Happy Wednesday, North County!

Apparently, the final weekend of September has no interest in going quietly. There are fighter jets over Miramar, indoor soccer between the U.S. and Mexico, Oktoberfest celebrations in Encinitas and a rodeo where kids get in for $1.

Babies can meet a 57-year-old tortoise, parents can stock up on secondhand kids’ gear and teens can squeeze in one final waterpark day. Make sure to check each age range ‘cause plenty of these events are good for multiple ages.

Let’s break it down.

1. Pumpkin Station Opening Weekend Pumpkin Station opens for the season with pumpkins, festive photo spots, mechanical rides, inflatable slides and a petting zoo. Admission and parking are free, so you can keep this as simple as letting the little ones wander around—or spend money on the attractions once they spot them.

📍 Del Mar Pumpkin Station, 15555 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar
💰 Free admission and parking; rides, attractions and pumpkins cost extra
📅 Opens Friday, September 25; Friday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
👉 Details

2. Just Between Friends Children’s Consignment Sale Thousands of gently used baby clothes, toys, books, strollers and other kid gear will be marked down as much as 50–90% from retail. Just Between Friends is putting on the three-day sale, which is especially useful if your baby has somehow outgrown everything again.

📍 Del Mar Fairgrounds, 322 Via De La Valle, Solana Beach, CA 92075
💰 Admission varies by shopping session; some sessions are free
📅 Friday–Sunday, September 25–27
👉 Details

3. Courtyard Rhythms Encinitas 101 is turning the Lumberyard courtyard into a free outdoor concert with Josiah and The UpLift Band. The early-evening start and open courtyard make it an easy way to hear some music with a baby or toddler without committing to a formal concert.

📍 The Lumberyard, 937 South Coast Highway 101, Encinitas
💰 Free
📅 Friday & Saturday, September 25 & 26, 5–8 p.m.
👉 Details

4. Tortoise Talk Meet Sebastian, the Children’s Museum of Discovery’s 57-year-old desert tortoise, and learn how he survives in the wild. The short talk is included with admission, so you can stay afterward and explore the rest of the museum.

📍 Children’s Museum of Discovery, 320 North Broadway, Escondido
💰 Included with admission: $17; free for members and children younger than 1; $3 with a qualifying EBT, SNAP, CalFresh or WIC card
📅 Sunday, September 27, 10–10:30 a.m.
👉 Details

1. Encinitas Oktoberfest & Artisan Faire More than 130 artisans, Bavarian performers and food vendors are taking over Mountain Vista Drive for Encinitas’ 30th Oktoberfest. The kids’ activities include crafts and face painting, and the dog costume contest may end up being the most competitive event of the entire weekend.

📍 Mountain Vista Drive between Wandering Road and Rambling Road, Encinitas
💰 Free admission, shuttle and bike valet; food and drinks cost extra
📅 Sunday, September 27, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
👉 Details

2. St. Michael’s Jazz Fest St. Michael’s is filling its lawn with jazz from local musicians, school ensembles and visiting performers—including artists with New Orleans roots. The entire day is free, so families can stop by for one set without needing little kids to make it through an eight-hour festival.

📍 St. Michael’s by-the-Sea, 2775 Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad
💰 Free
📅 Saturday, September 26, 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m.
👉 Details

3. Fall Family Workshop Kids can make a star-and-planet wand inspired by Gustav Holst’s The Planets during the Children’s Museum of Discovery’s hands-on family workshop. It’s included with admission, and the rest of the museum is there when the project is finished.

📍 Children’s Museum of Discovery, 320 North Broadway, Escondido
💰 Included with admission: $17; discounted admission available for military families and qualifying EBT, SNAP, CalFresh or WIC cardholders
📅 Friday, September 25, 3–4 p.m., or Saturday, September 26, noon–1 p.m. and 3–4 p.m.
👉 Details

4. Pacific Islander Festival More than 900 entertainers will bring the music, dances and traditions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia to Mission Bay. The free festival also includes cultural demonstrations, crafts and plenty of island food—which is a solid reason to venture outside the North County bubble.

