Nightlife

Historically, San Diego's cultural scene has lounged in the shadows of Los Angeles and San Francisco, content to take a back seat to the beach, the zoo, and our meteorologically inspired state of affairs. But the dot-com influence brought new blood and money into the city, and arts organizations felt the impact. The biggest winner was the San Diego Symphony, which in 2002, received the largest single donation to a symphony anywhere, ever ($120 million). More recently, individual donors have lavished big bucks on other arts groups: The Old Globe Theatre received $20-million and $10-million gifts, while the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego was bestowed with a $3-million donation. But don't think "after dark" in this city is limited to highfalutin' affairs for the Lexus crowd--rock and pop concerts, swank martini bars, and nightclubs crank up the volume on a nightly basis.

Finding Out What's On

For a rundown of the week's performances, gallery openings, and other events, check the listings in the free, weekly alternative publications, San Diego CityBeat (www.sdcitybeat.com), published on Wednesday, and San Diego Weekly Reader (www.sdreader.com), which comes out on Thursday (also distributed in hotels and tourist areas under the name the Weekly). The San Diego Union-Tribune's entertainment section, "Night and Day," also appears on Thursday (www.signonsandiego.com). For what's happening at the gay clubs, get the weekly San Diego Gay & Lesbian Times.

The local convention and visitors bureau's Art + Sol campaign provides a calendar of events covering the performing and visual arts, and more; see www.sandiegoartandsol.com. The San Diego Performing Arts League produces What's Playing?, a performing arts guide, every 2 months. You can pick one up at the ARTS TIX booth or check the schedule online (tel. 619/238-0700; www.sandiegoperforms.com).

Thankfully, San Diego's orgy of development has included more than luxury condos and high-end supper clubs. The NTC Promenade in Point Loma (tel. 619/226-1491; www.ntcpromenade.org) consists of 26 historic buildings on 28 acres. It's the remnants of a huge Navy base transformed into a flagship hub of creative activity, and includes office, studio, and performance space for more than a dozen arts groups. The North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave. (tel. 619/231-5714; www.lyricoperasandiego.org), is a 1928 vaudeville and movie house resurrected to its original glory. It's now the home base for Lyric Opera San Diego, and plays host to numerous other groups throughout the year. Next to be unveiled is the Balboa Theatre (http://thebalboa.org), slated for a December 2007 opening. Originally built in 1924, the Balboa sat empty and decaying for years, barely avoiding several brushes with the wrecking ball. This Gaslamp Quarter icon will once again be presenting music, dance, theater, and films; check www.ccdc.com for more details.

Summer Freebies

Beach Bonfires -- Fire pits are free to the public in Pacific Beach, around Mission Bay, and at La Jolla Shores. Head out early to stake your claim, as they tend to get snagged pretty quickly. Glass is never permitted on the sand, and alcohol isn't allowed past 8pm. Be sure to check signs for local laws.

Music -- Throughout the summer, San Diego County offers a chorus of free music. On select Sunday nights from June through August, the hills of Alpine come alive with the sound of music at the Alpine Summer Concert Series tel. 619/445-7330. Head south of downtown and across the Coronado bridge for more free Sunday nighttime music at the Annual Coronado Promenade Concerts at Spreckels Park tel. 619/437-8788. Fridays in North County really are all that jazz. Parks throughout Carlsbad kick off the weekend with free jazz concerts. Call tel. 760/434-2904. Spreckels Organ Pavilion presents Twilight in the Park Summer Concerts (tel. 619/239-0512) Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights in Balboa Park; while on Monday evenings, the Spreckels Organ Society offers its Summer Organ Festival (tel. 619/702-8138).

Festivals -- Celebrate San Diego's diverse communities at these free festivals, which keep the party alive well past sunset. The annual Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off (tel. 619/226-2193) is held from 10am to 8pm in late June. Independence Day celebrations, held throughout the county, include Coronado (tel. 619/437-8788), La Jolla (tel. 858/454-1444), Chula Vista (tel. 619/420-6603), and Oceanside (tel. 760/754-4512). The annual Encanto Street Fair & Cultural Arts Festival (tel. 619/266-0936), a multiethnic themed festival in mid-August, features entertainment, food, vendors, and a custom car show from 10am to 8pm. Hillcrest's CityFest (tel. 619/299-3330) also takes place in mid-August and has live music and more than 250 arts and crafts vendors.

Getting Tickets

Half-price tickets to theater, music, and dance events are available at the ARTS TIX booth in Horton Plaza Park, at Broadway and Third Avenue. Pull into the Horton Plaza garage (where you can validate your parking) or, if there's room, just pause at the curb. The kiosk is open Tuesday through Thursday at 11am, Friday through Sunday at 10am. The booth stays open till 6pm daily except Sunday, when it closes at 5pm. Half-price tickets are available only for same-day shows except for Monday performances, which are sold on Sunday. For a daily listing of offerings, call tel. 619/497-5000 or check www.sandiegoperforms.com; the website also sells half-price tickets for some shows. There is also an ARTS TIX North, at the San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau in Escondido, 360 N. Escondido Blvd. (tel. 800/848-3336 or 760/745-4741). Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.

For full-price advance tickets, the Horton Plaza kiosk doubles as a Ticketmaster (tel. 619/220-8497; www.ticketmaster.com) outlet, selling seats to concerts throughout California. Although Ticketmaster sells seats for a majority of local events, you'll avoid bruising "convenience" fees by purchasing directly from the venue's box office.

Depending on the popularity of a particular artist or group, last-minute seats are often available through the box office or Ticketmaster. You can also go through a broker like Advance Tickets (tel. 800/776-8497; www.advancetickets.com) if you're willing to pay a higher price for prime tickets at the last minute.