The spirit, sounds and flavors of southwest Louisiana come alive at the largest and most-authentic Louisiana-themed music and food festival this side of the bayou. With everything from A to Zydeco, this 4-day, family-friendly cultural celebration takes place on picture-perfect San Diego Bay, featuring 100+ live musical acts & performances on 7 stages, wooden dance floors, shade, green grass and plenty of fun for the kids.

Come for the music, stay for the food. Gator By The Bay’s mouthwatering French Quarter Food Court is what foodie dreams are made of. Check off every box on your bayou-inspired culinary bucket list and chow down on authentic Cajun, Creole and Southern culinary delights, including gumbo, jambalaya, beignets and 10,000 pounds of crawfish brought directly from Louisiana. Gator By The Bay is Mardi Gras in May

A highly-anticipated 7+ stage, 80+ bands, 3-day music, culinary and arts festival will descend upon the stunning waterfront of downtown San Diego all along the Embarcadero. The festival offers diverse attractions including yacht parties, water sports, art installations, after-parties, a craft beer village and plenty of local flavors. Wonderfront festival’s re-entry policy encourages festival-goers to customize their weekend experience and truly integrates the city into the fabric of the festival.

Hailed by The New York Times as “one of the greatest musicians in jazz history,” GRAMMY® Award-winning saxophone titan Joe Lovano has distinguished himself as a prescient and pathfinding force in the arena of creative music.

He is joined by virtuoso guitarist Julian Lage, longtime collaborator Asante Santi Debriano on bass and drummer Will Calhoun (of Living Colour fame).

The Paramount Quartet promises an evening of exquisite jazz stylings you won’t soon forget.

This is the fourth concert of the 2025 Center for World Music concert series Echoes of Time.

Mingei International Museum

Friday, April 18, 2025 | 7:30 PM

Experience an unforgettable evening with Qais Essar, a pioneering Afghan composer and rabab virtuoso who weaves the traditional sounds of the mountainous Hindu Kush region with contemporary global music. The rabab, an instrument first mentioned in Arabic texts of the tenth century, is a plucked lute considered by many to be Afghanistan’s national instrument and a precursor of the sarod, prominent in North Indian classical music . Qais’s music blends Afghan folk, Americana, and other sources, creating a unique soundscape that feels both timeless and boundary-pushing.