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October’s more than just Halloween. San Diego’s about to pop off with a ton of events spanning beach parties and Oktoberfests to comedy acts (Dana Carvey!) and giant bar crawls. We’ll let the schedule do the rest of the talking…
1 . Pacific Beachfest
When: Oct 6, 2018
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Where: Pacific Beach Boardwalk
Boardwalk between Felspar Street and Thomas Street
San Diego, CA 92109
Price: FREE
You can kick things off this weekend with the Pacific Beachfest. Lots going on here—a Beachfest 5K for the fitness-minded among you; a fish taco contest for the food-focused; surf competition; 2 Man Pro-Am Volleyball Tournament; craft beer via the 4th Annual San Diego Craft Beer Garden; and live music on three stages. A bit of something for everyone!
2. San Diego International Film Festival
When: Oct 10 - Oct 14, 2018
Where: Festival villages: Downtown San Diego and La Jolla
Screening Locations: ArcLight La Jolla, UTC, 4425 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego, CA 92122
Regal Cinema Gaslamp 475 Horton Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
Feeling a little artsy? If Oktoberfest pub crawls and the like aren’t so much your speed, you can do your thing at the San Diego International Film Festival. It’s one of the top independent festival circuit stops and includes world premieres and never-before-seen studio movie releases. Oh, and if you do like to get a little wild, don’t worry—there are plenty of after parties.
3. Dana Carvey
When: Oct 11 - Oct 13, 2018
8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Where: The American Comedy Company
818 B 6th Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
Price: $24
We’ve yet to list a comedy act in this recurring feature but now’s the perfect time to—Emmy-award winner Dana Carvey is coming to town beginning on Oct. 11. The former Saturday Night Live alum is a kickass impressionist (George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Johnny Carson, Ross Perot, Ronald Reagan, Barak Obama, etc.) so his show should be a blast.
4. Ocean Beach Oktoberfest
When: Oct 12 - Oct 13, 2018
(Friday runs 3:00 to 11:00 PM. Saturday runs 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM & Beer Garden 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM)
Where: Foot of Ocean Beach Pier
5099 Newport Avenue
San Diego, CA 92107
Price: $5 entry fee
Booze? Don’t mind if we do.
The Ocean Beach Oktoberfest spans two days and is full of beer and beachside entertainment. Aside from the beer garden that sports classic German brews and local favs, there’s live music, food, a Ms. Oktoberfest competition, a sausage toss (yes, a sausage toss), and much more. We can’t promise you’ll remember all of it but it seems safe to assume that ya will have fun.
5. Fleet Week San Diego
When: Oct 22 - Oct 28, 2018
Click Here for the Full Schedule of Fleet Week events
San Diego hosted the inaugural Fleet Week celebration in 1935… this is certainly a long-running tradition. That show featured 114 warships and 400 military planes. 2018’s version, though, will boast a full and diverse slate of events including exhibits, family tailgates, innovation zone displays, U.S. Navy ship tours, and a Navy vs. Notre Dame viewing party. Everything culminates with Military Family Day on Oct. 28. If you’ve served, know someone who has, or are just into military technology, you’ll dig this.
6. 2018 San Diego Zombie Crawl Gaslamp Takeover
When: Oct. 26, 27, and/or 31
Location: Various spots
Halloween x dining x pub crawl = one hell of a time. Named a "Top 3 Halloween Celebration" by Thrillist and the SD Union Tribune, your tickets will give you no-cover admission to more than 25 clubs, more than 10 free “welcome shots,” Buy One Get One drink deals, UBER discounts, and more. In other words, if you’re down for bar hopping you can easily make this more than worth your money.