Sip and Paint at Dirty Birds: $35, Second Wednesdays, and the Host Is Drinking Too

Overview

A canvas, an easel, an apron, and a plate of half-price boneless wings. Every second Wednesday, the College Area location of Dirty Birds hands its back room over to a Sip and Paint night, and it is exactly as unserious as it sounds — which is the appeal.

The next one is Wednesday, October 14, running as a Halloween edition. Tickets are $35, everything you need to paint is included, and there's a two-person ticket at $50 that works out to $25 a head.

This isn't a studio with white walls and quiet music. It's a sports bar with 26 TVs and 24 taps, and you'll be painting in the middle of it. The organizers are honest about the tone — asked how long the session takes, their own FAQ answers: "around 45 minutes to an hour of instruction start to finish. Keep in mind the host will be drinking too haha!"

What You Need to Know

When: Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 6–9 p.m. Doors at 5:30 p.m., painting instruction starts around 7

Where: Dirty Birds College Area, 6499 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92115

Cost: $35 general admission ($39.19 all-in with Eventbrite fees), or a 2 for $50 pair ticket

Included: Canvas, paint, brushes, apron and easel; one free drink ticket with any purchase; 50% off boneless wings

Ages: All ages — under 16 must be with a parent or legal guardian

Parking: Free

Refunds: Up to 7 days before

Runs: The second Wednesday of every month

Host: Brush Hour: Sip & Blaze!

Tickets: Get tickets on Eventbrite

How the Night Actually Runs

The three-hour window is mostly not painting, and that's deliberate.

6:00 to 7:00 is settling in — you get your seat, your supplies and your drink, and you order food. The organizer says plainly that instruction starts around 7 "to give you time to order drinks and food."

Around 7:00, the host walks the room through a featured painting step by step. That takes 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how complicated the painting is. No experience needed is the whole premise.

The rest of the evening is yours. Nobody hustles you out at the end of the instruction.

The painting itself isn't announced in advance. October 14 is billed as the Spooky edition, so expect something seasonal.

What You're Paying For

The $35 covers canvas, paint, brushes, an apron and an easel — there's nothing to bring and nothing to buy on top.

Two things worth being clear-eyed about:

The free drink ticket is conditional. It's one free drink with any purchase, not a drink handed to you at the door.

The half-price boneless wings aren't an event exclusive. Dirty Birds runs half-off boneless wings all day every Wednesday, chain-wide. You'd get them anyway. That's not a knock on the ticket — the painting supplies alone are roughly what you'd pay retail — it's just worth knowing what's actually bundled.

Good to Know

Come at 5 if you want the happy hour. Dirty Birds runs happy hour Monday to Friday, 3–6 p.m.: half off traditional wings, half off select beer pitchers, $5 drafts, $5 wells. It ends the minute the event starts, so an hour early is the move.

Free parking is genuinely worth something here. This stretch of El Cajon Boulevard is near SDSU, and street parking on a weeknight is not a given.

It's a bar, so plan accordingly. Kids under 16 are allowed with a parent, but this is a sports bar on a Wednesday night, not a craft studio. Judge the fit for your family.

There's a 4% surcharge on every check at Dirty Birds, added to all tabs and separate from gratuity. Not a scam, just a number that surprises people.

Seats are limited and refunds close 7 days out, so book with a week of confidence.

If You Miss This One

The same host runs it the second Wednesday of every month at the College Area — the next two after October are Wednesday, November 11 and Wednesday, December 9, both 6 p.m., same price.

They also run a version at The Rabbit Hole on Adams Avenue, 3377 Adams Ave in Normal Heights, on a Tuesday evening at 6:30 — October 27, November 24 and December 22 are on the calendar.

If you'd rather paint somewhere purpose-built, Pinot's Palette has a dedicated studio at Liberty Station, and Painting and Vino runs roving paint-and-sip nights at bars and wineries across the county.

FAQs

When is the next Dirty Birds Sip and Paint?

Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 6–9 p.m. at the College Area location, 6499 El Cajon Boulevard. It runs the second Wednesday of every month.

How much is it and what's included?

$35 per person, or $50 for two. That covers canvas, paint, brushes, apron and easel, plus one free drink with any purchase and half-price boneless wings.

Do I need to know how to paint?

No. The host walks the whole room through one featured painting step by step, and it's built for people who have never done it.

How long is the actual painting?

About 45 minutes to an hour of instruction, starting around 7 p.m. The rest of the three hours is eating, drinking and sitting around.

Can I bring my kids?

Under-16s are allowed with a parent or legal guardian. It is still a sports bar on a Wednesday night, so use your judgement.

Is parking free?

Yes, which is not nothing on this stretch of El Cajon Boulevard.

Can I get a refund?

Up to seven days before the event.

For more midweek things to do around the county, browse our full event calendar.