Our spring family tasting and shopping event is back and sweeter than ever during Mother's Day weekend.
Story by Elizabeth Bickford / Photos by Road West Photography and Elizabeth Bickford
After its long-awaited return, Mother’s Day Is Sweet will take place during Mother’s Day weekend on Saturday, May 7. This Eat & Shop Local Oceanside program event invites you to enjoy good food, tasty drinks and unique shopping experiences. The Mother’s Day event, last held in 2019, was sold out. Returning to the Saturday before Mother's Day, this sweet shopping experience is sure to be an event to enjoy with the mom in your life. Join local eateries, shops and vendors for this immersive shopping experience. Explore Downtown Oceanside while enjoying appetizers, cocktails and music. You will surely find a present for all the moms on your list by supporting these local businesses. Leading up to the big event, MainStreet Oceanside will host the Mother’s Day Is Sweet Challenge April 27 through May 8. Visit local businesses to participate in the fun scavenger hunt-style giveaway. This event will help introduce some new and exciting locations in the area as well as established local businesses, including Flourish + Live Well, Al Fresko, Siren Floral Shop and FUGU Ice Cream & Taiyaki.
Flourish + Live Well
In 2019 Regie Brown and Sally Stirnkorb started their wellness shop in Downtown Oceanside. In their mission to bring natural options to those in need and to support meaningful programs, they opened Flourish + Live Well. The shop features natural solutions to pain management, skin care and a variety of items developed with a specific cause in mindThey set up their wellness shop in Oceanside because of personal connections to the North County area as well as the clear growth of the city. Oceanside is experiencing substantial change and a shop focused on health and well being fits perfectly into that rebirth.
The beautifully curated shop is calming to the senses. Regie invites all to stop by and discuss their needs and goals for holistic pain management. This is a welcoming space to acquire knowledge on CBD and what type of solution might best fit your needs.
Regie and Sally take pride in the products they carry. A strict process is upheld for each addition to their inventory. Their main goal is your health and wellness. Stop by during Mother’s Day Is Sweet to find relief and relaxation.
Al Fresko
In November 2021, Al Fresko, the original graze and luxury outdoor dining experience company, joined the ranks of Downtown's newest shopping experience called the Tremont Collective. This unique concept of an entire building designed to fit the collective group was appealing to this San Diego-based business.
Jenny Niezgoda, founder and creator of Al Fresko, is following her passion for connecting people over delicious foods! Her shop in the Tremont Collective offers made-to-order grazing boards, event catering and a variety of treats and hand-picked items.
The shop provides complimentary delivery to the surrounding hotels. Order a graze board or design your own picnic to take to the beach. Enjoy the beauty of our Oceanside beach with something tasty. This will be Al Fresko’s first experience in a MainStreet Oceanside event and Jenny looks forward to sharing her beautiful location and selections with many for the first time. She plans to curate something sweet for Mother’s Day so be sure to stop in and partake in this delicious event!
Siren Floral Shop
Rachael Lunghi opened Siren Floral Shop on Coast Highway in June of 2021. She was looking for a space in Oceanside after relocating to North County. She was ready for a space that was customer-facing and it was by chance that the location offered room for retail, which was how the inviting space of Siren Floral Shop took form.
2. Plants & Ppots shopping spreeg and neutral tones, allowing the flowers to bring life to the shop. Along with the help of her fiancé she has created a versatile location offering room for retail, floral education and a florist workspace. The retail front features mostly USA-made items. Rachel looks to work with local women- and people of color-owned businesses whenever possible. She has created an inclusive and beautiful space that welcomes all to enjoy. The Mother's Day Is Sweet Challenge will be Siren Floral Shop’s second time participating in MainStreet's mobile scavenger hunts. Sip & Shop Downtown Oceanside went well for the small business. The shop was able to introduce itself to those in the community and welcome their neighbors into their locatiStop by during the challenge to explore the shop and treat Mom to some gorgeous flowers! The shop will be featuring its newest collaboration, a floral shop-scented candle with local artisanal company 1502 Candle Co.
Fugu Ice Cream & Taiyaki
What would Mother’s Day be without something sweet? FUGU Ice Cream & Taiyaki is not to be missed in this event! Not only is this treat delicious but it is delivered in the most picture-perfect way. Treat Mom to an ice cream in the “insta-famous” fish cone. This three-inch cone is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Or, try a beautiful cup of rolled ice cream — it is like a bouquet of ice cream in a cup.
Nain Delgado, a California native and owner of FUGU, brought this confectionary treat to Oceanside in 2019. Originally a joint venture that Nain took on alone after his partners had to withdraw, Nain knew Oceanside needed to be introduced to the delights of rolled ice cream and taiyaki!
