Spring is knocking at the door this weekend and San Diego is swinging it wide open – whether you’re chasing migratory birds, frolicking through flower fields or simply following a 27-foot hot dog around the county.
The San Diego Bird Alliance’s San Diego Bird Festival continues through Sunday, with lectures and speakers at the Marina Village Conference Center on Mission Bay’s Quivira Basin. The five-day celebration, themed “Where Passion Takes Flight,” welcomes birders of all backgrounds and experience levels to explore the region’s unique biodiversity, with hikes and birdwatching events throughout the county, including Chula Vista, La Jolla, Encinitas and Anza-Borrego. Saturday and Sunday activities at the conference center are free.
Film fans should head to The Star Theatre for the final days of the Oceanside International Film Festival. Friday features a lineup of sci-fi shorts, Saturday spotlights the San Diego County documentary “The Most Biodiverse Place in America” followed by a live retrospective with filmmaker Catherine Hardwicke of “Twilight” and “Lords of Dogtown” fame. Day passes are $18; closing award show tickets are $30 and include admission to the Hardwicke interview.
The 31st annual Writer’s Symposium by the Sea welcomes Booker Prize-winning author George Saunders for its closing event Friday. The “Lincoln in the Bardo” writer will be in conversation with Dean Nelson from 7-8:30 p.m. at Brown Chapel on the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University, 3900 Lomaland Drive. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.; tickets start at $21.99.
It’s the final weekend to catch “Barefoot in the Park” at Coronado Playhouse. Neil Simon’s classic romantic comedy follows newlyweds Corie and Paul as they navigate life – and clashing personalities – in a tiny New York apartment. Performances are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $30 for adults; $24 for students, active military and seniors 62 and older with valid ID.
Keep an eye out for a giant hot dog on wheels because the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is rolling through the county this weekend. Catch it at the La Mesa Village Farmers Market Friday from 2:45-7 p.m. and Fido Fest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in Santee, where you can snag a wiener whistle and maybe even ride “shotbun.”
Fido Fest itself is a dog lover’s dream, taking over Town Center Community Park East Saturday with agility courses, a pet costume contest and more than 20 local shelters lining “adoption alley.” The dog wellness zone offers free engraved ID tags and microchipping from San Diego Humane Society. Guests are encouraged to bring unopened food, bedding and toys to donate to participating rescues.
The San Diego Museum of Art marks its 100th anniversary Saturday with once-in-a-century festivities from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Both SDMA and the Museum of Photographic Arts will offer free admission, with gallery activations, a themed photo booth, live performances and family-friendly programming throughout the day.
Saddle up – ringing in the Year of the Horse is rounding the final stretch with two more celebrations. The North County Lunar New Year Festival, presented by The Hong Konger Club, runs noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Oceanside Public Library Civic Center Community Rooms, with lion dances, crafts, games, red pocket giveaways and a Fortune God meet-and-greet – all free. Downtown, the 43rd annual San Diego Chinese New Year Fair runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, featuring cultural performances, food, vendors, a themed scavenger hunt and an opportunity drawing for two round-trip Southwest Airlines tickets valued at $800.
On Saturday evening, the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art hosts “Keepers of the Culture: Honoring Our Cultural Icons” from 5-7:30 p.m. at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park. The event honors trailblazers, including jazz singer Jennie Cheatham, educator and dancer Sandra Foster King, dance mentor Donald Robinson and the Stance family of Bowlegged BBQ. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a reception featuring jazz harpist Mariea Antoinette; the program begins at 6 p.m. The event is free, but space is limited – RSVP in advance.
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch open Sunday, with 55 acres of blooms expected to peak from late March through April. New this year: a weekly local pop-up vendor series, an enhanced Butterfly Encounter and the March 15 “Fields of Luck” 5K. Don’t miss “Glass in Flight,” an outdoor exhibit by artist Alex Heveri featuring larger-than-life birds and insects rendered in glass and steel. Opening week tickets are $22 for adults before rising to $27; tickets must be purchased online in advance. The season runs through May 10.
Soccer fans, you’ll want to be in your seat at Snapdragon Stadium by 6:15 p.m. Sunday, when San Diego FC takes on St. Louis City SC in MLS regular-season action. After an electric home opener, SDFC is back for San Diego Sports Night presented by Dios Azul, looking to keep the momentum rolling in front of the home crowd. Tickets start at $45, and the first 25,000 fans through the gates will score an SDFC football jersey.
