5 of the Best Fall Events in San Diego

While many coastal cities start to see the temperatures drop in the fall, San Diego continues to enjoy idyllic weather throughout the season. This perfect climate makes San Diego a great place to enjoy a variety of fall activities, from food festivals and art shows to Halloween parties and parades.

Check out the following list of the five best fall events to experience in San Diego.

Art San Diego

A major Southern California contemporary art show, Art San Diego brings together artists and art enthusiasts from around the world at the Wyland and Expo Center, which includes some 30,000 square feet of exhibition space. Scheduled for October 18 through 21, the event attracts over 15,000 art collectors to enjoy more than 500 exhibitions, artists, Art Labs, and Art Talks about the world of art collecting.

This year, Art San Diego will feature the work of over 75 artists, art publishers, and galleries, as well as the Spotlight Program, which takes an in-depth look at cutting-edge artists and galleries showcasing site-specific exhibitions. Also celebrating local talent, the event brings together veteran artists and the local emerging artists they mentor in the San Diego Art Prize program. The award includes a cash prize to individuals who have made significant contributions to the local visual arts scene.

The Haunted Trail at Balboa Park

Throughout the entire month of October, beautiful Balboa Park celebrates the Halloween season at The Haunted Trail, a mile-long path through the park’s wooded areas. Visitors should be prepared for a terrifying experience that begins with a 3,500-square-foot maze.

In addition to featuring Jason from Friday the 13th, this year’s Haunted Trail is sure to scare guests with appearances by a variety of horror movie icons, from Freddy and Leatherface to Pennywise the Dancing Clown and Michael Myers. Other features of this year’s event include the Stranger Things house and Upside Down world, as well as a farm house “possessed” by Annabelle and the Nun from The Conjuring franchise.

Fleet Week

Now in its 83rd year, Fleet Week will take place from October 20 through 28 in honor of the men and women who serve in the military. In addition to offering events for military personnel and their families, Fleet Week includes several activities open to the public. From October 26 through 28, the public can visit Broadway Pier in San Diego Harbor to tour ships used by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. A viewing party for the University of Notre Dame vs. Navy football game is also on the schedule.

Inside the Port Pavilion at Broadway Pier, visitors can take part in a number of activities at Fleet Week’s Innovation Zone. Innovation Zone will give families the opportunity to engage with interactive displays of emerging technologies and activities that promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

Guild Fest

On Saturday, November 3, San Diego will host its annual Guild Fest, an event to kick off the city’s world-famous Beer Week. This year’s Guild Fest will take place at Embarcadero South in downtown San Diego and will include over 60 independent breweries from the area and beyond.

A highlight of the event, the VIP Harbor Cruise will take guests out on San Diego’s beautiful harbor as they meet top brewers and sample outstanding beers. In addition to enjoying the beer and stunning views, guests contribute to the community with their admission fee, which goes toward the San Diego Brewers Guild and the nonprofit organization I Love a Clean San Diego.

San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival

One of the West Coast’s largest culinary and wine events, the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival will take place November 12 through 18. The festival features culinary classes led by award-winning chefs, lunches with carefully paired wines, and dinners prepared by celebrity chefs.

In addition to bringing in top chefs and sommeliers, the event showcases the abundant culinary talent from San Diego and highlights restaurants and eateries that give the city its reputation for a having a vibrant local food scene, such as AVANT Restaurant and True Food Kitchen. In addition to sampling innovative dishes prepared by local chefs, guests can try wines from a number of award-winning wineries and vineyards, including Van Ruiten Family Vineyards and Bel Vino Winery.

The San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival closes with the Grand Tasting, which showcases 60 top chefs from San Diego, as well as more than 30 gourmet food companies. Guests can also choose from more than 700 beers and wines as they enjoy live entertainment and gorgeous views of the city.

In addition to the above five events, San Diego offers a number of single-day art and film festivals throughout the fall. If you visit the city for a specific event, take some time to wander the streets and parks — who knows what you’ll find? With gorgeous weather and a vibrant community, San Diego stands out as a place that’s bustling with fall activities for visitors of all interests.