🎃 San Diego, Your Weekend Starts Here!

Halloween is just around the corner, and San Diego is getting into the spirit!

Catch a free Phantom of the Opera concert under the stars at Balboa Park, enjoy a pirate-themed Halloween party aboard the USS Midway, or hunt for the perfect jack-o'-lantern at seven pumpkin patches across the county.

Sunday's lineup includes the Grand Avenue Festival in Escondido, while Oceanside kicks things off Friday with a charity surf contest.

Plus, explore Old Town's haunted history, get a head start on Día de los Muertos celebrations, and discover 200+ live music events happening around town.

Let's dive in.

 Steve DeLong
Publisher

PS - This weekly update goes out to folks who registered through our Facebook promotion for local events. If these messages are no longer a fit, there’s a simple opt-out link in the footer - one tap and delivery stops right away. Thanks for giving us a look!

The Events

🎃 San Diego Pumpkin Patches

Still need a pumpkin? Halloween is just around the corner, and San Diego's pumpkin patches are in full swing! Whether you're hunting for the perfect jack-o'-lantern, getting lost in a corn maze, or taking the kids for a hayride, there's plenty of fall fun to be found across the county. Here are seven spots to get your pumpkin fix this weekend.

🏄 OFCF Surf Contest — Fri, Oct 23 • 8:00 AM • Oceanside Harbor (South Jetty), Oceanside — Oceanside Firefighters charity surf contest with cornhole, raffle, food and drinks; $75 team entry supports the firefighter charity fund.

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🎭 The Phantom of the Opera in Concert - Sat, Oct 24 • 7:00–9:00 PM • Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park. A haunting Halloween concert featuring organ solos, vocalists, spooky projections, and costumes. Free admission.

🏴‍☠️ Midway's Fright Deck - Sat, Oct 24 • Doors 6:00 PM - Last Entry 7:30 PM • USS Midway Museum, Downtown. Halloween costume contest, DJ, scavenger hunt, and Pirates of the Caribbean screening on the flight deck. Tickets $20–$30.

🎡 Escondido Gather on Grand Festival - Sun, Oct 25 • 9:00 AM–5:00 PM • Grand Avenue, Downtown Escondido. One of North County's largest street fairs, featuring hundreds of vendors, arts and crafts, food, and live entertainment.

🍷 San Diego Food + Wine Festival - Nov 1–8 • Various San Diego locations. Eight days of chef dinners, wine tastings, and culinary experiences, culminating in the waterfront Grand Tasting and Grand Fiesta.

🇫🇷 Parc RSF - Rancho Santa Fe
This sister restaurant to Parc Bistro in Bankers Hill brings a French brasserie to Rancho Santa Fe. It opened two weeks ago in the former Dolce space in Del Rayo Village. Owner Garo Minassian and executive chef Benjamin Navarro are serving the classics: Escargots de Bourgogne, Boeuf Bourguignon, and a Dungeness Crab Cake, with a wine list Minassian curates himself.

💀 Old Town Día de los Muertos - Oct 31–Nov 2 • Old Town San Diego. Celebrate loved ones with colorful altars, traditional music, artisan markets, cultural activities, and a candlelight procession to El Campo Santo Cemetery.

🛍️ Carlsbad Village Street Faire - Sun, Nov 1 • Carlsbad Village. Explore hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, international food booths, live entertainment, and shopping at one of the region's largest street fairs.

🚀 San Diego Startup Week - Nov 2–6 • Various Locations. Entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors gather for five days of workshops, pitch competitions, startup showcases, networking, and expert-led discussions.

Distance: Approximately 2–3 miles, depending on route • Difficulty: Easy–Moderate, with a hill climb to Presidio Park • Location: Old Town

Explore San Diego's earliest history on a walk through Old Town and Presidio Park. Visit the historic plaza, stop at the famously haunted Whaley House museum, and discover El Campo Santo Cemetery, where some graves lie beneath San Diego Avenue. Continue uphill to Presidio Park for winding trails, the Junípero Serra Museum, and sweeping views of Mission Valley and the coast. A fitting adventure for Halloween weekend!

City of San Diego, Presidio Park | City of San Diego, Old Town

Oceanside Pier

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Fri 10/23
High 71° / Low 59° • 🌤️ 38%

Sat 10/24
High 75° / Low 60° • ☀️ 6%

Sun 10/25
High 77° / Low 60° • ☀️ 4%

Friday starts cloudy with a chance of AM showers before giving way to afternoon sunshine, with a high of 71°. Saturday warms to 75° under sunny skies. Sunday is mostly sunny and 77°.

