North County and San Diego Events for April
Spring is here, and April North County and San Diego events include fairs and festivals, Easter egg hunts, Earth Day events, along with multiple running events, walks, and classic car shows. There is also a home and garden show, gala and golf tournament. Keep reading for more great San Diego and North County events!
The Flower Fields
Through May 11
For over sixty years, Mother Nature has transformed the rolling hills of north San Diego County into one of the most spectacular and coordinated displays of natural color and beauty anywhere in the world. The nearly fifty acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers that make up The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch® in Carlsbad, California, are in bloom for approximately six to eight weeks each year – from early March through early May – literally bringing the famous fields back to life. This annual burst of color, which has become part of the area’s local heritage, also is one of nature’s official ways of announcing the arrival of spring here in Southern California.
The Flower Fields, 5704 Paseo del Norte, Carlsbad
www.theflowerfields.com
Mickey Cafagna Memorial Golf Classic
Apr. 4
The Mickey Cafagna Memorial Golf Classic was established to honor Mickey Cafagna, former Mayor of Poway. He was one of the most loved and respected elected officials in the city’s history, and distinguished himself by his thoughtful leadership and enthusiastic support of numerous nonprofit organizations.
In keeping with Mickey’s charitable spirit, a portion of the event proceeds will be donated to a non-profit beneficiary, which is selected by majority vote prior to the event.
Rancho Bernardo Inn
www.poway.com
Goodguys Meguiar’s Del Mar Nationals
Apr. 4-6
Over 2,500 rods, customs, classics, muscle cars, trick trucks, lowriders and more! Goodguys AutoCross featuring “Duel in Del Mar” shootout. Indoor car show including street Rod d’Elegance competition. Nitro Thunderfest dragster exhibition. PPG Lowrider Palace and Suede & Chrome indoor displays. Swap meet & Cars 4 Sale corral. Kids zone and all new family fun zone.
Fri & Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 8am-3pm / Del Mar Fairgrounds
800-777-1258 / www.good-guys.com/dmn
IRONMAN 70.3
Apr. 5
Start your race season where triathlons originated in beautiful Oceanside with the beach breeze and chill vibes. The race features two incredible opportunities only athletes can experience come race day, swimming in the Oceanside harbor and biking throughout an activity military base, Camp Pendleton. Athletes will experience one of the top-rated run courses along the Pacific Ocean with stunning views, lined up spectators and a finish along the strand.
Junior Seau Pier Amphitheater & Oceanside Harbor, Oceanside
www.ironman.com
Carlsbad Earth Month Events
Apr. 5,12,26
Carlsbad is celebrating the 55th anniversary of Earth Day with events throughout the month of April!
- April 5 – Fixit Clinic and Repair Event plus E-Waste Collection from 10am-1pm at Dove Library. Bring your broken, non-working items for assessment, disassembly and possible repair. We’ll provide workspace, specialty tools and guidance to help you take apart and troubleshoot your item. And you can drop off old and broken electronics for proper recycling.
- April 12 – Earth Month Celebration from 9am-1pm at Pine Avenue Community Park and compost and mulch giveaway at Carlsbad Senior Center parking lot. Enjoy family-friendly activities, sustainability-focused booths and live music at the City of Carlsbad’s annual Earth Month Celebration. Drive through the Carlsbad Senior Center parking lot during the Earth Month Celebration event to pick up compost and mulch provided by Republic Services.
- April 26 – Creek to Bay Cleanup from 9am-12pm. Register here starting April 1. Help the City of Carlsbad and I Love a Clean San Diego remove litter at the 23rd Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup.
- April 26 – Shred and Recycle It! from 9am-1pm. Location upon registration. Register on the Republic Services website starting March 25. Shred and recycle sensitive documents in an environmentally responsible way for free. Residents should bring a maximum of five standard-sized boxes (10″ x 12″ x 15″) of paper for drop-off. Advanced registration and proof of residency are required.
- April 26 – Donate, Don’t Waste Collection Event from 9am-1pm at Alga Norte Community Park, skate park parking lot. Give your used items a second chance instead of sending them to the landfill. Donate them! Items accepted include small appliances like toasters or blenders, housewares and home decor, small furniture items, sporting goods, electronics, and gently used clothing, shoes and accessories. No registration is required.
