Visual art
Edra Soto: 'Graft'
The Institute of Contemporary Art San Diego-North location in Encinitas recently installed a striking new piece in its outdoor sculpture garden. "Graft" is by Puerto Rico-born, Chicago-based artist Edra Soto (who exhibited at ICA in 2023). The piece is inspired by the wrought-iron gates from her childhood neighborhood in Puerto Rico. The sculpture trail is self-guided, and hours are distinct from gallery hours.
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday | ICA San Diego-North, 1550 S El Camino Real, Encinitas | Free | MORE INFO
Medium Festival of Photography: 'Where We Stand'
The annual local festival of all things photography kicks off Friday evening at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD). Hear me out: This may seem like a niche conference, but with a fantastic, affordable "Snapshot Pass," photography fans can take in the best exhibitions, markets and the opening reception for the festival, including two days' worth of admission to MCASD.
Highlights include the juried "Where We Stand" exhibit at MCASD, featuring works that capture the border region's sense of place, chosen by jurors Alessandra Moctezuma and Patricio A. Chávez. The exhibit opens March 27 and will remain on view through April 12.
5-7 p.m. Friday, March 27, and 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28 | MCASD, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla | $20-$295 | MORE INFO
Theater
Moxie Lamoise New Works Festival
Moxie Theatre kicks off its second annual Lamoise New Works Festival, celebrating and developing plays by women-identifying and nonbinary playwrights. The readings are staged, with actors reading directly from scripts. Each session is a great chance to experience fresh voices and emerging talent, whether full-length plays or a series of short plays. Playwrights include Quinn Warren, Allyson Morgon, Hayne Deely, Lisa Langford and more.
Noon and 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 28-29 | Moxie Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Ste. N | Free | MORE INFO
'The Lehman Trilogy'
Cygnet Theatre presents a new production of the 2022 Tony Award-winning play "The Lehman Trilogy," a Wall Street saga that features three actors playing over 70 characters, spanning 150 years. Jacob Caltrider, Steven Lone and Bruce Kirk star as the Lehman brothers.
March 25 - April 26 | Cygnet Theatre, 2880 Roosevelt Rd. Liberty Station | $73+ | MORE INFO
'Matt & Ben'
Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers' 2004 play "Matt & Ben" explores the early friendship of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as they began working on "Good Will Hunting" — before the fame, high-profile girlfriends and wives. When Kaling and Withers first produced the play, they wrote the parts for themselves to perform. Directed by Maria Patrice Amon, the play stars Maya Sofia Enciso as Matt Damon and Alejandra Villanueva as Ben Affleck, with Amy Pfleeger as the swing. Lower-cost previews begin Friday.
March 27 through April 26 | New Village Arts, 2787 State St., Carlsbad | $30-$60 | MORE INFO
San Diego Opera: 'Carmen'
George Bizet's "Carmen," with libretto by Ludovic Halévy and Henri Meilhac (originally based on an 1845 novella of the same name), chronicles the romance and deception between the free-spirited Roma, Carmen; the soldier Don José; and the bullfighter Escamillo. The powerful, recognizable music will be sung in French (with English and Spanish projections above the stage) and accompanied by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 27-29 | San Diego Civic Theater, 1100 Third Ave., downtown | MORE INFO
Music
'Lang Lang'
Pianist Lang Lang will perform works by Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Isaac Albéniz and Enrique Granados in a concert presented by La Jolla Music Society.
7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26 | Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Ave., downtown | $95+ | MORE INFO
Flamy Grant and Stucky Leigh
Drag performer Flamy Grant has local ties — she has had an artist residency at a church here — and will return for a show at Soda Bar with Stucky Leigh. Grant's performer name is a spin on the 1980s/1990s Christian pop music star Amy Grant.
7:30 p.m. Friday, March 27 | Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights | $24.72 | MORE INFO
Songwriter Sanctuary: Marie Haddad, Nancy Ross and Heather Nation
Former members of Baby Bushka, San Diego's beloved Kate Bush tribute project, will perform original music at this month's Songwriter Showcase, hosted by Jeff Berkley. Marie Haddad, Nancy Ross and Heather Nation are all talented individual performers and songwriters.
7 p.m. March 27 | Normal Heights United Church, 4650 Mansfield St., Normal Heights | $10 donation | MORE INFO
Pour Out the Arts
This all-ages, all-day festival features performances by five local all-women bands, plus a vendor fair of local artists and creatives on Pour House's patio. Bands include Sascha and the Sas, Alyce Aylin, Go Scarlet, Girls Got Nerve and Em Cable Band.
Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 29 | Pour House, 1903 S. Coast Hwy, Oceanside | Free | MORE INFO
Choral Consortium of San Diego: 'San Diego Sings! Festival'
Into choirs? This festival is for you. With a lineup featuring 15 different local choral groups, the performance is broken down into three concert blocks throughout the day. At 11 a.m., hear the San Diego Children's Choir, San Diego Gay Men's Chorus and others; at 3 p.m., Encore Vocal Ensemble, Promotora de las Bellas Artes and more; and at 7 p.m., the San Diego Women's Chorus, Coro Femenino Meraki and more.
11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday, March 28 | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla | $23-$50 | MORE INFO
Books
San Diego Writers Festival
The annual celebration of writers takes over Coronado with spoken word, a variety of panel discussions, lectures and readings from authors, playwrights, scholars, educators and poets. Authors include Lyn Lia Butler, Gill Sotu, Lilliam Rivera and more.
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday, March 28 | Coronado High School, 650 D Ave., Coronado | Free | MORE INFO
Film
'What Does That Nature Say To You'
Prolific Korean filmmaker Hong Sangsoo's 2025 feature "What Does That Nature Say To You" follows a struggling, idealistic poet as he brings his girlfriend home to meet his parents in the countryside — where his carefully constructed ideals and personality begin to drunkenly unravel.
March 27 - April 2 | Digital Gym Cinema, 1100 Market St., downtown | $9-$13 | MORE INFO
15th Annual San Diego Arab Film Festival
Karama presents the 15th annual San Diego Arab Film Festival, running this weekend and April 17-18 at the Museum of Photographic Arts. Each screening includes a feature and at least one short film, celebrating cinema from the Arab world.
March 27 - April 19 | MOPA, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park | $15-$80 | MORE INFO
Family
Meet the Strings: 'Ferdinand the Bull'
The San Diego Symphony's popular family series introduces young audiences to classical music and instruments with approachable, fun storytelling. To learn about string instruments, the symphony will perform a series of songs, including Henry Mancini's "Baby Elephant Walk," Reena Esmail's "billow|recede" and Bizet's "Ferdinand the Bull." Note: Tickets are required for everyone, even for lap children.
10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 28 | Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Ave., downtown | $24 | MORE INFO