Koi Zen Cellars – John Patrick – Carmel Mountain Ranch – 5-8pm
Twisted Horn Mead & Cider – Silk Button Butchers – Vista – 6-9pm
The Rabbit Hole – Jimmy Lewis – Normal Heights – 6-9pm
Coomber Craft Wines Oceanside – The Tipsy Riders – Oceanside – 6-9pm
The Galley at the Marina – Cafe Con Leche – Chula Vista – 6-10pm
Solterra Winery & Kitchen – Colette Sings – Encinitas – 6-9pm
Amalfi Marina Bar – The Dysfunktionals – San Marcos – 6-9pm
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina – Mike Myrdal – Harbor Island – 6-9pm
The Loma Club – Fish & the Seaweeds – Liberty Station – 6-9pm
Le Papagayo - Leucadia – Swingin Johnsons – Leucadia – 6:30-9:30pm
Deft Brewing | The Gärten | Pizza Cassette – Good Gravy Street Blues – Morena – 7-10pm
1st Street Bar – Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash – Encinitas – 7:30-9:30pm
Pal Joey's – Soul Addiction – Allied Gardens – 8pm-12am
The Roxy Encinitas – Jukebox Junkies – Encinitas – 8:30-11pm
Moonshine Flats – Nate Botsford – Gaslamp Quarter – 9:30-11:30pm

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

🎤 Karaoke

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

🧠 Trivia

Dirty Birds - Ocean Beach – Sunset Trivia – Ocean Beach – 7-9pm

NorthSide Tavern – Israel Maldonado – Ocean Beach – 11am-2pm
Coomber Craft Wines Vista – Raynaldo Martine – Vista – 1-4pm
Burtech Family Vineyards – Steve Orr – Vista – 3-6pm
Gaylord Pacific – Shea Givens – Chula Vista – 5-8pm
The Roxy Encinitas – Rhy Thornton – Encinitas – 5-8pm
Plaza Del Sol – Blaise Guild – Mission Bay – 6-9pm
The Landings at Carlsbad – Dr Dr – Carlsbad – 6-9pm
Deft Brewing | The Gärten | Pizza Cassette – Linda Berry Band – Morena – 7-10pm
L'Auberge Del Mar – Andrew Peña – Del Mar – 7-10pm
Pala Casino Center Bar – Harmony Shay – Pala – 9pm-1:15am
710 Beach Club – Eternal Wave Lazy Otter The Vibratones – Pacific Beach – 9pm-12am
Renegade Bar – 33 Thunder – El Cajon – 9pm-12:30am
The Salty Frog – Upload Band – Imperial Beach – 9pm-12am
Mr. Peabody's Bar & Grill – Custard Pie – Encinitas – 9pm-12am
Patrick's Gaslamp Pub – Quel Bordel – Gaslamp Quarter – 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/ Roy Sutherland – 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 - College Area – Sunset Trivia – College Area – 8-9pm

L'Auberge Del Mar – The Heart – Del Mar – 11am-2pm
La Mesa Wine Works – Greg Drilling – La Mesa – 2-4pm
Full Circle Saloon – Ozzy Open Jam Tribute Show – Santee – 4-9pm
The Kraken – Travel Agents – Cardiff – 4-7pm
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa – Jolene Cruz – La Jolla – 4-7pm
Mainstream Bar & Grill - Poway – Laub Music – Poway – 4-6pm
The Surf Club – Telephone Tag – Oceanside – 4-7pm
The Roxy Encinitas – Jesse London – Encinitas – 5-8pm
Deft Brewing | The Gärten | Pizza Cassette – Soul Jazz All-Stars – Morena – 5:30-8:30pm
Coomber Craft Wines Vista – Johnny Vernazza – Vista – 6-9pm
Coomber Craft Wines Oceanside – Open Mic With Raynaldo Martine – Oceanside – 6-9pm
Lou Lou’s Club @ Lafayette Hotel – Zo Shah – University Heights – 7-8:30pm
The Jazzy Wishbone – Cool Jazz – Oceanside – 7-10pm
Mr. Peabody's Bar & Grill – Jazz Jam – Encinitas – 9pm-12am
Patrick's Gaslamp Pub – Thaxter – Gaslamp Quarter – 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!! …

Answer: A. Graves beneath the street

When San Diego Avenue was widened, part of the historic cemetery was paved over. Small markers in the sidewalk and roadway commemorate graves that ended up beneath the pavement.

If the San Diego Meteor helped you plan your weekend, would you forward it to a friend or neighbor who'd enjoy it too? Word of mouth is how we grow.

And if you know about a great event, hidden gem, local restaurant, scenic hike, or story we should feature, just hit reply. Many of our best ideas come from readers just like you.

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.