July is San Diego’s most eventful month. Three events (Big Bay Boom, Pride Week and Comic-Con) will bring close to a million spectators to the city. We’ll be busy. Meanwhile, when you scan the JULY RECOMMENDED calendar below, try to decide what it’ll be on July 13: A block party in East Village. Comedy show in the Gaslamp Quarter. The rooftop rock concert near the Marina District. Or, a night of tunes with an Armed Services band in Little Italy. Choices!
Big Bay Boom
July 4 (Thursday) Happy birthday, America! Downtown’s annual fireworks-palooza starts sharply at 9 p.m. Find a spot along San Diego Bay to watch the colorful displays shot off from four strategically-anchored barges. Be sure to tune in to 100.7 BIG FM for the synchronized musical soundtrack. More info.
Fourth of July Bar & Club Crawl
July 6 (Saturday) Two days after the fireworks, sparkle and shine during a downtown bar/club crawl starting at American Junkie in the Gaslamp Quarter. Four venues. VIP and front-of-the-line access. Drink discounts. Lingering spirit of American pride. More info.
Dinner On The Diamond: Ludacris
July 11 (Thursday) This benefit dinner is one of the only annual chances to dine on the field at Petco Park. It’s pricey–but you get a special performance by rapper Ludacris and to rub elbows with Padres players and team personalities. And, support the Youth Assistance Coalition and Urban Street Angels. More info.
East Village Block Party
July 13 (Saturday) Rain postponed this traditional Padres Opening Weekend street fete. This rescheduled event happens on J Street between Seventh and Tenth Avenues near Petco Park in the East Village. Food, beverage and retail vendors, and a walk-through car show. More info.
Ronny Chiang at Civic Theatre
July 13 (Saturday) He’s part of the stellar back-up cast of comedy correspondents on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Along with appearing in multiple major movies, Chiang is a stand-up comic who’s bringing his “The Love To Hate It Tour” to downtown’s Civic Theatre. More info.
Concert Under the Stars
July 13 (Saturday) Relive the catalog of Amy Winehouse in the Under The Stars concert series at Sunset Terrace. This outdoor venue at InterContinental San Diego in the Marina District delivers a show with drinks, appetizers and jazzy-funky rock tunes. More info.
Marine Band Summer Concert
July 13 (Saturday) The 40-piece Marine band is called Sound Strike. It’ll play pumped up tunes in a free concert at the Piazza della Famiglia (Date & India streets) in Little Italy, starting at 7 p.m. More info.
San Diego Pride Week
July 13-21 (Saturday to Sunday) There’s a week of LGBTQ+ programming based in Hillcrest for our local Pride. The mega-parade takes place on Saturday (July 20). The two-day festival in Balboa Park–with Sheila E.!–rocks the town on July 20-21.) More info.
Bubble Pop Up
July 14 (Sunday) Have some laughs and blow some bubbles with the East Village community at Fault Line Park. Bring your bubble wand or come watch others mass produce air trapped in soapy film. Bubbling starts at 3 p.m.; after party at nearby The Lost Abbey at 5 p.m. More info.
Pride Yoga at the Rady Shell
July 18 (Thursday) In honor of SD Pride Week, the world-class Rady Shell at Jacobs Park will host a free evening yoga class. The class, led by a Fit Athletic instructor, starts at 7 p.m. and there’s a dance party afterward. More info.
San Diego Bayfest
July 20 (Saturday) Waterfront Park (on Pacific Highway) has become a prominent outdoor concert venue. Next up: the sublime Bayfest. Actually the headliner for Bayfest is veteran rock band Sublime. VIP experiences are available. More info.
Comic-Con International
July 25-28 (Wednesday to Sunday) Here it is. Cue the Star Wars intro music. The annual invasion of cosplay returns–with Hollywood in tow once again. Even if you don’t have a ticket, come down to the San Diego Convention Center for the most magical photo ops in the galaxy. More info.
Padres baseball
July 30-31 (Tuesday & Wednesday) The despised Los Angeles Dodgers will be in town for a two-game series. It’ll be the first Pads home games at Petco Park in more than two weeks–post-All-Star break and road games scheduled while Pride Week and Comic-Con crowds occupy the city. More info. SDSun
