San Diego County honors Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy this weekend with activities that invite you to give back, connect with community and pull from the well of joy.
To mark MLK’s birthday, here are several ways to celebrate his life and sacrifice:
- Spend Saturday planting “seeds of thought and action” as a volunteer at the Mount Hope Community Garden from 9 a.m. to noon, helping with garden projects and connecting with neighbors of all ages.
- Make a day of it Sunday along Harbor Drive at the 44th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, 5K Run/Walk and waterfront festival filled with music, food and community resources. The morning kicks off with the 5K at 9 a.m., followed by the parade at 11 a.m. Be on the lookout for floats, marching bands, drill teams and community groups all taking part.
- Balboa Park will be buzzing Monday, starting at 9 a.m. with a ticketed breakfast at the All Peoples Celebration, followed by a program featuring art, dance and a keynote from B.A. Parker, co-host of NPR’s “Code Switch” podcast. The festivities continue at the WorldBeat Cultural Center’s free King Day event from noon to 5 p.m. with live performances by Sankoh and the Rackaway Kings, guest speakers, a community market and more.
- Get your steps in Monday with a guided MLK Day nature walk at Mission Trails Regional Park. Guides will highlight native plants, wildlife, geology and local history along the scenic route. The free walk begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Visitor Center.
The 13th annual Borrego Springs Film Festival continues its five-day run through Sunday with screenings at multiple venues. Film selections include Work Sucks, a comedy about relentless job-skipping, Sexy Grandma, a widow’s online dating journey, and the comedic short My So-Called Iraqi Wedding, and much more. Passes start at $10 with free screenings at the Borrego Springs Library.
Step into a real-life Jurassic Park as Jurassic Quest comes to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Friday-Monday, with life-size, roaring replicas of T-Rex and Spinosaurus. You can dig for fossils, meet baby dinos, ride giant animatronics and explore LEGO play zones. Tickets start around $30 for general admission. Online prepayment for parking is $16 for cars and $32 for larger vehicles.
Feel the roar of engines and rush of adrenaline when the Round 2 Monster Energy AMA Supercross World Championship rolls into Snapdragon Stadium Saturday. Watch elite riders such as Jett Lawrence, Cooper Webb and Haiden Deegan battle it out in high-flying, fast-paced races. Doors open at 9 a.m. for FanFest, practice and qualifying leading up to the 3:30 p.m. opening ceremonies. Available tickets around $70.
The San Diego Rodeo returns to Petco Park with three days of family-friendly action and more than $500,000 in prize money. You can catch top rodeo athletes, local charro performances and special events such as BeerFest and KidsFest Sunday. Doors open at 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday (rodeo at 6 p.m.) and noon Sunday (rodeo at 2 p.m.). Rodeo after-parties include Charley Crockett, Jamey Johnson and Cody Jinks. Tickets start at $35 and are going fast!
If you’re in the mood for theater or live music this weekend, San Diego has plenty to offer:
- San Diego Junior Theatre at Balboa Park’s Casa del Prado Theatre presents Disney’s Frozen Jr. with shows all weekend, including a special Pajama Night Friday and ASL-interpreted performance Saturday at 2 p.m. All shows are $15, plus a $2.50 service fee.
- Everything You Need to Know About Abortion in One Hour or Less, developed by pro-choice theater coalition the wish collective, premieres this weekend at Bayfront Charter High School’s Tuyo Theatre in Chula Vista. Performances are Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. General admission is $30.
- Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote, a bilingual chamber opera based on Duncan Tonatiuh’s children’s book and commissioned by Bodhi Tree Concerts, makes its world premiere Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. at Southwestern College Performing Arts Center in Chula Vista. Tickets range from $40-$75, with discounts for students and military.
- From a Carpenters tribute to the return of local indie favorite Pinback, George Clinton, and more – see our full lineup of the weekend’s concerts here.
Take a tasty trip through San Diego’s Asian flavors with the Young Professionals Advisory Committee’s “Annual Food Tour: Flavors and Stories” Sunday. Starting in the Convoy District, the 2-5 p.m. tour lets you savor hand-picked bites, learn about the city’s Asian Pacific heritage and support the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum – tickets are $108 per person.
