Destination East County: October outings

East County News Service

September 17, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- October brings Oktoberfest celebrations in La Mesa and El Cajon and Borrego Days in the desert, as well as an array of spooky events such as a haunted circus, haunted trails in county parks, a Day of the Dead celebration, Hauntfest on Main in El Cajon, a haunted harvest in Julian, pumpkin patches, costume contests for people and dogs, a Boo Bash at Viejas, a haunted train ride in Campo, a pumpkin bash and spooky sleepover at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine, and an autumn festival at the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park.

La Mesa Oktoberfest Oct. 3-5

La Mesa invites you to enjoy its Oktoberfest October 3-5, featuring traditional German cuisine and beers, plus two stages of live music c featuring everything from traditional Bavarian and German music including live oompah bands to rock bands, DJs, cover pop and more. There are also kids’ games, dachshund races, contests, rides and more.

Find full details at https://www.lamesaoktoberfest.org/.  

El Cajon Oktoberfest Sept. 26-Oct. 6

The last weekend in September and first weekend in Oktober, the German-American Societies invite you to don your lederhosen and enjoy two full weekends of authentic German celebrations at the El Cajon Oktoberfest. Guests can feast with gusto on foods such as bratwurst, sauerkraut and ox on a spit, quench your third with German beers, kick up your heels with traditional folk dancing and games such as stein-holding competitions. There’s also interactive musical entertainment, a band flown in from Germany, a kids’ zone, a kids’ zone, and more.

Find full details at https://events.germanclubsandiego.org

Pumpkin Express train rides in Campo: weekends in October

The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association hosts its annual Pumpkin Express Halloween Celebration weekends in October.  You can ride decorated vintage railcars through the San Diego County back country as fall descends upon Campo, along the  historic San Diego and Arizona Railway route.

 After the ride, guests can decorate pumpkins from an outdoor patch and view displays of haunted train cars and Halloween scenes.  Passengers are encouraged to come in costumes for this family-friendly event, which has several departures each weekend.

There’s also an adults-only Sip & Scare Sunset Special, Saturdays in October at 6:00 p.m.! 

For tickets and details, visit https://www.psrm.org/pumpkin/.

Borrego Days Desert Festival October 18-19

Borrego Springs hosts its annual Borrego Days Desert Festival on October 18 and 19. Saturday features a morning flyover and parade, as well as the "Shine and Show" vehicle show. There's also a beer garden, kids' zone, food stations, and booths featuring everything from art to information.  Plus you can enjoy live music all weekend long.

For a full schedule of events and details, visit https://borregodays.com/. 

Haunted Circus at the Magnolia October 17

The Magnolia in El Cajon hosts its the 3rd annual Haunted Circus on October 17 at 5:30 p.m. This year’s theme is monsters at play. The family-friendly show features jugglers, contortionists, stilt walkers, hop throwers, stacking chairs, crystal balls, acrobats and more with performances by Twisted Orbit Circus Entertainment.

For tickets and details, visit https://www.magnoliasandiego.com/.

Hauntfest October 17 in El Cajon

The City of El Cajon invites you to Hauntfest on Main, set for October 17 from 4-9 p.m. in downtown El Cajon. This family-friendly event, open to the community, features live music, costume contests, carnival rides, a haunted car show, and a variety of local vendors offering food, crafts, games, and more.

For the haunting details, visit https://www.elcajon.gov/your-government/departments/parks-recreation/special-events/hauntfest.

Oma’s Pumpkin Patch

Oma’s Pumpkin Patch in Lakeside is open Tuesdays through Sundays in October. In addition to picking pumpkins, visitors can enjoy a hay maze, a petting zoo for all ages, a hayride, duck races, and more. Children delight in interactive games and activities, while adults can sample delicious pumpkin-themed treats and fall flavored products.

Learn more and book your reservations online at https://omasfamilyfarm.com/

Bates Nut Farm October events

Famed for its pumpkin patch including giant pumpkins, Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center also hosts several October events including a pumpkin festival craft fair October 4, costume contest and parade October 25, and a Howl-o-Ween doggie costume contest and parade October 26.  Find a full list of Bates Nut Farm events at https://batesnutfarm.biz/pages/events

Spooky Campover Oct. 24 at Lions, Tigers and Bears

Lions, Tigers and Bears sanctuary in Alpine is hosting a spooky campover on October 24 under the stars. The fun includes campfire songs, pumpkin carving, a Halloween costume contest, and an all-ages haunted house. Enjoy the animal trivia challenge, make s'mores by the campfire, and sip hot cocoa at their big cat and wildlife sanctuary in San Diego.

For reservations, visit https://www.lionstigersandbears.org/happenings/spooky-campover/.

Pumpkin Bash at Lions, Tigers and Bears Oct. 25

Come dressed in your best costume and watch rescued big cats and bears devour their pumpkin treats during the Pumpkin Bash at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine on October 25 at 10 a.m. Pumpkins are stuffed with delicious goodies for fall-themed enrichment, as the animals play with their pumpkins and gobble down the goodies.

This event sells out quickly. For tickets, visit https://www.lionstigersandbears.org/happenings/pumpkin-bash-at-lions-tigers-bears/.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Autum Festival—plus free admission for kids in October

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park in San Pasqual hosts its autumn festival each Saturday and Sunday in October.

Enjoy viewing wildlife, watching special entertainment, and tasting culinary comforts for plenty of family fun.

There’s also free admission during the entire month of October for children age 11 and under, when accompanied by an adult, at both the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park—a perfect time for kids to go wild.

Learn more:  https://sdzsafaripark.org/kidsfree

Spooky Events at County Parks

San Diego County Parks and Recreation offers a variety of spooky happenings in October. For a full list, see https://www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/news-events/news-stories/October.html.

Highlights in our inland region include:

October 11 - Día de Muertos at Rancho Guajome Adobe

October 11 - Haunted Trail Hikes at Oakoasis

October 17 - Haunted Trails at Dos Picos County Park

October 17 - Halloween Festival at Lakeside Community Center

October 18 - Spooky Trails at Hellhole Canyon Preserve

October 24 - Spooktacular at Spring Valley Community Center

October 25 - Halloween Festival at Fallbrook Community Center  

Viejas Boo Bash October 31

The Park at Viejas in Alpine hosts a Boo Bash Halloween Party on October 31 featuring music, dancing, and devilishly good fun. Enjoy music from two DJs plus Earth to Mars, a Bruno Mars tribute band, a costume contest with $7500 in prizes, themed photo booth, Halloween cocktails, caricature artists and Halloween treats.

For full details, visit https://viejas.com/event/boo-bash/.

Haunted Harvest at Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures

Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures near Julian hosts Haunted Harvest nights October 5, 12, 19 and 26 feature spooky fun—if you dare.

Activities include a haunted hayride with walk through a ghostly forest, ghost stories, a hoedown, and jug band music.

For tickets and details, visit https://www.fortcross.com/haunted-harvest-hayride.