San Diego Weekend Guide: May 1-3 – Cinco de Mayo edition

There will be enough events around San Diego County celebrating Cinco de Mayo over the weekend that we could do a separate guide just for them. But there’s so much more. So let’s hit Cinco de Mayo first before zooming out to other fun.

Cinco de Mayo

• While the Gaslamp Quarter Association won’t hold a separate event downtown, “Cinco de Mayo SD,” will run on Friday and Saturday, then return on Tuesday for the actual occasion. Admission to the event will cover discounts at 20 bars in the area.
• Just to the south, Seaport Village will once again have live music and themed decor for the occasion on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Runners and active dog owners will have their own event at the Chula Vista Bayfront (980 Marina Way) when 5inco de Miles kicks off starting at 7 a.m. with races in several age divisions plus a 30-minute event for people who want to get their steps in alongside their canine companions. Entry fees vary by event.
• In Pacific Beach, Pueblo bar (877 Hornblend St.) will be the entry point for a bar crawl hosted by PubCrawls.com on Saturday starting at 5 p.m.
• Old Town’s Fiesta Cinco de Mayo returns Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday starting at 11 a.m. with a free block party and live music, as well as the opening weekend for the Summer Art & Food Fest at the Cosmopolitan Hotel.
• In Escondido, Grape Day Park will host the local Cinco de Mayo Festival on Saturday and Sunday.

Friday, May 1

Foodieland at the Del Mar Fairgrounds: Organizers say more than 250 food vendors will be on hand representing cuisines from around the world during this event, which runs through Sunday night. Tickets cost $12 a day; children under 5 get in free.

“Star Wars: A New Hope” in concert: Revisit John Williams’ seminal score for “Episode IV” with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and Music and Artistic Director Rafael Payare at the Rady Shell in Jacobs Park (222 Marina Way) starting at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $68 to $173, with performances through Sunday.

Saturday, May 2

Belgian Waffle Race: Also at the Fairgrounds this weekend is what has become a go-to event in the gravel bicycle racing scene — a local version of the races founder Michael Marckx grew up watching in his native Belgium, described as “the Hell of the North County.” More than 1,000 riders are expected to take part in both the race and the expo that accompanies it featuring food and drink (and waffles, of course) through Sunday.

North Park Salsa Fest: Celebrating the food item rather than the dance, nearly 20 local eateries – including last year’s champion, Tribute Pizza – will vie for the Best Salsa prize. It’s free to stop by North Park Mini Park (3812 29th St., behind the North Park Theatre) and attend the event, but there is a cost for tasting the salsa offerings and serving as a judge; for $25 you get eight tastings, while the $45 “Ultimate Salsa Lover’s Pass” gets you up to 16 or 17 tastings. Tastings will be available between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the festival.

Pacific Beach Graffiti Cleanup: Come rain or shine, organizers say, the 16th annual cleanup effort will kick off at 9 a.m. at Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church (1675 Garnet Ave.). Volunteers will receive training and cleaning materials on site. This year’s outing will follow a separate effort to identify graffiti hotspots using mapping tech; read more about that here.

San Diego Yacht Rock Festival: Liberty Station gets recreationally nautical to celebrate this most resilient of musical genres, headlined this year by Peter Beckett of ’70s soft rock staples Player, as in the group behind one of yacht rock’s true anthems, “Baby Come Back.” There will also be “fresh coastal bites and fine provisions” at a food and wine pavilion. Doors open at 4 p.m. with music starting an hour later. Tickets start at $99.

San Diego Zoo’s “Food Wine & Brew”: More than 50 eateries and breweries are set to take part in an all-inclusive tasting party to benefit the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, which will allow zoo visitors to explore the park in a more cocktail-friendly setting. Attendance is strictly ages 21 and up, with tickets ranging from $179 to $299.

SoCal Taco Fest: SeaWorld marks the season with its own event, featuring a karaoke stage, a Chihuahua (the dogs, not the state) beauty pageant, live lucha libre bouts and a “Guac off” challenge featuring three local radio personalities: former 91X morning host Danielle; Magic 92.5’s Kristi (of Jagger & Kristi fame); and Pandar from Z90. The festival runs through Sunday with tickets ranging from $69.99 for one day to $99.99 for a “Fun Card,” which gets you into the park for the rest of the year (aside from some blackout dates).

Sunday, May 3

Carlsbad Spring Village Faire: The springtime edition of what organizers call “the largest one-day street faire in the nation” returns, with around 900 booths on tap along with live entertainment and a kids’ area starting at 8 a.m. There are also shuttle buses available at no charge from the Shoppes at Carlsbad and the local Coaster station.

San Diego French Film Festival: As we reported last week, the festival enters its sixth year with an additional site (the Carlsbad City Library, joining The Lot theater in La Jolla) and a special appearance from this year’s patron, actress Julie Delpy.