Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audio link.

We thank the County of San Diego for a Community Enhancement Grant supporting Destination East County.

East County News Service

March 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes an Eggstravaganza at Santee Lakes, Spring Harp Fest – a harmonica festival in La Mesa, a water-wise garden tour, Vietnam remembered in Lemon Grove, and more.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including the Music of Mozart in Spring Valley, an Old West Art Fest in Shelter Valley, and a Garden Native tour across East County.  So scroll down for all of these events and more!

10,000+ Attendees, 5 bands, 150+ Vendors, Carnival Rides, Face Painting, & More

 March 20, 2016 (Rolando) – The 20^th annual Roland Street Fair will be held today , hosted by the Rolando Community Council (RCC),  a grassroots neighborhood organization devoted to making life in Rolando better. Live music, unique vendors, and tasty food make for a family-friendly day in Rolando, a San Diego community just east of La Mesa.

East County News Service

March 14, 2016 (San Diego) — The County Medical Examiner and regional law enforcement will host the first annual “Identify the Missing” Day on March 19.

By Helen Ofield

March 11, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- The Lemon Grove Historical Society will sponsor "Vietnam Remembered" on March 26 at 2 p.m. in the Lemon Grove Library, 3001 School Lane.  The event will fall a few days in advance of national Vietnam Veterans Day and is part of "The Remembrance Project" of LGHS, which kicked off last Nov. 21 with "JFK Remembered."

By Steve Lauria

March 7, 2016 (Lakeside) -- This Saturday, March 12^th, will be the 11^th annual It’s How We Live health and community fair at Lindo Lake Park in Lakeside. The event will start at 9 a.m., right after the Lakeside Unified School District’s Run For the Arts, a fundraiser for the District’s arts program.

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.

This year's tour highlights numerous gardens in East County and inland San Diego

By David Fleitner

Cover photo:  The view from the California Sunflower trail in the "Nature Adorned" garden

March 8, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Jean and Jerry Kaiwi look contentedly over their 2½-acre home site near Flynn Springs, enjoying the view from a patio table along a trail above their house. “It used to be that you couldn’t even see the land contours – the entire lot was covered with waist-high mustard,” says Jean. “ Now the beautiful natural contours and rock outcrops are finally visible, complemented by our native plants.   We so enjoy them, along with all the native birds, lizards, snakes and bees that now share this space with us.”  

East County News Service

March 9, 2016 (Tierrasanta) - Spring has arrived in Southern California and the green season is here – so the San Diego County Democrats for Environmental Action is hosting its very first club outing and hike. What better way to enjoy the blooming benefit of this winter's El Niño rains than by taking a half-day hike in our backyard wilderness bounty, Mission Trails Regional Park? 

East County News Service

March 4, 2016 (El Cajon) -- Tomatomania!, the renowned Heirloom tomato seedling sale, returns to excite an enthusiastic group of gardeners in El Cajon this spring at the Water Conservation Garden, on March 12 and 13.

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 (El Cajon) - Country music greats Larry Gatlin and Gatlin Brothers will be  performing  in concert at Sycuan’s  Live and Up Close Theater on Saturday, March 12 at 8 p.m.  Grammy award-winning Larry Gatlin has written hit songs for many famous musical stars including Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell and Johnny Cash.

Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audio link.

We thank the County of San Diego for a Community Enhancement Grant supporting Destination East County.

By Miriam Raftery

This week’s Destination East County includes a night hike with stargazing at the Santa Ysabel preserve, a Pirate’s Cove run/walk at Lake Cuyamaca, live music in La Mesa, and the Julian Doves and Desperados performing wild west skits in Julian.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, egg hunts, garden tours, a desert art show, a backroom beer pairing, a harmonica festival, a spring carnival, Snoopy the musical, and a hike to the Valley of the Moon..

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

East County News Service

February 27, 2016 (Lakeside) – Spring brings bountiful traditional food resources.  The Barona Cultural Center and Museum will hold a native foods/yucca cooking class with Martha Rodriguez (San Jose de la Zorra) sharing knowledge of how to prepare, cook and eat various parts of the yucca plant.

Lunch is included, so bring your appetite! 

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. 

East County News Service

February 27, 2016 (San Diego) -- Join volunteer naturalist Don Endicott in the Visitor Center Theater at Mission Trails Regional Park on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. for a multi-media introduction to the natural history of the mountain lion, our region's seldom seen apex predator. 

His talk will describe the amazing attributes and signature behaviors of our big cats, show how relationships between mountain lions and people changed over time, and outline their key contributions to a healthy wilderness environment.