Dozens of parents and family members were forced to wait outside the graduation ceremony for Eastlake High School students Wednesday evening after the stadium reached capacity.

"It felt frantic," said Melissa Velize, a family friend of an Eastlake High School graduate.

NBC 7 spoke with Sweetwater Union High School District's Manny Rubio who said families were not allowed inside the Devore Stadium due to safety reasons.

Wednesday night, 698 students were participating in the graduation ceremony.

The capacity for Devore Stadium, located on Otay Lakes Road, is nearly 10,000, Rubio told NBC 7. 

Each graduate was given 12 tickets each, he said. Leftover tickets were handed out to students who requested more.

"It’s a once in a lifetime event and we’re missing it,” Velize said.

She told NBC 7, when she arrived at the stadium around 5:45 p.m, there was a crowd of people at the gates, waiting to get inside. She was told there was no more space and advised to try a different entrance.

But she said that the other entrance had the same issue.

“We actually heard his name in the microphone and we cheered in the parking lot," she said.

Rubio told that it appeared people were passing tickets to each other and reusing them multiple times, potentially causing the stadium to reach capacity.

Velize said she hoped next time, the school would issue tickets with barcodes on them to avoid this happening again.

He said based on the Fire Marshal's warning about safety issues due to overcrowding, the school staff stopped letting people inside.

Families were informed they could watch the livestream of the ceremony on Eastlake High School's website.

From a recent Facebook post in April, Leighton Dorey IV appeared to be on top of the world during a ski tour in the Chamonix Mountains of France.

Now, the 39-year-old man is behind bars at the Vista Detention Facility, suspected in the death of his father, Leighton Dorey III.

According to San Diego County Sheriff's Department investigators, the 71-year-old man was found dead by his wife inside their home on the 17000 block of La Brisa in Rancho Santa Fe.

Dorey had been strangled to death and had wounds to his head, neck and chest. 

"As long as I've known him, there was some stress between him and his father," said Jeff Weston, speaking of Dorey's son.

He added that the stress, in part, centered on financial issues.

Weston told NBC 7 he employed Leighton Dorey IV as a remote, contract coder for his Orange County company over the past four years. That contract had recently ended.

He said Dorey left France where he had been living and returned to the United States to look for work.

Many in the neighborhood called the elder Dorey as a friendly person.

“To know him was to make you feel very good,” explained his friend, Roger Lindland. “It wasn't that he was hilarious. It’s  just that he was a clean, clear thinking person and a joy to be around him and he challenged you.”

Lindland said Dorey did not speak about his relationship with his son.

“Leighton was a very thoughtful man and a decent, decent, guy. It’s so shocking. Such a tragedy," Lindland added.

Leighton Dorey IV was taken into custody in Riverside County Wednesday morning. He will be booked on one count of murder, deputies said.

He is scheduled to make his first court appearance later this week.

Passengers had to tackle a man who tried to storm the cockpit of a Malaysia Airlines jet shortly after takeoff Wednesday night in Australia, authorities and witnesses told NBC News.

Witnesses said the man was screaming, running up and down the aisle with what appeared to be an electronic device. Passengers stopped him and restrained him with seatbelts.

An official for the Victoria state police said the man never entered the cockpit of Flight MH128, which landed safely back at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, Australia's second-busiest airport.

The airport was closed for hours so tactical officers could sweep the plane and the airport, and the police official added there "appears to be no imminent threat to passengers, staff or public."

There are no deals between the U.S. and Russia, the State Department said Wednesday night in response to reports that President Donald Trump was considering returning two diplomatic facilities in the U.S. to Russia, NBC News reported.

In December, then-President Barack Obama closed the compounds — one in Maryland and one in New York — in retaliation for Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 election. 

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the Trump administration was considering handing back the facilities.

"The U.S. and Russia have reached no agreements," said R.C. Hammond, senior communications adviser for the State Department. "The next meeting will be in June in St. Petersburg."

Home improvement has long been synonymous with Home Depot and Lowe's. But a Texas-based green conscience start-up is aiming to make sustainable home improvement appeal to more than just environmentalists.

TreeHouse will open the world's first energy-positive home improvement store in Dallas Friday. Through the use of 539 rooftop solar panels and two Tesla Powerwalls the store will actually generate energy well in excess of its needs.

