San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Pops and 'Dolls'

This is KPBS Midday Edition. I am Maureen Cavanaugh. This is the start of a four-day weekend. Even if this is just the weekend before the Fourth of July, there are reasons to celebrate. For instance, this marks the return of one tradition, and the end of another. Joining me with more is Nina Garin. Welcome . Hello. The summer tradition is the San Diego Symphony summer pops with a new name, Bayside summer nights. Tell us about the concert. This is the star-spangled pops. This is a local favorite. It is the Fourth of July event. You will hear patriotic favorites. There are songs from Broadway and a salute to the armed forces. Will there be fireworks ? Yes. They will be at all three of the performances this week and. Brought the season, there will be fireworks on the Friday and Saturday night shows. Speaking of the season, can you spare -- share the other highlights? It is diverse. I am excited. Later this week is lazily owed him Judy to Leslie -- it will be Leslie. There will be jazz standards. And there will be that Harry Potter chamber of secrets and La La Land will be in concert. And a pops, there is going to be a salute to Broadway -- Broadway and they will feature fiddler on the roof. He is going to perform. For those who are not familiar, when you say that La La Land is going to be in concert, what does that mean ? They will screen the film. The symphony orchestra will will play music as it is going on. You brought some music to get us in the mood and this is from La La Land. [ MUSIC ] That is here is a Nader day in the sun. This is quite a year. Yes. They set a new sales record for the 2016-2017 season. Basically, they had 4000 more paid admission than last year. I asked San Diego Symphony CEO what she thought the audiences were responding to. Here is what she had to say. The tagline is finding music. I think that sums it up. There is music here that appeals to so many different people. All of it appeals to some. You can choose your own music as you look at the variety of things that we present. That was Martha Gilmer. Bayside summer nights opens this weekend with the star-spangled pops. Next, we have Guys and Dolls. This is the first time the globe has staged Guys and Dolls? It is. It is the first time. This is one of the quintessential musicals. They say it is the best of all time. My joke is that I have not seen it. It my first time -- my first time will seat at the globe. Can you remind us what is -- it is about? It is about gambling and getting a righteous woman to go out with a not so good guy. I am excited to find out more. More than the plot, I think people remember the songs, right ? Yes, the songs I know. The songs we will here is lucky lady. I have never been in love before. [ MUSIC ] Who is in this production? Are there any favorites ? Yes. Nathan will be played by Bernard. He was the Grinch in the last two years. 10 -- Guys and Dolls begins Sunday and runs through August 13 . And we want to remind everyone that tradition that is closing to is the San Diego County fair. Yes July 4 is the last day it is open. There is still some big acts coming. You have Jeff Foxworthy on Saturday and a big Fourth of July celebration, which is that aircraft wing and Angela Johnson. That is open every day through Tuesday. Before we go, where can people find more Fourth of July events? Go to www.kpbs.org . There is a tab that has your Fourth of July activities. I have been speaking with Nina Garin. Thank you .