San Diego Bayfair 2026

“Some people set up the same patch of sand on…”

For one weekend in September, Mission Bay becomes the loudest water in the United States, and the regulars who claim the same patch of shoreline every year would not have it any other way.

The Thunderboats are unlimited hydroplanes moving at over 150 miles an hour and throwing rooster tails fifty feet in the air. You do not so much hear them as get hit by them. This is the crown jewel of American powerboat racing and it has been roaring across this bay for more than sixty years, which is longer than most of the people watching have been alive.

Around the racing: a car and motorcycle show, a barbecue cook-off, jet-ski freestyle, beer gardens, and family zones spread down Crown Point. Bring sunscreen, a low chair, and ear protection — the boats are felt more than heard.

Take somebody who has never been. Watch them flinch on the first pass.