“This store runs on 100 percent sunshine,” Treehouse's Ben Kusin said, adding that the excess renewable energy that the store generates will be put back onto the power grid and made available for others to use.

The company is the first retailer authorized to sell Tesla's home energy storage battery.

"A home battery could make energy bills an archaic relic of a past system," said TreeHouse co-founder and CEO Jason Ballard, speaking at Tesla’s energy storage event in California. "You can now own your own production and storage of the energy you need. This takes us one step closer to completely powering homes without fossil fuels."

The store will be the retailer’s second location. It's flagship store opened in Austin in 2011. An additional store, planned for the Plano area, is due to open this fall. Dubbed the Whole Foods of home improvement, TreeHouse's expansion highlights a demand for eco-friendly products and a desire to reduce carbon footprint. 

Yet, President Donald Trump is expected to announce Thursday whether the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change. White House sources tell NBC News that the president is leaning toward an exit. 

The 2015 agreement, which is not a binding treaty, was spurred by the overwhelming global scientific consensus that rising global temperatures over the last several decades are caused by man-made activity. The accord's goal is aimed at preventing the planet from warming by more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), which scientists warn could have damaging consequences.

The agreement calls on countries to make voluntary national pledges to reduce emissions. Despite Trump's decision, businesses like TreeHouse will forge ahead with eco-friendly alternatives.

"The home consumes the highest amount of our natural resources, such as water and energy, produces the largest amount of landfill waste, and is where we will be exposed to the greatest number of toxins in our lifetime," the company said. "By working to solve these problems, TreeHouse finds new routes to dramatically change the quality of our lives. We can build better shelters for ourselves, our communities, and our planet."

TreeHouse offers a carefully curated selection of products and services that promote healthful and sustainable living spaces, with an emphasis on performance and design. Every product is scored based on health, performance, corporate responsibility and sustainability.

“TreeHouse is reinventing home improvement with the twin goals of ecological and human health,” the company explains on its web site. “Our core principles are applied to everything in the store. From thoughtful and innovative products to comprehensive, high-quality services -- every element is designed to build a better home.”

NBC 7's Liberty Zabala reports from Mission Hills High School in San Marcos with a look at why this time of year is so dangerous on the roads for teenage drivers.

California law makers are considering a permanent snooze button on early school days.

Senate Bill 328 promises to slow down the morning race for parents like Karen Ameche. She described her family’s morning routine as hectic.

"It’s get up at this time, so we can leave at this time, to be at school at this time," Ameche said.

While Ameche is all for a later start time for school, John Hall said a change like that would complicate things.

"I’m going to work 7 a.m. - 7:30 a.m., if I'm late and you push it back an hour, you've kind of messed up my work schedule," he said.

Los Angeles area Sen. Anthony Portantino who authored the bill says it’s about the health of kids not about parent schedules.

Recent studies show teenagers aren't getting close to the eight to 10 hours of recommended sleep per night.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree and say 8:30 school start times would result in happier and healthier kids.

According to a policy statement issued in 2014 entitled "Let Them Sleep", the AAP said, Many studies have documented that the average adolescent in the U.S. is chronically sleep-deprived and pathologically sleepy."

Parent Kim Hughes agrees and said she sees it first-hand.

"We are late many days because they don't want to wake up or get out of bed,” Hughes said. “I think a later start would be great for kids."

While this idea might sound good to some, there are those who think it’s overstepping the role of government.

“That falls on parents to put their kids to bed, they let their kids stay up on the computer all night playing games, online, doing whatever, kids are up til midnight," parent Jennifer Garcia said.

Arguments against the change include its impact on after school sports and activities as well as concerns about teens getting home even later, well after dark.

Some teachers believe student behavior gets worse later in the day. One teacher told NBC 7 her students seem to get a little more tired towards the end of the day and are not as alert.

The San Diego Unified School District, the second largest school district in the state, hasn't taken a stance on the legislation. A spokesperson says any change to start times would require new negotiations with the teachers union while presenting serious challenges to the transportation department.

The proposed legislation would affect only middle and high school students and would not begin until 2020. The bill passed the state senate and moves on to the assembly.

