The Adams Avenue Street Fair 2026, San Diego, United States

• September 19, 2026
  Event date:
• September 20, 2026
  Event end:

What to expect in 2026

The Adams Avenue Street Fair 2026 is the 44th annual edition of one of San Diego’s major free community music festivals. The event transforms approximately 10 city blocks of Adams Avenue in Normal Heights into a large outdoor festival featuring live music, food, craft vendors, beer gardens, carnival rides and family entertainment. The organizers expect more than 50,000 people to visit during the weekend.

The 2026 programme features 75 musical acts performing across six stages. The music covers rock, blues, roots, Americana, indie, soul, reggae, world music, hip-hop, DJs and other styles, giving visitors the opportunity to move between stages throughout the day.

Beyond the music, visitors can explore approximately 300 exhibitors, festival food vendors, three beer gardens, carnival attractions, the Fern Street Circus and the Cool Zone. The street-fair format means that the neighborhood itself becomes part of the festival, with performances and activities distributed along the Adams Avenue corridor.

Festival dates

The Adams Avenue Street Fair 2026 takes place on September 19–20, 2026, in San Diego’s Normal Heights neighborhood.

Saturday: 10:00 AM–10:00 PM

Sunday: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM

The event is presented as a free two-day festival, so visitors do not need a general admission ticket to enter the main street-fair area.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & festival site

The festival takes place along Adams Avenue in Normal Heights, San Diego, across approximately 10 city blocks. The main festival area is centered around Adams Avenue and the surrounding streets between the 32nd/33rd Street area and the eastern portion of the Normal Heights commercial district.

The MTS event listing gives the festival address as 3400 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116, while the event’s official materials identify numerous individual stage locations along Adams Avenue.

The festival site includes:

• Six music stages
• Three beer gardens
• Approximately 300 exhibitors
• Food vendor areas
• Carnival rides
• Fern Street Circus performances
• Cool Zone
• Arts, crafts and retail booths
• First-aid facilities
• Information points

The street-fair map places the main music stages around 33rd Street, Felton Street, 34th Street, Hawley Boulevard and Wilson Avenue.

Full lineup

The official 2026 lineup contains 75 musical acts and performers across six stages. The complete programme includes:

Casbah/91X Rock Stage

• Rookie Card
• Rey Wolf
• Miniaturized
• Creepxotica
• Mistress 77
• Wild Wild Wets
• Lord Howler
• Tigers in Cairo
• Poor Thing
• Midnight Rivals

Indie Stage on Lestat’s Patio

• City College Music Showcase
• Mr. Haole
• Simon Mandel
• grampadrew
• Daniel Ezra
• Fools & Fables
• Ryan Blue and the Bis
• The Common Thread: Stucky Leigh, Gayle Skidmore, Please Ask for Paul & The Wellsprings
• Auz Fontaine
• Earth Tones
• Travis Larson
• C. Gibbs
• Sophie London
• The Vinyl Shop
• Red Palm
• Cotton Brain

Groove Stage at Starbucks Parking Lot

• Soul Ablaze
• Cervezero
• Cosmic Amigo
• The Brothers Burns
• Manganista
• Jahtiva
• Boostive
• Cheap Wigs
• Los Paisanos
• Bardo
• Pinnacle Roots

Roots Rock / 94.9 Stage

• The Grey Owls
• The Beard & The Bird
• UL Standard
• Buzz Campbell & The Heartaches
• Los Fabulocos
• Ypsitucky
• Sara Petite
• Oburritos
• Billy Shaddox
• Westwinders
• Mohavisoul
• Kimmi Bitter

Blues Stage

• Johnny J. & The Jiggle-Oh’s
• Fred Heath & The Slidewinders
• Chris James & Patrick Rynn
• The Satisfiers R&B
• The Amandas
• Bishop John W. Haynes & Change
• Chris Duarte Group
• Bon Ton Roulette
• Manzanita Blues
• Euphoria Brass Band
• Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra

Soul Side Vinyl DJ Stage / Soleil / West Coast Weekender

• DJ Saso
• DJ Mane One
• Mr. Hek
• DJ Blue
• DJ Syko & DJ Who
• Masta Ace
• Waterpark Jones & Trev Muello
• Matthew Brian B2B & Eric Leonardis

The official lineup page identifies the performers, stage assignments and individual performance times for the 2026 edition.

Headliners

The 2026 headlining performers represent several different musical styles rather than one single headline act. The featured artists include:

• Bardo
• Masta Ace
• Chris Duarte Group
• Los Fabulocos
• Boostive
• Creepxotica
• The Wild Wild Wets
• Euphoria Brass Band
• Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra
• Midnight Rivals

The official schedule places Wild Wild Wets at the Casbah/91X Rock Stage, Masta Ace at the Soul Side Vinyl DJ Stage, Los Fabulocos at the Roots Rock Stage, Boostive at the Groove Stage, Chris Duarte Group at the Blues Stage and Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra at the Blues Stage.

