+5 stars: You guy redeemed yourself and then some! This…read moreyears event was held at the brand spanking new, "The Sound" concert/events venue. What a delight! More than ample seating for this event and table/ bar top for every chair! Gone are the days of trying to balance your food/ drink on your knees in some crowded rodeo seating. With VIP tickets, my wife and I had access to gourmet food/ snacks,early access to the venue,exclusive offerings from the brewers, and a few cocktails to boot! Very much worth the premium. The venue was much cooler/comfortable than the rodeo area where the fest had previously been staged. A Jimmy Buffet cover band ( sorry folks I didn't catch your name :( ) provided just the right amount of laid back "margaritaville" vibe. If you couldn't have the real Jimmy Buffet, these folks fill the void nicely! When the general beer fest began, it was very easy to walk down the stairs from the VIP lounge to the general fest area. With the ample amounts/variety of food available, we were able to have both lunch and an early after beer fest dinner in the VIP area! This years offering seemed just a little bigger than last years, but the addition of a few distilleries and new venue made for a substantially better time overall. AWESOME!!! The organizers of this fest have raised the bar and set a new standard for beer fests! -1 star Despite the awesome venue and AC amenities, it missed the mark in just a few areas. Signage for the breweries was nice, but unlike previous years, there was no mention of what was being offered at said table. That is, one had to stand in line to get close enough to see if you were even interested in that particular brewers offerings. This made for a lot of wasted time as not everyone was familiar with every brewery and their respective offerings. In addition to having to stand in line only to discover there was nothing my wife cared for( she's not really into IPAs the prevalent offering it seems) but, unlike previous years, there was little representation from the breweries themselves. It seems most everyone behind the tables were volunteers who has little knowledge of what they were serving. I asked what they had to sample and they had to look at the can to see what it was. I asked for the pale ale and had to tell them " the red can" because they seemed to have no clue about what they were pouring. I appreciate someone sacrificing their time to serve beer to a bunch of strangers. I really do. I just miss being able to converse with someone who knows a little about the product and what other beers they have available or coming soon. For these reasons I would subtract a star. Fix these minor issues and it's 5 stars all day long. Overall, a " don't miss this next year" kind of an event. Well done!

This is the biggest beer fest in San Diego and happens every summer. This is my 4th time here and…read moreI can honestly say that there are better beer fests out there. It's definitely pricier than other beer fests but it does include admission to the fair ($65 general admissions) and comes with 1 oz pours. My friends usually get VIP ($110) which includes a 6oz glass tasting glass and access to free food. I don't think the food is worth it and even with the bigger pours, you can only drink so much in 4 hours anyways. There's tons of breweries that make it out but they're more so normal beers from these breweries, so don't expect any special beers. There's tons of vendors also selling food and merchandise. My biggest gripe about this beer festival is that there are mostly volunteers pouring beers and you don't really get to talk beer with the brewmasters or people from the brewery. Overall, I'd still go to hang out with friends, but it's definitely overpriced if you don't plan on going into the fair at all.

This was my third time at Indie Fest....I look forward to going each year! I was bummed about the…read morechange in location to Liberty Station...as it is less a part of the community, but there were a lot of good points too...such as lots of clean restrooms, restaurants and shops nearby. First, I really love seeing local musicians. It is a small price ($25/$22 students) to see lots of great bands. Some people have complained that they did not care for all the bands on the main stage, but I love how there are several stages to choose from. I think I always find a couple of new bands I enjoy. This year I liked Todo Mundo and Awol Nation the best! I also enjoy walking around and checking out the vendors...and got some great leather earrings this year. I agree with Adriana P. that it would have been cool to know that you could go for free and check out lots of bands and buy stuff from the vendors. The beer garden was better this year, as it took half the main stage so you could check out music while drinking. Further, I don't care for beer, but they had vodka drinks and made them strong...for not much more than the price of a beer! I never really care for the announcers at this event which is unfortunate as you have to sit through them to hear the music on the main stage...they are really obnoxious, but otherwise it was a lot of fun and I can't wait until next year. I do miss the free mp3 with music from the artists that they used to give away every year.

Went this year and had much fun! I saw The Burning of Rome, Citizen Band, Bitter Sober, Adam…read moreJoseph, Si Se, and Saucy Monkey. We were there from around 2:30ish until 7:00ish. I wish we would've stayed longer. We also saw a few films: the Day of the Grackle, and the Story of Stuff. There was a beer garden near the main stage with Green Flash and Karl Strauss. There were plenty of good eats too from BBQ to Thai. One thing that was cool was the women's stage at the Claire de Lune. You could order a nice coffee drink and pastry and then listen to some really good music. That was awesome. Also there was a free stage on Ray Street that had some great bands. All and all I have to say I enjoyed the Burning of Rome the most. They were a very fun band, I even bought their CD. Another thing that is good about this, not so much for me, but that this was an all ages event, except for the beer garden, so if you have teens, this would be a cool event to let them come too. I saw several families with their kids. Also it was a dog friendly event, with many dogs bringing their owners, or vice versa. I think it is cool that they have a film and art portion to this whole thing. I love movies and I saw two cool movies that I would probably have never been aware of or gone too because they did not have a wide release. And it is good to see some art. I hope next year they shut down 30th Avenue and get some of the businesses involved like Bar Pink, that would be awesome. But we have to be thankful for the businesses that did get involved like Claire de Lune and the North Park Theatre building businesses. And all the volunteers too. I think I might volunteer next year too because it would be an inexpensive way to have access to this event and also help out the community.

