🎨 La Jolla Art & Wine, Surf Fest & Gems

October weekends don't get much better than this. The La Jolla Art & Wine Festival takes over Girard Avenue for its 18th year with 170+ artists, and two brand-new festivals make their debut: a surf culture celebration in Del Mar and an ʻukulele festival in Oceanside. Add Fallbrook's gem show, a free Ghostbusters screening on the waterfront, and you've got a full calendar.

Let's dive in.

 Steve DeLong
Publisher

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The Events

🎨 La Jolla Art & Wine Festival Sat–Sun, Oct 10–11 • 10 AM–6 PM • Girard Ave, La Jolla. Free 18th annual: 170+ juried artists, wine & beer garden, live music; proceeds support La Jolla public schools.

🏄 Surf Del Mar Festival Fri–Sun, Oct 9 –11 • Del Mar Free inaugural fest celebrating surf culture: Tower 7 live at En Fuego Sat 6–9 PM, Jeff Divine book signing Sun 11 AM, surf films all weekend.

💎 Fall Festival of Gems Sun, Oct 11 • 9 AM–4 PM • 123 W Alvarado St, Fallbrook. Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society's annual fest: 40+ vendors with gems, fossils & jewelry, kids activities, raffle; free admission and parking.

🎸 Oceanside ʻUkulele Festival Sat, Oct 10 • 11 AM–5 PM • Civic Center Plaza, Oceanside — inaugural ʻukulele festival.

🍂 Harvest Fest North City San Marcos Sun, Oct 11 • 9 AM–5 PM • 251 North City Dr, San Marcos — 250+ vendors and plenty of reasons to wander.

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🦎 Wildlife Rescue 101 Sat, Oct 10 • 10 AM • Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center, Carlsbad. Free talk from SD Humane Society's Project Wildlife on coexisting with wild animals; ages 7+.

🛍️ Ladies at the Lake Fall Market – 10th Anniversary Sat, Oct 10 • 10 AM • 9310 Fanita Pkwy, Santee. Handcrafted goods and boutique finds.

☕ $ San Diego Coffee Festival! Sat, Oct 10 • 9 AM • Broadway Pier, San Diego. 3rd annual, SD's most fun coffee experience.

💀 Día de los Muertos Celebration Sat, Oct 10 • 9 AM • San Diego Automotive Museum, Balboa Park. The museum's first-ever Día de los Muertos celebration.

👻 Ghostbusters FREE Spooky Movie Night at Carnitas' Snack Shack Fri, Oct 9 • 6 PM, movie at dusk • 1004 N Harbor Dr, San Diego. Free outdoor movie on the waterfront patio, bar specials from 6.

☕ Elmisa Cafe Rancho Bernardo’s New Home
Mid-November • The Plaza Rancho Bernardo, 16773 Bernardo Center Dr
The family-owned Rancho Bernardo cafe is moving to a bigger space with more parking and a better patio. Same sandwiches, salads, bowls and homemade sauces, now with room to breathe.

🍖 Felix's BBQ With Soul Is Back
October (date TBA) • North Coast Highway, Downtown Oceanside
Two months after closing its original Oceanside restaurant after 17 years, the soul food and barbecue favorite is returning with a new downtown spot. They're in final prep and hoping to open this month. In the meantime you can visit their Carlsbad or San Marcos locations.

🎨 Chicana Art Festival 2026 Sat, Oct 17 • 1 PM • Downtown Vista. Vibrant celebration of Chicana, Latina, and Indigenous art, culture, and community.

🏃 Lake Hodges Trail Festival Sat, Oct 17 • 7 AM • Lake Hodges. Annual trail runs with something for the whole family, endurance to fun run.

🍷 Wine & Lecture: The Road to Sunrise Thu, Oct 15 • 5:30 PM • 1100 Orange Ave, Coronado. The Coronado Historical Association's monthly wine and lecture series.

You don't have to leave San Diego County to find a mountain forest. High on Palomar Mountain, the Doane Valley Nature Trail winds through towering oaks, cedars, and firs, with a seasonal creek, lush ferns, and scenery that feels more like the Sierra Nevada than Southern California.

