We stayed a few nights in nearby San Diego so we could attend the Wonderfront Music Festival. Since we had moved down south, it was close and relatively easy. It’s a three day music festival, held right on the San Diego waterfront with multiple (eight) stages and attractions. This was our first time attending (and only the second time it has been held), but we will most likely be going again in 2023. Anyway, there’s what we did there in 2022.
Thursday November 17th
We dropped the dog off at the kennel and then had brunch at Lotus Cafe in Encinitas. Lots of vegan options there. Then we completed the short drive to San Diego and drove by the festival area on a recon mission, since we have never been there before. The San Diego waterfront area is really pretty and nice. We checked into the condo we stayed at, the Worldmark Inn At The Park, near Balboa Park. That evening we had dinner at Tacotarian, an all-vegan Mexican food restaurant. It was delicious. On the way back, we stopped at a different all-vegan restaurant (The Village) and picked up a snack for later. They say that Portland is the vegan Mecca but San Diego could give it a serious run for its money.
Friday November 18th – Day one of the Wonderfront Festival 2022
We had a tasty breakfast at Breakfast Republic, then headed to the first day of the festival. We got there early so we had time to park and walk along the waterfront to the festival. One of the stages at the festival was called the Sugarshack Stage and artists there played a stripped-down four song set. First up there was a pleasant set from Veni Sun. We walked a bit and at a different stage caught a couple songs from Daring Greatly. More about them later. Next up for us, in a Seaport Village stage was singer-songwriter Trevor Hall. he was very good and one of our “unknown” discoveries. We grabbed a bite of overpriced noodles and veggies and then caught the last few songs of a set by Cam, a female country artist. I’m not much of a country fan but she was ok. Then we watch about half of Young The Giant at one of the larger stages. Good, not great, and then back to the intimate Sugarshack Stage for a four-song mini-set by Trevor hall, which was very good. We then skipped the headlining Zac Brown Band and went instead to a smaller stage to see indie artist Bea Miller. What we saw was good but there were technical problems and sadly she can’t perform without her pre-recorded backup parts. That took something away, but we still enjoyed it and that wrapped up day one.
Saturday November 19th – Day two of the Wonderfront Festival 2022
We got there early and near where we parked were a whole bunch of food trucks and pop-up tents for food and other vendors, so we had brunch and headed on to the festival. Our first act to see was at the Spirit Of San Diego stage, which was actually on a boat!! It headed out on the water for about 45 minutes, with music provided. We watched local singer Hailey Wild, and liked her and the boat experience, so we stayed for her second set too. Then we took the water taxi back to the main festival area and to the Sugarshack Stage for a short but good reggae-tinged set by Cydeways. Next at that stage was a couple songs by Echosmith, who had a recent hit with Cool Kids. It should be noted somewhere, might as well be here, that all three days of the festival there were vendors, art, food, etc to visit and look at too. Then we went to one of the main stages for Fitz and The Tantrums. They put on a really good show. We had seen them before at Bumbershoot and they were good both times. After Fitz, we took a bit of a break and had some food and a visit with Petra’s high-school-and-also-now friend Margaret, who had come down from Portland, OR to attend. We walked and caught the last couple songs from christian-pop singer Lauren Daigle, which didn’t really interest me, and then back to Sugarshack for a fun mini-set by Bikini Trill. Then we watched the headliner for the day Kings Of Leon. They are a decent band but I didn’t find them very remarkable. I am not sure if they are headliner material, but I still enjoyed it. And that wrapped up day two.
Sunday November 20th – Day three of the Wonderfront Festival 2022
We had brunch at the same food pop-up as yesterday, then we headed to the stage on the boat for apparent local faves Daring Greatly. The boat experience was fun (again) and they are a talented and tight rock band. We took the water taxi back to main area and heard two or three songs by Kaleidoscope Kid. That was plenty. Not recommended. Then at the Sugarshack was a nice short set by Boostive. After that. we watched most of a lengthy set by Skip Marley, one of Bob’s family. He did a few of Bob’s songs and a bunch of his own. Next up was Noah Cyrus, who is Miley’s sister and has had some success in her own right. It was countryish for the most part and not bad but nothing to write home about. Then next up was Max, who I did not like at all. Then on to Cage The Elephant, who were pretty good. The singer wasn’t quite as on-point as on their recordings but they have a bunch of hits and were a highlight of the day so far. Then it went south with hip-hop “legend” Big Boi. It was pretty awful in my opinion. Of course the crowd loved it. But then it was time for the festival headliner Gwen Stefani. And she deserved to be the headliner, since she was the best act of the whole festival. There were solo hits and lots of No Doubt hits too. It was very visual as well, she is a heck of a show(wo)man. It was a wonderful way to end the festival on a very high note.
Monday November 21st
We stopped at a few thrift stores to shop before and after our lunch at Lucy Ethiopian. Happily fed, we headed home to Oceanside.
