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KPBS Midday Edition

San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Zydeco, Margaritas And Moms

A 2015 photo of Gator by the Bay attendees.
Joe McDonald
A 2015 photo of Gator by the Bay attendees.
San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Zydeco, Margaritas And Moms
San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Zydeco, Margaritas and Moms GUEST:Nina Garin, editor/producer, KPBS/Arts Calendar

This is KPBS Midday Edition. I am Maureen Cavanaugh. This Sunday is Mother's Day. After serving mom breakfast in bed, we have to go out and do something, right? We have suggestions coming up on the weekend preview of the annual music festival and an escape to Margaritaville. Joining me is Nina Garin. Welcome. Hello. If it is Mother's Day weekend, that means it is time for Gator By The Bay. That is the popular "Zydeco" blues Festival. This is the 16th annual event. It is a celebration of Louisiana music and food. This is description is, Mardi Gras and may minus the heat and humidity. [ laughter ] Let's start with the music. There was going to be music all day and night. Give us some highlights. Marshall will be there. She is a pianist and vocalist. You have regulars, Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band and there is Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials . There are some favorite locals like the pelicans and the farmers. You brought a clip from Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials. This is hold that train. [ music ] I love my baby I do not know why we had to part. Hold that train.[ music ] That was hold that train from Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials. They will play at Gator By The Bay. The draw is the food, the crawfish. Yes. They are bringing in 10,000 pounds of crawfish. There is going to be someone on hand to show you how to eat it. I do not know what it looks like so I watched the video to learn how to E1. There is a French quarter food court with jambalaya and gumbo and hush puppies, bright catfish and gator on a stick. [ laughter ] The cost is relatively low, right? Yes. They can run you hundreds of dollars per ticket. This is $35 tonight. Is $40 on Saturday or Sunday. Kids are free with a paying adult. Gator By The Bay happens all weekend . You have another festival to tell us about. This is FIGMENT , San Diego. It is and arts Festival. The art is participatory. The event itself is a giant art project at the end of the day, it all disappears. Let's get specific. What projects will people be able to do? All kinds. There is a cab that has chalkboard paint. There is a giant sculpture made from plastic bags. People can build and add to with their own bags. There is dance lessons, or you can just show up and start putting on a show. [ laughter ] Do not tell me that. I understand this festival emphasizes that everything is free. There are no vendors allowed? The point is to keep the art pure from commercial is is and sponsorships. They want it to be that that art is everyone -- it is something you have access to you can be passionate about without worrying about money. There are no vendors. You should bring your own food and they encourage you to bring things to share. This FIGMENT event happens in different cities, right? Yes. It happens in Toronto, DC, Boston and they happen on other weekends. They are not just the -- this week when. You can catch others around the world. The San Diego FIGMENT happen Saturday at Chicago Park. For those who prefer indoor activities, there is a concert put on by the music society. Tell us about Jeremy. He is a pianist. Is knowledgeable about music. Is passion is infectious. He won the 2013 fellowship. He is a performer that he is all around the world. He closes the society music theory What can make expect to hear at the concert? It is like a chart of Western music, started with Beethoven up to modern pieces. Let's hear him play Beethoven sonata number 29 in B flat. [ music ] He performs tonight at La Jolla Presbyterian church. If there is a parent had interfamily, they have been waiting for the opening of the La Jolla Playhouse , escape from Margaritaville. This is been hyped. We found that it is going to go to Broadway. It has been extended. It started previews this week. That officially opens next weekend. Is there a plot? [ laughter ] There is a plot. Is a part-time bartender or part-time singer. He needs a career minded tourist. It makes him question everything. We will have some of Jimmy Buffett's most beloved songs? It will have his favorite songs plus there are some new ones with the musical. I am sure you will be able to hear Margaritaville. Tickets are hard to come by? That they are selling quickly you if it is not sold out already, you can find single tickets during the previous. Let's go out with some music. This runs through June 25 at the La Jolla Playhouse. I have been speaking with Nina Garin . Thank you.

Here's a look at some mom-friendly weekend ideas.

Gator By The Bay Zydeco, Blues and Crawfish Festival

Music

If it is Mother’s Day weekend in San Diego, that means it is time for Gator By The Bay, a popular zydeco and blues festival that celebrates the spirit of Louisiana.

Among the acts scheduled to perform are Marcia Ball, Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band, Kenny Neal, Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials, the Farmers and many more.

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Another popular draw is the 10,000 pounds of crawfish that are shipped from Louisiana, boiled and sold at the festival. Don't worry, someone will be on hand to show you how to eat it.

Details: 3:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday; 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Spanish Landing Park, North Harbor Drive, Embarcadero. $25 to $40, free for ages 17 and younger with paid adult; find tickets.

A photo of pianist Jeremy Denk.
A photo of pianist Jeremy Denk.

Jeremy Denk

Music

La Jolla Music Society presents celebrated American pianist Jeremy Denk.

Denk, a 2013 MacArthur Genius Fellowship recipient, is known as a passionate musician and scholar. For this performance, he will be charting the history of Western music from Bach, Beethoven and Brahms to modernists including Stravinsky, Cage, Ligeti, and Adams.

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Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday. La Jolla Presbyterian Church, 7715 Draper Ave., La Jolla. $30 to $80; find tickets.

A photo of art projects from the 2016 Figment San Diego art festival.
Courtesy of Figment San Diego
A photo of art projects from the 2016 Figment San Diego art festival.

FIGMENT San Diego

Visual Arts

FIGMENT is a participatory art festival; instead of walking around looking at paintings, you are invited to be part of the art-making process.

You will be able to paint on cars, build a sculpture from plastic bags, take a family dance lesson and much more. See a list of projects here.

There are no vendors at the event, and everything is free. Visitors are encouraged to bring picnics, plus items to share.

Details: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Chicano Park, Barrio Logan. Free; additional information.

A 2017 photo of musician Jimmy Buffett, composer/lyricist for La Jolla Playhouse’s world premiere musical "Escape to Margaritaville."
Courtesy of La Jolla Playhouse
A 2017 photo of musician Jimmy Buffett, composer/lyricist for La Jolla Playhouse’s world premiere musical "Escape to Margaritaville."

"Escape to Margaritaville"

Theater

La Jolla Playhouse stages "Escape to Margaritaville," a world-premiere musical with music by Jimmy Buffett.

The story is about a part-time bartender, part-time singer, and overall mellow dude Tully who thinks he has got life all figured out. But then a career-minded tourist steals his heart and makes him question everything.

The musical is directed by Christopher Ashley and has a book by Greg Garcia and Mike O'Malley.

Details: Running through June 25. La Jolla Playhouse, UC San Diego, La Jolla. $85 to $119; find ticets.