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson will tour La Mirada Elementary where the San Ysidro School District discovered elevelated levels of lead and bacterian in faucets and developed a plan to solve the problem. NBC 7 Nicole Gomez reports on this most recent development in our "Safe to Drink?" coverage

San Diego software startup CureMatch Inc. is launching its cancer treatment service with a reasonable price tag for adults and free for children.

The company has a software platform that uses analytics to help doctors determine the best treatments (and latest combination therapies) for cancer patients. The startup’s software combs through millions of possible drug combinations, comparing a patient’s genetic profile with data from clinical trials, scientific publications and other sources to find the best possible treatment regimens.

With roughly 300 cancer drugs on the market, the company’s president and COO, Stephane Richard, said there are about 4.5 million possible treatment combinations.

The cost of the CureMatch report is $1,000 for adults and free for children with cancer.

“Children are the ones with the most life to lose,” said Blaise Barrelet, CureMatch’s CEO, in a statement. “Pediatric cancer is devastating. When a kid has cancer, it’s like the whole family has cancer. We don’t want these families to struggle financially, so we are offering our report to them at no cost.”

Personalized cancer treatment starts with genomic testing of the tumor. Genomic testing is not performed by CureMatch, but by one of many third-party companies. CureMatch uses the genomic data in its analysis, and then guides the oncologists so that they can combine drugs in the best way to fight the cancer. Typically, the cost of genomic testing is mostly covered by insurance, according to CureMatch.

"We think the combined cost of the genomic testing and our report should stay between $1,500 and $2,000,” Barrelet said.

Barrelet has personal experience with cancer treatment, as he was diagnosed with leukemia four years ago, according to an interview earlier this year. His experience in the health care system is what inspired him to co-found CureMatch, along with his other cancer tech company CureMetrix Inc.

“Lots of oncologists make money by selling chemotherapy,” Barrelet said at the time. “I call them chemo shops.”

Barrelet said patients should have access to information that could help them get personalized treatment.

CureMatch is financially backed by local venture studio Analytics Ventures, where Barrlet serves as co-founder and managing partner.

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President Donald Trump is considering rolling back Obama-era policies on opening diplomatic relations with Cuba, several sources told NBC News. The sources cautioned, however, that no final decisions have been made. 

The rollback is unlikely to completely sever diplomatic ties or shutter the U.S. Embassy in Havana, but may include reimposing limits on banking, people-to-people exchanges, exporting Cuban cigars and rum, and other measures. 

A number of congressional leaders, including Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, have been vocal critics of the Obama administration's deals with Raul Castro. Rubio is said to be a key player in pushing Trump toward undoing the current policies, NBC News reported. 

Critics of the rollback in diplomatic relations include the Chamber of Commerce, states that export agricultural products to Cuba and intelligence agencies that have benefited from improved intelligence sharing. 

President Trump would announce the plan in Miami in an executive order, citing human rights abuses on the communist-run island, according to NBC News. 

In January, the Obama administration ended the "wet foot, dry foot" policy, which allowed any Cuban who made it to U.S. soil to stay and become a legal resident..

Local activists are investigating cases of alleged verbal and physical mistreatment at the U.S.-Mexico border including dozens of complaints from the Otay and San Ysidro port of entries.

The report was developed over the last two years. It was compiled by volunteers who would randomly ask people who'd just crossed the border about their experience and how they were treated by agents.

Tens of thousands of people walk or drive through the San Ysidro Port of Entry every day, making it one of the busiest ports in the world.

A two-year report released by the American Friends Service Committee looked into 51 cases of alleged verbal or physical mistreatment of people at this location.

Border agents tend to me more aggressive, according to Pedro Rios with the American Friends Service Committee.

One woman said she was harassed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees in February 2016. She claims her arm was bruised when she handcuffed. Officers yelled at her, she said, and forced her to kneel while they inspected her vehicle.

“She complained that this was painful to her, to her knees. After a long while she was eventually released,” Rio said.

Nothing was found. No charges were filed.

Al Dolezal goes to Tijuana about twice a month. He said he’s never really had a problem. In his experience, returning to San Diego is a smooth process.

“I think they are pretty professional,” Dolezal said. “Of course, officers have some bad days.”

Some travelers say, if you have an easy access pass, for the SENTRI or READY lane, things are a lot easier. Those who don't have such a pass may get asked more questions.

