Pacific Beach Town Council’s annual free summer concert series, Concerts on the Green at Kate Sessions Park, kicks off July 12 and runs on consecutive Sundays from 4 to 7 p.m. through Aug. 2.
Concerts on the Green is a free contemporary musical experience for residents and visitors at Kate Sessions Memorial Park. The first show is on July 12 and features a variety of the greatest yacht rock hits. A wide range of musical talent coming from all parts of San Diego will be performing at each of the concerts.
To get the lowdown on Pacific Beach Town Council’s 2026 summer concert series, Times of San Diego did a Q & A with Charlie Nieto, Pacific Beach Town Council president and event chair for this year’s music series.
Times of San Diego: Is there anything that has changed with the concert series this year compared to last? Is there anything being tried for the first time?
Charlie Nieto: “Concerts on the Green at Kate Sessions Park annually provides a free and family-friendly contemporary musical experience to over 20,000 San Diegans and visitors alike. Kate Sessions Park offers a natural amphitheater hillside where, with a stage centered at the bottom of the hill, the audience enjoys incomparably scenic views of downtown San Diego and Mission Bay Park at sunset. The Sunday four-part concert series begins in July and concludes in August, and it provides an excellent opportunity for local musicians to perform for a massive audience.
“For this year’s event, the Pacific Beach Town Council has opted to invest in the fundamentals of the event to make it safer and more enjoyable for everyone. We have invested in expanding our event security to ensure that all of our attendees can have fun knowing they are safe. We have invested in our vendor lineup, expanding our concession stands to provide the community with a greater variety of goods and concessions. And we have invested in our band lineup, bringing back some very popular bands that are in high-demand as we have become more familiar with what the people want.”
Times of San Diego: Tell us a little about the history of the event, where it’s been, and where it’s going.
Charlie Nieto: “Concerts on the Green first began as a single-day event in 1981, made possible by past Pacific Beach Town Council president John Fry. Over the past 45 years, the event has grown steadily through several iterations, with the largest expansion thanks to the efforts of past council president Marcella Bothwell. It was her vision to launch the first post-COVID concerts as a four-weekend series, which continues to entertain us all. To this day, it is the town council’s goal to continue this staple of Pacific Beach, which provides a free, family-friendly, and accessible experience with our local arts and culture.”
Times of San Diego: How does this series of events fit into the overall “scheme” of things with the Pacific Beach Town Council? What is the event’s purpose/role in the council/community?
Charlie Nieto: “This year, Pacific Beach and San Diego overall faced a serious and disheartening reality about cuts to our local arts and culture. We believe that this year’s concerts are a triumph of our community and local businesses rallying around the value that art and creativity can bring to Pacific Beach. We look forward to providing an enjoyable and affordable experience for people from all walks of life in Pacific Beach, whether it be our families, young adults, seniors, or anyone in between. This event highlights everything that Pacific Beach stands for and embraces everyone who comes to Pacific Beach as the best place to live, work, and play together.”
Times of San Diego: Tell us a little about this year’s band lineup. How were the bands selected? What are you looking for when you begin your search for bands every year?
Charlie Nieto: “Some people might recognize the Pacific Records Showcase as a recurring feature of our Concerts on the Green, wherein a local San Diego record label brings several bands, each with a slightly different tropical flavor, almost akin to a miniature battle of the bands.
“Every year, we select from some of the very best artists from all over San Diego to provide a world-class experience for our guests. Since Concerts on the Green takes place over four weekends, we try to offer a variety by selecting a different flavor for each date. This year, our lineup features everything from yacht rock to reggae, and of course, the most legendary Beatles hits.”
Times of San Diego: Tell us about this year’s sponsors/vendors.
Charlie Nieto: “We are grateful to the many businesses and organizations that have stepped up to support the Concerts on the Green this year. We extend a special thank you to our Platinum & Gold Sponsors: Fitness West PB, Broken Yolk Cafe, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, and San Diego Running Go. Our sponsors are what allow us to present this free community experience to everyone year after year.”
Times of San Diego: We know the event is family-friendly. What is being done to promote that?
Charlie Nieto: “An annual amenity we have added to Concerts on the Green is our Kids’ Corner area of the event, where our partners like King’s Cross Church and the San Diego Gulls hockey team set up a safe play area for the little ones to enjoy games, coloring books, temporary tattoos, and other fun activities. All of the musical performances are family-friendly and will play hits that even the youngest among us can rock out to. Additionally, during several of the shows, we will have smaller opening activities, performances, and selections that will cater to the little ones.”
Times of San Diego: Will there be a beer garden/food and beverages available for purchase on-site?
Charlie Nieto: “Concerts on the Green does not have alcoholic beverages, but there is a smorgasbord of concessions being offered this year by a variety of local vendors. From slices of ‘za from Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, to burgers from Bare Back Grill, and scoops from Handel’s Ice Cream — there is something special for everyone. All of our vendors have chipped in to support this year’s Concerts and should be supported by all of our attendees.”
Times of San Diego: Tell us about the effort put in by the Pacific Beach Town Council to stage this event every year.
Charlie Nieto: “The production of the concerts every year takes a community-wide effort to coordinate, fundraise, and operate safely and responsibly. I have to give a shout-out to all of our Pacific Beach Town Council volunteers who help behind the scenes to make this event possible, from engaging with local businesses for donations and vendors to coordinating our weekly concert raffle basket, which helps to raise the necessary funds to make this event possible. Every effort, big and small, helps to make Concerts on the Green the special event that so many have come to know and love.”
The band lineup for 2026’s Concerts On The Green is:
- July 12: Captain’s Orders
- July 19: Pacific Records Showcase
- July 26: The Dub Squad
- Aug. 2: That Beatles Cover Band
