🌴 Tiki Oasis, CityFest & Meteor Showers

San Diego is looking up this weekend. 🌠 The Perseid meteor shower is underway, we're heading up Palomar Mountain to visit one of the world's great telescopes, and there's plenty happening back at sea level too. From Tiki Oasis and Hillcrest CityFest to floating lanterns, craft beer, art walks and a movie by the beach, here's your guide to the weekend.

Let’s dive in.

 Steve DeLong
Publisher

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The Events

🌴 Tiki Oasis – Sat.–Sun. 8/8–8/9, Mission Valley
The world's largest Tiki gathering takes over the Town and Country Resort with music, art, tropical style and more. Even without a ticket, you can browse the huge 150+ vendor Tiki Marketplace, free and open to the public Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM–4 PM.

🏮 Toro Nagashi – Sat. 8/8, Balboa Park
The Japanese Friendship Garden's annual celebration honors loved ones with floating lanterns, cultural performances, food, and more. Evening lantern ceremonies take place Friday and Saturday, when the garden glows with illuminated lanterns. $

🎉 Hillcrest CityFest – Sun. 8/9, 12–11 PM
Hillcrest takes over 5th Avenue for a huge free street party featuring live music and DJs on two stages, arts and crafts, food, local vendors, and more than seven blocks of festivities.

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🍺 San Diego Brew Fest – Sat. 8/8, Liberty Station
Sample craft beers from dozens of breweries alongside food trucks, live music, and lawn games at this popular summer beer festival at Liberty Station. $

🎨 2nd Saturday Art Walk – Sat. 8/8, 3pm - 6 pm, Escondido
Explore downtown Escondido's galleries, studios, museums, and local businesses during a lively evening of art, exhibits, live music, and community happenings.

🎬 Beach Blanket Movie Night – Sunday 8/9, 6pm - 10pm, Fletcher Cove
Pack a blanket and head to Fletcher Cove for Solana Beach's free outdoor movie night, featuring A Minecraft Movie under the stars with the ocean just steps away.

This year's Best of San Diego Party is already sold out, but put this one on your radar for next summer. The annual celebration brings together dozens of San Diego restaurants, breweries, wineries, and local favorites for an evening of tastings at Liberty Station. Tickets clearly go fast, so we'll try to give you more warning next year. $

The 30th Annual Taste of Gaslamp returns September 12 from 1–4 PM, with bites from 20+ restaurants spread across 16 blocks of the Gaslamp Quarter. This one sells out every year, so grab tickets early if it's on your list. $

America's Airshow returns to MCAS Miramar September 25–27, featuring military and civilian aviation demonstrations and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. It's one of San Diego's biggest annual events, and worth getting on the calendar now.

Take a scenic drive up Palomar Mountain to visit the historic Palomar Observatory, home of the legendary 200-inch Hale Telescope. At about 5,600 feet, you'll find cooler mountain air, beautiful views, and a chance to see one of the world's most important astronomical observatories.

The Observatory is open daily from 9 AM to 3:30 PM, except certain holidays, and you can combine your visit with hiking or a picnic nearby on Palomar Mountain. With the Perseid meteor shower nearing its peak next week, it's also the perfect excuse to explore one of San Diego County's best areas for dark skies. 🌠

Good for: Scenic drive • Astronomy • Hiking • Mountain escape

Plan your visit: Palomar Observatory Visitor Information

Stunning!

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Fri 8/7
High 81° / Low 69° • 🌥️ 23%

Sat 8/8
High 81° / Low 70° • 🌥️ 7%

Sun 8/9
High 80° / Low 71° • 🌥️ 18%

Expect another beautiful San Diego weekend with partly cloudy skies, comfortable coastal temperatures, and afternoon highs around 80°. Light ocean breezes should keep things pleasant near the coast, while inland areas will run warmer with plenty of afternoon sunshine.

