Today’s newsletter is presented by MTS.

It’s fall, San Diego 🍂

Shifting into a new season always puts you in mind of the special things associated with it. Fall is all about football, foliage and flavors (pumpkin spice, we’re totally thinking about you).

But each seasonal change brings new event possibilities too, with a lot of the action heading indoors as temperatures cool down.

You’re busy and we want to help so we’ve created our first Fall Arts Guide, a breakdown of all the music, theater, festivals and more to expect in the new season.

The guide contains four round-ups, depending on your interests. There’s big music tours coming to major arenas and clubs in town, plus local artists who’ll be performing at smaller clubs and venues. Prefer theater to concerts? We checked out the best plays and musicals hitting local stages through the end of the year.

Finally, we have a variety category with the best of the rest, including festivals, art exhibits, author appearances and more.

Oh, one more thing: We also have spotlight features on a genre-defying band with a North County connection and a legendary local punk act that reunites each Halloween. A beloved pop artist is being honored with a dance theater piece inspired by her music and a local museum that had a spectacular summer is committed to finding ways to continue that success. And the San Diego International Film Festival gets ready to celebrate a milestone – along with an Oscar-winner – while featuring a much-anticipated opening-night film.

It was a blast creating our Fall Arts Guide. We hope you have fun reading it too. Drop in a bookmark to remind yourself of everything great coming up between now and December. Happy fall!

Jennifer Vigil

News editor

Fall is almost here. The season will bring top artists to San Diego arenas, concert halls and more

From downtown to La Jolla to Chula Vista, a slew of bands, solo artists and all-star ensembles will make their way to San Diego stages.

Cutting-edge theater to be excited about this fall on San Diego stages 

Theater boasts some of the biggest successes for San Diego performing arts. Audiences hungry for new work should check out these upcoming fall shows.

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The sounds of pop, rock, hip-hop and jazz will ring out on local stages throughout the fall

From now through mid-December, many of San Diego County’s smaller music venues are bringing in big talent to perform, including top local and regional acts.

From fests to frights and art to authors, more things to explore doing this fall

Here are 10 more arts events not to miss this fall, from opera to exhibits to film festivals, across San Diego.

North County native Chris Thile brings Grammy-winning Punch Brothers and their ‘wild adventure’ to UCSD

The all-star ensemble, which will be in San Diego next month, has a new album titled “The Unsung Adventures of Punch Brothers.”

Times of San Diego thanks our corporate sponsors. Find out more about sponsorships and advertising opportunities here.

After summer of ‘Giants,’ MCASD seeks to thrive by opening its galleries – and its walls – to new communities

MCASD this month opened another exhibit in hopes of drawing new audiences into the museum – “Visiones Nocturnas: Queer Nightlife in Contemporary Art.“

‘The Surge’s’ mature dancers translate Sinéad O’Connor’s life and music into movement 

The dance-theater concert is a poetic, not biographical, examination of Sinéad O’Connor featuring her music and excerpts from her memoir.

San Diego International Film Festival not just a place to see the latest movies. Fans can find community too

Ninety films from 22 countries will be featured at the film festival, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026.

This year, Rocket From the Crypt’s annual Halloween scream show comes with a special perk

The band’s concert at the House of Blues is one of five in support of a new album called “Scream, Frankenstein, Scream!”

Oscar winner Viola Davis becomes latest Film Fest Gregory Peck Award honoree

Viola Davis is the first Black woman to receive the award since the San Diego International Film Festival began offering the honor in 2008.

‘The Debut,’ directed by Jesse Eisenberg, to open San Diego International Film Festival

The film, produced by Emma Stone, stars Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti. Opening night at the film festival is Oct. 14.