My husband and I enjoy car shows, especially those with classic cars, so we decided to check out…read morethe Sunset Cliffs Auto Show. It was an especially hot day, so we decided to go shortly after it opened. We arrived just after 10:30. Parking was a bit challenging, as it is always difficult near the beach on a weekend. We found a spot a couple blocks away and walked with our dog to the show. The auto show itself was really just a couple of blocks, with cars parked on either side of the street. There were all kinds of cars, some classic, some rare, and others were more "show" cars such as the talking car from the Cars movie. Lots of folks were there with kids and dogs There was a fun cover band called The Jukes playin, which added to the festival feel. There was a kids area, where kids were riding around in toy cars. There was also a vendor area in a small parking lot with food and other goods for sale. Unfortunately, the vendors were not really auto-related. It is a small and free event, probably most fun for locals who walk there, or for those who are showing their cars. If it hadn't been so hot, we probably would have gone for a walk along the cliffs or stopped at a nearby outdoor eatery for lunch after looking at the cars. I think this was nice for a free, local event with much potential for growth.

We went last weekend to the amps and Ales beer festival in Chula Vista. We had a great afternoon…read more The price was awesome, the event was not overcrowded, the music was great, the beer selection was amazing, decent food selections. All in all it was a great afternoon I can't wait for next year!

I think that most of the people who attended Saturday, May 14 2016's sold out inaugural edition of…read moreChula Vista's Avenue Amps & Ales would agree that the festival was largely successful. Even though the weather remained pretty gloomy throughout everyone seemed in good spirits (pun intended). While this is certainly one of the smaller beer festivals in the San Diego area, attendance was limited to 500 people, there was a good selection of local San Diego County Breweries, a few from further afield and even a couple from Europe. Everyone I spoke with seemed to be having a good time. My only complaint was the music was a bit loud and given the small footprint the actual festival took place in it was hard to get away from it. Admittedly none of the bands played music that was in any styles that I like so that may have affected my opinion here. However, I will say that at times having any kind of a conversation was pretty difficult. Bottom line: If you like beer keep an eye out for the Sophomore year of this festival around mid May of next year (and particularly if you live in the South County area this is the closest to home beer fest yet). Overall a great first try and a thumbs up to the people at the Third Avenue Village Association for putting this on. See ya' next year! Cheers!

Super fun event that showcased the food, music, and dances of Brazil in the beach area of the Bahia…read moreHotel. It's only on Thursday evenings during the summer, and this was the last event of the year. If you want good seats, get there early since it's first come first serve. A choice of beer or the Caipirinha, the traditional cocktail beverage of Brazil is offered with each ticket you purchase. The Caipirinha tasted a lot like like a mojito....We got to take pictures with a couple dancers before the show started. Food is served buffet style from 6:30-8pm. There's also a kids buffet consisting of fruits and some grilled steak. Some specialties for the adults include the traditional Picanha Churrasco (skewered beef barbecued with special seasonings), calamari salad, Brazilian rice, beer-marinated chicken and other regional specialties. Flan and assorted traditional pastries were offered when it was time for dessert. There was also a station where you can get coffee or hot chocolate and unlimited marshmallows! I was full even though I didn't eat very much. If you're brave, you can participate in the dances on stage. Overall, I had a great time!

Fun Event. -park for…read morefree at Bahia Hotel -check in to the event and take any unreserved seat at the beach area of the Brazilian Carnaval -food is pretty good, even though not a lot of choices -a few exotic animals shown -performance by Brazilian artists -voluntary participation Notes: -wear flip flops or something of that sort, because you will be walking on the sand -bring a jacket, as San Diego is pretty cold after sunset. Overall, a nicely put event. I enjoyed it. However, is it worth $50/person? I'm not sure. If you don't pay a retail price for it, it is well worth it.

It was my first time at Gaslamp's Holiday Pet Parade with my two doggos. It was so fun to see other…read morepets march the parade around downtown and seeing everyone's costumes, parade floats, and Christmas cheer! Check-in station was easy to spot as the Gaslamp arch is easy to spot and I received a goodie bag filled with treats, some bandanas, complimentary wipes trash bag, and a rope toy. As for the parade walk, it was a short walk around 4th and 5th Ave and we encountered no problems as the streets were blocked off. There was also a marching band leading the way! I didn't get to stick around for the rewards, but it was definitely tough competition I'm sure as everyone was so creative with dressing up and decorating their floats. The event was pretty organized, water bowls were provided at check in and at the Hilton for the after-Pub Party. This is a great parade that's family friendly and I hope it gains even bigger attraction! I would love to see more different types of pets as majority was dogs. This would be an event I would participate in to get my dogs out more!

