North County Events from April 15-21
Earth Day events fill the weekend calendar, while the Taste of Leucadia returns, the Escondido Green Expo hits the mall and April Pools Day comes to Oceanside and much more
North County San Diego is a diverse and dynamic community, offering an array of cultural, recreational, and educational events for all ages and interests.
If you, or someone you know, would like to promote an event, shoot us an email at ncpipeline760@gmail.com (subject line: The Grapevine) at least two weeks in advance. Please include time, date, address, link and keep it short and sweet!
Here are the latest events for the week of March 11-17:
CARLSBAD
April 20
Clean up! Help the City of Carlsbad and I Love a Clean San Diego remove 30,000 pounds of litter in a single day at the 22nd annual Creek to Bay Cleanup. Register for a hosted location at creektobay.org, or stay close to your home and collect litter in your neighborhood. The event runs from 9 a.m.-noon.
Corn Hole! Join the Carlsbad Fire Department for their first ever corn hole tournament. All ages are welcome to attend, but must be at least 13 to participate. The tournament will be at the Thermo Fisher Activity Field, with registration opening at 11 a.m. and the tournament running from noon-4 p.m. Single tournament entries will be $50 and teams will be $100. Get tickets here.
Bike safety! Join the Carlsbad Police Department as it hosts its ongoing bike and e-bike safety class for students in the Carlsbad Unified School District. Space is limited as the classes run on April 20 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. (the morning session is full) at the Cole Library, 1250 Carlsbad Village Drive. Participants will be taught safety tips, rules of the road and Carlsbad-specific e-bike laws. Training is only open to students in CUSD or who attend a school in Carlsbad. Register here.
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Lagoona Kahuna Clean Up Challenge! Join the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center for a fun clean up. The center will be hosting water and land activities for the whole family, as well as food and dessert! There will be two days for the clean up challenge, May 3 at 9 a.m.-noon, 12:30-3:30 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. and May 4 from 9 a.m-noon.
Parking Lot Olympics returns! In celebration of Cinco De Mayo the Señor Grubby's Parking Lot Olympics returns. The competition includes crowd favorites like Beer Pong and Flip Cup, plus three more games to be revealed, so you must be 21 or over to participate in the olympics. There will be prizes awarded for the top teams! The Parking Lot Olympics is on May 4 at 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Señor Grubby’s parking lot.
DEL MAR
April 15
Calling art enthusiasts! Immerse yourself in the world of Vincent Van Gogh with the Beyond Van Gogh and Claude Money with Beyond Monet show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. The exhibit runs through May 5 and is a rich and unique multimedia experience, taking the viewer on a journey through over 300 iconic artworks including instantly-recognizable classics “The Starry Night,” “Sunflowers,” “Café Terrace at Night” and much more.
April 18
Flavor town! Leucadia 101 Mainstreet is hosting its the Annual Taste of Leucadia from 5-8 p.m. at various locations on Coast Highway. Join the local community as Leucadia comes alive in a celebration of the culinary flavors and libations that make the neighborhood so unique.
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A Taste of Cardiff! Join Cardiff 101 for the 14th annual Taste of Cardiff. Enjoy diverse culinary delights and handcrafted beverages that give the downtown Cardiff district its distinctive charm. The Taste of Cardiff will be on May 2 at 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Main Street.
ENCINITAS
April 19
Calling music fans! Music by the sea returns, featuring Iona Pay and Friends. French horn player Iona Pay entertains audiences throughout Southern California, showcasing her talents with ensembles like the Santa Monica Symphony, Orchestra Santa Monica, the Southern California Brass Consortium, the New West Symphony, and the Coronado Philharmonic. Head over to the Encinitas Library to hear Iona play from 7:30-9 p.m. but make sure to purchase tickets beforehand.
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Spring Street Fair! The Encinitas 101 MainStreet Association is hosting its annual street fair returns for another year, featuring various artists, food vendors and live music. The fair will run from April 27-28 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
ESCONDIDO
April 20
Going green! Join the Escondido Chamber of Commerce at its Escondido Green Expo at the North County Mall, 272 E. Via Rancho Parkway. The event will showcase the evolution of green businesses and their products and services and includes networking, panels and a local high school robotics competition. The event runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and admission is free, although registration is required.
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A hoot! Join the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum for its Fun Animal Friday on April 26 featuring owls. On hand will be Avian Behavior International and the event includes a live presentation, storytime, special crafts and more. The event runs from 10-11:30 a.m. at 320 N. Broadway.
OCEANSIDE
April 16
Want to start a business? Join Mira Costa College and MainStreet Oceanside for an educational start up workshop. The classes will teach you how to become a small business owner. The workshops will be held at 701 Mission Avenue at 6 p.m. Make sure to RSVP as spots will go quickly!
April 20
April Pools Day! Join the City of Oceanside for a day of fun water classes, hosted by the City of Oceanside lifeguards. Take free swim lessons, learn safety tips for backyard pools, and watch real lifeguards demonstrate lifesaving skills. You can also learn how to perform CPR so you are prepared for any life saving events. In addition to the classes, there will be recreational swim, raffles, and treats. Make sure to RSVP as spots can go quickly. April Pools Day will be from noon-6 p.m. at William Van Wagner Aquatic Center.
