Your full Memorial Day weekend 2026 lineup — Padres Star Wars Weekend, seven major bar crawls, the Santee Street Fair, the Gaslamp Artisan Market, and Coronado Concerts in the Park's season opener.
Seven major bar crawls run across San Diego over Memorial Day weekend — from four-night Gaslamp marathons to a daytime Pacific Beach charity crawl benefiting Navy aviation families. Pricing ranges from free pre-sale tickets to around $30, with formats spanning single-night Gaslamp options, multi-day passes, and Sunday-only festivals. The biggest names include Levinson Group's four-night Gaslamp Downtown Bar Crawl, the Pacific Beach Memorial Day Weekend Bar Fest at $12.45, and the 20th annual Sing Dance Crawl for the Wingman Foundation. Read our full San Diego Memorial Day bar crawl guide here for a side-by-side comparison of all seven, plus dates, prices, venues, and which one fits your weekend.
The Padres host the Athletics for a three-game Star Wars Weekend at Petco Park, kicking off Friday with Star Wars Night at 6:40 p.m. — Jackson Merrill and Grogu bobblehead giveaways, 501st Legion characters in screen-accurate costumes throughout the concourses, and Friar Funds drink specials starting at 4 p.m. in Gallagher Square. Saturday brings the Star Wars Fireworks Spectacular at 6:40 p.m. — one of only three postgame fireworks nights at Petco Park all season. Sunday wraps the weekend with KidsFest at 1:10 p.m., featuring bounce houses in Gallagher Square and Kids Run the Bases after the 8th inning.
The 16th annual Santee Street Fair takes over Town Center Parkway and Riverview Parkway in Santee from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., drawing 30,000+ attendees to one of East County's biggest free community events. Expect 300+ vendor booths, a Kids Zone with carnival rides, a Car Show, a Student Art Show, and a Craft Beer Festival ($25 for 10 tasters) featuring San Diego County breweries — with a dog-friendly "Paws & Pints" section in the beer garden. Free admission. Read our full Santee Street Fair guide here for parking tips, beer garden pricing, and what to bring.
The 56-year-old Coronado Concerts in the Park series opens its 2026 season Sunday, May 24 at Spreckels Park with a Memorial Day weekend double-header — the Coronado Concert Band at 4:30 p.m. with patriotic and classical selections, followed by the debut of Busted Spurs at 6:30 p.m. with classic country hits from the '70s, '80s, and '90s. Free, family-friendly, and BYO picnic. Reserve your space on the lawn starting at 3:00 p.m. Read our full Coronado Concerts opener guide here for what to bring, park rules, and parking tips.
The Social Hour kicks off Saturday morning with a yoga sculpt class and prosecco social at Sandbox Pacific Beach. Doors open at 10:00 AM, class starts at 10:05, and the sip-and-social portion runs from 10:50 onward. Tickets start at $23.40 and include the class, a glass of prosecco, and a raffle ticket. A second tier skips the workout entirely if you just want to show up for the social. Built for the mid-20s to 30s crowd. Read our full Sculpt + Sip guide here for tickets, what to bring, and the schedule.
Every weekend, Fifth Avenue between Market and J transforms into San Diego's largest open-air artisan market, with 70+ local makers showcasing handcrafted jewelry, art, candles, home décor, fresh flowers, and specialty foods. The Gaslamp Artisan Market runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, with portions of Fifth Avenue closed to vehicle traffic and live music and street performances throughout the day. Free to browse — bring cash since not every vendor accepts cards. Read our full Gaslamp Artisan Market guide here for parking options, what you'll find, and how it fits into the broader Gaslamp shopping scene.