Napatani Wine Bar – Danny Gali – Carlsbad – 5:30-8:30pm
Grand Ole BBQ – Black Mountain Backstep – El Cajon – 6-8pm
Panama 66 – The Lonesome Lowdowns – Balboa Park – 6-8pm
La Mesa Wine Works – TBD Tunes – La Mesa – 6-8:30pm
Amalfi Marina Bar – Will Locken – San Marcos – 6-9pm
Bellamy's Restaurant – Dave Scott & Bobby Lanuza – Escondido – 6-9pm
Carruth Cellars - Oceanside – Rick Trotter Band – Oceanside – 6-9pm
cbar – Kat Hall – Carlsbad – 6-9pm
Coomber Craft Wines Oceanside – Raynaldo Martine – Oceanside – 6-9pm
Coomber Craft Wines Vista – Urban Gypsys – Vista – 6-9pm
Culinary Dropout – Jonathan Ford – Carmel Valley – 6-9pm
Hangar 76 – Rick Trotter Band – Oceanside – 6-9pm
Havana Grill - Mission Valley – Charlie Chavez & La Perla Negra – Mission Valley – 6-9pm
Helix Brewing Co. – Midnight Collective – La Mesa – 6-9pm
Heroes Wood-Fired Pizza – The Beard and The Bird – Santa Ysabel – 6-9pm

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 Harvest – Rolando – 9pm-1am
Winstons OB – Karaoke w/Corey Glasper – Ocean Beach – 9:30pm-12:30am

🧠 Trivia

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

Castelli & Pizzaro – Peter Hall – Penasquitos – 5:30-8pm
Lucrezia – Makena – La Jolla – 5:30-8:30pm
North City – Linwood Polk – San Marcos – 5:30-8:30pm
Tidal – David Shyde – Mission Bay – 5:30-8:30pm
Panama 66 – Nightshade Navarro & Los Salvajes – Balboa Park – 6-8pm
La Mesa Wine Works – Rolando Rose – La Mesa – 6-8:30pm
Amalfi Marina Bar – Joe Wood – San Marcos – 6-9pm
Aquarius Bar & Grille – Appian Way – Mission Bay – 6-9pm
Bellamy's Restaurant – Lefty Martin and his Right Hand Band – Escondido – 6-9pm
Black Rail Kitchen + Bar – Michael Till – Carlsbad – 6-9pm
Carruth Cellars - Oceanside – The Strands – Oceanside – 6-9pm
Coomber Craft Wines Oceanside – Anthony Pellizzeri – Oceanside – 6-9pm
Coomber Craft Wines Vista – Jolene Smith – Vista – 6-9pm
Culinary Dropout – Dos Echoes – Carmel Valley – 6-9pm
Downtown Cafe – Night Shift – El Cajon – 6-9pm

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
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
Round Table Pizza - Poway – Trivia – Poway – 6-8pm
Dirty Birds - SDSU Area – Sunset Trivia – College Area – 8-9pm

Fairmont Grand Del Mar – Ed Kornhauser – Del Mar – 12-3pm
Coomber Craft Wines Vista – Jason Jenkins – Vista – 1-4pm
The Loma Club – Westwinders – Liberty Station – 1-4pm
The Roxy Encinitas – John Matts – Encinitas – 1-4pm
Tower 13 – Semisi – Cardiff – 1-4pm
Coyote Bar & Grill – The Buckley’s – Carlsbad – 1-4:30pm
Orfila Vineyards & Winery – Max the Great – Escondido – 1:30-6:30pm
La Mesa Wine Works – Sunday's at Joes – La Mesa – 2-4pm
Burtech Family Vineyards – John Patrick – Vista – 2-5pm
Camel's Bar & Grill – Blues Jam with John January – Mission Valley – 2-5pm
Coronado Ferry Landing – Wolff – Coronado – 2-5pm
Forgotten Barrel Winery – Bruce & Claudia – Escondido – 2-5pm
Grand Ole BBQ – Chloe Lou And The Liddells – El Cajon – 2-5pm
McP's Irish Pub Paddy-O – Baywolf – Coronado – 2-6pm

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
Winstons OB – OBoke Karaoke – Ocean Beach – 8-11pm
710 Beach Club – Karaoke – Pacific Beach – 8pm-12am
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 with Laura Jane – 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: C) 45 years

Dedicated in 1948, Palomar's 200-inch Hale Telescope remained the world's largest effective telescope until 1993. And Palomar isn't just a piece of San Diego history. Its telescopes are still used for scientific research roughly 300 nights a year.

Speaking of looking up... 🌠 The annual Perseid meteor shower is underway and reaches its peak next week. With San Diego's mountains and backcountry offering some excellent dark skies, this is a great time to get away from the city lights and watch for meteors.

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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.