Del Mar Opening Day and Summer Racing Season
Del Mar is gearing up for the highly anticipated summer racing season filled with concerts and events at the famous seaside track. The seven-week meet is the official kick-off to summer in San Diego with Opening Day on Wednesday, July 19, and the action continues through to Labor Day Monday, September 4.
More than 40,000 fans are expected for Opening Day at Del Mar, a long-standing summer tradition in San Diego known as one of the most fabulous, fashionable and fun festivities in the west. The famous Opening Day Hats Contest will turn heads, as many fashion-forward trendsetters will strut their finest and most extravagant attire for the big day.
The excitement will continue throughout the season with free concerts from some of the nation’s best musicians, festivals featuring locally crafted cuisine and award-winning beers that San Diego is known for, along with many of the nation’s top horses, trainers and jockeys. With every week presenting something new to discover, spending a summer afternoon at Del Mar is always a winner.
Offering some of the best entertainment in the region, Del Mar’s Summer Concert Series gives music-goers the chance to catch a free show every Friday and select Saturdays and Sundays throughout the season. This year’s lineup features an impressive array of talent, including long-time hip hop star Ludacris on Saturday, August 12, one of America’s favorite alternative bands, Violent Femmes, on Friday, July 28, indie rockers Lord Huron on Friday, August 25 and The Revivalists on Friday, September 1, country-star Billy Currington on Saturday, August 5, along with EDM-star Steve Aoki on Sunday, September 3.
2017 Del Mar Summer Concert Series Lineup:
Friday, July 21 – Tribal Seeds
Friday, July 28 – Violent Femmes
Friday, August 4 – Eagles of Death Metal
Saturday, August 5 – Country Fest starring Billy Currington
Friday, August 11 – Special Guest
Saturday, August 12 – Ludacris
Friday, August 18 – Steel Pulse
Friday, August 25 – Lord Huron
Saturday, August 26 – Slightly Stoopid
Friday, September 1 – The Revivalists
Sunday, September 3 – Steve Aoki
All performances will take place in the seaside concert area, located at the west end of the grandstand. Performances begin shortly after the last race of the day and are presented by Coors Light. All concerts are 18 and up and free with the purchase of standard $6 racetrack admission. For concertgoers entering after the day’s final race admission is $20.
Guests should be sure to arrive in advance of the Friday concerts so they can enjoy a Del Margarita or two during Happy Hour, featuring half off of all Del Mar’s signature drinks until 6 p.m. every Friday throughout the season.
2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard in Del Mar.