The easy hike follows a creek through the forest and passes near Doane Pond, which was stocked with trout last week (October 4–10). Bring a picnic, enjoy the cool mountain air, or try your luck fishing at the pond.

🥾 Distance: ~1 mile loop ⛰️ Elevation Gain: ~150 feet 📍 Trailhead: Doane Pond, Palomar Mountain State Park 🎣 Highlight: Mountain forest, seasonal creek, and freshly stocked trout at Doane Pond

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Taste It Fresh

Fri 10/9
High 80° / Low 70° • 🌤️ 20%

Sat 10/10
High 80° / Low 70° • ☁️ 13%

Sun 10/11
High 73° / Low 65° • 🌦️ 69%

Friday looks like the pick of the weekend, with mostly sunny skies and a high around 80°. Clouds move in Saturday, but temperatures stay warm. Sunday turns cooler and wetter, with morning showers likely and highs only in the low 70s.

The Roxy Encinitas – Tim Atkins – Encinitas – 3-6pm
The Crossings at Carlsbad – Linwood Polk – Carlsbad – 5-8pm
Heroes Wood-Fired Pizza – Mando with No Name – Santa Ysabel – 6-9pm
Coyote Bar & Grill – CircaSonic – Carlsbad – 6-10pm
Babcock & Story Hotel Del – Gonzo Solo – Coronado – 6-10pm
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina – Blaise Guld – Harbor Island – 6-9pm
Party Burgers – Mike Kalend – Fallbrook – 6-8pm
Oceanside Elks Lodge 1561 – Fay Brothers – Oceanside – 6-9pm
Cbar – Shane Hall – Carlsbad – 6-9pm
Downtown Cafe – Street Heart – El Cajon – 6:30-9:30pm
Mainstream Bar & Grill - Poway – Breez'n – Poway – 7-11pm
Mainstream Bar & Grill - Carlsbad – Full Circle – Carlsbad – 7-11pm
Mr. Peabody's Bar & Grill – The Travel Agents – Encinitas – 7pm-12am
Ringer's Cocktail Lounge – Cool Rush – Bonsall – 8pm-12am
Winstons OB – GettoBlaster Travi Trav Mitch Dodge – Ocean Beach – 9:30-11:59pm

Over 200 more events are on the web version…click the button to see them!

🎤 Karaoke

710 Beach Club – Karaoke – Pacific Beach – 8pm-12am
Happy Does Bar – Karaoke – Gaslamp Quarter – 8:30pm-1:30am
Werewolf American Pub – Karaoke – East Village – 9pm-1am

🧠 Trivia

Mia Marie Vineyards – Sunset Trivia – Escondido – 5-7pm
Dirty Birds - Ocean Beach – Sunset Trivia – Ocean Beach – 7-9pm

Bahia Resort Hotel – Kevin Ryan – Mission Bay – 10am-1pm
Hungry Hawk Vineyards – Father & Son – Escondido – 2:30-5pm
Pala Casino Center Bar – The Dudes of SD – Pala – 4-8:30pm
Gaylord Pacific – Orion Song – Chula Vista – 5-8pm
Helix Brewing Co. – Al Barnes – La Mesa – 6-9pm
The Galley at the Marina – Evidence Band – Chula Vista – 6-10pm
Cbar – Divina Jasso – Carlsbad – 6-9pm
Bellamy's Restaurant – CircaSonic – Escondido – 6-9pm
Cafe Luna – Dustin Jake – Carmel Mountain Ranch – 6-9pm
Kimball Bar & Grill – GeorgeVillasenor's Band Colour – National City – 7-10pm
Le Papagayo Leucadia – Maxwell the Great – Leucadia – 7-10pm
Full Circle Saloon – Faerie Qveene – Santee – 8:30-11:59pm
Pal Joey's – Cold Craft – Allied Gardens – 9pm-1am
Renegade Bar – Big City Hillbillies – El Cajon – 9pm-12:30am
Wong's Dragon Room – Bonneville 7 – Rolando – 9pm-12am

