It's a Weekend of Entertainment and Sweet Stuff

We’ve reached the “dog days” of summer, where hiding in the cool of your house trumps any outdoor trip. This weekend, though, we’re encouraging you to brave the heat and participate in some outdoor activities in your area. If you just so happen to be allergic to the sun (read: heat), we’ve got some nightly and air-conditioned activities, too.

This weekend in Rancho Bernardo and beyond, Aug. 5-7, chocoholics can get their fix for free and history lovers can get theirs, too. For those not afraid to keep it outside, there’s a movie at a nearby community pool and a concert at the lake.

Travel east this weekend to Ramona, where first-time home buyers can learn valuable information about the long, sometimes torturous, process of home buying. Take your sweet tooth (if you still have it after all that free chocolate) with you a little ways west for a giant banana split, or head all the way down south to Chula Vista for all things lemon.

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BEST BETS CLOSE TO HOME

• When/where: , 11035 Technology Place, Ste. 100, San Diego, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday.
• Why go: Fulfill that sweet tooth’s need with eight chocolate samplings.
• Price: Free.

• When/where: , 13104 Ipai Waaypuk Trail, Poway, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.
• Why go: View ancient artifacts and browse through plenty of classic cars, like a 90-year-old Ford Model A.
• Price: Free.

• When/where: Swim Center at the Community Park, 13094 Civic Center Dr., Poway, 7-10:30 p.m. Saturday.
• Why go: Float on a raft or balance on a noodle in the community pool while watching Despicable Me on a giant screen.
• Price: $3.

• When/where: Lake Poway, 14644 Lake Poway Rd., Poway, 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
• Why go: Jimmy Buffet tribute band CoastRiders brings a beachy, down-to-earth essence as they play for you at the lake.
• Price: Free.

BEST BETS, A LITTLE FARTHER OUT

• When/where: , 1275 Main St., Ramona, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday
• Why go: Learn all you need to know about buying a home for the first time, including things like budgeting and credit use and obtaining a mortgage.
• Price: Free.

• When/where: Standley Park and Recreation Center, 3585 Governor Dr., San Diego, 4 p.m. Saturday.
• Why go: Play constructor and help build a 650-foot-long banana split. Then, of course, gobble it up.
• Price: Free.

• When/where: Del Mar Fairgrounds at Seaside Stage, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, following the race Friday and Saturday.
• Why go: See The Bravery rock out Friday and alternative rock phenom Weezer will keep you happy on Saturday.
• Price: The concert is free if you paid race admission; otherwise the cost is $20. Beer tasting is $15.

• When/where: Third Avenue Village, 353 3rd Ave., Chula Vista, 10:45 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
• Why go: If you love lemons, this is the place for you. Try various lemony treats, live music and even a pie-eating contest (we hope it’s lemon meringue).
• Price: Free.