Below are just some of the fun, educational and entertaining San Diego County events for May.
Old Town Fiesta Cinco de Mayo
May 1 – 3
Mission Valley and Old Town
Don’t miss the 32nd annual Fiesta Old Town Cinco de Mayo 2015, a San Diego tradition since 1983. This celebration in Old Town is the largest event of its kind in Southern California. Three days of music, food and fun.
SeaWorld’s Seven Seas Food Festival
May 2 – 24
Mission Bay
Explore and celebrate a world of flavor at SeaWorld San Diego’s Seven Seas Food Festival. Local craft beer and California wine are perfectly paired with fresh and bold culinary creations, which will feature local, sustainable ingredients and unique signature flavors from around the world.
The hub of the festival features California fusion flavors where guests can enjoy the sounds of live bands pulled straight from the San Diego music scene. Nearly a dozen culinary stations will focus on seven different destinations from around the world: California, France, Latin America, Asian Street Food, Mediterranean, India and the Caribbean.
The SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival takes place during four weekends in May from the 2nd through the 24th.
32nd Annual Encinitas Street Fair
May 2
Encinitas
Live music on four stages, beer garden, children’s rides, dog zone, kids zone, bike valets, and more than 450 arts,crafts and food vendors.
The Jump N Ride Kids Zone at H Street will feature a wide range of interactive booths and free activities, including an inflatable giant slide, an obstacle course and a mini skate park. The Dog Zone at I Street will include a dog park, an agility course and a variety of pet-specific exhibitors.
Cinco de Mayo Trail Run
May 2
Poway
The challenging and unique courses will take you out on the Lake Poway Trail through the foothills around the lake near Blue Sky Ecological Reserve.
The 5K is designed to let you pick your pace. Enjoy it as an elite trail runner, as a challenging family run or simply a gorgeous morning nature hike. The 10K adds to this course – with a grueling out-and-back trek (or up-and-down if we’re being honest) into Blue Sky and a quad-burning climb to the Ramona Dam.
There will also be an approximately 1/3-mile course for kids.
Uncorked Wine Walk and Concert
May 2
4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
University City
Enjoy a self-guided wine walk to four wine gardens throughout Westfield UTC. Savor some of Temecula Valley’s finest vintages while tasting bites from Westfield UTC’s finest restaurants. Enjoy live acoustic performances from top local Plaza Unplugged artists.
Bella Notte – A Taste of Italy Spring Gala
May 2
5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Escondido
Join us for a beautiful evening to celebrate Italy while supporting San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum’s Educational Programs.
Guests are invited to explore the Museum’s new exhibits and mingle under the stars in the Children’s Discovery Garden as they enjoy authentic Italian cuisine, wine, gelato, espresso, live Italian music performances, Italian cinema, as well as a live auction, silent auction, and Renaissance art photo booth. This is sure to be a Bella Notte you won’t forget!
Carlsbad Spring Village Faire
May 3
Carlsbad
More than 100,000 people will take in the beauty of our seaside city while browsing through unique booths, indulging in delectable eats and enjoying family entertainment when the largest one-day street faire in the nation returns next month.
Romeo et Juliette Malandain Ballet Biarritz
May 3
Downtown San Diego
La Jolla Music Society presents Thierry Malandain’s reimagining of Romeo and Juliet set to Hector Berlioz’s dramatic choral-symphony.
Julian Woman’s Club Wildflower Show
May 7 – 9
Julian
Every Spring volunteers from the Julian Woman’s Club scour the countryside in the Julian, Santa Ysabel, Mt. Laguna and Anza Borrego Desert areas for samples of indigenous plants that grow in those areas. They are handed over to Woman’s Club volunteers who spend days adding them to vases and arranging them in order of the area they are found, then the different plants and flowers are labeled with their scientific and common names and made ready for the show held in the Julian Town Hall, Thursday, Friday and Saturday before Mother’s Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
West Side Story
May 8 – 17
La Jolla
Don’t miss one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time featuring the classic score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, widely regarded as one of the best ever written. This production is performed with a full live orchestra to bring the masterful music to life.
Bonsai Show & Sale at The Flower Fields
May 9 – 10
Carlsbad
Enjoy the unique blending of art and horticulture at our bonsai exhibition and sale.
Chocolate Festival at the San Diego Botanic Garden
May 9
Encinitas
Spend the Saturday before Mother’s Day at San Diego Botanic Garden’s famous Chocolate Festival. Enjoy dozens of delectable chocolate tastings, demonstrations, a chocolate fountain, and more. This family-friendly event also features lots of children’s activities and a variety of Mother’s Day gifts. Tasting tickets will be sold on site.
Public Tour of Scripps Oceanography
May 9
10 AM to 11 AM
La Jolla
Interested in exploring Scripps Institution of Oceanography? Founded in 1903, Scripps is one of the oldest and most prestigious marine and earth sciences research institutions in the world.
