🍋 Lemon Festival, Bluegrass & Dark Skies

This weekend brings bluegrass jams in Vista at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, a citrus celebration in Chula Vista, stargazing in Julian, and neighborhood block parties from Oceanside to City Heights. Add Thomas trains, Zuma’s California debut, a guided lagoon walk, and 300+ live performances, and there is plenty to explore across San Diego County.

Let’s dive in.

 Steve DeLong
Publisher

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The Events

🪕 Summergrass San Diego Bluegrass Festival - Fri–Sun 8/14–8/16, Vista
Three days of bluegrass, workshops, jam sessions, vendors, food, and family activities at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum. $

🍋 Chula Vista Lemon Festival - Sat 8/15, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Celebrate Chula Vista’s citrus-growing history with lemon treats, two music stages, arts and crafts, contests, and a kids zone.

🔭 San Diego Dark Sky Festival - Sat 8/15, 3–11 p.m., Julian
Explore the night sky through astronomy talks, solar viewing, children’s activities, telescopes, and guided stargazing in Julian. $

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🏃 America’s Finest City Half Marathon & 5K - Sun 8/16, San Diego
Runners travel from Cabrillo National Monument along San Diego Bay and the Embarcadero before finishing in Balboa Park. $

🚂 Thomas Family Day - Sat 8/15, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Balboa Park
Enjoy Thomas-inspired model train displays, hands-on crafts, family activities, and a museum-wide scavenger hunt at the Model Railroad Museum. $

🎉 Teralta Park Block Party - Sat 8/15, noon–5 p.m., City Heights
This free family-friendly celebration features local vendors, food, live music, community booths, games, and activities for all ages.

🎃 Summerween Block Party - Fri 8/14, 5–10 p.m., Oceanside
Celebrate Halloween in August with costumes, trick-or-treating, vintage art, jewelry, oddities, food, drinks, live music, and vinyl DJs.

Internationally known Japanese restaurant Zuma has opened inside downtown’s historic Guild Hotel, marking the upscale izakaya’s first California location. The menu combines sushi, robata-grilled dishes, Japanese whisky, and more than 40 varieties of sake.

The roar returns to Mission Bay with high-speed hydroplane racing, live music, vendors, beach activities, and waterfront viewing. $

This easy one-mile double loop winds through salt marsh, coastal sage scrub, and riparian habitat at one of San Diego County’s largest coastal wetlands. It takes about 45 minutes at a relaxed pace, with plenty of opportunities to stop for birdwatching or explore the Nature Center.

Distance: 1 mile
Difficulty: Easy and accessible
Location: 2710 Manchester Avenue, Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Hours: Trails open sunrise to sunset
Parking: Free
Dogs: Leashed dogs welcome

This weekend: County Parks is offering a free guided birding walk Saturday, August 15, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. called Birding with Women in the Wild. Birding walk information

Oceanside Pier!

Sprayground’s newest backgrounds are everything you want and your kid will love to show off. Here’s what you can expect from the latest collection:

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Fri 8/14
High 76° / Low 70° • 🌤️ 5%

Sat 8/15
High 77° / Low 69° • ☁️ 6%

Sun 8/16
High 78° / Low 69° • 🌤️ 6%

Expect a mild, dry weekend along the coast, with morning clouds giving way to afternoon sunshine Friday and Sunday. Saturday should remain mostly cloudy, while steady ocean breezes keep temperatures comfortable throughout the weekend.

Aquarius Bar & Grille – The Windjammers – Mission Bay – 7-10pm
Aztec Brewery – The Tomi Tom Sho • Aoti • Vile In – Vista – 7-10pm
Books & Records Bar – Danielle Angeloni – Bankers Hill – 7-10pm
Casino Inn Bar and Grill – Knockout Boyz – Alpine – 7-10pm
Club 416 – ZB Savoy – Encinitas – 7-10pm
Fast Times – 3 Car Garage – Bay Park – 7-10pm
Kimball Bar & Grill – Latin Sol – National City – 7-10pm
Le Papagayo Carlsbad – Perfect Blend Duo – Carlsbad – 7-10pm
Le Papagayo Leucadia – Keefer and Rob – Leucadia – 7-10pm
The Jazzy Wishbone – Latin Vibe – Oceanside – 7-10pm
Tio Leo's Mexican Restaurant & Lounge – The Siers Brothers – Morena – 7-10pm
Mainstream Bar & Grill - Carlsbad – John Lowery – Carlsbad – 7-11pm
Mainstream Bar & Grill - Poway – Crossroads – Poway – 7-11pm
Winstons OB – Live Forever – Ocean Beach – 7-11pm