📍 Ski Beach, Mission Bay, San Diego
💰 Free admission; food and shopping cost extra
📅 Saturday–Sunday, September 26–27
👉 Details

5. Oktoberfest at Union Kitchen & Tap This one may be more for Mom and Dad, but Union Kitchen is adding patio games, prizes and photo opportunities. There will also be German music, Bavarian pretzels and a stein-holding contest.

📍 Union Kitchen & Tap, 1108 South Coast Highway 101, Encinitas
💰 Free admission; food and drinks cost extra
📅 Saturday, September 26, 1–5 p.m.
👉 Details

1. MCAS Miramar Air Show Military demonstration teams, civilian aerobatic pilots, vintage warbirds and aircraft displays take over Miramar for three days. General admission and parking are free, although upgraded seating is available if you prefer not to spend the day searching for a decent patch of pavement.

📍 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego
💰 Free general admission and parking; reserved seating costs extra
📅 Friday–Sunday, September 25–27, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
👉 Details

2. Poway Rodeo — Kids Buck Day Bull riding, barrel racing and professional rodeo events come to Poway, with a Kids’ Fun Zone outside the arena. Saturday afternoon is Kids Buck Day, which means every child gets into the 1 p.m. performance for $1.

📍 Poway Valley Riders Association Arena, 14336 Tierra Bonita Road, Poway
💰 Kids are $1 for Saturday’s 1 p.m. performance; adult tickets start around $20
📅 Saturday, September 26, 1 p.m.
👉 Details

3. Continental Cup: USA vs. Mexico The U.S. and Mexico bring their soccer rivalry indoors for a fast-moving match at Frontwave Arena. Expect boards, constant action and plenty of noise when top arena-soccer players from both countries face off.

📍 Frontwave Arena, 3475 Hero Drive, Oceanside
💰 Tickets start around $79; parking costs extra
📅 Saturday, September 26, 7 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m.
👉 Details

4. Julian Autumn Jubilee Fort Cross kicks off apple season with a petting zoo, hayride, cider pressing, farm activities and old-time games. It’s outside North County, but cooler Julian weather and an entire day of activities make a decent argument for heading east.

📍 Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures, 4425 Highway 78, Santa Ysabel
💰 Activity packages range from approximately $10–$40
📅 Saturday–Sunday, September 26–27, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
👉 Details

1. Courtyard Rhythms: Josiah with The UpLift Band Josiah and The UpLift Band bring reggae and island-inspired music to the Lumberyard courtyard for a free Saturday-night show. Teens can grab food downtown, listen for a while and walk around Encinitas without this feeling like a children’s event.

📍 The Lumberyard, 937 South Coast Highway 101, Encinitas
💰 Free
📅 Saturday, September 26, 5–8 p.m.
👉 Details

3. The Wave Waterpark’s Final Weekend This is the final chance of the season to hit the FlowRider, slide tower, lazy river and larger waterslides at The Wave. It works especially well for younger teens who have aged out of bounce houses but are not exactly looking for a night at a 21-and-over venue.

📍 The Wave Waterpark, 101 Wave Drive, Vista
💰 Day-pass prices vary by age; discounted Vista-resident pricing is available
📅 Saturday–Sunday, September 26–27
👉 Details

4. Dogstar Keanu Reeves trades the action-movie weapons for a bass guitar when Dogstar brings its All In Now tour to The Sound. The alternative-rock trio is joined by The Backfires, and yes, this is probably the rare concert where parents may be more excited about one member of the band than their teenagers are.

📍 The Sound at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar
💰 $49.50 in advance, $55 on the day of the show or $79.50 for reserved seating; parking costs extra (limited tickets!)
📅 Sunday, September 27, 8 p.m.
👉 Details