What To Do This Weekend in Imperial Beach

Looking for things to do this weekend in Imperial Beach? The weekend of Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, 2026 is a big one: the Friday farmers market at Pier Plaza, a full Padres home series at Petco Park, the CRSSD Festival downtown, and all the classics that make ZIP 91932 the friendliest beach town in the South Bay. I live and work on Seacoast Drive, so this is my verified, day-by-day lineup for the next three days, with the San Diego stops that are actually worth the drive.

Friday, September 25: Market Day at Pier Plaza

The anchor of your Friday is the Imperial Beach Certified Farmers Market at Portwood Pier Plaza, right off Seacoast Drive near the pier at 10 Evergreen Avenue. It runs from 2 to 7 p.m. in the warm months, with local produce, prepared food, flowers, jewelry, and clothing from South Bay vendors. It is free to walk through, it sits right next to the sand, and the sunset comes with your shopping list. The market is run by the local nonprofit I.B. Beautiful and accepts EBT and SNAP.

Confirm everything on the official City of Imperial Beach events calendar or the Imperial Beach Chamber Farmers Market page before you go. Then grab a bite, take a walk to the end of the pier, and let the evening drift into sunset.

If you want to switch to baseball energy, the San Diego Padres open a three-game Hispanic Heritage Weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on Friday at 6:40 p.m. Petco is a quick drive up Interstate 5 from 91932, and the official Padres site has tickets and the full weekend schedule.

Saturday, September 26: Morning on the Bay, Big Night Downtown

Saturday starts gently with a Sweetwater Safari Hike at the Living Coast Discovery Center across the bay in Chula Vista, a guided nature walk on the salt marsh that runs every Saturday and is a great pick for kids. The center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., so there is time for the raptors and sea turtles before you head back to the beach or up the coast.

In Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, the free public programming is strong: Mariachi Los Trinos plays Fiesta de Reyes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the Harney Street Market runs 12:30 to 4:15 p.m., with evening entertainment after 5:30 p.m. The Old Town events calendar confirms the weekend lineup.

Saturday night belongs to the city. The Padres host Arizona again at 5:40 p.m. as part of Hispanic Heritage Weekend, the CRSSD Festival opens its Fall 2026 edition at Waterfront Park downtown with 40-plus artists across Saturday and Sunday (21+ event, details and tickets at crssdfest.com), and Mariachi USA performs at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park at 6 p.m. Pick one, or make a long evening of it.

Sunday, September 27: Farmers Market, Ballpark, and Family Day

Sunday starts with the Chula Vista Farmers Market in the Third Avenue Village at 300 Park Way, running 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. year-round. It is a quick, easy run from Imperial Beach with 60-plus tents of produce, eggs, seafood, baked goods, salsas, and flowers, and the San Diego Markets page confirms the details.

The Padres close the series on Sunday at 12:10 p.m., with a Los Tucanes postgame concert capping Hispanic Heritage Weekend at Petco Park. If the family wants rides instead of rallies, Belmont Park's Beachside Fall Fest in Mission Beach runs all weekend long through October 31: the historic Giant Dipper, retro rides, a pumpkin patch, and weekly Pumpkin Jams, with free entry and pay-as-you-go passes. The official Beachside Fall Fest page has hours and ticket options. Old Town also keeps the music going with Luis Max at Fiesta de Reyes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Anytime This Weekend: The Free Favorites of 91932

The no-schedule list in Imperial Beach is long and free: a sunrise walk to the end of the pier, an afternoon on the wide sand below Seacoast Drive, a pedal along the Bayshore Bikeway toward the Silver Strand, and the quiet trails of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve behind the visitor center. For the block-by-block picture of where these walkable streets sit, my Imperial Beach community guide covers every corner of ZIP 91932, and the 91932 neighborhood guide breaks down which pocket fits which lifestyle.

When it is time to eat, Seacoast Drive carries the weekend: the Brigantine for oceanfront seafood and oysters, The Tin Fish for fish tacos at the end of the pier, Pizzeria Luigi for a slice and a view, Seacoast Beach Bar & Sports Grill for a casual game-day vibe, and Aroma Thai for something different. Katy's Cafe is my go-to pick for the early-morning coffee run before you hit the sand, and you can meet more of the town's local businesses on the Community Spotlight page.

Make It a Home-Base Weekend

There is a reason so many San Diegans call Imperial Beach the friendliest little beach town in the South Bay. If this weekend gets you thinking about owning a slice of the community, start with the first-time buyer guide, then work through the For Buyers page for the full toolkit. And if you want to see exactly what is on the market near the beach right now, browse the current Imperial Beach listings. Bring friends if you can, but come anyway: this is a town built for a long weekend, and this one is stacked.

I refresh this guide every week so it always matches the coming weekend. Past editions, including the September 11-13 edition from earlier this month, live in the Weekend Guide archive.