🌊 What's Happening in North County This Weekend

Del Mar's racing season opens Friday with Opening Day.

Saturday stacks up in Carlsbad: island-themed pool night at Alga Norte, free 80s live music in the Village, and San Diego's first non-alcoholic brewery taproom opening in San Marcos. On Sunday, pick a bar or restaurant to watch the World Cup Final!

Tri-City Medical Center is now Sharp Tri-City, and the new partnership is coming with $100 million in upgrades and a plan to restore labor and delivery.

Flicks at the Fountain: Beethoven (1992) | State St & Grand Ave parking lot, Carlsbad Village | Seating 6pm, movie at dusk
The outdoor movie series runs Thursday nights through August 6. This week it's the 1992 Saint Bernard classic, 185 pounds of dog and suburban chaos with Charles Grodin barely holding it together. Admission is free. Bring a chair or blanket and find a spot before the film starts. details

Oceanside Sunset Market | Coast Hwy & Pier View Way, Oceanside | Thu 5–9pm
Food stalls, craft vendors, and live music line the waterfront near the pier every Thursday evening. Free to walk through. The vendor mix covers street food, local crafts, and handmade goods. If you're making dinner out of it, bring cash. details

Trivia Night at Twisted Horn | Twisted Horn Mead and Cider, 1042 La Mirada Court, Vista | Thu evenings
A-Z Trivia hosts the weekly games night at Twisted Horn, a mead and cider taproom in Vista that makes its own product in-house. Teams work through question rounds and compete for prizes. Flights and pints available throughout. details

Del Mar Opening Day | Del Mar Racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar | Gates 11:30am, first race 2pm
The first day of Del Mar's summer racing season. Opening Day pulls as many people for the hats as for the horses. The Hats Contest runs in the Plaza de Mexico with winners named after the sixth race, categories like Most Glamorous and Best Racing Theme. The Party by Pacifico is on the infield, and the After Pony Party picks up once racing wraps. details

TGIF Concerts in the Parks: Harbor Party | Stagecoach Community Park, 3420 Camino De Los Coches, Carlsbad | Gates 4pm, show 6–8pm
Harbor Party plays yacht rock, the shiny radio hits from the late 70s and early 80s that aged into self-aware classics. Free concert, part of Carlsbad's Friday summer series. No food vendors on-site this year, so pack your own dinner and drinks. Bike valet available for anyone who rides over. details

Cruisin' Grand | Grand Ave, Escondido | Fri 4–9pm
The weekly car show fills Grand Avenue with pre-1974 hot rods, muscle cars, and customs while DJs and live music work the strip. Free to walk. Cars start rolling in by late afternoon, with the strip at its fullest as the sun goes down. Season runs through late September. details

Live Music Fridays at Sky Deck | Sky Deck, Del Mar Highlands Town Center, 12841 El Camino Real, San Diego | Fri 6–9pm
Rooftop live music every Friday through September, with the lineup rotating through guitarists, saxophonists, vocalists, and pianists. Order dinner from one of the on-site restaurants and eat outside while the music plays. Sunset views from the deck. Free, all ages. details

ACTV Club IRL: Vuori Forum Carlsbad x Heidi Chasse | Vuori Carlsbad, 1905 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad | Sat 8–10am
Heidi Chasse leads an outdoor high-intensity class for the ACTV Club IRL series. A shopping window follows with 20% off in-store and refreshments for everyone who attended the workout. Part of Vuori's real-world fitness event program. Bring a mat, admission is free. details

Monday Morning Lab Grand Opening | 1784 La Costa Meadows Dr, San Marcos | Sat 11am–6pm
Monday Morning is opening their production brewery for a full public day of complimentary samples, facility tours, live music, and food trucks. They built up from a Pacific Beach bottle shop to a full production space, and the brand calls it San Diego County's first alcohol-free brewery taproom. All ages, free. details

Self Care Saturday at Encinitas Coastal Fit | Coastal Fit EMS Studio, 681 Encinitas Blvd Suite 405, Encinitas | Sat 11am–2pm
Coastal Fit's EMS studio is hosting a free three-hour wellness afternoon with detox facials, sauna access, body composition demos, and wellness shots. EMS stands for electrical muscle stimulation, a training method the studio uses alongside standard workouts. Free, all ages. details

American Red Cross Blood Drive | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1444 Lake Drive, Cardiff
American Red Cross blood drive with registration available through the details link. Reserve your appointment time in advance. The process typically runs about an hour from check-in through recovery. details

Inside the Hive: A Beekeeping Experience | Fox Point Farms, 1150 Quail Gardens Dr, Encinitas | Sat–Sun
Suit up in protective veils and gloves, inspect an active hive with the resident beekeeper, and look for the queen while watching honey production happen in real time. Covers the full bee life cycle, colony structure, and pollinator biology. Runs every weekend through the season. details

Aloha Plunge | Alga Norte Aquatic Center, 6565 Alicante Rd, Carlsbad | Sat 5–8pm
The city's annual island-themed pool night with Polynesian dance performance, hula lessons, themed pool games, giant inflatables, and a splash pad. Tickets are $15 per person, free for kids under 3. Pick up your wristband at Alga Norte earlier in the week to skip the door line. details

Lipstick & Lollipops Exhibition Opening Party | Covet Art Gallery, 1922 S Coast Hwy Suite A, Oceanside | Sat 5–9pm
Gallery opening night for a pop-inspired group exhibition centered on bold color and candy nostalgia. Multiple artists showing across paintings and mixed media. Come meet the artists during the opening reception and see the work on its first night, free. details

Totally 80's Band | Coyote Bar & Grill, 300 Carlsbad Village Dr, Carlsbad | Sat 6pm
The Totally 80's Band plays a full evening of 80s hits with no cover charge. The patio and bar tend to fill up fast on summer Saturdays for live music. Get there early if you want a spot near the stage and plan on dancing. details

2026 FIFA World Cup Final | Park 101, Carlsbad | Sun 12pm kickoff

The World Cup Final is here! Watch the game with other locals at Park 101, but plan to arrive early since this will be packed! Once they reach capacity, additional people will have to join the queue to get inside. Doors open at 11am. details

Reverend Horton Heat + Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys | Belly Up, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach | Sun
Reverend Horton Heat has been playing psychobilly, the hybrid of rockabilly and punk, for over 40 years and still plays it hard. Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys are on the bill too, making this a full Sunday night of roots-rock energy. GA tickets are $32 in advance. details

Vista: 8am-12pm | County Courthouse lot | details

Cardiff: 10am-2pm | MiraCosta Campus | details

Del Mar: 12pm-4pm | Civic Center | details

Rancho Santa Fe: 9:30am-2pm | Del Rayo Shopping Center | details

Encinitas: 10am-2pm | Paul Ecke Elementary | details

Solana Beach: 12pm-4pm | Cedros Avenue | details