Gator by the Bay is San Diego’s Most Fun Event (that no one knows about!)
I must admit - I didn’t know anything about Gator by the Bay until last year. It was like I fell into a Alice in Wonderland world with people dressed in crazy costumes, New Orleans parades (complete with beads), dancing and music. It was so much fun (and so delicious) I’m still smiling. So what is it? It’s hard to explain but it’s unlike anything you might imagine happening in San Diego, an authentic four day Mardi Gras celebration from May 11-14, 2023.
I learned a lot last year from my day at the Gator by the Bay event and I’ll share some tips with you so you can get the most out of this super fun event. And spoiler alert - you should go!
WHAT EXACTLY IS “GATOR BY THE BAY” IN SAN DIEGO?
It’s sort of like a four day Mardi Gras party down in the Spanish Landing, the grassy area across from the airport with views of they bay. OK, but what is it??? At first glance it looks like a street fair with vendors and food carts but it’s much more than that. With seven music stages, authentic foods like boiled crawfish, beignets and po’boys, this isn’t like anything you’ve ever experienced in San Diego. There’s plenty of people watching to be had (verrry interesting) and parades with beads tossed to the crowds, just like New Orleans.
If you like people watching, Gator by the Bay is in a class by itself.
MUSIC, DANCING, AND GOOD EATS IS WHAT GATOR BY THE BAY IS ALL ABOUT
Now remember, I had never been and had absolutely NO IDEA what to expect so let me lay it out for you. First and foremost, this is a music festival with people bringing in their beach or camp chairs and staking out spots by the various stages. There’s a listing of people playing but it won’t necessarily matter if you don’t know the artists because the acts come and go throughout the day. It’s a bit like the old San Diego Street Scene, New Orleans Style.
No need to dress up though if you have tails it would not be wrong to wear them.
Most people just put their chairs out and roamed the area, searching for food and beer, then returning to check out the music and hit the dance floors. It’s blues, zydeco, rock, and even a marching band playing “When the Saints Go Marching In” (pro tip: Follow that parade!).
CRAYFISH AND OTHER DELICIOUS DELIGHTS
New Orleans is famous for their foods, from Jambalaya and Po’Boys to my favorite, boiled crawfish. Wait, you’ve never had these? The first time I had them was on a business trip to New Orleans where I was slightly (more than slightly) tipsy and they poured a pile of these in front of me. Like little lobsters, you twist off the tails and pinch out the tail meat, then suck down the juices in the head, all while trying not to get the red spicy seasonings all over your clothes.
These are hard to find in San Diego but they had a seemingly never ending vat of crawfish boiling away. I was expecting rip off prices for these (and willing to pay, why not?) but for $15 I got enough to satisfy my craving. There’s a larger $25 platter and if you want to add boiled potatoes and corn you can. I’ll say it - these were better than the ones I had in New Orleans on Bourbon Street.
DON’T MISS THE BEIGNETS!
Like a cross between a cream puff and a doughnut, beignets are another “must get” food at both New Orleans and Gator by the Bay. Crispy on the outside, pillowy on the inside, with enough powdered sugar to fly though the air as soon as you take a bite. Tip: Don’t wear black unless you want to wear white specks for the rest of the day.
PLAN AHEAD TIPS
Like I said, this was my first time so while I had a GREAT time let me share some wisdom with you so you can have an even better time than I did.
Bring a folding chair - I was jealous of the people who were relaxing in their chairs with a beer and enjoying the music while I stood up in the back. People brought beach chairs, tall camping chairs, blankets, everything goes here.
Check out the music schedule so you know if there’s an act you might want to see.
Plan to stay all day - this isn’t like a street fair where you come and go in a couple of hours. You’ll want to dance (or take their free dance lessons), you’ll want to sample all the food, you might even want to check out the cooking demos.
While there are plenty of food stalls selling things you can find at any street fair (turkey legs, nachos, etc) be selective and make sure you try all of the New Orleans specialties first. You can have a bratwurst later, right?
Parking can be a bit of a hassle so we just parked at Liberty Station and took an Uber in - about $10 each way. No big deal, and no problems.
Go! Just Go!
If Covid has taught me anything it’s that life is short so when out of the ordinary things like this come around don’t waste a lot of time wondering if it’s going to be fun or if it’s worth it, just buy that ticket and go. If you like music, food, and just getting out of the house to do something cool in San Diego then make sure you go to the next Gator by the Bay Festival in San Diego.
Bring your beach chairs and stake out your spot at Gator by the Bay.