By Regina Elling / San Diego Union-Tribune / September 4, 2024
Being able to watch some of the fastest powerboats in the world is one of the highlights of San Diego Bayfair. It is returning for its 60th year at Mission Bay and surrounding beaches. The three-day, family-friendly beach festival runs from Sept. 13 to 15. It has been hailed as the perfect way to end the summer for thousands in Southern California.
Stretching from Fiesta Island to Crown Point Park and East Vacation Island, in addition to powerboat racing, attendees can enjoy beach-based family entertainment, including extreme aquatic sports, live music, a car show, a cornhole tournament, beer gardens and local food vendors.
“This year’s event will be a larger, diverse festival. There will be a variety of events and activities to keep everyone entertained,” said spokesman Gregg Mansfield. “We really look forward to everyone having a good time and enjoying Mission Bay.”
This year’s event marks the return of H1 Unlimited Hydroplane racing, the top-tier powerboat series in the country, as well as Grand Prix World piston boats and American Power Boat Association limited classes. Once known as “thunderboats” because of the thundering noise of their post-WWII engines in the 1960s and ‘70s, unlimited hydroplane races were first held on Mission Bay in 1964.
“This year they will be competing for the 119th Gold Cup, the oldest active trophy in motorsports,” Mansfield said.
For the balance of this article, please go here.
San Diego Bayfair Sept. 13-15
Where: Mission Bay, from Fiesta Island to Crown Point Park and East Vacation Island.
Tickets: $60 for three-day pass. Single-day general admission is $25 for Friday, $35 for Saturday and Sunday. Kids 12 and under are free. The 3-day VIP experience is $350. Active-duty military and reservists free with ID. Spouses get 50 percent off. Buy at sandiegobayfair.org or at the event.
Good to know: Paid parking can be purchased in advance or at the event; RV fees (four nights, five days) range from $500 to $1,600 depending on location; no dogs except service animals; Vendor Village on East Vacation Island is open to the public and does not require a ticket. Access to watch the races requires paid admission.
Hope everyone uses their EV cars, bicycles and MTS to get there as all the boats this year will be racing with lithium batteries.
bwaahahaahhahha
Kind of humorous, this article, followed by a Mission Bay fireworks piece, and then a 1000 vehicle car show. Keep that klimate khange krankin.
That’s harsh. It’s what’s happening. (Keep your klan jokes to yourself please.)
The resturant got me K’d up
A climate change trifecta: Thunderboats in Mission Bay can be heard for three days as far far away as the north side of La Jolla. Ditto for Sea World fireworks. At least the Sunset Cliffs car show is quiet. It definitely is what’s happening.
As an 87 year old native San Diegan living on Crown Point, I’m delighted that we make fun use of our well planned beach recreation areas. I hear the 3 day walk( and have walked it). I hear summer day camps and loud company picnics. Hurray! My tax dollars( and I pay a premium to live here) are being well spent. Keep doing Thunder Boats and fireworks and all the fun stuff we love.
When was the last time you woke up to the mating noises of the Least Terns or the cawing of the green parrots, or are you one of the people who wants them eliminated too?
Oh yeh! You newcomers want to fix us! No thanks!