Pala Casino Spa Resort has two concert stages, and the shows on this page are in the indoor one. The Events Center is a seated hall inside the resort with room for roughly 2,000 people, give or take depending on the setup. The other stage, the Starlight Theater, is outdoors. Older listings call it the Palomar Starlight Theater, and it got a permanent stage in 2015 as part of a $5.7 million overhaul. If your ticket says Starlight, you're headed outside.
The resort on Highway 76
The Pala Band of Mission Indians owns and runs the resort, which sits on the Pala Indian Reservation. The casino opened in April 2001, and the hotel and spa followed in August 2003. The address is 11154 Highway 76, a few miles east of the 15 in the far north of San Diego County, well over 40 miles from downtown San Diego.
From the 15, take the Highway 76 exit and head east. There is no train out here, and coming home late means the same rural road in the dark before you reach the freeway. Pick a driver, book a rideshare or take a room at the hotel before the night starts.
What plays the Events Center
Country headliners, comedians, 1980s new wave tours and Vietnamese music shows all turn up on the Events Center calendar, and because the room is indoors, the shows keep coming through the winter. Most of it lands on our country and folk, rock and world music pages.
Before you drive out
- Pala's own announcements for Events Center shows say guests must be 21 or older to attend. Bring a photo ID.
- Check the venue name on your ticket. Events Center and Starlight Theater are different spots on the same property.
- Door times, parking and bag rules come with your ticket, so read it before you leave the house.
For another casino concert hall in the same part of the county, see Harrah's Resort Southern California in Valley Center. For something closer to the coast, the Belly Up is in Solana Beach. The rest of the area is on our North County page.