San Diego Weekend Guide: July 4th Holiday Edition

OK, it’s not truly July 4th weekend. Independence Day, is after all, not until Tuesday. But seriously, the party goes until Tuesday. Right?!?

One thing that only goes through Tuesday? The San Diego County Fair. Head out for the final weekend of the 2023 event, which includes Saturday’s Beer Festival, with local faves, the Grammy-winning Switchfoot, taking the stage Monday. Fireworks follow for the big fair finale Tuesday night.

And really, the July 4th goodness will carry on all this San Diego weekend, with community celebrations starting or continuing from Friday onward. Here’s a selection (see a complete list here):

• National City – The 4th of July Carnival continues through Tuesday at Kimball Park. Special events include the Miss National City Educational Pageant on Saturday, with fireworks at 9 p.m. Gates open Friday and Monday at 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. and noon on Tuesday.
• Mira Mesa – the local celebration, the first in Mira Mesa since before the pandemic, will include a 5 p.m. picnic on Sunday at Hourglass Field Community Park, and fireworks at 9 p.m. from the fields at Wangenheim Middle School.
• Oceanside – won’t just be celebrating our nation, but also the city’s 135th anniversary, with fireworks beginning at 9 p.m. Monday. Head to the SoCal Soccer Complex at El Corazon. Gates open at 5 p.m. with food trucks and two live musical performers.
• Escondido – the free Independence Day Concert at 5 p.m. Tuesday features the Navy Band Southwest’s 32nd Street Brass Band and the Urban Renewal Project from Los Angeles. Head to the Great Green at the California Center for the Arts.

The summer pops season formally opens at the Rady Shell at 7:30 p.m. Friday with Rafael Payare conducting the San Diego Symphony, featuring Pacho Flores as solo trumpeter. The Beach Boys follow Saturday, with a tribute to Aretha Franklin set for Sunday and a night billed as “San Diego’s 4th of July Dance Party”, with C&C Music Factory coming on Tuesday. Tickets are available for all four shows.

The second annual Julian Gem & Mineral Show continues through Sunday at the Santa Ysabel Shopping Center, 30250 CA-79. On Saturday, it opens at a second spot, Julian Town Hall, also going through Sunday. Both sites open at 10 a.m.

The Somali Bantu Association of America marks Somali Independence and Eid al-Adha at noon Sunday with a picnic featuring performances, face-painting, a bouncy house and henna painting at Harry Griffen Regional Park in La Mesa.

You may have heard of a baseball sensation by the name of Shohei Ohtani. He and the Los Angeles Angels come to town Monday and since the Padres have not been up to snuff so far this year, why not go see Shohei? Tickets for the three games at Petco Park are very scarce, with the best availability on July 4th.

And don’t forget the Big Bay Boom, which can be seen from the waterfront on spots that surround San Diego Bay. It has some history. We’re sure all will be copacetic on Tuesday.