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

710 Beach Club – Karaoke – Pacific Beach – 8pm-12am
Harry's Sports Bar & Grill – Harryoke Fridays – Fallbrook – 8pm-1am
Happy Does Bar – Karaoke – Gaslamp Quarter – 8:30pm-1:30am
Werewolf American Pub – Karaoke – East Village – 9pm-1am
Wong's Dragon Room – Karaoke with DJ Javier – Rolando – 9pm-1am
Winstons OB – Karaoke w/Corey Glasper – Ocean Beach – 9:30pm-12:30am

Forgotten Barrel Winery – Wine & Bingo – Escondido – 5-7pm
Mia Marie Vineyards – Sunset Trivia – Escondido – 5:30-7:30pm
Koi Zen Cellars – Trivia – Rancho Bernardo – 6:30-9:30pm
Dirty Birds - Ocean Beach – Sunset Trivia – Ocean Beach – 7-9pm

Aztec Brewery – Promised Paradigm • Reese Castin • Alyce Aylin – Vista – 7-10pm
Books & Records Bar – Cobby Brzeski – Banker's Hill – 7-10pm
Casino Inn Bar and Grill – Rock Of Ages • Club 80s – Alpine – 7-10pm
Club 416 – Dress Blues – Encinitas – 7-10pm
Deft Brewing | The Gärten | Pizza Cassette – Hillandale Drive – Morena – 7-10pm
Downtown Cafe – The Farmers – El Cajon – 7-10pm
Fast Times – Tikitronic – Bay Park – 7-10pm
Kimball Bar & Grill – New Brown Sugar – National City – 7-10pm
Le Papagayo Carlsbad – Michael Battista – Carlsbad – 7-10pm
Le Papagayo Leucadia – Jay Cain – Leucadia – 7-10pm
Moonshine Beach – Saint Luna • Lobster Lounge – Pacific Beach – 7-10pm
The Jazzy Wishbone – Light the Night – Oceanside – 7-10pm
Tio Leo's Mexican Restaurant & Lounge – Dale Watson – Morena – 7-10pm
Mainstream Bar & Grill - Poway – CoverStorm – Poway – 7-11pm

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

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

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

Humphreys Backstage Live – Patrick Yandall – Point Loma – 6-9pm
The Jazzy Wishbone – Cool Jazz – Oceanside – 6-9pm
The Shout! House – Dueling Pianos: James • Martha • Courtney – Gaslamp Quarter – 6-9pm
Casino Pauma Red Parrot Lounge – James Isaac Music – Pauma – 6-10pm
Pala Casino Center Bar – Tania y Su Nueva Era – Pala – 6-10:30pm
Le Papagayo Carlsbad – Jeff Moore Band – Carlsbad – 6:30-9:30pm
Le Papagayo Leucadia – Tim Atkins – Leucadia – 6:30-9:30pm
Club 416 – Rob Lamonica & Friends – Encinitas – 7-10pm
Lou Lou’s Club @ Lafayette Hotel – Rob Thorsen Quintet – University Heights – 7-10pm
McP's Irish Pub Paddy-O – Ron's Garage – Coronado – 7-10pm
Prohibition SD – Ryan Erwin – Gaslamp Quarter – 8pm-1:30am
Mr. Peabody's Bar & Grill – Jazz Jam – Encinitas – 9pm-12am
Patrick's Gaslamp Pub – Tristan Brooks – Gaslamp Quarter – 9pm-12am
The Kraken – The Imposters – Cardiff – 9pm-1am

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

🎤 Karaoke

American Legion Post 282 – Karaoke with TerryOke – La Mesa – 5-8pm
Casino Inn Bar and Grill – Karaoke – 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

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!! …

Answer: C. 1978

The collectible 16-ounce bottle featured San Diego’s famous “America’s Finest City” tagline, along with a bright sun and stylized cityscape. Nearly 50 years later, the commemorative bottles still occasionally appear for sale among soda and San Diego memorabilia collectors.

Fun coincidence: The America’s Finest City Half Marathon also debuted in 1978, the same year featured on this week’s commemorative Dr Pepper bottle.

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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.