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In this Issue

Good morning, San Diego! The San Diego Meteor is back with a stacked Memorial Day weekend—perfect for treasure hunters, music lovers, and food-scene explorers. I’ve called this county home since 1972, and Memorial Day weekend never disappoints. Here are a few highlights before you dive in:

• 💎 Julian Rocks Gem Show – Crystals, Fossils, Crafts May 24-26 in Julian

• 🎡 Santee Street Fair – Beer Garden, A zillion vendors, May 24, Riverview Pkwy

• 🎵 Coronado Concerts in the Park – season opener May 25, Spreckels Park

• 🏁 Fox Raceway Motocross – pro riders, horsepower thunder in Pala; pack earplugs, sunscreen, and get ready for serious rooster tails!

Scroll on for all the details, food news, and your Memorial Day playbook. See you out there! — Steve

The Events

💎 Julian Rocks Gem Show
Memorial Day Weekend Gems, Minerals, and Crafts Show. Crystals, fossils, and handmade jewelry plus… May 25–26 in historic Julian—free admission, family fun. More Info

🎡 Santee Street Fair
May 25, 10–6, Riverview Pkwy: 300 vendors, rides, live bands, fireworks light up Santee’s biggest day—bring family and friends. Plan your day

🎵 Coronado Concerts in the Park
Season opener May 25. 4:30pm Coronado Concert Band. 6:30pm SideTraxx. At Spreckels Park—music, picnics, dancing beneath palms. See the full summer lineup. Details

🏁 Fox Raceway National Motocross
Catch the season-opening thunder May 25 at Fox Raceway, Pala—pro riders, high-speed battles, full day of racing action. I attended several Motocross events at Carlsbad Raceway back in the Day! Exciting!! Event schedule

🖼️ Peter Dreher: Tag um Tag, Guter Tag [Day by Day, Good Day]
Quint Gallery debuts a single painting from Dreher’s hypnotic glass-painting series. Starting in 1974 he painted the same glass of water every day for 40 years. Over 5,000 paintings! Explore exhibit

🎖️ Beach Country Fest for Vets
Toby Keith tribute rocks Pour House Oceanside May 26; five bands, all proceeds benefit Tunnel to Towers & US Vets. Event info

*Nothing listed here is a sponsored event. I’ll always let you know if it is….

The Food

🍹 Sip This: Summer Cocktail Drop
See the Insta-reveal of a vibrant new signature drink and pairing bites—perfect weekend inspiration. More here.

🍸 Bar Nice Debuts in North Park
North Park’s new Bar Nice pours inventive cocktails; two chef-friends also plan nearby pizzeria and pasta spot. Read more

Subscriber Shout Outs! 

- Larry mentioned Woodranch in Mission Valley. Here’s their Instagram. That steak looks delicious!
- Lisbeth just moved back to San Diego and is looking for suggestions. What should we tell her?
- Lorraine likes the Hillcrest Asian Bistro. Here is a link to their Menu!
- Lety gave a shout out to Cocina de Barrio North Park. They have a few locations around town. Adding to my must try list. 
- Lynn called out Anita’s on El Camino in Oceanside. That’s a tasty looking margarita on the home page. Check ‘em out here….
- Patty mentioned Cesarina in OB. I like their website. Check it out here….
- And Ginger called out Kindred! They’ve got a bit of a crazy vibe! You can see the PDF of their full menu here…

Thanks so much for sharing! And welcome to all our new subscribers this week. I’m grateful you decided to join.

Upcoming Events

🎤 San Diego Fair Grandstand Concerts
Catch Foreigner, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ziggy Marley & more at the Fair’s grandstand series, June 11–July 6. We saw Train in 2023. Spectacular. Get Tickets

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The Views

“Changing Tides” at the Tidelands Park with a view of the Coronado Bridge by David Christopher.

