Marlee Ehrenfeld-City of San Diego 250th Anniversary

Celebrating Where San Diego and California Began

This is an important year for the City of San Diego. On April 11, 1769 the first seaborne contingent of a Spanish settlement arrived at a quiet harbor in San Diego aboard the ship San Antonio.  Just a scant three months later, these Spanish soldiers and missionaries, led by a Franciscan priest named Junipero Serra, gathered amid oaks and coastal sage scrub to dedicate the founding of Mission San Diego de Alcala. The two events set into motion the first of 21 missions extending northward and the evolution of that calm harbor into a working Port. San Diego is believed to be the first permanent settlement in what is now California.

Learn how this community-driven anniversary effort has resulted in a collaboration that includes civic leaders, organizations, community volunteers and Kumeyaay representatives. Thousands of residents and tourists have attended a series of events to reflect on our city’s history and leave a legacy for the future.  Please join us in celebrating San Diego’s 250^th anniversary with a dynamic presentation that includes a short documentary of how the past 250 years have shaped our region. And learn about the events and celebrations yet to come as we honor San Diego’s colorful past and bright future.