So, obviously the Rock and Roll Marathon will make its yearly sprawl around the county over the weekend; if you’re looking for other things to do once you’re able to get around town again, though, we have you covered.
Friday, May 29
Sonido De La Frontera in Escondido: This homegrown DJ trio has brought its electrified cumbia creations to festivals around San Diego County; this time around they’ll light up the monthly Música en la Plaza event at the California Center for the Arts (340 N. Escondido Blvd) with a free show starting at 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 30
Bitlands Grand Prix: The North County Gamers present what they call “an evening of Jazz, Hip Hop, & Mario Kart” at Aztec Brewing Company in Vista (2330 La Mirada Dr. Suite 300) — a Mario Kart 8 tournament starting at 5 p.m., with the top four players advancing to gaming on the main stage with musical accompaniment two hours later to compete for a $100 cash prize. General admission is $10, with entry into the 32-player tournament costing $25.
Robobattles at the San Diego History Center: Held in conjunction with the center’s San Diego STEM Women exhibit, this free event is presented by the late Grant Imahara’s STEAM Foundation, and allows kids to build and play with their own LEGO robots, with XBox controllers provided for players to steer their creations into battle. The workshops begin at noon at the center (1649 El Prado, Suite 3).
Santee Pride Walk & Festival: This free event, which has two parts: the fifth annual walk will be held at 9 a.m. with the festival following an hour later in the parking lot of Santee United Methodist Church (8964 N. Magnolia Ave.) and ending at 4 p.m.
Serving Laughs — A Queer Comedy Variety Show: Featuring performances by Drag Grace Improv and Whorechata, music from Claire Doty and stand-up set from Beto Ochoa, Taylor Spencer and Cotton Wood, the New Village Theatre in Carlsbad (2787 State St.) will host this showcase for San Diego’s LGBTQ arts scene starting at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15.
Triton Gaming Expo: UC San Diego’s student group of esports enthusiasts will host this two-day event at the Price Center (9500 Gilman Dr.), which marks its 10th anniversary this year with tournament play in several games as well as an artist alley featuring more than 50 local artists, panels relating to both the gaming and voice-acting industries and streamers Lily Pichu and Tuonto as special guests. The event runs from noon to 8 p.m. both days, and tickets cost $12 for non-UCSD attendees, while students and alumni get in free.
US Air Guitar Championships: No other event this weekend is likely to shred as hard as this gathering at Booze Brothers Brewing Co. in Vista (2545 Progress St., Suite D). This is a Regional level event in the 2026 Air Guitar season, with the winner moving on to the Aug. 1 finals in San Francisco. For those about to rock, no admission charge is due.
Sunday, May 31
Colombianita Fest: The City Heights food truck Colombianita, which specializes in Columbian and Caribbean cuisine, is launching a monthly free event with live music, free dance classes and of course plenty of food on hand from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. at 4951 El Cajon Blvd.
Concert for Hope & Peace: An array of local musical artists including Cindy Lou Berryhill, Gayle Skidmore and Robin Henkel among others will gather at the Belly Up in Solana Beach (143 S. Cedros Ave.) for a fundraising show benefitting the San Diego and Imperial Valley chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union and local outreach groups. Tickets will cost $30 the day of the show, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
Poway Spring Festival: More than 200 vendors are expected to be on hand at this inaugural free event on Midland Road, between Poway Road and Hilleary Place, as well as live music, a classic car show, and a beer and wine garden. The festival starts at 9 a.m.
