It’s Easter weekend, which means the Padres are out of town (at Boston), but San Diego still has plenty going on. The North Park Festival of Beers is the big Saturday draw with 80+ craft beers and a Louis XIV reunion set. Carlos Ballarta is filling the Balboa Theatre, the Bunny Train is running out of Campo, and the San Diego Mojo have a home volleyball match on Easter Sunday. Friday kicks off with Gulls hockey and Led Zepagain at The Magnolia. Badfish and No Duh are doing a Sublime-meets-No Doubt night at the Belly Up, and Cygnet Theatre is running The Lehman Trilogy. Plus Easter brunch cruises on the bay if you want to do something different with the family.
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Festivals
16th Annual North Park Festival of Beers
Saturday, April 4 from 1pm to 4pm (VIP at noon) – Lafayette Hotel, El Cajon Blvd
Over 80 craft beers from 40+ San Diego County breweries, plus ciders, kombucha, and hard seltzers. The live music lineup includes a Louis XIV reunion with The Film Company as special guests, which alone makes this worth showing up for. Food vendors and artisan booths round it out. It’s 21+ and proceeds benefit the San Diego Music Foundation’s Guitars for Schools program. VIP gets you in an hour early, which matters when you want first crack at the limited pours.
Eden San Diego Queer Lifestyle and Music Festival
Saturday, April 4 from 4pm to 9pm – Quartyard, East Village
Eden celebrates San Diego’s queer surf and skate culture with a signature half-pipe, DJs, live performances, and a full-scale festival stage. The open-air beer garden at Quartyard is a great setting for it. 21+ only.
Comedy
Carlos Ballarta: Naco Ladino
Saturday, April 4 at 7pm – Balboa Theatre
Carlos Ballarta is one of the biggest comedians in Mexico and Latin America right now, and he’s doing his “Naco Ladino” show at the Balboa Theatre. If you or someone you know follows Spanish-language comedy, this is a big deal — the guy fills arenas across Mexico. The Balboa is going to be packed. Tickets start around $64.
Sports
San Diego Mojo vs. Dallas Pulse
Sunday, April 5 at 5pm – Viejas Arena
Pro volleyball on Easter Sunday. The San Diego Mojo play in the PVF (Pro Volleyball Federation) and home matches at Viejas Arena are fast-paced and surprisingly fun live. If you’re looking for something to do after Easter brunch that isn’t just sitting on the couch, this is a solid option.
San Diego Gulls vs. Bakersfield Condors
Friday, April 3 – Pechanga Arena
Friday night hockey to start the weekend. The Gulls are pushing for a playoff spot and games down the stretch get more intense. Pechanga is easy to get to and tickets are affordable.
Concerts
Led Zepagain at The Magnolia
Friday, April 3 at 8pm (doors 7pm) – The Magnolia, El Cajon
If you like Led Zeppelin but missed them by a few decades, Led Zepagain is the next best thing. They’re considered one of the best tribute bands in the country and they take it seriously. Generation Idol (Billy Idol tribute) opens. Tickets from $19, which is absurd for a full evening of classic rock at The Magnolia.
Badfish w/ No Duh: Sublime Meets No Doubt
Friday, April 3 at 9pm – Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach
Badfish (Sublime tribute) and No Duh (No Doubt tribute) sharing a bill at the Belly Up is about as San Diego as it gets. Both bands are known for actually being good, not just playing the hits in costume. If you grew up on 90s SoCal music, this is your Friday night. Tickets are $32-$54.
Arts and culture
The Lehman Trilogy
Friday-Sunday – Cygnet Theatre, Old Town
The San Diego premiere of the 2022 Tony winner for Best Play. Three actors play over 70 roles across 150 years, tracing the rise and fall of the Lehman Brothers. It’s 3 hours and 40 minutes with two intermissions, so settle in. This is a major production for Cygnet and it runs through April 26. Tickets from $73.
Family and Easter
Bunny Train at Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
Saturday and Sunday, April 4-5 – Campo (departures at 10:30am, 1pm, 2:30pm)
This is one of those San Diego Easter traditions that people don’t know about until someone tells them. You ride a vintage train decorated for Easter, do an egg hunt in the museum’s exhibit building, and kids get to meet the Easter Bunny. The train runs through the backcountry near Campo, which is beautiful this time of year. First Class gets you a restored Santa Fe lounge car with a snack bar. Tickets are $21 to $65 depending on seating.
Easter Brunch Cruises on San Diego Bay
Sunday, April 5 – San Diego Bay (multiple operators)
Several companies run Easter brunch cruises on the bay — Flagship, City Cruises, and Triton Charters all have options. You get a buffet, bottomless mimosas or champagne, and views of the Coronado Bridge, USS Midway, and the downtown skyline. Some include an Easter Bunny appearance for the kids. It’s not cheap, but if you want to do something memorable for Easter Sunday, eating brunch on a boat in San Diego Bay is hard to beat.