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The Weather

FYI: Inland valleys will run noticeably hotter this weekend

The Music

Friday 5/23

Duke's La Jolla, Sean McCole, 3-6 pm, La Jolla
Orfila Vineyards & Winery, Whelan, 3:30-6:30 pm, Escondido
Aquarius Bar & Grille, Jimmy Ray, 4-7 pm, Mission Bay
Junkyard Sports Bar & Grill, Adam Bergoch, 6-9 pm, Ivey Ranch / Rancho Del Oro
Pour House, 12 Gauge Trixie, Sun Jelly, Two Headed Girl, 6-9 pm, South Oceanside
The Roxy Encinitas, Max Greenhalgh, 5-8 pm, Encinitas
Baba Coffee – Carlsbad, The Soto Six (minus three), 5:30-8:30 pm, Carlsbad Village
Panama 66, The Sandpiper Ensemble, 6-8 pm, Balboa Park
Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs, The Mothmen, 6-8 pm, El Cajon
Belching Beaver Brewery Oceanside, Son Terre, 6-9 pm, Ivey Ranch / Rancho Del Oro
Bellamy's Restaurant, Dave Scott & Bobby Lanuza, 6-9 pm, Central Escondido
Havana Grill – Mission Valley, Charlie Chavez's Perla Negra Trio, 6-9 pm, Mission Valley
Quartyard, Surely Tempo with Dyego and Rangoo, 6-9 pm, East Village
Heroes Wood-Fired Pizza, Vince Mendoza, 6-9 pm, Julian / Santa Ysabel
Sunny Grove Brewing Company, Chicken Hawk, 6-9 pm, Santee
The Galley at the Marina, Bo & the Hobos, 6-10 pm, Chula Vista
Windmill Food Hall, Sammy Listoe, 6:30-8 pm, Carlsbad
Golden Island Dim Sum & Asian Cuisine, The Mad Hat Hucksters, 6:30-8:30 pm, Mira Mesa
The Westgate Hotel, Mikan Zlatkovich, 6:30-9 pm, Core-Columbia
American Legion Post 282, Pushpins, 6:30-9:30 pm, La Mesa
Négociant Winery, Don L., 6:30-9:30 pm, Hillcrest
Steel 94, Lefty Martin & His Right Hand Band, 6:30-9:30 pm, Spring Valley
Humble Heart, Lotto RPG + Citrus Jr. + Chudson, 6:30-10 pm, Point Loma
Kimball's Coastal Eatery, Latin Soul, 6:30-10:30 pm, National City
The Shout! House, Dueling Piano Show, 6:30 pm-1:30 am, Gaslamp Quarter
The Jazzy Wishbone, Idiom, 7-10 pm, Oceanside
Aztec Brewing Company, The OddEven, 7-10 pm, Vista
Aquarius Bar & Grille, Drivin' the Bus, 7-10 pm, Mission Bay
Hamburger Hut, Jacob Fletcher & Kaylee Daugherty, 7-9 pm, Leucadia
La Jolla Community Center, Sherry Williams, 7-9:30 pm, La Jolla
Le Papagayo Carlsbad, Maxwell the Great, 7-10 pm, Carlsbad Village
Le Papagayo Leucadia, Swingin Johnsons, 7-10 pm, Leucadia
Mainstream Bar & Grill, Linda Berry Band, 7-11 pm, Poway
Riviera Supper Club and Turquoise Room, Pocket Candy, 7-10 pm, La Mesa
Tio Leo's Mexican Restaurant & Lounge, San Diego Funk All Stars, 7-10 pm, Morena
Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, Thievery Corporation, 7:30-10:30 pm, Point Loma
Soda Bar, Sacri Monti + Smokey Mirror + Dizz Brew, 7:30-11:30 pm, City Heights
The Holding Company, Bay Birds + Pet Mammoth, 7:30-11:30 pm, Point Loma
Humphreys Backstage LIVE, Totally 80’s Band, 8 pm-12 am, Point Loma
McP's Irish Pub, The Sophisticats, 8 pm-12 am, Coronado
Pal Joey's, Bonneville Seven, 8 pm-12 am, Allied Gardens
Til-Two Club, Noble Savage + Dimitri Berzerk + TBA, 8 pm-12 am, Talmadge
Mr. Peabody's Bar & Grill, The Juke$, 8:30 pm-12 am, Encinitas
Poway Irish Pub, Full Circle, 8:30 pm-12 am, Poway
Full Circle Saloon, One Night in the City + Head Bangers Brawl, 8:30 pm-12:30 am, Santee
The Casbah, The Detroit Cobras + The Slashes + The Film Company, 8:30-11:30 pm, Middletown
The Roxy Encinitas, The Propane Saints, 8:30-11:30 pm, Encinitas
Pour House, Doll Riot, Kook, Flailing Idiot, 9 pm-12 am, South Oceanside
Renegade Country, Big Sky Moon, 9 pm-12:30 am, El Cajon
Winston's Beach Club, Euphoria Brass Band, Starsign & Sweater Weather, 9 pm-1 am, Ocean Beach
Prohibition, CEO's Rhythm Section, 9 pm-1:30 am, Gaslamp Quarter
Vin de Syrah, The Ladies of Rouge, Starts at 9:15 pm, Gaslamp Quarter

