I'm so excited for Saturday that I'm probably going to crash with the long day ahead. For the past five months, me and many others have been meeting to lock in all of the stages and vendors and art and beer for this year's North Park Festival of Arts. As the Main-Stage producer, I have to say I'm pretty proud of the lineup I've assembled and also hoping to scoot away from my stage throughout the day to enjoy all of the great things happening across University Avenue. The festival is free and for all ages -- save for the Craft Beer Block and Beer Garden which hosts the Bar Pink stage -- but there's definitely something for everyone to enjoy, whether you're getting down to San Diego's finest on the Main Stage, enjoying the World Music Stage or checking out acoustic acts on the Ray Street Stage. This is the first year the festival takes place on a Saturday, so the beer garden and music will last a little longer. The festival takes place on University Avenue between 30th and 32nd streets, and starts at 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 18:
- North Park Festival Of Arts-- Main Stage: the Palace Ballroom, I*Wish*I, Bulletins, Michael McGraw & the Butchers, Midnight Pine, Chess Wars, School of Rock. Bar Pink Stage (21+): Wild Wild Wets, Tropical Popsicle, the Widows, Stevie & the Hi-Stax, the Kabbs, Okapi Sun, Gone Baby Gone, Bloody Mary Bastards. Ray Street Stage: We Are Sirens, Vice Versa, Full Strength Funk, Josh Damigo, Santana Brothers, WindWalker & Wind Spirit Drum, Tyler Kelley, Revery Broadcast, Mimi Zulu, Donna Larsen, plus three more stages! @ University Between 30th and 32nd streets, free, all ages, 11 a.m,. to 6 p.m.; Bar Pink Stage/Beer Garden open till 9 p.m.!)
- Damien Jurado, John Meeks, Matt Curreri @ Soda Bar
- Ariel Pink, Purple Pilgrims, Tropical Popsicle @ Casbah
- Rage Again, Wicked Garden & Smack This @ 710 Beach Club
- The New Rivers, Shark Blood, Green Leaves @ Ken Club
- Motionless, Nite Ritual, Electronic DJs @ The Void
- Barrio Tiger, Stalins of Sound, White Mule, Kodiak @ Tower Bar
- Power Animals III: Spirit Guides @ The Spot, Barrio Logan
- Mothlight, Ditches @ Tin Can
- Neon Beat: The Best and the Worst of the '80s @ Bar Pink
- Waywards Sons with Betamaxx @ Belly Up
- Easy Axxxess @ Brick By Brick
- Bang Data, Taluna @ Til-Two Club
- The Phenomenauts, Save the Swim Team, Niño Zombi, Be Like Max @ The Ché Café
- The Rob Thorsen Trio, featuring Joshua White, Duncan Moore and Rob Thorsen (CD Release) @ Dizzy's
- Battle of the Bands, featuring Scary Garry & the Deity Girls, Radio Active, Aim to Kill, Once Upon a Time, Ramon's Flowers, Terminal Velocity @ Epicentre
- The Plastic Revolution, thatwasthen, DJ Chelu @ Gallagher's
- Revolt Age (7 p.m.), Makai (9 p.m.) @ Humphreys Backstage
- Allison Lonsdale, Jupiter, A Mayfield Affair @ Lestat's
- SD Union presents the American Jungle documentary filming, Hybris (MetalHeadz), Sub Killaz, DJ Evlo, hosted by Ridda, Subliminal, CSD @ Ruby Room
- Lord of War, Wrath of Vesuvius, Into the Flood, Suntorn, Nihilitus @ Soma
- Atlantic Starr & Evelyn "Champagne" King @ Sycuan
- PBR Streetgang at Boys & Girls @ El Dorado
- Lady Cellie presents Tito Minott, Lady Cellie @ The Griffin
- Fagz, Plasma Cannon, Chango's Psychotic Garage, the Haymarket Squares @ Shakedown
- Pachuco Jose @ Tio Leos
- DJ Qenoe @ U31
- The Soultones @ V Lounge
- Popvinyl @ Dreamcatcher
- DVBBS @ Voyeur
- Jetwash ( 6 p.m.), Stranger and the Cornerstone with Tribe of Kings (9:30 p.m.) @ Winstons
Rosemary Bystrak writes about the San Diego music scene, events and general musings about life in San Diego on San Diego: Dialed In. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
