Coronado:

Coronado Independence Day Celebration- Many cities have 4th of July parades and celebrations, but Coronado prides itself on its patriotism and this day is one of the locals' favorites- they even line up along the parade route as early as 5 am to get a good seat. The day starts with a 15K run/walk, all day Art in the Park, 2 hour parade, concerts in Spreckels Park, and fireworks over Glorietta Bay to end the festivities.

The Coronado Flower Show is the largest flower show under tents in the United States. Events and activities include landscape displays, floral competitions, lectures and demonstrations, live entertainment, food, and various vendors.

Coronado Speed Festival is a vintage car race that takes place on NAS North Island as a tribute to the military during Fleet Week. The Navy displays helicopters, vintage aircraft, and boats and provides the public with the West Coast's only Open House where visitors can come on board North Island and tour an active Navy ship.

San Diego:

The Miramar Air Show is the largest military air show in the USA, with representatives of every aircraft-using military and governmental branch and service, with many demonstrations, most importantly the MAGTF Demo simulated aerial assault.

The Dinner Detective is the largest murder mystery and comedy dinner show in the country. Over a 4 course dinner a murder will have to be solved, but watch out, because performers are among the diners! The Dinner Detective has won "Best Dinner Show" multiple years in a row.

Comic-Con is one of the largest comic book conventions in the world, drawing over 130,000 visitors in recent years and filling the San Diego Convention Center to capacity and beyond. It started in 1970 as the first comic book convention in Southern California and is a place for fans of comics and science fiction or fantasy literature and films to gather in one place to celebrate those arts.

San Diego Beer Week is actually a 10 day festival celebrating the local beer and breweries and San Diego's rich brewing history. San Diego breweries have recently won dozens of awards at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festivals, bringing home more than England, Germany and Belgium combined.

The San Diego Black Film Festival is one of the largest of its kind in the United States. This week long festival is dedicated to preserving and sharing African American and African Diaspora cinema through over 100 film screenings across many genres.

The OnStage Playhouse is the second largest live community theatre in San Diego County, run and performed by a volunteer cast. Notable past performances have included "You Can't Take it With You", "To Kill a Mockingbird", and "The Complete Works of Shakespeare".

San Diego is one of the largest cities in the US, and has a large cultural base, including the world class San Diego Symphony, San Diego Ballet, and San Diego Opera, and an active San Diego live theater community.