One of the other holiday staples of downtown San Diego, is the Pet Parade. Free for spectators,…read morethis is a fun opportunity to see so many pets dressed up for the holidays. Starting under the Gaslamp neighborhood sign at 1pm, the parade kicked off with a local school's marching band followed by clusters of mayhem, jk sort of. The clusters of pets and owners dressed up having a great time paraded down 5th avenue. There are some folks that go all out in their themes and costumes, and some with only a themed collar all with one goal, enjoy marching down the street. I love to come and see all the dogs in their outfits. If you like dogs this is a fun time. The whole spectator time goes by super fast. We positioned ourselves near the start of the parade which did start promptly at 1pm and by 1:10pm the last parade participant had already past us. In 2022, we went to the after pawty with our dog and they had photo ops, the awards from the parade, a booth for a dog rescue (Yey The Animal Pad!!) and a bar. In 2023, we didn't go to the Pets in the Pub party but tried to check out the market or Holiday Expo. I was a little bummed that it shut down at 12:30 prior to the parade starting. I think they would have gotten more business if they stayed open, because we headed there right after the parade ended. There were two booths still open while they were packing up, and I ended up getting 3 bandanas for our pup.

We were surprised this month, when we started to hear about SD PRIDE/LATINE. It was held at Liberty…read moreStation. It was such a NICE EVENT, EXPERIENCE. It could not have been better. I would begin by saying that the parking lot that I had been told about for people, especially disabled people would be in a certain location. It was, and there were LOTS OF FREE SPACES!!! It was a short stroll to the festival. At one of the first booths, we each got a nice bag for signing a card saying we were going to vote. We walked some more. We soon ate. I choose 2 chicken tacos, AMAZING!!! W/ rice and beans. As for my Partner, he had a 2 Tortillas, or something similar. For bathrooms, I was not going to use a PORTAPOTTY. Therefore, I used the one the theater. OVERALL, I thought it was better than SD Gay PRIDE. I just liked the location better!!!

SD Pride festival had so many places to be between info booths, security, food, bars, and music at…read moredifferent stages. I noticed many more volunteers more this year compared to last year . VIP Passes provided value from expedited entry, to four drinks per day, VIP bar menu, reserved festival viewing area. Krewella had their San Diego debut Saturday. Marina showed she is a princess of power, not a robot, and saved her I love U froot for Sunday.

Surely Night 2 of 91X's Wrex the Halls is a step up from the previous night, when all Hell broke…read moreloose in the parking lot from people waiting in lines to get into the venue. Kudos to the station and the Valley View Casino Center for getting their heads together and making things move much more smoothly on Sunday night. The Domino stage set up in the parking lot featured some cool bands and kept people entertained and engrossed while 91X broadcasted live and interviewed bands on the bill. The mix of music this second evening was also a lot less trendier than the first and certainly more old school. New and upcoming Mutemath from New Orleans opened the show first and got the crowd warmed up in the pit. Next up: one of my favorites, Everlast, who gave a very moving, heartfelt set and then commiserated with everyone out there going through hard times. Rapper DMC took to the stage and did his DJ-flavored thing. Give 91X props for inserting this rap and DJ infused music into the mix, although I noticed lots of people making it time for a bathroom break or beer run. Pennywise played so LOUD that I yearned for some earplugs. Could be I was just sitting right next to the amps but I thought their overblown set was obnoxious and full of expletives. Not my cup of tea. Switchfoot continues to blow minds with some awesome lighting and powerful music. The band has had some good radio hits they played but also threw in covers of the Beastie Boy's "Sabotage" and Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing." Awesome! My heart thrilled, after not being able to get into the 2 sold-out HOB shows Social Distortion played earlier this year, that I was finally getting the chance to experience the great Social D! This band is like the elder statesmen (not meant in a pejorative way) of punk rock. Social D played in a highly efficient manner yet managed to convey passion and punk! I was happy to finally enjoy the Orange County punksters in person! What can you say about those Poway frat boys (and Fontana drummer) known as Blink 182? Of course "they brought their A-game," as Christy Taylor said. They confidently played as head-liners and the pit in front of the stage literally erupted. It was entertaining to watch bras thrown at Blink and hear the immature comments and potty-mouthed banter between Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge. The overgrown fans of the band were surely in Blink heaven this night. It was a great performance for sure. Despite the "technical" difficulties of the first evening of WREX THE HALLS, it is obvious that the station and venue were able to learn from their mistakes and move forward. There is no shame in having bottle-necking going on; it is what you do after the fiasco that matters. I feel that 91X should bring back The Naked and Famous and Airborne Toxic Event-the 2 bands that most fans stuck in the Saturday line missed-and put on a FREE MAKE-UP show. It is better that the station make amends and quite trying to run from the responsibility here. Despite them NOT putting me on will-call so I could review the show, per the instructions of Ernie Hahn-Valley View Casino Center owner and manager-and some other stupid stuff this radio station does, the 2nd night was totally rockin. Though not perfect, the 2nd Night of WREX THE HALLS was pretty solidly and impressively EPIC MUSIC!