Tijuana resident Sandra Molinas said she’s experienced a litany of questions.

"Where are you going, why are you crossing, why do you keep on going back and forth, if you are a U.S. citizen,” Molinas explained.

Fifty-one cases is a small percentage compared to tens of thousands of people who cross every day.

Rio said people hesitate to file complaints.

“They felt fearful that documenting their case would bring some sort of retaliation against them,” he said. “They felt there wouldn't be any recourse if they did tell their case.”

CBP did not comment on the NBC 7 report. The committee that released this report, said it plans to share its findings with CBP along with its recommendations.

Read the full report here.

The FBI and Congress are examining a campaign event last spring during which Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions and Jared Kushner were in a small gathering with Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak and other diplomats at Washington's Mayflower Hotel, multiple U.S. officials told NBC News.

Five current and former U.S. officials told NBC News they are aware of classified intelligence suggesting there was some sort of private encounter between Trump and his aides and the Russian envoy, despite a heated denial from Sessions, according to NBC News.

Kushner also denied through a spokesman that he met privately with Kislyak that day.

The officials acknowledged to NBC News that the evidence does not amount to proof, and they have declined to provide details about it.

"The Department of Justice appointed special counsel to assume responsibility for this matter," Department of Justice spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said in a statement. "We will allow him to do his job. It is unfortunate that anonymous sources whose credibility will never face public scrutiny are continuously trying to hinder that process by peddling false stories to the mainstream media. The facts haven't changed; the then-Senator did not have any private or side conversations with any Russian officials at the Mayflower Hotel."

Flyers that warn about penalties for supporting illegal immigration have been posted in Washington, D.C., and the city's mayor is telling people to remove them.

Official-looking flyers with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security logo and the words U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say "SANCTUARY CITY NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC NOTICE" and warn of jail time.

But ICE says they did not post the flyers.

“The immigration enforcement notices appearing across Washington, D.C. were not issued or sanctioned by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)," a spokeswoman said.

"Just like false reports of immigration checkpoints or random sweeps, notices like these are dangerous and irresponsible," the spokeswoman continued. "Any person who actively incites panic or fear of law enforcement is doing a disservice to the community, endangering public safety and the very people they claim to support and represent.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser instructed residents to tear down the flyers. "DC is a sanctuary city. Clearly the flyer is meant to scare and divide our residents. We won't stand for it. #DCValues," she wrote.

D.C. police and the Department of Public Works also have been told to take them down. 

The flyer cites portions of U.S. immigration law and lists phone numbers for ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection tip lines.

It's not clear who posted the flyers. 

D.C. is a proud sanctuary city that issues provisional driver's licenses to undocumented residents. Police do not ask about residency status, and in January Bowser announced the creation of a legal defense fund to help immigrants.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.

Gunshots and explosions rang out early Friday at a mall, casino and hotel complex near Manila's international airport in the Philippine capital, sparking a security alarm amid an ongoing Muslim militant siege in the country's south.

Philippine police rushed to the Resorts World Manila complex early Friday after gunshots rang out at the commercial center, where smoke began billowing from an upper floor of the mall.

There were reports of injuries by witnesses, including a SWAT member, who rushed to the scene and was reportedly fired upon by unidentified men.

Resorts World Manila said in its Facebook account that it was "currently on lockdown following reports of gunfire from unidentified men," adding "the company is working closely with the Philippine National Police to ensure that all guests and employees are safe."

"We ask for your prayers during these difficult times," the company said.

Genting Americas, the company that operates Resorts World Casinos in the Americas, said in a statement that they're increasing security at their locations. 

"Out of an abundance of caution, we have increased security at our properties," the statement said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by this terrible tragedy."

Philippine police have not given details about the incident but have begun cordoning off the area near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

"I heard many, many gunshots," Julio Silva, a witness who managed to dash out of the mall complex, told DZMM radio network.

The incident is unfolding amid a 10-day deadly siege by Muslim militants aligned to the Islamic State group in the southern city of Marawi. The attack has sparked fears that the militants may attack elsewhere to divert the focus of thousands of troops trying to quell the siege.

The SITE Intelligence Group, a U.S. terrorism monitor, said an Islamic State-linked Filipino operative who provides daily updates on the ongoing clashes in Marawi claimed that "lone wolf soldiers" of the Islamic State group is responsible for the attack at Resorts World Manila.