Vista Fun Walk for Autism Awareness & Acceptance
Apr. 6
The Second Annual Vista Fun Walk for Autism Awareness and Acceptance is right around the corner, and you are invited to attend this sensory-friendly event with your family. It’s more than a beautiful Sunday afternoon walk in a park. There will be a children’s tent with coloring books, face-painting, origami art, a photo booth, and a chance to win raffle prizes.
12pm / Civic Center Park, Vista
vistawalkforautism.org
Carlsbad 5000
Apr. 6
The Carlsbad 5000 road race has been a spring tradition and a San Diego event since 1986 and features a full weekend of running festivities. The World’s Fastest 5k welcomes runners of all ages and paces to a fast oceanfront course with unforgettable views and an energetic atmosphere. Even the youngest runners show up for the iconic Junior Carlsbad kids’ race. The full day of racing culminates when the fastest running professionals on the planet look to set new world and national records in the Elite Invitationals!
6am / Carlsbad Village Faire, Carlsbad
carlsbad5000.com
Fallbrook Breakfast with the Bunny and Egg Hunt
Apr. 12
Hop on over to Fallbrook Community Center to spend your morning with us! A very famous bunny will be joining us for breakfast in this family-favorite, springtime event! We’ll be serving up a hot pancake breakfast starting at 8:30 a.m., followed by an egg hunt for the kids at 10:30 a.m. $5/plate. Egg hunt is FREE for ages 15 and under.
8:30-10:30am / Fallbrook Community Center, 341 Heald Lane
760-728-1671 / www.fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org
Race for Autism
Apr. 12
This family friendly event attracts thousands of Superheroes from all across San Diego to promote awareness, shine a spotlight on neurodiversity, and inclusion efforts, and to raise funds to support local autism programs and initiatives.
6:30-10:30am / Balboa Park, San Diego
www.raceforautism.org
Heartbreak Ridge Run®
Apr. 12
Join us for this iconic trail run held at the home of the 11th Marines on Camp Pendleton. It offers multiple distance choices with a challenging hill climb and scenic views of surrounding mountains and meadows. Marines and civilians ages 4 and up. Half marathon, 10K, 5K and 1K kids’ run.
8-11:15am / Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
pendleton.usmc-mccs.org
Great Futures Gala
Apr. 12
Enjoy a silent auction, dinner, awards, live auction, and dancing at this festive Boys and Girls Club of North County fundraiser. By joining us, you will help over 2,000 club members achieve their goals and provide a safe, secure place for kids to thrive and be great! Black tie optional.
5:30pm / Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula
bgcnorthcounty.org
REINS Spring Classic — A Fun Day Horse Show
Apr. 12-13
Join us for an inspiring weekend to celebrate and showcase our students’ accomplishments. Classes run all day. Food and refreshments. Music and demonstrations. Ribbon presentations. Tack and merch sale.
9am-4pm / 4461 S. Mission Rd., Fallbrook
760-731-9168 / reinsprogram.org
Spring Home/Garden Show
Apr. 12-13
Extravaganza of inspiring real “Garden Masters” landscapes, hands-on demonstrations, hundreds of home-improvement products and services exhibitors, educational seminars, plant sales and face-to-face consultations with top experts.
Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm / Del Mar Fairgrounds
springhomegardenshow.com
Fallbrook Avocado Festival
Apr. 13
Fallbrook will have three entertainment stages that will include live music and avocado-related competitions. Stroll through Main Avenue and indulge in fresh avocado treats and items crafted by local artisans. Don’t miss the Festival’s Farmers Market, Agricultural Area, Avocado Culinary Demonstrations, Guacamole Contest, Little Miss and Mister Avocado, Art of the Avocado Competition, the Avo 500 Children’s Car Race, and the Best Decorated Avocado Contest.
9am-5pm / Main Ave., Fallbrook
hwww.fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org
Earth Day at the Gardens
Apr. 19
Alta Vista Botanical Gardens invites you to join us for a free event for the community to celebrate the Earth with fun and informative activities for the whole family. We’ll have food available to purchase, door prizes, children’s activities, music, a children’s garden, a plant sale and vendor booths.
