Visual arts
EXPO Design Market
Mortis Studio and Kiku Room will bring the popular EXPO Design Market back to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, featuring dozens of creators, publishers, small presses, vendors and artists, along with discussions, DJ sets and art-making activities. EXPO admission is free, and guests receive half-price museum admission throughout the weekend, so be sure to check out "Giants" and "Hometown Heroes" while you're EXPO-ing.
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 6-7 | MCASD, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla | Free | MORE INFO
'The Color of Silence'
Curated by Francisco Eme, a new collaborative exhibit from Space 4 Art and Art Produce pairs performance with visual art to explore the dichotomy and space between noise and silence. Visual artists are Cheryl Nickel, Jennifer de Poyen, Jenna Leathers, Nick Lesley, Caity Fares and Andrew Alcasid. A series of performances pairs with the exhibit, beginning with Joe Cantrell and Amy Cimini at the opening reception, followed by Rabbitlight and Nick Lesley on June 20.
4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, June 6 through July 1 | Art Produce, 3139 University Ave., North Park | Free | MORE INFO
Music
North Park Music Festival
More than 30 live music acts will perform at restaurants, bars, cafes and gathering spaces across North Park for this year's North Park Music Festival. Bands include Gaslamp Killer, 18 Scales, Clinton Davis, Jesus Gonzalez, Lion Cut, Los Pinche Pinches, The Microblades and more. A $25 wristband gets you into all venues and performances. VIP passes also offer access to the VIP lounge at Granada House adjacent to the North Park Mini Park, where cocktails and snacks will be served alongside an art exhibit currently on display. A few venues are free and open to the public, including Playground Art + Coffee, where electropop act Saint Misty will perform at 6 p.m.
Bonus: The North Park Mini Book Fair will take place the same day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. along North Park Way near Verbatim Books.
Noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 6 | Multiple locations, North Park | $25+ | MORE INFO
La Jolla Symphony & Chorus: 'Echoes of the Divine'
The La Jolla Symphony's annual Nee Commission honors the work of a student composer and is named after longtime faculty member and director Thomas Nee. This year's Nee Commission recipient is composer Akari Komura for her piece "outgrowth." Also performed will be Arvo Pärt's "Berliner Messe" and Maurice Duruflé's "Requiem."
7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 6-7 | Mandeville Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Drive, UC San Diego | $22-$48.50 | MORE INFO
Pattie Gonia: 'SAVE HER'
Drag performer and climate activist Pattie Gonia is bringing her environmental drag show to San Diego. The tour explores a range of climate issues and solutions through glam performance — from sustainable fashion to big oil.
8 p.m. Saturday, June 6 | Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy | $60.80 | MORE INFO
Dance
Queer Mvmnt Fest 2026
Disco RIOT's annual 2SLGBTQIA+-focused dance and movement arts festival spotlights local dancers, choreographers and artists through performances, film, discussions and workshops. Events are held throughout the week at various locations. Highlights include Friday's variety show and Saturday’s featured artist showcase, both at Malashock's Black Box Studio Theater.
Through June 7 | Multiple locations | Free | MORE INFO
Golden State Ballet: 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
San Diego dance company Golden State Ballet will perform its production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," a retelling of Shakespeare's fairy comedy featuring choreography by artistic director Raul Salamanca.
The company will also perform Houston Thomas’ "The Four Seasons," set to composer Max Richter's reimagining of Vivaldi's work.
7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. Sunday, June 5-7 | Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., downtown | $45+ | MORE INFO
Books
Peel Lit Reading
Local literary magazine and reading series Peel Lit is hosting a reading in support of Burn All Books, a local small press, Risograph printer and zine haven. Helmed by Becca Rae Rose and Olga Mikolaivna, Peel Lit was launched in 2024. I will read fiction at this week's event as part of the lineup alongside Jac Jemc, Kazim Ali, Ana Carete, Paola Capó-García and Ignacio Carvajal. While the reading is free, a raffle and an auction will be held as fundraisers for the space.
I recently spoke to Paola Capó-García and asked whether she still finds time to write.
"Yes, I'm happy to report I am! It was not necessarily the case a year ago in this position, though, because I'm asked to write poetry about San Diego, which is really outside my comfort zone. Like I don't typically write place poems. I don't typically write about a location, but it has pushed me to be in a space where I'm constantly producing work," she said.
7 p.m. Friday, June 5 | Burn All Books, 3131 Adams Ave., Normal Heights | Free | MORE INFO
Theater
'The Monsters'
Playwright, actor and UC San Diego MFA graduate Ngozi Anyanwu's new work, "The Monsters," explores MMA (mixed martial arts), the family drama between estranged siblings and what it means to fight. La Jolla Playhouse's production is directed by Tamilla Woodard and stars Anyanwu alongside Sullivan Jones (HBO's "The Gilded Age"). And yes, there'll be fighting.
7:30 p.m. Thursday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday; through June 28 | La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, UC San Diego | $30-$74 | MORE INFO
Family
Woodswoman: Earthseed
Inspired by imagined futures, science fiction and nature, artist Saya Woolfalk's new installation at the New Children's Museum invites kids and families to explore a magical, whimsical world as California butterflies, climbing through enormous acorn-like structures (I mistook them for mini spaceships at first). The installation opens Friday with a free, all-ages reception and artist talk featuring Woolfalk in conversation with Ayana Jamieson, founder of the Octavia E. Butler Legacy Network.
6-9 p.m. Friday, June 5 | New Children's Museum, 200 W. Island Ave., downtown | Free during reception, $20-$25 general admission | MORE INFO
