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Thursday, July 4, 2025 | 4 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Grape Day Park & Center for the Arts The California Center for the Arts, Escondido, is proud to present the 60th Annual Independence Day Festival, a beloved community tradition filled with music, culture, and patriotic fun. This free family-friendly event returns on Thursday, July 4, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Grape Day Park and the Center for the Arts campus. Festival goers can look forward to an exciting day of entertainment and celebration featuring: - Live music on the main stage - Artisan market and local vendors - Delicious food trucks and craft beer garden - Great Green Canteen VIP Experience - Free arts & crafts, face painting, and airbrush tattoos (4:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.) - Complimentary admission to the Escondido History Center (4 p.m.–7 p.m.) - Fireworks spectacular at 9 p.m. Main Stage Schedule: 4:30 p.m. – Opening Remarks and National Anthem by the Mayor’s Contest Winner 5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. – Back to the Garden This crowd-favorite tribute band channels the spirit of the 1960s and ’70s, covering hits from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, and more. Their nostalgic sound and multi-instrumental performances bring peace, love, and harmony to every stage they play. 6:20 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Hula Hoop Contest 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Kimmi Bitter Hailed as one of Southern California’s rising retro-country stars, Kimmi Bitter blends vintage twang with modern Americana soul. With a voice reminiscent of Patsy Cline and Linda Ronstadt, her timeless sound has earned her acclaim on stages across the country. 7:50 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Dance Party Interlude 8:00 p.m. – 9 p.m. – 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band Enjoy a stirring patriotic performance from one of the U.S. Marine Corps’ premier musical ensembles. 9 p.m. – Fireworks Show! This event is free and open to the public, with activities and entertainment for all ages. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and festive spirit! Special thanks to our sponsors: City of Escondido, Linden Root Dickinson Foundation, County of San Diego, and the California Center for the Arts Charitable Trust. VIP seating available in the Great Green Canteen: “The Great Green Canteen” – A CCAEF Independence Day Fundraiser BBQ with VIP seating Ticket Cost: $80 for a table of 4 Table seating includes the following for each attendee: 1 beer token, VIP concert seating in the orange grove area of the Great Green for the entire event, and 1 meal from the Great Green Canteen BBQ. - Cheeseburger on a brioche - Nathan’s Hot Dog - Blackened Chicken Sandwich - Black Bean Patty on Brioche *all served with a fresh cut watermelon wedge and potato salad Click here to order VIP seating at the tables! California Center for the Arts, Escondido on Instagram

The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive was about to launch an exhibition of historic quilts, when federal funding earmarked to conserve them had been canceled.

Celebrate Black culture, joy, and community at Kinfolk Fest — San Diego’s Juneteenth Festival for the culture. Featuring: - Live R&B, Hip Hop, Afrobeats & Diaspora Sounds - Black-Owned Vendors - Food & Craft Drinks - Instagrammable Photo Moments - Games & Family Fun Pull up, bring your crew, and celebrate freedom, culture, and connection in San Diego this Juneteenth. SD Melanin on Instagram / Facebook / TikTok

The Black Keys at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre on June 4. The Black Keys on Facebook / Instagram NOTE: Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre is a CASHLESS venue.

Join us for Reframing the Narrative, a powerful evening of thought-provoking conversations, art, and community, centered on the rich and resilient stories of the Black experience in San Diego. This immersive event is part of "Beyond the Line", the current San Diego Made Factory My Creative Journey Residency by filmmaker Rose Sanchez, which explores the intersection of history, storytelling, and community empowerment. The Line represents the long-standing systems of redlining and structural inequality. Beyond is about breaking through those barriers—reclaiming space, shaping new narratives, and building generational wealth and identity within the Black community. What to Expect: Three engaging talks from key Black community voices: Ramel Wallace: "The San Diego Black Experience" Herman Collins: "Redlining, the Promise Zone, and Our Historical Footprint" Rose Sanchez: "Film and Art as a Vessel for Black History" Enjoy a curated selection of Black artist vendors, showcasing and selling original works that reflect the evening’s themes of resistance, resilience, and vision. This event is more than a lecture series—it’s a living archive, a creative gathering space, and an invitation to reimagine what legacy and liberation can look like when the community authors its own story. Visit: https://www.sandiegomade.org/ San Diego Made Factory on Facebook / Instagram

Week after week, a wealthy white businessman rides the same bus, befriending a single black mom. As they get to know one another, their pasts unfold and tensions rise, igniting a disturbing and crucial exploration of race. Visit: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?actions=4&p=1 OnStage Playhouse on Instagram and Facebook

The artist, entrepreneur and writer stars in "Nighttime Julianne," a solo dark comedy about loss, desire and Filipino American identity.

San Diego is known as America’s Finest, but that distinction isn’t defined by city limits. We are a region of people, art and movements redefining our communities and expressions. The Finest is a podcast that highlights the emerging voices and dynamic forces driving change. Through personal stories and critical perspectives, each episode brings forward the artists, advocates and ideas pushing boundaries in the region's cultural landscape and deepening our understanding of why we are America’s Finest. New episodes premiere Thursdays, starting April 3.

This year’s black-tie event inspired by the miracles, intricacies, wonder, and power of nature features a special gourmet dinner created by Chef Jeffrey Strauss of the Pamplemousee Grill and dancing to the music of the Mighty Untouchables. Live and Silent Auctions as well as rooftop after party round out the evening. Patrons of the Prado is committed to raising funds supporting arts, culture, science, history, and theatre in Balboa Park and for programs that provide educational access, through our Bucks4Buses Initiative, for San Diego County K-12 schoolchildren to our nine beneficiaries. Since 1997, Patrons of the Prado has raised over 6.2 million dollars for our beneficiaries. Visit: https://www.patronsoftheprado.org/ Patrons of the Prado on Instagram and Facebook

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall’s play opens this weekend at San Diego’s Cygnet Theatre. Set in Memphis, “The Hot Wing King” follows a Black, gay couple navigating grief, family and a high-stakes hot wing contest.