An English message by the operative was distributed across several pro-IS Telegram chat groups, SITE said. According to SITE, he wrote: "The lone wolf soldiers of Khilafah attack the heart of Kufar the city of Manila in Resort World."

A pastor at a Carlsbad church accused of repeatedly molesting a child over the course of about a year will appear in court for the first time Thursday afternoon.

The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Matthew Tague, 43, of San Marcos, will be arraigned at the North County Regional Center.

Tague, a pastor at the North Coast Calvary Chapel, was arrested Wednesday on 16 counts of lewd and lascivious acts on one minor victim. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) said Tague called deputies on Monday and reported the crimes himself.

He’s being held at the Vista Detention Facility on $1.9 million bail.

According to SDSO investigators, Tague’s victim is under 14 years old and was allegedly molested by force multiple times.

SDSO Lt. Karen Stubkjaer said she could not disclose details Wednesday on the nature of the relationship between the pastor and his victim. She did say the molestation had been happening for about a year.

Stubkjaer confirmed the allegations are not related to Tague’s position at the church.

A neighbor of the suspect, Lon Plourde, said the allegations are shocking and disturbing. He said Tague is a father of two grown children and three much younger adopted children.

The neighbor said that, to him, nothing seemed amiss at the Tague household. Plourde recalled always seeing Tague playing outside with his kids. He said the children all seemed very happy, too.

North Coast Calvary Chapel said Tague has been terminated from his job there. The church released this statement on Wednesday:

"We are deeply grieved to share that early this week we learned that a pastor at North Coast Calvary Chapel, Matthew Tague, was reported to have acted inappropriately with a minor, off church property, and outside of church ministry activities. When our staff learned of the allegations, we immediately reported theMo accusation to our Sherriff’s Department and terminated Mr. Tague’s employment.

On Wednesday, May 31, Mr. Tague was arrested on suspicion of the offense. The investigation of the accusation is now in the hands of law enforcement. We ask you to please pray for the victim, as well as the family involved in this tragic matter. Please pray for law enforcement as they determine the facts. We also ask you to pray for justice and restorative healing to take place for all involved. We are utterly heartbroken by these events.

We have strict requirements and procedures in place for hiring pastors and staff including professional background checks and exhaustive interviews. In this case, Mr. Tague had no previous record of arrest or criminal charges. It goes without saying that we are cooperating fully with law enforcement."

The investigation is ongoing. The SDSO said there’s no indication of additional victims in this case.

A motorcyclist vanished after a multi-vehicle, hit-and-run crash on westbound State Route 94 on Wednesday evening, confirmed California Highway Patrol (CHP).

The motorcyclist appears to have fled the scene and has not been located, stated CHP. Up to eight vehicles were involved in this pile-up that was caused when a motorcyclist sideswiped another driver in Oak Park around 10:45 p.m.

A second car overturned when it collided with the motorcycle. Four other vehicles may have bumped into debris from the crash, stated CHP.

The driver whose vehicle overturned suffered minor injuries, according to CHP. Officers searched along SR-94 for the motorcyclist without finding anyone.

As of now, there is no known information about the rider who was on the motorcycle.

A mother walking a crosswalk while pushing her 6-month-old baby in a stroller was hit by a driver in Vista Wednesday, authorities said.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO), the accident happened at around 12:10 p.m. at the intersection of East Vista Way and Anza Avenue.

The mother – who’s 35 years old – was walking with her infant eastbound in the crosswalk across East Vista Way. At the same time a driver traveling eastbound on Anza Way made a right turn at the intersection, striking the woman and knocking her to the ground.

The SDSO said the baby was not hurt.

The mother was taken to Palomar Hospital with unspecified but serious injuries.

Deputies said the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with officials. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

The investigation is ongoing; anyone with information can reach out to the SDSO’s Vista Traffic Division at (760) 940- 4556.

Two educators in San Diego County who were named California teachers of the year were honored Thursday with a visit from the State Superintendent.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson toured their classrooms in San Diego and Vista.

"We really need to focus on the need to have more people enter," Torlakson told NBC 7. "We're 8,000 teachers short, each year that we need."