Stage-by-stage schedule

Casbah/91X Rock Stage — 33rd & Adams Avenue

Saturday features Rookie Card, Rey Wolf, Miniaturized, Creepxotica, Mistress 77 and Wild Wild Wets. Sunday continues with Lord Howler, Tigers in Cairo, Poor Thing and Midnight Rivals.

Indie Stage on Lestat’s Patio — 3343 Adams Avenue

The stage presents City College Music Showcase, Mr. Haole, Simon Mandel, grampadrew, Daniel Ezra, Fools & Fables, Ryan Blue and the Bis, The Common Thread, Auz Fontaine, Earth Tones, Travis Larson, C. Gibbs, Sophie London, The Vinyl Shop, Red Palm and Cotton Brain.

Groove Stage at Starbucks Parking Lot — Felton & Adams Avenue

Saturday’s programme includes Soul Ablaze, Cervezero, Cosmic Amigo, The Brothers Burns, Manganista, Jahtiva and Boostive. Sunday’s programme features Cheap Wigs, Los Paisanos, Bardo and Pinnacle Roots.

Roots Rock / 94.9 Stage — 34th & Adams Avenue

The Saturday programme features The Grey Owls, The Beard & The Bird, UL Standard, Buzz Campbell & The Heartaches, Los Fabulocos, Ypsitucky and Sara Petite. Sunday features Oburritos, Billy Shaddox, Westwinders, Mohavisoul and Kimmi Bitter.

Blues Stage — Hawley Boulevard & Adams Avenue

Saturday brings Johnny J. & The Jiggle-Oh’s, Fred Heath & The Slidewinders, Chris James & Patrick Rynn, The Satisfiers R&B, The Amandas, Bishop John W. Haynes & Change and Chris Duarte Group. Sunday features Bon Ton Roulette, Manzanita Blues, Euphoria Brass Band and Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra.

Soul Side Vinyl DJ Stage / Soleil / West Coast Weekender — Wilson Avenue & Adams Avenue

Saturday features DJ Saso, DJ Mane One, Mr. Hek, DJ Blue, DJ Syko & DJ Who and Masta Ace. Sunday features Waterpark Jones & Trev Muello and Matthew Brian B2B & Eric Leonardis.

Set times

The 2026 programme runs continuously throughout the two festival days, with individual stages beginning in the late morning or around midday and continuing into the evening.

Selected headline and late-day set times include:

• Wild Wild Wets — Saturday, 8:45–10:00 PM
• Masta Ace — Saturday, 9:00–10:00 PM
• Chris Duarte Group — Saturday, 8:45–10:00 PM
• Boostive — Saturday, 8:45–10:00 PM
• Los Fabulocos — Saturday, 5:45–7:00 PM
• Creepxotica — Saturday, 5:30–6:30 PM
• Bardo — Sunday, 3:00–4:15 PM
• Euphoria Brass Band — Sunday, 3:00–4:15 PM
• Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra — Sunday, 4:45–6:00 PM
• Midnight Rivals — Sunday, 4:45–6:00 PM

Other stages generally use shorter sets of approximately 45–75 minutes, with some DJ performances running for two or more hours.

Ticket types

General admission

Admission to the Adams Avenue Street Fair is free. Visitors can enter the main festival area and watch the scheduled performances without purchasing a general admission ticket.

VIP Beer Ticket

The optional VIP beer ticket costs $21 and provides four craft beers. The ticket is valid for one person for one festival day.

Carnival and other activities

Food, drinks, carnival rides and merchandise are separate purchases and are not included with free festival admission.

Ticket release phases

There is no conventional general admission ticket-release phase because the main Adams Avenue Street Fair is free.

Free festival admission: No advance general admission ticket is required.

VIP beer presale: The optional four-beer VIP ticket is sold online in advance and is limited in quantity.

VIP cutoff: For the 2026 edition, online VIP beer ticket sales close at noon on September 18, and VIP tickets are not sold during the festival itself.

Visitors purchasing VIP beer tickets for the complete weekend need one ticket for each day because each ticket is valid for one person and one day only.

VIP/Village options

The main premium experience at the Adams Avenue Street Fair is the VIP Beer Ticket rather than a traditional enclosed festival VIP village.

The VIP Beer Ticket provides four craft beers and can be redeemed at the event’s three beer gardens. The 2026 beer gardens are located around 33rd Street, 34th Street and Hawley Boulevard.

VIP beer tickets are limited, valid for one person and one day, and require a valid ID for redemption. They are restricted to guests aged 21 and older, and children are not permitted inside the beer gardens.

Festival rules

Visitors should follow the event rules and the instructions of festival staff, vendors and beer-garden personnel.

Free admission: General festival entry does not require a ticket.

Beer gardens: Guests must be at least 21 years old with valid identification to redeem VIP beer tickets or enter the beer gardens.

VIP tickets: VIP beer tickets are non-transferable, valid for one person and one day, and cannot be exchanged for cash or credit for unused portions.

