SAN DIEGO’S 2009 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

San Diego is a year-round travel destination offering a plethora of annual events.  No matter what time of year, visitors can travel to San Diego and find an extraordinary range of colorful street festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, specialty fairs and much more.  For up-to-the-minute event listings, visit www.sandiego.org/eventcalendar. 

Following is a list of San Diego’s major events for 2009:

JANUARY

Jan. 8–11
San Diego Boat Show
This show brings in more than 350 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors to the San Diego Convention Center and to the marina at the San Diego Marriott Hotel in downtown San Diego.  The event features free sailing on San Diego Bay, a children's area and cruising, fishing and boating seminars. www.sandiegoboatshow.com

Jan. 11–16
San Diego Restaurant Week
More than 100 of San Diego’s finest restaurants participate in a celebration of the local dining scene with prix fixed menus. www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com

Jan. 19
Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade and Festival
Commemorating the legacy of the famous civil rights leader, the parade begins at 10 a.m. at the County Administration Building in downtown San Diego and continues south along Harbor Drive to Seaport Village.

Jan. 25
Carlsbad San Diego Marathon and Half-Marathon
The second-oldest marathon on the U.S. West Coast is an annual event that also features a Kids’ Marathon Mile the day before the big race, as well as a Health and Fitness Expo. http://carlsbadmarathon.com

FEBRUARY

Feb. 2–8
Buick Invitational
The annual PGA Tour men’s golf tournament is played at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, home of the 2008 U.S. Open. www.buickinvitational.com

Feb. 7–8
Annual Chinese New Year and Cultural Faire
Festivities in downtown San Diego include Asian cuisine, martial arts, cooking demonstrations, cultural exhibits and Lion and Dragon dances.

February TBA
16th Annual Kuumba Fest
The Black History Month celebration features African-American arts and culture with music, drama, song and poetry at the Lyceum Theatre, Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego.

Feb. 14–15
USA Sevens Rugby Tournament
PETCO Park in downtown San Diego is the setting for this annual rugby event, featuring 16 nations playing in 44 matches. www.usasevens.com

Feb. 22
Amgen Tour of California
The most-noted cycling road race in the United States covers more than 800 miles over nine days.  Traveling almost the entire length of California, the race begins in Sacramento and ends in San Diego County with racers crossing the finish line in Escondido.  www.amgentourofcalifornia.com

Feb. 24
Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp Quarter
This is the biggest Fat Tuesday celebration on the U.S. West Coast. Parades, music and beads take over downtown San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. www.gaslamp.org

February–April
Wildflowers Bloom in the Desert
Depending on the timing and amount of winter rainfall, the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park turns into a wonderland of color when the spring wildflowers bloom. www.parks.ca.gov

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