After 80 seasons, the turf still meets the surf at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. What began as a Hollywood hotspot in the era of the racetrack’s founder Bing Crosby has blossomed into one of today’s premier Southern California summer destinations. While famous faces and traditions have come and gone, the seaside oval continues to stand the test of time with its unparalleled entertainment and energy. When Del Mar opens its gates on Opening Day July 17, thousands of visitors will get to experience an action-packed seven weeks filled with live music, craft food and beer, cocktails and high stakes competition running through Labor Day Monday, Sept. 2. Known for its Kentucky Derby vibe set along the Pacific Ocean, Opening Day at Del Mar attracts thousands of fans to celebrate the official start of summer with big bets, and bigger hats. As one of San Diego’s long-standing traditions, fashion-forward trendsetters come dressed to the nines — from head to toe — for the Opening Day Hats Contest, where fans with extravagant headpieces will compete for more than $5,000 in total prizes. The summer festivities continue throughout the season with concerts featuring top entertainers, festivals highlighting incredible bites and booze, and buzz-worthy races showcasing the nation’s leading Thoroughbreds, trainers and jockeys. Offering some of the best entertainment in the region, Del Mar’s Summer Concert Series gives fans the chance to catch a free show most Friday and Saturday nights. This year’s impressive lineup includes Grammy-award winning reggae star Ziggy Marley on Saturday, July 20, country crooners Midland on Saturday, July 27 and alternative reggae rockers Iration on Saturday, Aug. 3.  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 $30. Performances begin shortly after the last race of the day. In addition to free concerts, Del Mar brings together the best of San Diego’s culinary and craft beer scenes with a variety of events. Beer enthusiasts will enjoy Burgers and Brews, which features the region’s top craft breweries and restaurants on Saturday, July 20; wine lovers will soon become connoisseurs after having the opportunity to sample a variety of top-notch wines and champagnes at Uncorked: Del Mar Wine Fest on Saturday, July 27; and barbeque aficionados will have the opportunity to devour dozens of smoked meats at Del Mar’s Turf & Surf BBQ Championship on Sunday, Aug. 18. With something new every week, spending a sunny afternoon at Del Mar is always a sure bet. From Free and Easy Wednesdays, where guests receive free admission, a free seat and a free program, plus deals on tallboys and Brigantine tacos, to Friday Happy Hour, where all signature drinks are half-off from gate opening until 6 p.m., the famed racetrack keeps fans coming back for more. Every weekend at the seaside oval makes for a fabulous family outing, but children and parents won’t want to miss Del Mar’s Family Fun Day and giveaway on Sunday, July 21. Packed with numerous free attractions for the family in the spacious Infield, little ones will be able to climb rock walls, ride ponies, ride down inflatable slides and much more. Midway through the season, Del Mar will present the richest day in racing with the highly-anticipated, $1-million TVG Pacific Classic on Saturday, Aug. 17. The mile and a quarter Grade I testing is one of the west’s foremost prizes and eligible to attract several of the best Thoroughbreds in the country. The day is made even sweeter with a giveaway. Diamond Club members will receive a free heavyweight Mexican-style beach blanket on Pacific Classic day. Diamond Club is free to join and provides big discounts at the track all season long. Summer racing at Del Mar takes place Wednesday through Sunday with the one exception of Closing Day on Labor Day Monday. First post daily is 2 p.m., except on Friday’s when first post shifts to 4 p.m. (exceptions being Aug. 23 and 30 when first post shifts to 3:30 p.m.). For more information, call 858-755-1141 or visit DelMarRacing.com.