At 9:15 a.m, Torlakson visited teacher Megan Gross at the Del Norte High School on Nighthawk Lane in San Diego. Besides receiving the California Teacher of the Year award, Gross was also a finalist for the National Teacher of the Year award.

The visit kicked off with a special moment when Gross introduced Torlakson to her special education student named Gerald. The student communicated with the superintendent via an iPad.

Torlakson praised Gross for having a special flare he calls "Megan Magic" that really helps students succeed. He says the key to her magic is that she takes the time to really learn how each of her students communicates and learns in his or her own way, whether that entails verbal or non-verbal communication methods.

She is the type of outstanding educator that the Superintendent said he wanted to learn from by touring their classrooms.

Torlakson, a former high school science teacher and coach, also spoke about inspiring more people to pursue teaching careers. He says that is desperately needed in California's teacher shortage.

At 12 p.m., Torlakson visited science teacher Jenny Chien at the Casita Center for Technology, Science and Math on Cedar Drive in Vista.

Earlier this year, Torlakson honored five California Teachers of the Year. Later, Torlakson will tour the classroom of Mark Lantsberger, the Poway Unified School District Teacher of the Year.

There goes the neighborhood: Eclectic indie-rock juggernauts Arcade Fire are returning to San Diego! On Thursday morning, Live Nation announced the Canadian band will take their fall “Infinite Content” tour across North America -- with a stop in America’s Finest City scheduled for Oct. 18 at San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena.

It’s been more than a minute since the fan-loved and critically acclaimed rock troupe has set foot in town: Their most recent performance came all the way back at Sleep Train Amphitheatre (now named Mattress Firm Amphitheatre) on Aug. 5, 2014 -- the same year they co-headlined Coachella. The band's upcoming tour, which kicks off in Quebec on Sept. 5, coincides nicely with their long-awaited new album, “Everything Now,” due out on July 28. The title track was also released Thursday as the lead single; check it out!

Now to the nitty-gritty: Citi “Thank You” card-holders will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, June 6 at 10 a.m. PST until June 8 at 10 p.m. For complete pre-sale details, visit citiprivatepass.com. Tickets to the general public go on sale Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. PST right here.

As a huge bonus, the Grammy Award-winning Canadian sextet has tapped the rising indie-rock singer/songwriter Angel Olsen to open the San Diego show. We caught her at Soda Bar a couple years ago and were simply awestruck.

Bottom line: This Oct. 18 show should be exceptional in every way. Snag tickets as soon as you can!

If you’re visiting Balboa Park on a Friday evening this summer, you may want to come hungry – and ready to splurge on a treat or two.

For the second year, “Food Truck Fridays” return to the San Diego landmark, a summer series that brings more than a dozen food trucks to the Plaza de Panama and El Prado walkway every Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The weekly event kicks off this Friday and runs through Sept. 29. The food trucks rotate on a weekly basis.

On opening night, the tasty lineup includes: Tacos La Mezcla; Mastiff Sausage; Seoul Man; Marcel Belgium Waffles; Taber BBQ; Born in Brooklyn; Devilicious; Currywurst; Frankfurt; Super Q; Two for the Road; New Orleans Cuisine & Catering; Sicilian Breeze; Lil’ Miss Shortcakes.

As visitors grab some food, they’ll also be treated to live entertainment (with an opportunity to cut a rug, of course) and family-friendly activities at the park, many hosted by various Balboa Park organizations.

The opening night performance will showcase more than two dozen students from the School of Creative & Performing Arts, under the direction of Dr. John Reynolds.

Later in the summer, on June 30 and Aug. 25, the Gator by the Bay/Bon Temps Social Club will perform with a 10-piece band. There will be a dance floor, as the group is known to bring down the house.

Food Truck Fridays draw a lot of families to Balboa Park. Many bring blankets or lawn chairs and eat their food truck hauls on the grass while enjoying the evening under the stars. It’s also an easy idea for a date night.

Organizers set up a little area in Plaza de Panama dubbed the “living room,” which includes an artificial lawn for the kids to play on, a giant checkers set and oversized bean bags.

The program is a collaborative effort of the Balboa Park Conservancy and the City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department.

While checking out the food truck event, visitors may also want to stick around for “Balboa Park After Dark,” another cool summer series that goes down after sunset every Friday, offering special nighttime deals and attractions.