08/07/2026
Our Best of San Diego issue begins on Chicano Park Day, with Alicia Keys singing to the city from a Barrio Logan rooftop.
In April, she and husband Swizz Beatz climbed onto the roof of Arts-Rec, an arts-skate-culture-community hub on Logan Ave. Beatz (who’s produced some of the biggest artists of the last few decades: DMX, Beyoncé, Lil Wayne) lugged up his turntables. Then Keys launched into “No One,” singing to the massive crowd below.
That moment lifted Chicano Park Day—an important cultural anniversary for our city—into national headlines.
Local photographer and videographer Zack Mack ( on IG) was on the roof of Arts-Rec when it happened. We chose his photo for the cover because it represents what this issue is about. It’s the best of us, from La Jolla to Barrio, from La Mesa to Encanto. And this is a portrait of belonging, a snapshot of our city in time.
Best of San Diego isn’t a “point at cool things and tell people to go” list. We dug through a year of headlines: the major issues facing the city, the laws that changed it, the pockets of culture that grew, and the days people here will remember. Then our editors chose the people, places, and things that best capture those shifts, and told their stories within these pages.
And we’re not the only ones chiming in. Part of being a San Diego Magazine editor is knowing when to shut up and let the locals speak. We asked our readers to submit their picks in more than 500 categories… and you submitted nearly 134,000 votes. So if you find yourself needing recs for wedding venues, 5Ks, dermatologists, or just about anything else, you’ll find them here. Straight from your community.
Get a preview of the issue here: https://sandiegomagazine.com/category/features/
Find a copy on newsstands now (Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods, specialty grocery stores). Better yet, subscribe. We’re producing our September issue right now. It’s the biggest arts and culture initiative in the magazine’s history. We can’t wait to get it into your hands.