Refunds: The VIP terms state that tickets are non-refundable and the event operates rain or shine.

Public areas: Visitors should remain within designated festival areas, follow staff instructions and keep access routes clear.

How to get there

The Adams Avenue Street Fair is located in Normal Heights, San Diego, with the main festival footprint extending along Adams Avenue and nearby streets. The MTS event listing identifies 3400 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116 as the event address.

Visitors driving from central San Diego can reach the area via Interstate 805 or Interstate 15 and connect toward Adams Avenue or El Cajon Boulevard. Because the event occupies numerous city blocks, visitors should expect road closures and heavy pedestrian traffic around the festival footprint.

Parking is limited primarily to surrounding residential streets and can become highly congested. Public transportation, rideshare services and walking are therefore practical alternatives.

Public transport after the festival

San Diego Metropolitan Transit System services the Adams Avenue area during the Street Fair. MTS Routes 2 and 11 serve the surrounding neighborhoods during the event.

Public transportation can be particularly useful after the evening programme because parking around Normal Heights becomes more difficult as the festival gets busier.

Visitors should check the current MTS timetable and Trip Planner before leaving the event because service frequencies and operating hours can vary.

Accommodation areas

Normal Heights: The most convenient area for visitors who want to stay close to the festival. It places guests near the stages, food vendors, restaurants and Adams Avenue businesses.

North Park: A popular nearby neighborhood with restaurants, bars, cafes and accommodation options. It is convenient for visitors who want nightlife beyond the festival.

University Heights: Located west of the main Normal Heights festival area, University Heights offers restaurants, cafes and accommodation while remaining relatively close to Adams Avenue.

Kensington: A quieter residential neighborhood east of Normal Heights that provides another option for visitors who want to stay near the Adams Avenue corridor.

Mission Valley: A practical choice for visitors arriving by car, with a wider selection of hotels and access to major roads.

Downtown San Diego: Downtown provides the largest selection of hotels and is suitable for visitors combining the Street Fair with other San Diego attractions.

Food & drink at the festival

Food is a major part of the Adams Avenue Street Fair experience. The 2026 event features festival food vendors alongside the area’s restaurants and local businesses.

Visitors can expect a broad selection of festival-style food and refreshments while exploring the 10-block event footprint. The event also includes three beer gardens offering full-pour craft beer and featured cocktails from local distilleries.

The VIP Beer Ticket provides four craft beers for $21 and can be redeemed at the three designated beer gardens. Beer-garden access for VIP ticket holders requires valid identification and is restricted to guests aged 21 or older.

The event also includes a variety of local exhibitors, giving visitors opportunities to browse arts, crafts, retail products and other merchandise while moving between performances.

Accessibility

The Adams Avenue Street Fair takes place on public streets and sidewalks across a large neighborhood footprint, so visitors should expect an outdoor urban environment with substantial walking and pedestrian traffic.

The event’s distributed layout means accessibility can vary depending on the specific stage, vendor area, sidewalk and surrounding street conditions. Visitors with specific accessibility requirements should contact the Adams Avenue Business Association before attending to confirm the most suitable access points and available accommodations.

The event’s official contact details are (619) 282-7329 and info@adamsavenuebusiness.com.

Best days to attend

Saturday: Saturday is the best choice for visitors who want the longest festival experience. The programme runs from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, giving visitors substantially more time to explore the six stages, food areas, exhibitors, carnival rides and beer gardens.

Saturday also includes several of the major featured performances, including Wild Wild Wets, Masta Ace, Chris Duarte Group, Boostive and Los Fabulocos.

Sunday: Sunday is a better option for visitors who prefer a shorter daytime festival experience. The programme runs until 6:00 PM and includes major performances from Bardo, Euphoria Brass Band, Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra and Midnight Rivals.

Best overall: For the widest choice of music and activities, Saturday offers the longest programme, while attending both days provides the fullest experience.

Previous year’s highlights

The previous edition was the 43rd annual Adams Avenue Street Fair and attracted tens of thousands of visitors across the 10-block festival footprint.

More than 75 musical acts performed across seven stages, while more than 300 vendors filled the streets with arts, crafts, retail products and other offerings. The event also featured carnival rides, Fern Street Circus performances, beer gardens, festival food and free comedy programming at Adams Avenue Theater.

The 2025 music programme included a broad selection of rock, indie, roots, blues, soul and other genres. The festival’s combination of free live music, local businesses, food, community programming and family attractions continued its role as one of Adams Avenue’s signature annual events.

Official tickets

General admission to the Adams Avenue Street Fair is free, so visitors do not need to purchase a standard festival ticket.

The optional 2026 VIP Beer Ticket costs $21 and provides four craft beers for one person on one day. The ticket must be purchased online in advance and is not sold at the festival.

For official information, schedules, the lineup, festival map and VIP ticket access, visitors should use the Adams Avenue Business Association’s official Street Fair page.

Official website: https://www.adamsavenuebusiness.com/adams-avenue-street-fair/

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