Here are some of the best things to do this week in San Diego, from Monday, May 18 to May 22.
Check back Wednesday for our guide to things to do this weekend.
Monday
San Diego International Fringe Festival now in session: The 2026 Fringe festival is now playing through May 24, with more than 40 shows by artists from the U.S., Mexico, Australia, Japan and India at 16 venues throughout San Diego and also in Tijuana. This year’s acts include new plays and musicals, music, standup and improv comedy, cabaret, Shakespearean swordplay, dance, drag shows and acrobatics. Individual tickets are $13 each, plus the onetime purchase of a $7 2026 Fringe tag. There will also be multishow ticket discounts. Full details at https://sdfringe.org
Orchids in the Wild: The annual display of Orchids in the Wild returns to San Diego Botanic Garden for a month-long flower showcase. The exhibit takes place in the Botanic Garden’s 8,000 square-foot Dickinson Family Education Conservatory. Guests will learn about the different types of orchids and their history. The orchid exhibition also contains plants on loan from San Diego County Orchid Society and Palomar Orchid Society members. Plus, there will be workshops and an orchid marketplace on weekends. Through June 1. 300 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. $7-$20.760-436-3036, sdbg.org
Tuesday
“Almost Famous”: Rooftop Cinema Club is playing a San Diego classic as part of its lineup of summer classics. “Almost Famous” take place partially in and was filmed in San Diego. 10 p.m. Tuesday. 1835 Columbia St., 5th Floor, San Diego. Tickets start at $19. rooftopcinemaclub.com/us/screenings/almost-famous-21702
Residents Free Tuesday: Each Tuesday of the month, some Balboa Park museums open their doors with free admission to local residents with a valid ID. This week’s museums are the San Diego Museum of Art, Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum and Mingei International Museum. balboapark.org/resident-free-days
Joey Chesnut discounts and competition: The famous eating competitor Joey Chesnut will be on hand for the opening of a new Nick the Greek location in Clairemont. From 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., locals can lineup for one free entree. In the evening, Joey Chesnut will compete in a gyro eating contest for $1,000 against restaurant founders Baby Nick, Little Nick and Big Nick. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. 5604 Balboa Ave., San Diego. nickthegreek.com
Kathryn Krick author event: Kathryn Krick will discuss “Ignite Revival: Be Set on Fire to Change the World.” 5 p.m. Tuesday. Mira Mesa MarketCenter, 10775 Westview Parkway, San Diego. https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062210688-0
Kids perform ‘Jungle Book’: The RB Community Theater MusicalKIDS (grades 1-5) will perform “Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS.” The show is the culmination of 13 weeks of preparation by the young cast. 6 p.m. Tuesday. Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church, 17010 Pomerado Road. Tickets are at the door for $5; $20 per family of five. Cash or check is preferred; credit cards are accepted with a $1 fee. Visit rbcommunity.org.
Wednesday
“The Inaudible Ocean”: ArtPower at UC San Diego presents the world premiere of this new work by composer Lei Liang and oceanographer Joshua Jones featuring sounds recorded from the ocean’s depths that are normally imperceptible to human ears, with accompaniment by Mark Dresser on contrabass, Steven Schick on percussion and Cory Smyth on piano. 7 p.m. Wednesday. Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, UC San Diego, La Jolla. $10-$20. artpower.ucsd.edu/event/the-inaudible-ocean/
Yungblud: In February, Yungblud released his fourth studio album “IDOLS” and now he is sharing his new music on his IDOLS world tour with a stop in San Diego. Yungblud mixes punk and rock with his vocals. The English musician has received multiple awards for his music and live performances, including the O2 Silver Clef Award for Best Live Act in 2022. 7 p.m. Wednesday. The Rady Shell, 222 Marina Park Way, San Diego. $88.33. 619-235-0804, theshell.org
Thursday
Monet X Change Live!: Stand-up comedian and “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” winner Monet X Change will bring the “High Heels, Bad Knees Tour LIVE!” tour to San Diego. 8 p.m. Thursday, 7 and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. American Comedy Co. $36. americancomedyco.com/products/monet-x-change-live-thu
“A Room in The Castle”: Moxie Theatre presents Lauren Gunderson’s modern retelling of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” from the perspective of the play’s two women characters, Ophelia and Gertrude. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through June 7. 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Suite N, San Diego. $20-$88. moxietheatre.com
Books in the Park ’til Dark: On the third Thursday of the month during summer, Verbatim hosts an evening of reading at Bird Park. There will be 30 minutes of mingling and settling in, then an hour of reading before sunset. 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Bird Park, 28th Street and Upas Street. Free. verbatimbooks.com/events