Saturday 5/24

Farmer & The Seahorse, Freddie Walton, 11 am – 2 pm, Torrey Pines
Aquarius Bar & Grille, Fish & the Seaweeds High Noon Grateful Dead Set, 12 – 3 pm, Mission Bay
Orfila Vineyards & Winery, Tyler F. Simmons, 12 – 3 pm, Escondido
The Roxy Encinitas, Addi Rose, 1 – 4 pm, Encinitas
Coronado Ferry Landing, Captain Morgan Lee, 2 – 5 pm, Coronado
Orfila Vineyards & Winery (The Park), Matt Heinecke, 3:30 – 6:30 pm, Escondido
Winston's Beach Club, the Travel Agents, 4 – 7 pm, Ocean Beach
Humphreys Backstage LIVE, The Hips, 5 – 7 pm, Point Loma
Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs, Ypsitucky, 5 – 8 pm, El Cajon
Pour House, Bonneville 7, 5 – 8 pm, South Oceanside
Alpine VFW Post 9578, Nitro Express, 5 – 9 pm, Alpine
Quartyard, R&B Block Party (All Black Attire), 5 – 10 pm, East Village
Baba Coffee – Carlsbad, Mojo Strut, 5:30 – 8:30 pm, Carlsbad Village
Panama 66, The Red Fox Tails, 6 – 8 pm, Balboa Park
Heroes Wood-Fired Pizza, T.A. Tomlinson & Co., 6 – 9 pm, Julian / Santa Ysabel
Harry's Sports Bar & Grill, Clearly Dirty, 6 – 9 pm, Fallbrook
Barefoot Bar & Grill, Olivia Rohde, 6 – 9 pm, Mission Bay
Bellamy's Restaurant, Serious Guise, 6 – 9 pm, Central Escondido
Havana Grill – Mission Valley, Charlie Chavez's Perla Negra Trio, 6 – 9 pm, Mission Valley
Humble Heart, The Odd Even + guests, 6 – 10 pm, Point Loma
Babcock & Story Hotel Del, Gonzo Solo, 6 – 10 pm, Point Loma
The Galley at the Marina, Santana pa Ti Live, 6 – 10 pm, Chula Vista
Steel 94, Santana Soul, 6:30 – 9:30 pm, Spring Valley
The Shout! House, Dueling Piano Show, 6:30 pm – 1:30 am, Gaslamp Quarter
LOFT 77 by VDV, Johnny Mitchell, 7 – 9 pm, North City
Aztec Brewing Company, Flow State, 7 – 10 pm, Vista
Books & Records, Kaylee Daugherty, 7 – 10 pm, Bankers Hill
Le Papagayo Carlsbad, Left Coast Love Machine, 7 – 10 pm, Carlsbad Village
Le Papagayo Leucadia, John Bennett, 7 – 10 pm, Leucadia
The Jazzy Wishbone, Soto Six, 7 – 10 pm, Oceanside
Riviera Supper Club and Turquoise Room, Konrad Malinowski Quartet, 7 – 10 pm, La Mesa
Tio Leo's Mexican Restaurant & Lounge, The Platinum Vibe Band, 7 – 10 pm, Morena
Kimball's Coastal Eatery, Evidence, 7 – 10 pm, National City
Mainstream Bar & Grill, Country Crossovers Band, 7 – 11 pm, Poway
Good Bar, California Moon Band, 7 pm – 1 am, Point Loma
Lou Lou’s Club @ Lafayette Hotel, The Jonny Tar Situation, 8 – 11 pm, University Heights
Humphreys Backstage LIVE, Grooveline, 8 pm – 12 am, Point Loma
McP's Irish Pub, Fish & the Seaweeds, 8 pm – 12 am, Coronado
Til-Two Club, Taking Liberties!, 8 pm – 1:30 am, Talmadge
Mr. Peabody's Bar & Grill, Social Remedy, 8:30 – 11:30 pm, Encinitas
The Roxy Encinitas, Tube Amp’D, 8:30 – 11:30 pm, Encinitas
Poway Irish Pub, Outa Sync, 8:30 pm – 12 am, Poway
Full Circle Saloon, Decades of Oz + Screaming for Priest, 8:30 pm – 12:30 am, Santee
Pour House, Bywater Skanks, Foggy Memory Boys, Maxwell Garza, 9 pm – 12 am, South Oceanside
The Casbah, Devotional + Bidi Cobra DJ, 9 pm – 12 am, Middletown
Renegade Country, Big City Hillbillies, 9 pm – 12:30 am, El Cajon
710 Beach Club, Exploits + Orchards, 9 pm – 1 am, Pacific Beach
Pal Joey's, The Reflectors, 9 pm – 1 am, Allied Gardens
Soda Bar, Tame Impala Night, 9 pm – 1 am, City Heights
Whistle Stop Bar, Booty Bassment, 9 pm – 1 am, South Park
Winston's Beach Club, Pigeon John & Awol One with Stoney Point, Demrick, DJ Hoppa, 9:30 pm – 1 am, Ocean Beach