The list has gotten too big! To see everything click the button…

🎤 Karaoke

American Legion Post 282 – Karaoke with Leslie – La Mesa – 6-9pm
Oceanside Elks Lodge 1561 – Karaoke w/ Sir Lou – Oceanside – 6-10pm
Junkyard Sports Bar & Grill – Karaoke – Oceanside – 7-9:30pm
Happy Does Bar – Karaoke – Gaslamp Quarter – 8:30pm-1:30am
Werewolf American Pub – Karaoke – East Village – 9pm-1am

🧠 Trivia

Communion / Paradis Cafe – Sunset Trivia – Mission Hills – 6-8pm
Dirty Birds - SDSU Area – Sunset Trivia – College Area – 8-9pm

Seasons Restaurant – Orion Song – Carlsbad – 10am-1pm
Chandler's Oceanfront Dining – Campfire Joe – Carlsbad – 11am-1pm
The Landings at Carlsbad – Sunday Brunch With Billy Fedak – Carlsbad – 11am-2pm
Casino Inn Bar and Grill – Big Sky Moon – Alpine – 11am-2pm
Downtown Cafe – Raney & Evans – El Cajon – 12-3pm
Camel's Bar & Grill – John January – Grantville – 2-5pm
Hungry Hawk Vineyards – Shay Skylar – Escondido – 2-5pm
Domaine Artefact – John Lowery – Escondido – 2-4pm
Mia Marie Vineyards – Riptide – Escondido – 2-4pm
Duke's La Jolla – Kat Hall – La Jolla – 3-6pm
Club 416 – Duck Tape Trio – Encinitas – 3-6pm
Carruth Cellars - Hangar 76 – John Manley – Oceanside – 3-6pm
Plaza Del Sol – Johnny Tarr – Mission Bay – 6-9pm
The Cordova Bar – Dolly's Revenge – Morena – 6-9pm
Mr. Peabody's Bar & Grill – Jazz Jam – Encinitas – 9pm-12am

Over 200 more events are on the web version…click the button to see them!

🎤 Karaoke

American Legion Post 282 – Karaoke with TerryOke – La Mesa – 5-8pm
Casino Inn Bar and Grill – Karaoke w/ Jess & Tony – Alpine – 5-10pm
The Salty Frog – Karaoke – Imperial Beach – 7pm-2am
710 Beach Club – Karaoke – Pacific Beach – 8pm-12am
Winstons OB – OBoke Karaoke – Ocean Beach – 8-11pm
Full Circle Saloon – Karaoke – Santee – 8:30-11:59pm
1st Street Bar – Karaoke Night – Encinitas – 9pm-12am
North Bar – Karaoke – Escondido – 9pm-1am
Pal Joey's – Karaoke with DJ Harvest – Allied Gardens – 9pm-1am
Werewolf American Pub – Karaoke – East Village – 9pm-1am

🧠 Trivia

Uvas Winery – Music Trivia – Poway – 5-7pm
Eastbound Bar & Grill – Trivia – Lakeside – 6:30-8:30pm
Dirty Birds - LIberty Station – Sunset Trivia – Liberty Station – 8-9pm

*Some events may require tickets, reservations, cover charges, or be full/sold out, and we sometimes estimate the end time if not provided by the venue plus typos or errors can happen but we try our best!! …

Correct Answer: B. Trees 🌳

Many of downtown San Diego's east-west streets were named after trees and plants, following an alphabetical pattern: Ash, Beech, Cedar, Date, Elm, Fir, Grape, Hawthorn, Ivy, Juniper, Kalmia, and more. Next time you're downtown, see how many you can spot! More about the cities street naming practices here.

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PS - a $ indicates the event has a cost. I’ll be adding this where it makes sense going forward.

San Diego Meteor is published every Friday morning by Steve DeLong. Steve is an Escondido High graduate and has lived in San Diego County since 1972.