By Christopher Gomez | Little Italy News
Summer is the perfect season to gather your friends and family together for an outdoor summer outing. With San Diego’s great weather, cool neighborhoods and many amazing eateries, discovering new summer events and things to do each weekend is easy to do. San Diego’s Little Italy is one neighborhood that hosts a variety of events throughout summertime that are great for friend outings or the whole family! From movies in the park to live performances and entertainment, Little Italy is the place to be this summer!
Little Italy Summer Film Festival
Now until Saturday, Aug. 25, the Little Italy Association of San Diego and Cinema Little Italy are hosting the Little Italy Summer Film Festival every Saturday beginning at 7:30 p.m. Attendees can see amazing Italian films with English subtitles and snuggle up in a blanket with delicious snacks in hand at Amici Park Amphitheater, located at the corner of State and Date streets. $5 donation.
Little Italy Mercato
Every Saturday from 8 a.m.–2 p.m., the Little Italy Mercato, the largest farmer’s market in San Diego, brings San Diego residents and visitors to the Little Italy neighborhood. The market features more than 200 vendors who offer a wide selection of farm fresh produce, eggs and poultry, meat, fish, flowers, local artisan goods and more. Little Italy Mercato shoppers can enjoy San Diego’s great weather and peruse the wide variety of great offerings and live entertainment.
First Responders Celebration
For the first time ever, the neighborhood will host a First Responder’s Celebration to honor San Diego’s first responders on Saturday, Aug. 4 at 5 p.m. The event will recognize the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Fire-Rescue Team and San Diego Lifeguards. The community is invited to the Piazza della Famiglia to pay tribute to these organizations for their service and contribution to our city. In their honor, the Little Italy Association will light up the entire Piazza della Famiglia and all of India Street in blue lights. Honored guests include Assemblymember Todd Gloria, Asst. Sheriff Kelly Martinez of the San Diego Sheriff Department, Chief David Nisleit of the San Diego Police Department, and Interim Chief Kevin Ester of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
Marine Band San Diego Summer Concert
The San Diego community and visitors are invited to the Marine Band of San Diego Summer Concert presented by the Little Italy Association on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018 from 6 p.m. to dusk at the Piazza della Famiglia. The cherished 45-piece Marine Band San Diego will perform a variety of numbers that will get the crowd swaying all night long! In addition, their popular music group, “Sound Strike” and New Orleans-style brass band, “Double Time Brass Band,” will put on an incredible performance for visitors and military members and their families.
State of the Neighborhood dinner
The annual State of the Neighborhood dinner reception is an evening of food, entertainment and a presentation on the past, present and future of San Diego’s Little Italy held at the San Diego County parking structure on West Cedar Street. Attendees can socialize with local business owners, residents and honored dignitaries and take in breathtaking views of the San Diego Bay and Downtown. Multiple Little Italy restaurants donate Italian family-style dishes and Little Italy Association’s chief executive administrator will present about all the happenings of Little Italy. The event will be on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets will be available on littleitalysd.com.
Little Italy Wednesday Market
On July 18, the Little Italy Association introduced the first Little Italy Wednesday Market to provide another chance for residents and visitors to shop for local produce and goods from San Diego farmers and foodmakers throughout the week. Visitors can stroll through the new Piazza della Famiglia every Wednesday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and purchase fresh groceries, artisan goods and much more with family and friends. Shoppers can also enjoy live entertainment on select street corners — adding to the authentic Italian ambience of San Diego’s Little Italy atmosphere.
To stay connected with Little Italy, check out what’s going on in the neighborhood by following it on Instagram and Twitter: @LittleItalySD and Facebook: LittleItalySD. To learn more about the Little Italy Wednesday Market and Little Italy Association, visit LittleItalySD.com.
—Christopher Gomez has been Little Italy’s district manager since 2000. Reach him at [email protected].
