East County News Service

March 10, 2016 (La Mesa) – Whether your passion is to paint a masterpiece or savor some fine wines while enjoying live Spanish jazz, or finger-style guitar music, your wish can come true at San Pasqual Winery’s tasting room in La Mesa’s downtown Village.  While the art classes have fees, the musical performances have no cover charge.  Wine, cheese, crackers and desserts are available for purchase.

East County News Service

March 3, 2016 (La Mesa) - You’re invited to the 16^th annual Spring Harp Fest, a musical celebration on March 26^th  from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Harry Griffen Park in La Mesa.  The festival features top harmonica performers playing blues music and more, as well as an unknown artists’ jam session.  The mission is to inspire appreciation for the harmonica in the next generation. 

East County News Service

March 3, 2016 (Spring Valley) - Young Adult Theatre will present Snoopy! The Musical, featuring all of the Peanuts characters including Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and that mischief-making beagle, Snoopy. 

East County News Service

February 27, 2016 (San Diego) -- A free accordion concert will be presented at Mission Trails Regional Park’s visitor center on Sunday, February 28 at 3 p.m.  Diana Abed studied the accordion in multi-cultural Los Angeles as a child in the 1960s and ‘70s, including Hollywood entertainment industry standards, pop tunes and compositions of famous accordionists at that time.  As the daughter of immigrant parents, somehow she was "elected" as the family musician, leading many sing a-longs and dances at celebrations of family and friends from varying ethnicities. 

Source:  Lamplighters Community Theatre press release

February 23, 2016 (La Mesa) – Lamplighters Community Theatre (LCT) is proud to present performances of the Tony Award Nominee “Mack and Mabel” at the new Lamplighters Community Theatre located at 5915 Severin Drive, La Mesa, Ca running  March 11 through April 10.

By Judy Edelblute

February 17, 2016 (San Diego) - Rancho Bernardo artist Vita Sorrentino won second place in the 53rd annual Lenten Art Show at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 3502 Clairemont Drive, San Diego. Lee Sie, Clairemont, won first place, and Tamara Stautland, Mission Hills, won third place.

East County artists receiving Honorable Mention awards were Ann Keyes and Ann Schwartzwald, La Mesa,  Anita Chateau, east Chula Vista and Abigail Kurtz Migala, Spring Valley. Other East County artists in the show include Mary Louise Neal-Bulow and Jody Abssy, Cherokee Point; Gloria Galbarith and Anita Chateau, east Chula Vista; Judy A. Sawyer, La Mesa; Susan Hewitt, Vance Komula and Sandra Seckington, Lakeside; and Gwen Small, Talmadge.

East County News Service

February 14, 2016 (La Mesa) -- The Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, a consumer health library at 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, is now hosting its Winter Art Exhibit featuring 24 watercolor paintings by award-winning art instructor Drew Bandish and five of his students. The students include Susan Hewitt of Lakeside, Royce Hinson of El Cajon, Lorri Lynch of Lakeside, Mirjam Schippers of El Cajon and Joan Vandenberg of El Cajon. The show runs through March 12.

East County News Service

February 10, 2016 (Rancho San Diego) – The 2016 Cuyamaca College Spring Concert Series gets under way Feb. 21 with a San Diego Early Music Society performance kicking off a season of productions covering styles ranging from Baroque and mariachi to jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

East County News Service

February 4, 2016 (La Mesa) - The San Diego Bluegrass Society will hold its monthly jam at Fuddrucker's restaurant in Grossmont Center on Tuesday, February 16^th from 6:30 to 9 p.m.  The event includes open mic, pick up bands and the ever-popular musical jam session.

East County News Service

February 3, 2016 (Borrego Springs) - Soroptimist International of Borrego Springs is hosting the first Artists’ Open Studio Tour on Sunday, February 21, 2016.  The event will be held from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, with a reception to follow at the Borrego Art Institute from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  Light refreshments will be served.

East County News Service

January 23, 2016 (El Cajon) – The San Diego Early Music Society will present Lina Tur Bonet on violin and Kenneth Weiss on harpsichord in “La Petite Merveille and the Red Priest: Music of Jacquet de la Guerre and Vivaldi” on Sunday, February 21 at 3 p.m. in the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Theatre (900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon).

 “The Jacaranda Street painting is a street in Spring Valley that is so beautiful in the early summer that my husband came home from work and took me to see it.  I took several photographs of the street in its full purple glory, and painted from the photos,” said Sharon Thomas, who painted the picturesque scene in watercolors.

East County News Service

January 18, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The Southwestern Artists Association will present a two-person show February 16-29 at historic Spanish Village (1770 Village Place, Studio 23) in San Diego’s Balboa Park.  The gallery is open every day of the week from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

By Miriam Raftery

January 17, 2016 (San Diego) -- Pacificaires and Cedar Center Chorus present this year’s winter concert at the College Avenue Baptist Church (4747 College Ave., San Diego) on January 30th at 2 p.m..  You're invited to join in singing in the New Year.

By Miriam Raftery

January 12, 2016 (Borrego Springs) - The 27^th annual Circle of Art Show & Sale will take place March 12^th & 13^th in beautiful Borrego Springs.  This free outdoor art show is staged at Christmas Circle, in the heart of the village.