The Scripps mission is to seek, teach, and communicate scientific understanding of the oceans, atmosphere, Earth, and other planets for the benefit of society and the environment. Come learn more about this jewel of the University of California system.
We invite you to join our 1-hour public tour. Tours are free but registration is required. A map and tour details will be sent with confirmation of your registration.
Asian Cultural Festival of San Diego
May 9
Mira Mesa
The Asian Cultural Festival of San Diego will celebrate its 6th year as San Diego’s largest celebration for Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month! There will be two stages of cultural and contemporary entertainment all day long, a live cooking demo, arts and crafts, martial arts demos, our Cultural Row, and a new addition for this year, children’s rides!
Spring Concert – Bayou Brothers
May 10
2 PM
Carlsbad
San Diego favorites, the Bayou Brothers play fun, family-oriented Zydeco, Cajun, Mardi Gras and blues-style music. Admission is free; seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Mother’s Day Celebration at The Flower Fields
May 10
Carlsbad
Join us at The Flower Fields on the final day of our season for Mom’s special day.
Ramona Rodeo
May 14 – 17
Ramona
The Ramona Rodeo offers top notch PRCA rodeo. One of the country’s top PRCA sanctioned full-scale pro rodeos, competitive events include barrel racing, tie-down roping, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, team roping and bareback riding. Other activities include a cowgirl fashion show, cowboy and cowgirl mixer, Kid’s Day clowns, rodeo queens, and photo and autograph opportunities.
Escondido Grand Avenue Festival
May 17
Escondido
Since 1989, the Escondido Street Faire has brought live entertainment, over 500 vendors, children’s rides and activities, and food from around the world to the downtown tree-lined streets of Escondido.
Covering seven blocks along historic Grand Avenue, the Escondido Street Fair is the second largest single-day fair in California. Come and enjoy this family friendly event which takes place each May and October.
Encinitas Eco Fest
May 17
Encinitas
Enjoy a FREE, FUN-FILLED DAY with a line-up of local bands, activities for all ages and local craft beers, wines & food! Explore the Eco Car show, take an electric bike for a test ride, browse the Eco Art show and engage with over 80 eco-friendly businesses presenting info and hands-on demonstrations throughout the day.
San Diego Surf Film Festival
May 20 – 23
Various Locations
The SAN DIEGO SURF FILM FESTIVAL invites everybody to come celebrate the passion that we all share for simply being in and around the ocean.
Since the festival’s inception, we have been anchored towards celebrating those who draw a different line in life. Much like the colorful characters of surfing’s past, the future of surf cinema will also be found in the underground. We champion the independent filmmaker and their quest to capture and convey the very special feeling of being a surfer. And with this in mind, we continue to present the finest independent surf films from around the globe.
Valley Center Western Days and Stampede Rodeo
May 22 – 24
Valley Center
Each May, the Valley Center community celebrates its western heritage with a week-long series of events including the Western Days Parade, the Valley Center Stampede Rodeo, an evening musical performance, the election of Valley Center’s “Honorary Mayor,” a carnival and so much more.
2015 Avocado Half Marathon and 5K
May 23
Fallbrook
Welcome to the 2nd Annual Avocado Half Marathon and 5K. On May 23rd, 2015, the streets of Fallbrook, CA will once again become the host to one of San Diego County’s newest and most scenic half marathons and 5k’s.
Vista Strawberry Festival
May 24
Vista
The Vista Strawberry Festival is the only festival in San Diego County that celebrates all the joys and pleasure of the Strawberry. Vista was once the “Strawberry Capital of the World” and still boasts many strawberry fields.
Come enjoy our celebration of the ‘berry as we bring over 300 vendors, athletic competition, pie eating, costumes, beauty, carnival rides, music, food, and much more together in Historic Downtown Vista. New in 2015, our 10K course is the official 10k for the USATF San Diego-Imperial Road Championship Series!
San Diego Botanic Garden Family Fun Nights
May 28 – August 27
Thursdays from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Encinitas
Each Thursday evening the Garden comes alive with family-friendly entertainment designed to amuse both adults and children from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, featuring a wide array of local and nationally-acclaimed musical groups. San Diego’s own Hullabaloo opens Thursday Family Fun Night on May 28. The award-winning, kid-folk duo will also perform on July 16 and August 27.
San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon
May 29 – 31
Downtown San Diego
Rock out at the annual Rock N Roll Marathon! The annual Rock n’ Roll Marathon sprints into San Diego. This 26.2 mile marathon and 13.1 mile half-marathon features live music lining the streets, cheer squads, and a huge post-marathon concert to end the race with a bang.
With more than 20,000 runners and 100,000 enthusiastic spectators, this popular event is not to be missed!
San Diego Century
May 30
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Reach a new cycling goal with the San Diego Century on May 30, 2015! 33, 67 or 105 miles with free training and coupon codes for great savings today! Grab a jersey combo, choose a course and join 1500 of your cycling friends on Saturday May 30, 2015 for a ride through the beautiful hills of San Diego County and a finish-line expo in Encinitas.