Go green! The Green Oceanside team is a fun, family-friendly Earth Day celebration and the team needs your help to make this the most sustainable yet. The event runs from 9 a.m.-noon at Libby Lake Park, 424 Calle Montecito. There will be educational booths, activities for kids, music, games, and more! Participants can also volunteer for a neighborhood cleanup event as part of the regional Creek to Bay event. To register in advance visit cleansd.org.
Spring time! Join Main Street Oceanside for its Taste of Spring. The Taste of Spring is a spring tasting and shopping event created to support local restaurants, retail businesses, breweries, and wineries by encouraging residents and visitors to eat and shop local. The event is from 2-5 p.m. and tickets will be available online until 3 p.m. on April 20 and are limited to the first 500. Check-in will begin at 1 p.m. on the day of the event at the Civic Center Fountain in front of the Oceanside Public Library at 330 N. Coast Highway. This event is rain or shine.
April. 21
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Get rowdy! Check out KOTC’s 17th annual luncheon fundraiser at Texas Roadhouse on May 23 from noon-1:30 p.m. The fundraiser will include exciting silent auction items, fun opportunity drawings, open bar and more! Tickets are on sale now for $55 and will include your choice of steak, chicken or salmon, as well as a side-salad, a cold beverage and hot side of your choice.
SAN MARCOS
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Econ Summit! Join the San Diego North Economic Development Council for its 11th annual North County Economic Summit from 7-9:30 a.m. on May 7 at California State University San Marcos. The summit will focus on interest rates, inflation, cost of living and more. The keynote speaker is Charlie Dougherty, vice president and economist with Wells Fargo Investment Bank, along with a panel on the impact of national trends on North County’s business community. Register for the event here.
SOLANA BEACH
April 15
Attention music lovers. Check out the famous BellyUp. This week’s lineup consists of Coastal Wolves (April 16), Jeff Berkley and the Banned (April 17), The Strumbellas (April 18), Full strength (April 19), Z-Trip (April 19), Red NOT Chili Peppers (April 20), and Grateful Shred (April 21).
VISTA
April 18
Showtime! Check out the Broadway Theater’s production of the Tony-award-winning “A Doll’s House Part 2.” The show runs April 18-21. The play begins with a knock on the door — the same door that was slammed shut fifteen years earlier when Nora exited at the end of Ibsen's play. Now she has returned having become a successful feminist novelist. For tickets, visit here.
April 20
Earth Day! Join the Alta Vista Botanical Gardens for its Earth Day Festival from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. This fun family day is a free event for the community and all are invited to enjoy kids’ activities, plants and food for sale, vendor booths and discover our beautiful Gardens.
Farmer’s Markets
The open-air San Marcos Farmer’s Market is year-round and is held every Tuesday from 3-7 p.m. at 251 N. City Dr. off Twin Oaks Valley Road and across from Cal-State San Marcos.
The State Street Farmer’s Market in Carlsbad is every Wednesday from 2:30-6 p.m. on State Street between Carlsbad Village Drive and Grand Avenue. This lively market features amazing produce, organic eats, locally prepared food, live entertainment and an all-around good vibe.
*Note: The State Street Farmer’s Market spring/summer hours are 2:30-7 p.m. from March 10 through Nov. 3.
The Oceanside Farmer’s Market is held every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Sunset Market every Thursday from 5-9 p.m. at the corner of Pier View Way and Coast Highway. The popular market provides a delicious display of local produce, meats, flowers and nursery items!
The Vista Farmer’s Market is the county’s longest running market and is every Saturday from 8 a.m.-noon, rain or shine at the San Diego County Courthouse, 345 S. Melrose Dr.
The Cardiff Farmer’s Market at Mira Costa College, 3333 Manchester Ave., runs every Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and features numerous international food vendors, food and plant vendors plus much more!
The Del Mar Farmer's Market is the second oldest in the region and is every Saturday from noon–4 p.m. on the lower outdoor parking lot at the Del Mar Civic Center, 1050 Camino Del Mar. This certified, non-profit market brings to the community a variety of fresh local produce, seafood, fresh coffee, locally prepared international specialty foods to enjoy on-site or to take home, artisan creations, and live music.
The Leucadia Farmer’s Market is every Sunday (except Easter) from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Paul Ecke Central School, 185 Union St. in Encinitas. The market has a great collection of more than 30 certified growers, 10 certified organic and more than 70 total vendors.
The Bonsall Farmer’s Market and Open Air Faire runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Sunday at Bonsall Elementary School, 31555 Old River Rd. The market highlights fresh garden-to-table locally grown fruits, veggies, hormone-free meat, local artisan cheese and much more.
The Solana Beach Farmer’s Market runs every Sunday from noon-4 p.m. (except on Easter, July 4, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day) The market features organic farmers with nature's finest produce to skilled artisans crafting one-of-a-kind creations, our vendor lineup is a celebration of local talent and creativity.