San Diego's Embarcadero will play host this weekend to a new entrant in the music festival scene.
The Wonderfront Music and Arts Festival will fill stages from the Hilton Bayfront to the Broadway Pier.
The festival is the brainchild of Ernie Hahn, who says he's been working for eight years to create an event that is "for San Diego by San Diego."
"It’s exciting and I’ve got to take a deep breath because it’s a lot — this has never been done in the city of San Diego before," Hahn said.
The festival's backers include San Diego Padres legend Trevor Hoffman and skateboarder Tony Hawk. It will run through Sunday and feature 10 stages and more than 130 bands.
"Some incredible acts Migos and Miguel, Slightly Stoopid, MGMT," Hahn said.
Hahn said the festival will bring thousands to the waterfront at the time when crowds are normally sparse.
"It’s done at a time where San Diego needs the business," he said. "This is typically one of the slowest weekends of the year — the shoulder season — the weekend before Thanksgiving."
Local business owners say they are excited about what the event will bring.
"There’s going to be a lot more business," said Corina Lira with Buster's Beach House in Seaport Village. "We deal with Comic-Con and events like this every year so we’re actually really excited to have the first Wonderfront."
Brian Beechler, who manages the San Pasqual Winery's Seaport Village location, credited the Port of San Diego for helping make the festival happen.
"We’re really excited just because of the fact that the Port Commission is doing something to kind of vamp up this area. It has been slow little bit over the last year," Beechler said. "We definitely expect to see more people. I think the most important thing is you get to see new faces that have never been down to this area and explore Seaport Village."
Tickets range from $79 to $199 for general admission passes and are still available for the festival.