Sunday 5/25

Felix's BBQ with Soul, Sunday Brunch with Robert Parker, 10 am – 2:30 pm, Ivey Ranch / Rancho Del Oro
Aquarius Bar & Grille, Party Crashers, 12 – 3 pm, Mission Bay
Orfila Vineyards & Winery, Maxwell the Great, 12 – 3 pm, Escondido
Duke's La Jolla, The Heart, 1 – 4 pm, La Jolla
The Holding Company, The Effigies, 1:30 – 5:30 pm, Point Loma
Balboa Theatre, Night at the Movies: Neisha's Dance & Music Academy recital, 2 – 4 pm, Gaslamp Quarter
Punch Bowl Social San Diego, Music BINGO, 2 – 4 pm, East Village
Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs, Farm Truck, 2 – 5 pm, El Cajon
McP's Irish Pub Paddy-O, Busted Spurs w/ Gonzo, 2 – 6 pm, Coronado
Aquarius Bar & Grille, FNK, 3 – 5 pm, Mission Bay
Good Bar, Carl Banks & Melissa Gordon, 3 – 6 pm, Point Loma
The Galley at the Marina, Manzanita Blues, 3 – 7 pm, Chula Vista
Orfila Vineyards & Winery (The Park), Rowdy, 3:30 – 6:30 pm, Escondido
Quartyard, SOSA + Fletch + Mr. Bones, 4 – 9 pm, East Village
Aquarius Bar & Grille, CRB, 5 – 8 pm, Mission Bay
Kimball's Coastal Eatery, Santana Soul, 5 – 8 pm, National City
Panama 66, San Diego Tap Fest Jam, 5 – 7 pm, Balboa Park
The Roxy Encinitas, Ryan Bieber, 5 – 8 pm, Encinitas
Tio Leo's Mexican Restaurant & Lounge, Jazz Night, 5 – 7 pm, Morena
Madison on Park, Irving Flores Latin Jazz Trio feat. Kaylee Daugherty, 6 – 8 pm, University Heights
Heroes Wood-Fired Pizza, Thousand Eyes, 6 – 9 pm, Julian / Santa Ysabel
Le Papagayo Carlsbad, Jimmy Patton, 6 – 9 pm, Carlsbad Village
Le Papagayo Leucadia, Tim Atkins, 6 – 9 pm, Leucadia
Humble Heart, King Batt Presents…, 6 – 10 pm, Point Loma
Mr. Peabody's Bar & Grill, Jazz Jam, 6 – 10 pm, Encinitas
Humphreys Backstage LIVE, Erisa Nicole, 8 – 11 pm, Point Loma
The Shout! House, Dueling Piano Show, 8 pm – 12 am, Gaslamp Quarter
The Roxy Encinitas, The Juke$, 8:30 – 11:30 pm, Encinitas

Trivia and Karaoke

Friday 5/23

Alpine VFW Post 9578, Karaoke, 5-9 pm, Alpine
710 Beach Club, Karaoke, 8 pm-12 am, Pacific Beach
Harry's Sports Bar & Grill, Harryaoke Fridays, 8 pm-1 am, Fallbrook
Happy Does Bar, Karaoke, 8:30 pm-1:30 am, Gaslamp Quarter
The Ould Sod, Karaoke, 9 pm-2 am, Mid-City
Night Parade Brewing Company, Trivia, 5:30-7:30 pm, Scripps Ranch
White Labs Brewing Co – San Diego, Trivia, 6:30-8:30 pm, Miramar
Dirty Birds Ocean Beach, Trivia, 7-9 pm, Point Loma
Dave & Buster's Carlsbad, Trivia, 8-10 pm, Carlsbad

Saturday 5/24

American Legion Post 282, Karaoke, 6-9 pm, La Mesa
Happy Does Bar, Karaoke, 8:30 pm-1:30 am, Gaslamp Quarter
The Ould Sod, Karaoke, 9 pm-2 am, Mid-City
Amalfi Enoteca Italiana, Trivia, 6-8 pm, San Marcos
Round Table Pizza (Poway), Trivia, 6-8 pm, Poway
Dirty Birds College Area, Trivia, 8-10 pm, Rolando Village

Sunday 5/25

710 Beach Club, Karaoke w/DJ Harvest, 8 pm – 12 am, Pacific Beach
Winston's Beach Club, Karaoke, 8 – 11 pm, Point Loma
Full Circle Saloon, Karaoke, 8:30 pm – 12:30 am, Santee
1st Street Bar, Karaoke, 9 pm – 1 am, Encinitas
North Bar, Karaoke, 9 pm – 1 am, North Broadway
Pal Joey's, Karaoke, 9 pm – 1 am, Allied Gardens
The Kensington Club, Karaoke, 9 pm – 1 am, Kensington
Bayside Kitchen & Bar, Trivia, 5 – 7 pm, Little Italy
Dirty Birds Liberty Station, Trivia, 7 – 9 pm, Point Loma
Original 40 Brewing Company, Trivia, 7 – 9 pm, North Park

*Some events may require tickets, reservations, cover charges, or be full/sold out, and typos or errors could happen but we try our best!! …

That’s a wrap for this week!
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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.