Taste of Downtown

Please your palate and explore Downtown San Diego’s most appetizing cuisines at the annual Taste of Downtown.

For one night only, September 24th, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., participants will enjoy mouth-watering dishes from over 50 different restaurants. This tempting culinary experience will lead you through The Gaslamp Quarter, Financial District, East Village and Little Italy, featuring San Diego’s renowned eateries, classic bistros, tasty take-outs and the hottest new dining destinations. Tickets for this premier event are $35 in advance or $40 on the day of. Proceeds will benefit the Downtown San Diego Partnership, dedicated to enhancing our community through programs that help maintain and promote our urban Downtown District. For more information please visit http://www.mcfarlanepromotions.com/ or call (619) 233-5008. Click here for tickets.

20th Annual AIDS Walk San Diego

Register today for AIDS Walk San Diego and walk or run with your friends, family, co-workers and classmates this Sunday, September 27 to raise urgently needed funds and to spread an urgent message to the public that the AIDS crisis is not over. The 20th Annual AIDS Walk San Diego will be held from 6 a.m. - 11 a.m. beginning and ending in beautiful Balboa Park. Enjoy a sunny San Diego morning with your loved ones while raising money for a great cause!

AIDS Walk San Diego raises funds to help provide essential prevention and care programs to thousands of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS. Funds from the Walk are combined with donations from other philanthropists and foundations to qualify for matching funds. Since 1989, AIDS Walk San Diego has raised more than $7 million! For additional information and to register for Sunday's event please visit http://www.kintera.org/.

8th Annual San Diego Film Festival

The San Diego Film Festival is returning to the bustling historic Gaslamp Quarter September 23 - 27, featuring a wide variety of film premieres including American and international features, as well as documentaries, short films and music videos.

Festivalgoers can personalize there festival experience, choosing from a variety of events and activities such as film screenings, educational panels, intimate filmmaker and celebrity gatherings and nightly parties. The San Diego Film Festival has earned more than 12 awards, including Best Party Fest, Best Beach Fest, Best Regional Film Fest, Best Festival, Top 25 Fests Worth Your Entry Fee by MovieMaker Magazine and a coveted spot as one of the country's Top 10 Film Festival Vacations. Previous guests include Joaquin Phoenix, James Woods, Zach Braff, Kevin Connolly, Colin Hanks, Jennifer Tilly and many more. Admission prices vary. For more information please visit http://www.sdff.org/.

15th annual San Diego Festival of Beer on September 18th

Prepare your pint glasses for the 15th annual San Diego Festival of Beer on September 18th!

San Diego's premier beer tasting event is back and with more brews to taste and sample than ever before! Guests will enjoy 120 microbrews from 60 breweries and live music from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. in downtown San Diego between Columbia and B Street! Advance tickets are $25 ($30 at the door) and include 10 beer tastes. Additional tastes may be purchased inside the event. Proceeds will benefit local area cancer-fighting causes. The Festival of Beer charity event is the oldest and largest beer tasting in all of San Diego. The 100% volunteer-driven festival is produced by San Diego Professionals Against Cancer (SDPAC) – a non-profit organization dedicated to generating funding for cancer research, patient treatment, and services. For tickets and additional information please visit http://www.sdbeerfest.org/.

Fifth Annual San Diego Restaurant Week

Tantalize your taste buds at San Diego County's largest and most successful dining event, San Diego Restaurant Week September 13 - 18!

This premier culinary tradition features more than 180 of San Diego's best restaurants offering fixed price, three-course meals for $20, $30 or $40. There are no tickets or passes required, however advance reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling restaurants directly or visiting their profile online. Check out these mouth-watering menus in Downtown San Diego:

• Confidential
• Oceanaire Seafood Room
• Acqua Al 2
• Indigo Grill
• Blue Point Coastal
• Mister Tiki Mai Tai Lounge

For more information and for a list of participating restaurants, please visit http://www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com/.

Celebrity Staff Night at Acqua Al 2

Acqua Al 2, a fine Italian restaurant in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, is hosting the 4th Annual Celebrity Staff Night at Acqua Al 2, this Sunday, August 23, 2009 to celebrate Acqua Al 2’s ninth anniversary.

San Diego Padres players will shake up cocktails, prepare Acqua Al 2’s signature dishes and wait tables. Guests will savor a five-course dinner paired with fine wines and bid on live auction items, including exclusive sports memorabilia and discounted rates to premier San Diego restaurants. In addition, raffle tickets will be available for a chance to win a surprise activity with the players and guests can also contribute a donation to have a professional photograph taken on the red carpet with Adrian Gonzalez

Proceeds will benefit The Adrian & Betsy Gonzalez Foundation, which empowers underprivileged youth through athletics, education and health.

Celebrity Staff Night will be held from 5:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. at Acqua Al 2, located in the Gaslamp Quarter at 322 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. Tickets are $195 per person and can be purchased at http://www.agonzalez23.com/.

Urban Trees 6 Gallery

The Port of San Diego will host a dedication ceremony for its sixth installment of the popular Urban Trees public art exhibit on September 12th in front of the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal at 1140 North Harbor Drive in Downtown San Diego at 11:30 a.m. The event will feature family activities and entertainment, as well as thirty new tree sculptures to be installed.

Urban Trees was established in 2003 in order to showcase artwork along the North Embarcadero on San Diego Bay. Each year, 30 artists are selected to create their interpretation of an urban tree to remain on dispay for one year. After that, they are available for sale by the artists. For more information, please visit www.portofsandiego/public-art.