In today’s Carlsbad Scoop:
The San Diego County Fair runs through July 5 at Del Mar, and Switchfoot plays the 22nd annual Bro-Am at Moonlight Beach Saturday.
USA's first World Cup match Friday, free watch party at Frontwave Arena with inflatables and mini soccer on the plaza
Let’s get to it.
🗓️ Upcoming Events in (and around) Carlsbad
Thursday 6/11:
San Diego County Fair | Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar | 11am-11pm (through Jul 5, closed Mon & Tue)
This year's theme is Once Upon A Fair, with advance tickets running $17-20. Rides, fair food, and free Paddock concerts with admission, Blue Öyster Cult and Hoobastank this opening week. Koe Wetzel plays the Grandstand Friday, GRiZ Saturday, and Los Tucanes de Tijuana Sunday. detailsUSA Surfing Championships and Team Trials | Oceanside Harbor South Jetty, Oceanside | All day (competition runs Jun 11-12)
Adult shortboard and SUP divisions close out the week of competition, free to watch from the sand. The winners earn spots on Team USA for the ISA World Surfing Games. detailsChipotle Matchday BOGO | Most Chipotle locations | After 3pm
Walk in wearing any soccer jersey and your entrée comes with a free one. Timed to the World Cup opener, in restaurant only, and any team counts. detailsFruit Bats + Matthew Logan Vasquez | Belly Up, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach
Eric D. Johnson's warm indie folk-rock, two decades and change into the project. The kind of weeknight show where you end up staying later than you planned. details
Friday 6/12:
FIFA World Cup Watch Party (USA Match) | Frontwave Arena, PALA Starlight Lounge, Oceanside | 5pm doors, 6pm kickoff
USA's first match of the tournament, shown free inside the arena with food and drinks for sale. Out on the plaza there are inflatables, mini soccer games, and giveaways before kickoff. detailsWorld Cup Watch Party | Fox Point Farms, 1701 N El Camino Real, Encinitas | 6-8pm
Farm food and drinks on the lawn while the USA match plays on the big screen. They're showing matches through the whole tournament. The mellow option if the arena scene isn't your thing. detailsPaint Your Partner Date Night | Oceanside Art Collective, 427 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside | 6-8pm
You and your date paint portraits of each other, supplies included, and no art experience needed. detailsCruisin' Grand | E Grand Ave, Downtown Escondido | 4-9pm
Season 26 runs every Friday through September, free to walk around. 400+ pre-1974 American classics, customs, and hot rods, with live music and restaurants staying open late. details
Saturday 6/13:
Switchfoot Bro-Am Beach Fest | Moonlight Beach, 252 5th St, Encinitas
Surf comp in the morning, vendor village all day, and Switchfoot closing it out with a set right on the sand. 22nd year, draws around 15,000 people. No tickets, no registration. detailsHairspray Opening Night | Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center, 2787 State St, Carlsbad | 7:30pm
The 8-time Tony winner officially opens after a week of previews, closing out the company's 24th season. The run goes through July 19 with evening shows and weekend matinees. detailsComedy Juice Carlsbad | Playgrounded, 6884 Embarcadero Lane, Carlsbad | 7pm
K-VON headlines, with Netflix and Comedy Central credits across the rest of the lineup. Small speakeasy-style room, so seats go quick. details
Sunday 6/14:
Sweat & Spritz | 264 Fresco, 264 Carlsbad Village Dr, Carlsbad | 10:30am-3pm
A 60-minute Pilates HIIT class, then a rooftop social hour with Aperol spritz specials, a wellness vendor market, a live DJ, and goodie bags. All levels welcome. detailsStayin' Alive, One Night of the Bee Gees | The Sound, Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar | 6:30pm
Full-production Bee Gees tribute, falsettos and all, and the ticket includes same-day fair admission. Make an afternoon of it next door before the show. details
🍊🥑Farmers Markets:🍓🧺
Wednesday: Carlsbad: 2:30pm-7pm | State Street | details
Thursday: Oceanside: 9am-1pm | Pier View Way | details
Friday: San Marcos: 4pm-8pm | N City Drive | details
Saturday:
Sunday:
🌤️🌊 Carlsbad Weather and Wave Forecast
Weather ☀️
Thursday 6/11
73 🌡️ 63 | ☀️
Friday 6/12
76 🌡️ 64 | ☀️
Saturday 6/13
74 🌡️ 64 | ☀️
Sunday 6/14
72 🌡️ 64 | ☀️
The Fair is Back and the Food Got Weird
The fair is back for 20 days through July 5, and the thing worth knowing before you go is the food competition. The Fair-tastic Food Competition started with 45 entries and is down to 18 finalists. Among them are lobster nachos from Stizzy's Oyster House, an ube funnel cake from Chicken Charlie's, a bacon-wrapped pizza wand from Gino's, and the Baja Bacon Birria Bomb from Bacon Nation.
The cheap-day math matters if you're bringing a family. Kids 12 and under get in free on Fridays, when finalist food also runs half price from 11am to 4pm, and Wednesdays and Thursdays have a pay-one-price unlimited ride wristband. The $65 season pass covers all 20 days if you're going more than twice. Gates are closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and on weekends walking in right at 11am is the move.
The World Cup Comes to Miniland
The World Cup kicks off June 11 in Mexico City, and Carlsbad got its own piece of it. LEGOLAND gave the LEGO SoFi Stadium in Miniland USA a soccer makeover with 15,000 extra bricks, down to a miniature USA-Paraguay match on the pitch. The model was already the world's largest LEGO stadium, 30 feet long and built from 500,000 bricks.
The real SoFi hosts USA's group stage games starting Friday, the first World Cup on American soil since 1994. Around the park there are interactive soccer games, photo ops with an official trophy replica, and minifigure versions of Ronaldo, Messi, and Mbappé, all included with regular admission through July 19. If you've got a kid who's into soccer, this is the week.
Until next time,
Carlsbad Scoop