Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend (September 17–20)

Overview

Quieter than last weekend, and weighted differently. Thursday opens with a big outdoor show at Petco, Friday is a free farm session up the coast, Saturday belongs to Oktoberfest in East Village, and Sunday does most of the work — a boardwalk 5K, free cliffside yoga, an afternoon Padres game, and a tennis social in Pacific Beach. The Padres are home Friday through Sunday against Miami, which anchors the whole weekend downtown. Below it's broken down day by day — this is an overview, so tap any event for its full guide with times, tickets, and everything you need to plan.

Thursday, September 17

Jack Harlow: The Monica Tour

Jack Harlow brings the Monica Tour to Gallagher Square at Petco Park on Thursday night, 6:30 p.m., with doors at 5:30. The Padres are on the road in Colorado that day, which is exactly why the ballpark's outfield venue is free to host a concert instead — an open-air show downtown with no game letting out around it. Ticket prices vary by tier, through Ticketmaster and Live Nation.

→ Read the full Jack Harlow guide

Friday, September 18

Sunset Sessions at Fox Point Farms (every Friday)

The easiest free thing on this list. Sunset Sessions brings live music to the garden at Fox Point Farms in Encinitas, 5 to 8 p.m., with drink specials at the farm bar. Kids and dogs welcome. It isn't ticketed and there's no guest list — you wander in, claim a picnic table or bring your own chair, and the lineup rotates weekly. Haven Farm to Table is on the property if you want to turn it into dinner.

→ Read the full Sunset Sessions guide

Padres vs. Miami Marlins (through Sunday)

The Padres open a three-game set against Miami with a 6:40 p.m. first pitch. Tickets are fully digital through the free MLB Ballpark app — screenshots don't scan at the gates, so load them before you leave and transfer one to everyone in your party.

→ Read the full Petco Park gameday guide

Saturday, September 19

10th Annual East Village Oktoberfest

Quartyard hosts its tenth East Village Oktoberfest on Saturday, 3 to 8 p.m., a few blocks from the ballpark at 1301 Market Street. General admission runs $25 to $30, with tiered options from $17.53. Street parking in East Village is bad on a normal Saturday and worse with a night game across the street — take the trolley or get dropped off.

→ Read the full East Village Oktoberfest guide

Padres vs. Miami Marlins — Game Two

First pitch is 5:40 p.m. If you're doing Oktoberfest first, the timing is tight but walkable — Quartyard to the gates is about ten minutes on foot. (See the Padres guide above.)

Sunday, September 20

Sunday is the stacked day this weekend. Four things, and you could genuinely chain three of them.

Belmont Park's Dipper Dash 5K

The Dipper Dash starts at 8 a.m. on the Mission Beach boardwalk and finishes inside Belmont Park with the Giant Dipper right there. The race wraps around noon. Registration is $54.95 through Saturday and jumps to $64.95 on race morning, so sign up the night before if you're on the fence. The Kids Loop is $44.95. Parking is free on site, with overflow at 1100 W Mission Bay Drive.

→ Read the full Dipper Dash guide

Sunday Morning Yoga on Sunset Cliffs

Free, donation-based, ocean in front of you. Sunday yoga on Sunset Cliffs runs two sessions, 9 and 11 a.m., at 1253 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard in Point Loma. Donations are welcome and never required. Bring your own mat and a layer — it's exposed out there in the morning.

→ Read the full Sunset Cliffs yoga guide

Padres vs. Miami Marlins — Series Finale

A 1:10 p.m. afternoon game to close the series. Day games at Petco are the better call with kids, and you're out in time for dinner. (See the Padres guide above.)

Glam Slam: Social Tennis, Matcha, and Matching Outfits

Glam Slam takes over Pacific Beach Tennis Club, 4 to 7 p.m., with check-in from 3:45. It's social tennis rather than competitive — $55, 18 and up, free parking at 2639 Grand Avenue. Buy ahead.

→ Read the full Glam Slam guide

Any Night This Weekend

Hand-Rolled Pasta Class at Societe Brewing

Not tied to a single date — the hand-rolled pasta class runs on a rotating schedule at Societe Brewing in Kearny Mesa, $64.80 per person, and you make pasta by hand with a beer in reach. Worth checking whether a session lands on a night you're free.

→ Read the full pasta class guide

How I'd Stack the Weekend

Sunday is the day that rewards planning, so here are routes that actually work:

• The full Sunday: run the Dipper Dash at 8, be done by 10, then the 1:10 Padres game downtown. Two very different parts of the city in one day, and you've earned the ballpark beer.
• The free Sunday: yoga on Sunset Cliffs at 9, then stay in Point Loma. No tickets, no parking fees, no plan required beyond showing up.
• A cheap Friday: Sunset Sessions at Fox Point Farms costs nothing, runs 5 to 8, and works with kids or a dog in tow. If you'd rather be downtown, the Padres open against Miami at 6:40.
• A downtown Saturday: Oktoberfest at Quartyard from 3, then walk to the ballpark for the 5:40. Skip the car entirely.

Buy Dipper Dash registration before Sunday morning and grab Glam Slam tickets early — both get more expensive or disappear late.

For everything else going on, check out our full event calendar.

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