“The Play That Goes Wrong”: Lamb’s Players Theatre presents the San Diego professional premiere of this London-born stage comedy about a troupe of theater actors struggling to get through a performance while the everything collapses around them. 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through June 14. 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado. $48-$98. 619-437-6000, lambsplayers.org
San Diego tourism book reissue: Kelly Mayhew and Jim Miller will discuss the reissue/update of “Under the Perfect Sun: The San Diego Tourists Never See.” 7 p.m. Thursday. Camino Books, 1555 Camino Del Mar Suite 114, San Diego. 858-925-7078, caminobks.com
Erin O’Brien author event: Erin O’Brien will discuss “Dig In,” her debut cookbook. 5 p.m. Wednesday. PopUp Bagels, 637 Pearl St., La Jolla. $35 (includes book). eventbrite.com/e/erin-obrien-discusses-dig-in-with-sivan-ayla-tickets-1985550628379
Friday
Legacy Week: A series of events will take place as part of the USS Midway Museum’s annual Legacy Week lineup May 22-25, including a remembrance wall on view May 22-25 in the Hangar Bay honoring fallen heroes. See the full schedule here: midway.org/event/legacy-week-2026
“Top Gun” 40th Anniversary Celebration: The USS Midway Museum is celebrating 40 years of the movie “‘Top Gun” and its connection to San Diego with a showing of the film on the flight deck. Saturday, the museum will show the sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick.” Ticket prices are based on bringing your own chair or reserving a chair. 6 to 10 p.m. Friday. USS Midway, 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego. Tickets start at $32 for general admission. midway.org/event/top-gun-40th-celebration
Nat at Night: On Fridays in the summer, the Natural History Museums stays open after hours for a night of activities, food and drink and exploring the museum. Admission is half-price. 5 p.m. Friday. San Diego Natural History Museum1788 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego. $7-12. sdnhm.org/calendar/by-date?date=2026-05-22
22nd annual Lebanese Festival: St. Ephrem Maronite Catholic Church is hosting the 22nd annual Lebanese Festival this weekend. The three-day event spotlights an array of Lebanese meals such as beef shawarma, chicken kabobs, falafels, kibbeh, Middle Eastern flatbread saj zaatar and stuffed grape leaves. There will also be a beer and wine garden, live music and carnival games. 6 to 10 p.m. Friday. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 750 Medford St., El Cajon. Free. lebanesefestivalsandiego.com
Valley Center Stampede: The annual Valley Center Stampede is a celebration of western culture through scholarships, a rodeo and other activities. The rodeo features a range of competitions and ends with live band performances. 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday. Star Valley Park, 29902 Valley Center Road, Valley Center. $35 general admission. vcstampede.com
“The Velocity of Autumn”: OnStage Playhouse presents the San Diego premiere of Eric Coble’s drama about an aging artist who barricades herself in her home to avoid being forced into a nursing home, leading her estranged son to return home after 20 years. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 5 p.m. Sundays. Through May 24. 291 Third Ave., Chula Vista. $25 and up. 619-422-7787, onstageplayhouse.org
San Diego Symphony presents Mendelssohn’s “Scottish”: Music and artistic director Rafael Payare conducts the orchestra in a program that includes composer-in-residence Jimmy López’s Peru Negro, along with Berg’s Violin Concerto performed by concertmaster Jeff Thayer and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3 in A minor. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Jacobs Music Center, 750 B Street, downtown. $42-$125. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org
Lakeside Bike Rodeo: Teens are invited to bring their bike and navigate a skills course. Afterward, there will be a group ride around Lindo Lake. 2 to 5 p.m. Friday. Lakeside Community Center, 9841 Vine St., Lakeside. Free. sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/participate/calendar.html
Summer at Seaworld: SeaWorld San Diego’s summer lineup of events and attractions kicks off Friday. Some of the new attractions include a revamped dolphin show with actors and music, a shark encounter exhibit with 11 species and a nighttime 12-minute drone show. Also returning attractions this year are the BMX stunt show and a pirate adventure show. Plus, SeaWorld’s hip hop and R&B summer concert series returns with acts such as Ashanti, E-40 and Ginuwine. Today through Sept. 7. 500 Sea World Drive, San Diego. Prices vary by day and concert. seaworld.com/san-diego/events/summer-spectacular
Memorial weekend at Seaworld: SeaWorld San Diego will honor those who protect the country during Memorial Day Weekend May. A flag ceremony with the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Color Guard will be at 10 a.m. as the park opens as part of Military Appreciation Days May 23-24. There will be a drone show as a salute to military members 10 minutes before the park closes May 22-25. For military discounts, visit WavesofHonor.com