10am-3pm / Alta Vista Botanical Gardens, Vista
760-945-3954 / altavistabotanicalgardens.org
San Marcos Bunny Breakfast & Spring Egg Scramble
Apr. 19
Pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage and orange juice or coffee. The “scramble” includes 20,000 prize-filled eggs. Come early for free children’s carnival with games, jumpers, and activities. Bring your own basket. Breakfast tickets are $10 per person, and must be purchased in advance online.
8-11:30am / Walnut Grove Park
www.san-marcos.net
Solana Beach Children’s Spring Festival & Egg Hunt
Apr. 19
Free games and refreshments provided. The major event is the egg hunt where boys and girls, in third grade or younger, will search for eggs filled with treats and prizes. Please bring your own basket. Fun jumps, crafts, pictures with the Spring Bunny, and piñatas will also be offered. Refreshments include lemonade, coffee, popcorn and cookies.
10:30am / La Colonia Park, Solana Beach
858-720-2400 / www.cityofsolanabeach.org
Encinitas Spring Egg Hunt
Apr. 19
It’s all about the kids! The City of Encinitas presents its annual Spring Egg Hunt, a San Diego event for over 20 years. In addition to the egg hunts, attendees will enjoy a live concert by Hullabaloo and visits from everyone’s favorite bunny. For those who love arts and crafts, there will a spring-themed crafting station where kids can unleash their creativity. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Children can get their face painted, adding an extra layer of excitement to the day’s festivities.
10am-12pm / Encinitas Community Park, 425 Santa Fe Dr.
www.encinitasca.gov/home
Oceanside Annual Spring Egg Hunt
Apr. 19
This event is free for children up to 11 years old. Families are encouraged to come early. There will be lots of candy, prizes, entertainment, and of course, an opportunity to take photos with the bunny! Bring your own egg basket or bag. There will be a magic show and multiple hunts including an All Egg-bilities Hunt at 10:15am. Free parking is available at Mance Buchanon Park.
9am-12pm / Mance Buchanon Park, 425 College Blvd.
www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/home
Carlsbad EGGstravaganza Spring Festival
Apr. 19
Carlsbad’s largest egg hunt, an ongoing egg scramble where kids race to collect candy-filled eggs. There will be face-painting, crafts, cookie decorating, a fun zone, soak the bunny and more. Food and beverages are available for purchase. Activity cards can be purchased in advance or at the event for activities and the fun zone. Don’t forget to bring your basket! No registration is needed to attend this event.
10am-1pm / 6600 Hidden Valley Rd., Carlsbad
442-339-2843 / www.carlsbadca.gov
WOW Festival
Apr. 24-27
Free to attend and with events for the whole family, La Jolla Playhouse’s celebrated annual WOW Festival is a four-day celebration of immersive, interactive and breathtaking experiences from local, national and international artists.
Multiple locations in La Jolla and UCSD
858-550-2020 / lajollaplayhouse.org
La Jolla Concours D’Elegance
Apr. 25-27
It’s international and exquisitely detailed. And, we haven’t even begun to talk about the 170+ cars displayed along the pristine Pacific Ocean at the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance. The anticipation soon will become reality, with the neneteenth year of this premiere automotive and lifestyle San Diego event, splashed with Southern California flair.
La Jolla Village
619-233-5008 / lajollaconcours.com
Stay Classy O’Side Earth Day Event
Apr. 26
The Green Oceanside team is hosting another fun, family-friendly Earth Day celebration and we need your help to make this the most sustainable yet! Check out educational booths, activities for kids, music, games, and more!
9am-12pm / Alamosa Park
www.ci.oceanside.ca.us
Encinitas Spring Street Fair
Apr. 26-27
Located down the center of scenic South Coast Highway 101, this two-day fair has been a San Diego event since 1983. There’s fun for the whole family with international food, children’s rides, four live stages, and a craft brewery beer garden.
9am-5pm / S Coast Highway 101, Encinitas
kennedyfaires.com/encinitas
Enjoy April’s North County and San Diego events! Do you have North County or San Diego events that you’d like included here? Just let me know, and I’ll add them for you.
Please excuse any errors or omissions and let me know if there’s anything that needs fixing. Check with the organizations holding these events for registration requirements, costs, tickets, availability, changes, limitations and important details.