Some of the most popular flavors represent the fusion of this Korean and Japanese-style dish and the Hispanic culture of Nain. You can find Toro and Horchata side by side co-existing in perfect harmony! FUGU has also expanded into vegan options. You can order almond, oat and coconut milk now. Top your creation with a large assortment of items; limitless cereal, a surplus of chocolates and fresh fruits are just a few to mention.
FUGU’S beautiful and vibrant murals by Paul Knebels and Amy Hughes offer the perfect backdrop for the delicious and Instagram-worthy dessert at Mother’s Day Is Sweet. They look forward to seeing you then!
Our sweetest event of the year, Mother’s Day Is Sweet is part of MainStreet Oceanside’s Eat & Shop Local Oceanside series of annual events, which also includes Taste of Oceanside the first weekend in October and ’Tis the Season to Shop Local starting on Small Business Saturday. Find out more and purchase tickets at mainstreetoceanside.com/mothersday.
Mother’s Day Is Sweet Challenge
Take our latest challenge to shop, eat and play local with Mom for Mother’s Day! Register and download our scavenger hunt mobile app. Then visit Oceanside businesses and destinations from Wednesday, April 27, through Mother’s Day, May 8, to complete missions for a chance to win prizes from local businesses. Participate in three easy steps:
1. Register
for the Mother's Day Is Sweet Challenge at mainstreetoceanside.com/mothersdaychallenge Your registration enters you into grand prize giveaways from local businesses.
2. Download
the GooseChase app and search for the Mother’s Day Is Sweet Challenge Game.
3. Shop, Eat & Play Local
Starting on April 27, visit any of the businesses participating in the challenge. Snap selfies or shoot video to complete one or more missions listed in the app. Each mission you complete earns you one or more points toward winning the prizes listed below. Each point earned in the GooseChase app equals one entry.
Event details
Saturday, May 7, 2-5 p.m.
Experience the sweeter side of Oceanside at Mother's Day Is Sweet. On the day before Mother’s Day from 2-5 p.m., treat Mom to an afternoon of dessert and craft beverage tasting at Sweet Stops throughout Downtown Oceanside while you shop for her and make her day. Bring the whole family to our returning tasting and shopping event with a discounted family ticket and enjoy mobile scavenger hunt fun and sweets while you walk.
At $30 per adult for dessert tasting only, $40 for dessert and craft beverage tasting, $10 per child or $75 for a family pack (for two adults and two kids), tickets will be available until 10 p.m. on Friday, May 6, at mainstreetoceanside.com/mothersday. Tickets are limited to 500. Any remaining tickets will be available at 1 p.m. at check in the day of the event. This event sold out in 2019.
New for 2022! Make this Mother’s Day the sweetest one yet with the Mother’s Day Is Sweet VIP Experience and the Mother’s Day Is Sweet Challenge. No purchase is necessary to participate in the challenge.
Mother's Day Is Sweet VIP Experience
Wednesday, May 4, 6-8 p.m.
New for 2022! Make this Mother’s Day week the sweetest one yet with the Mother’s Day Is Sweet VIP Experience. Start your Mother's Day week festivities with an evening out with Mom over appetizers, beer and live music at the newly opened Beer Town beer hall and bottle shop at 507 N. Coast Highway. From 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, enjoy charcuterie by master baker and caterer Vallie Gilley of Jitters Coffee Pub and One Kitchen Collaborative, desserts by Bliss Tea & Treats, flower crowns by Flowers by Azalea and photo ops with the Flourish + Live Well Canna Bus. The Mother of all Downtown spring tasting and shopping experiences, the Mother’s Day Is Sweet VIP Experience includes a dessert and craft beverage tasting ticket to Mother’s Day Is Sweet on Saturday as well as admission to this 21-and-over weeknight event. VIP tickets are $99 each or two for $160. Any remaining tickets will be available onsite at Beer Town starting at 5 p.m. on May 4. Find out more at mainstreetoceanside.com/mothersday. Buy VIP tickets.
Mother’s Day Is Sweet grand prizes
Take our challenge to shop, eat and play local this Mother’s Day and you could win one of these three grand prizes:
1. Sunny’s spa day
Take a daycation at Sunny’s Spa & Beauty Lounge at The Seabird Resort. Treat Mom and yourself to a spa treatment of your choice.
2. Plants & pots shopping spree
Shop plants, pots and so much more with a $100 gift card to Landmark Plant Co. and a $100 gift card to Carrillo Pottery.
3. Flowers delivered to your door
Receive lush arrangements from The Bloomery delivered directly to your door.
Find our more at mainstreetoceanside.com/mothersdaychallenge.