30 Days to shape the future of Starlight Bowl.


With your help, we can make it all the way.

September 12, 2025

The moment we’ve been working toward for years has arrived. The City of San Diego has officially opened a 30-day window for Save Starlight to submit our Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) — the critical first step toward securing a long-term lease of the historic Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park.

This is our opportunity to finally bring Starlight back to life. But we cannot do it without you.

A key component of our submission is demonstrating strong fiscal support from our community. That means two things:

1). Donate NOW.
Every contribution, large or small, shows the City that San Diego is ready to invest in the future of Starlight. The time is urgent, and we ask for your commitment at this time.
Click Here

2). Letters of Intent
Letters of intent – Written commitments from individuals and organizations who pledge to donate once the lease is secured will help prove the depth of support behind this project. Your pledge of $1,000, or $20,000 or $200,000 or $1.2M will show the city that we have the backing of the community in order to bring this back to life. These funds do not need to be paid today, they are a “show of faith” and we will contact you in the future. We NEED to show the city NOW that the community wants this Jewel to be brought back to life. Click the link below and send an email.
Click Here

 

We are excited to announce that Wayne Nelson from Little River Band has recently decided to join our Board of Directors as a way to share his passion for saving San Diego's most beloved outdoor theater! Help us welcome him to the Save Starlight Family. If you know of any other local icons that want to help our cause, please let us know. ⭐️

 

Save Starlight In The News!

Check out ABC 10 San Diego’s in-depth segment on our efforts to save Starlight and our work on the RFP

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

 

Watch FOX 5 San Diego’s segment on Save Starlight for the latest updates on the efforts and pre-register your ticket to an upcoming show now! It costs you nothing now - you’ll only be charged if we are successful in securing the lease and moving forward with reconstruction.

 
 
 

About Us

“This venue is essential to San Diego and Balboa Park’s history. No matter what kind of show or performance you can recall, everyone has the memory of the joy and magic they experienced here.”

SAVE STARLIGHT
A 501(C)3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

The Save Starlight organization’s goal is to preserve The Starlight Bowls history and memories and to also create a new and adaptable platform for future events and generations. 

The Starlight Bowl, a 4,000 seat outdoor amphitheater, was originally commissioned by the Ford Motor Company for the 1935 California-Pacific Exposition. The venue has grown and evolved over the years turning into one of San Diego’s favorite, historic and precious gems. Families of multi-generations have developed a passion and dedication to Starlight's events, sadden to see it abandoned in despair. Most people remember The Starlight Bowl for its famous musical theater shows it produced during the summers in San Diego. However, the previous tenants have left and the venue has been abandoned for almost 10 years. 

Our Mission

The Save Starlight mission is to repurpose San Diego’s abandoned historic Starlight Bowl, restoring and modernizing the facility under community collaboration into an inclusive and innovative interaction of arts, culture, and education for all.

watch video for a brief history and overview

 
 

Not only did Starlight host many stage productions, it also hosted music legends.

 
 
 

UPDATES


The Starlight Bowl has been authorized to receive $500,000 for ADA Facility Improvements.
We are excited to share that the Housing and Urban Development/EDI Appropriations Community Project has appropriated $500,000 specifically for the Starlight Bowl to make necessary ADA facility improvements. We have increased our efforts to advocate for Starlight, and our hard work is paying off. Save Starlight wants to expressly thank Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, Mayor Todd Gloria, and Carleton Overstreet, Jr. for their efforts to make this happen.


Thank you to our supporters