anniversary! The Oceanside mission is putting on a three-day fiesta to celebrate, with carnival rides, a beer garden and more. The fun starts at 6 p.m. Friday and continues at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• Juneteenth – the Cooper Family Foundation hosts the free Healing the Community Festival at Memorial Park in Logan Heights beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday. See performances on two stages, with the Bar-Kays and Erissa, along with live gospel and jazz, food trucks, health and wellness resources and a kids zone too.
• San Diego Lao Food Festival – celebrate culinary treasures from Laos in honor of World Refugee Day Saturday and Sunday at Mira Mesa Community Park. One-day admission is $5, or $8.75 for both days. Gates open at 11 a.m. each day.

For more fest fun, see –

• Switchfoot – the Grammy-award-winning band Switchfoot hosts its annual Beach Fest at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. The free community event offers up surf contests, live concerts on the beach and special guests. The fest begins at noon Saturday, with the surfing already well underway, in the early morn.
• Paddle For Peace – a community celebration at La Jolla Shores Park at 9 a.m. Sunday features surf lessons, community yoga, an ocean friendly barbecue, kid’s corner,
  dad’s relay race and beach volleyball tournament. 

There’s some throwback goodies this weekend too, for soul, rock and folk fans –

• John Legend, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Rady Shell, limited tickets available, starting at $100.
• Lynyrd Skynyrd, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, San Diego County Fair, starting at $91.
• Graham Nash, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Humphrey’s by the Bay, sold out, so look to the secondary market.
• Earth Wind & Fire – 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Rady Shell, limited tickets available, starting at $153.