July is our big-ticket event month. Three events (Big Bay Boom, Pride Week and Comic-Con) will bring close to a million spectators to the city. In between mega happenings, there’s also some ABBA/Symphony fusion at the Rady Shell, wild Bingo Loco at Quartyard and laidback Blanket Sounds at Waterfront Park. No time to be bored.
Big Bay Boom
July 4 (Friday) Happy birthday, U.S.A.! Downtown’s annual fireworks extravaganza 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.
Music of ABBA
July 5 (Saturday) Bring your inner Dancing Queen and have the time of your life at The Music of ABBA with Rajaton and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. Mamma Mia, what an outdoor concert venue. More info.
Bingo Loco
July 11 (Friday) A wild event advertised as “not your grandmother’s bingo.” More of a 21+ stage show with a dance-off, lip sync battles and, oh yeah, three rounds of bingo. More info.
San Diego Pride Week
July 16-20 (Wednesday to Sunday) The San Diego Pride organization hasn’t gotten the best press this year, howevs, the mega-parade celebrating our LGBTQ+ community takes place on Saturday (July 19). The two-day festival in Balboa Park is July 19-20. More info.
Pride Yoga at the Rady Shell
July 16 (Thursday) In honor of Pride Week, the world-class Rady Shell 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.
Blanket Sounds
July 20 (Sunday) This family-friendly arts and music series at Waterfront Park is a free event that starts at 4 p.m., and picnics are encouraged. More info.
Comic-Con International
July 23-27 (Wednesday to Sunday) The annual invasion of superheroes and cosplay returns. Don’t have a ticket? Come downtown anyway to Fifth Avenue in front of the San Diego Convention Center for the best photo ops in the galaxy. More info.
Son of a Reggae Legend
July 25 (Friday) The Grammy-winning Julian Marley (yep, son of Bob and brother to Ziggy), brings his band Uprising to the House of Blues on his Colors of Royal tour. More info.
The Padres Return Home
July 28-30 (Monday to Wednesday)
After the All-Star Break and back-to-back-to-back road series, the Padres return to Petco Park after 14 days of no downtown baseball. The New York Mets come to town on the 28th and the Friar Faithful need to come out-shout the visitors. More info. SDSun
