SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego's Rady Shell is offering free, open rehearsals to the public this summer — and all you need is a blanket.
The Rady Shell keeps rehearsals for its concerts open and free to the public, giving anyone a chance to hear the orchestra live without buying a ticket.
"It's about accessibility, and one of the best ways for anyone to be able to see the symphony live without paying for the ticket is to go to an open rehearsal," Lea Slusher, the Executive Director for the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, said.
Visitors can spread out on the grass or grab a seat closer to the stage, right next to the Rady Shell, to get a better view of the performance.
"Before this was here, this was just a big public park, and it still - I would still like people to think of it still as a public park. We just happen to be here, playing great music," Ben Jaber, the principal horn player for the San Diego Symphony, said.
The rehearsals are family-friendly and are typically held on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during mid-morning hours. Today marked the first rehearsal of the summer, with many more scheduled throughout the season.
Per the Rady Shell website, dogs are not allowed on the turf, and rehearsal times can change at the last minute. Here is the full summer 2026 schedule:
June 2026
- Friday, June 26, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
July 2026
- Friday, July 3, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Saturday, July 4, 2026 | 11:00AM – 1:30PM
- Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 12:00PM – 2:30PM
- Friday, July 10, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Thursday, July 16, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Friday, July 17, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Saturday, July 18, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Friday, July 31, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
August 2026
- Thursday, August 6, 2026 | 11:00AM – 1:30PM
- Friday, August 7, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Thursday, August 20, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Friday, August 21, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Thursday, August 27, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
- Friday, August 28, 2026 | 10:00AM – 12:30PM
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