Some signature community festivals take center stage this San Diego weekend, celebrating music, food and kites.
The sun’s supposed to be back this weekend, appropriately just in time for the 43rd annual Fiesta del Sol at Fletcher Cove Park in Solana Beach. Gates open for the free two-day music fest at 9 a.m., with Mustache Harbor, Desperado and Whitney Shay among the acts performing Saturday, and the Wailers, Ozomatli and Veni Sun on Sunday. Hullabaloo starts each day with family friendly shows. Solana Beach firefighters host a pancake breakfast Sunday; more than 20 vendors provide goodies for the remainder of the fest.
Can you keep your kite afloat for Ocean Beach’s Kite Festival? Head to Robb Field at 10 a.m. Saturday to give it a go. All the activities will center around the activity – bring your own or get free materials to make and decorate a kite, compete for prizes for the best-decorated flyers and play kite games like Chase the Tail and Candy Drop. Enjoy the free carnival and street fair, with artisans, community booths and food trucks too.
The El Cajon Foodie Fest features goodies from about a dozen local eateries. Look for appetizers, samples and desserts, as well as specialty beverages at the event, at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. General admission costs $20. It’s a featured event at the free America on Main block party, with live entertainment, carnival rides, games, crafts and more on Main Street between Magnolia and Claydelle avenues.
Enjoy a couple of smaller fests as well, two of them focused on popular hobbies:
- College Area – Spring Garden Expo, College Area Community Garden, 9 a.m. Saturday, with design and art workshops, free tool sharpening and a marketplace.
- National City – “A Day at the Park,” Pepper Park, noon Saturday, free, with local artists and musicians, a Kids Zone, food from local eateries and booths for makers and vendors.
- North Park – San Diego Tennis Fest, Balboa Tennis Club, 1 p.m. Sunday, free, for tennis players of all ages to learn from U.S. Professional Tennis Association teaching pros and volunteers. Look for an exhibition match, vendors and giveaways too.
Cyclovia Encinitas closes down South Coast Highway 101 from D to J Street at 10 a.m. Sunday giving cyclists and pedestrians free rein for four hours. The free event includes a bike safety rodeo, bike skills course, bike and helmet decorating station, a bike valet and more.
The San Diego County Vintners Association hosts the Vintners Wine Festival at Bernardo Winery with unlimited tastings of award-winning local vino, and bites and music too. Tickets for the event, at 1 p.m. Sunday, cost $90.