It’s official, the City’s new scooter regulations take effect July 1. The new rules will decrease the allowable speed of dockless scooters from 15 to 8 mph on the boardwalk, and to 3 mph in high-traffic areas with the use of geofencing technology. Scooters are to be banned from parking near hospitals, schools, near Petco Park, and on the boardwalk. Electric scooters and bikes are prohibited from riding on city sidewalks. Regulations include: - Speed limits: In specific geofenced areas, operators will slow scooters to 8 mph. Three of the geofenced areas are pedestrian-only and operators will slow scooters to 3 mph with a push message notifying riders to leave that area. - Geofencing will be in effect for beach-area boardwalks, Balboa Park, NTC Park, Mission Bay Park, Petco Park and the pedestrian-only locations, including North/South Embarcadero, MLK Jr. Promenade, and La Piazza della Famiglia. - Staging: In the beach areas, operators are only permitted to stage in groups of up to four, with 40 feet in between each group. The City will identify corral locations and will require their use. - Rider parking: Operators will prohibit riders from ending a ride in specific geofenced areas, including beach area boardwalks. - Education: Consistent messages about local and state laws in smartphone applications will be required. As will on-device labeling about age requirements and how riding on the sidewalk is illegal. - Per device fee: A per device fee of $150 annually will be assessed. A reduction of $15 per device will be offered for operators offering a qualified equity program. - Equity programs may include discounts, equitable distribution, credit-card free unlock or mobile-device free unlock. - Data sharing: A variety of data will be shared about ridership, parking, paths of travel and more to assist the City in transportation planning, Climate Action Plan reporting and enforcement. - Indemnify insurance: Operators will be required to indemnify the City from liability and to hold a $2 million per occurrence, $4 million aggregate and $4 million umbrella insurance policy. - Performance bond: Each operator will be required to pay a “Safety Deposit” – $65 for each device in fleet – to be held in the event the company leaves the market without its devices.  The ordinance will charge dockless companies an annual $150 per-device fee. The City noted that should act as a de facto cap on scooter numbers.

Small business owner Danielle Wiebe is working hard to help women, in a nutshell, run the world one community at a time. “I wanted to create a safe place for women to ask questions and learn about the world of business and also network without feeling like they had to put up a front of being wildly successful,” said Wiebe, founder of Business Babes Collective. “I wanted this space to be open to all women, no matter where they were at in their business.” What started as a monthly get-together with a few business women in Wiebe’s home of Vancouver, Canada quickly became a full-fledged, global networking platform for women business owners and, soon after, made a home on the West Coast. Business Babes Collective, officially launched by Wiebe in 2015, added a chapter in San Diego in 2017 but has been on hiatus since last summer, until now. To reintroduce Business Babes to San Diego, Wiebe and new chapter leader Rachel Valenteros will hold their Summer Series Launch Party at the La Jolla Women’s Club (7791 Draper Ave.) Thursday, June 27. It will be the first event of three this summer, focusing on the topic of “Collaboration over Competition” and how business owners can work together in “mutually beneficial partnerships,” as Wiebe puts in, to grow their businesses. “It’s going to be fun to get the energy and momentum back and see everyone come together after a year,” said Valenteros, who started her own online tropical and coastal vintage shop last year. “I’ve followed their group on Instagram for a little over a year now, and I love the idea of bringing business babes together to build a community versus feeling like we are each other’s competition,” added Auriel O’Niell, Event Manager for La Jolla Woman’s Club. “On top of that, this is a Women’s Club so what better way to support other women?” Business Babes Collective also has a chapter branch in Seattle, as well as two others in the Canadian cities of Toronto and Victoria. Their focus is three-fold, centering on business education, community and making an impact on the world through women-owned businesses. While Wiebe, a social media expert, says Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn have done a great job getting women in touch and connected, in-person networking should never take a back seat. “There’s something special about meeting those women in person and being able to build a real connection,” said Wiebe, who will be a guest panelist at the upcoming event. “It’s cool to be able to have events like this that get women together who are all entrepreneurial and who have similar goals and dreams for themselves and let them know they’re not in this alone.” San Diego Business Babe’s Summer Launch Party will host two additional guest speakers, native to San Diego: Jodie Alonso, founder of The Local Bazaar, and Dianne Manansala-Ringpis, who established her own Filipino restaurant and dessert shop called SNOICE. The event, starting at 6 p.m., will also showcase local clothing and jewelry vendors, plenty of food and desserts, a cocktail hour, photo booths, Q&A sessions with panelists, raffle giveaways at the end of the night. “It’ll be like a massive business party,” said Valenteros, who hopes that Business Babes, together with The La Jolla Women's Club, can create a strong, connected network of women entrepreneurs in San Diego. “I want people to be inspired and have that spark for business. Sometimes, as a business owner, you can fall into a rut where you don’t know what your next step is. I feel that having this community, coming together for the same goals and being comfortable around each other, is a necessity.” Tickets for San Diego Business Babes’ Summer Series Launch Party are $65 and can be purchased on their website, businessbabescollective.com. The event is open to all women and lasts from 6 to 9 p.m. Locations and times for the July and August Business Babes events have yet to be finalized. Business Babes Collective Instagram: @businessbabesco San Diego Business Babes Instagram: @sdbusinesssbabes