December 17, 2010 (La Mesa) – “Food, wine, art and a chance to talk with local people who are going about making the world a better place, one village at a time…what could be more in the holiday spirit?” asks an invitation from Shannon O’Dunn, owner of O’Dunn Art in La Mesa. Tonight from 5-7 p.m., she will host a wine-tasting event to benefit H.U.G.S. (Helping Ugandans Grow Stronger). The organization is raising funds to build a bakery in western Uganda that will provide jobs for women and girls in this impoverished area.

December 5, 2010 (El Cajon) – Wings and Snow, an annual holiday celebration featuring holiday art, seasonal gifts and angelic dolls by artists with developmental disabilities, will be on display throughout December and January at Sophie’s Gallery & Gift Shop.

Alpine artist’s work celebrates Tchaikovsky’s homeland and her own Russian heritage

3rd annual holiday invitational art show runs through Jan. 14

November 20, 2010 (La Mesa)--Holiday offerings of smaller paintings priced for gifting is a tradition in the art world; many galleries feature shows entitled "Little Gems", "Holiday Miniatures Exhibit", and the like. 

By: Lisa Lightfoot
 

November 16, 2010 (Descanso) -- Looking for something different to do this weekend? Join local artists in Descanso for an Arts Fair this Saturday, November 20t. Enjoy some free refreshments, listen to some wonderful live music, all while doing holiday shopping as you take in the fresh mountain air along with a little backcountry hospitality.

November 12, 2010 (Julian)--Julian Stage Company and the Julian Chamber of Commerce present the 2010 production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol--a Julian holiday tradition. Give your holiday spirit a boost with the classic story of a lonely, hard-hearted old man who finds the true meaning of life and love one haunted Christmas Eve.

Be sure to allow time to take in the quaint holiday charm of small-town historic Julian this holiday season, with its horse-drawn carriages, strolling carolers, and spiced cider.

November 9, 2010 (Alpine)  Artists perform in period costumes and even guests are invited to attend in historical fashions at the Chamber Music Extravaganza on November 13 at 4 p.m. at Christ the King Episcopal Church, 1460 Midway Drive in Alpine.

November 4, 2010 (Poway) - Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, two of the world's most celebrated Celtic fiddlers and the power couple of the Canadian fiddling world, return to Poway for a concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 6th.

By Anne Spencer and Hub Thompson

October 21, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Valley Music Store hosts its next open mike nights  from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sasturday, October 30th. For many years now, the 58-year-old music store has had a reputation for drawing some of the best musical talent around at its open mike nights. These events are free and open to the public at the store’s new location at 1611 Magnolia Ave. in El Cajon.

October 8, 2010 (El Cajon) -- The Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department will present Tin, written and directed by Jerry Hager, October 22 & 23 at 7:30 p.m. and October 23 at 2:00 p.m. in the Stagehouse Theatre. All tickets for this event are $6 each. The story, Tin, is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story The Steadfast Tin Soldier, an adventurous tale in which toys come to life in the shadows of night.

October 2, 2010 (El Cajon) -- The Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department will present The Miser, directed by Henry J. Jordan, Oct 7-9 and 13-16 at 7:30 pm and Oct 9 and 16 at 2:00 pm in the Stagehouse Theatre.  

East County News Service

September 29, 2010 (El Cajon) –The German American Societies presents the 39th annual Oktoberfest in El Cajon over the first two weekends of October, the 1st – 3rd and 8th – 10th, 2010. Hours of this traditional, family-friendly festival are Fridays from 5:00 to 10:00 PM, Saturdays from noon until 10:00 PM, and Sundays from noon until 9:00 PM.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Paul Parks

September 14, 2010 (Alpine)--Michael Bolton displayed the dazzling breadth of his talent in a concert at Viejas Dreamcatcher Lounge in Alpine Sunday night. His performances ranged from vintage classics by Sinatra and Gershwin to jazz and rock ‘n’ roll. Mounting a platform in the center of the audience, he sang his Grammy Award-winning version of “When a Man Loves a Woman” – much to the delight of women in the crowd.