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By Miriam Raftery
October 1, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) - This week’s Destination East County features some fabulous backcountry festivals, from Jacumba Hot Springs Centennial Celebration to Julian’s Apple Days. Oktoberfests also continue this weekend in La Mesa and El Cajon.
Plus we’ll have previews of next week’s coming attractions, from the East County Vintner’s harvest celebration in Potrero to a Bunco Bash in Lemon Grove and for those early holiday shoppers, a Fair Trade Holiday Sale in La Mesa. So stay tuned for all of these events and more, from East County Magazine!
JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OCT. 4
Jacumba Hot Springs will celebrate its centennial on October 4th. The town’s festival will feature the Alpine Outlaws, recognized for their authentic western shoot-out skits, as well as craft and food vendors, children’s bounce houses, live music, raffles, a pumpkin patch, a swap meet, tour of the Chinese Castle and more. The Festival is also the ending point for the Passport Through Time classic car caravan sponsored by the Old Highway 80 Corporation, which will arrive in Jacumba around noon Saturday. The centennial celebration will be held in Jacumba’s community park on Old Highway 80 in the heart of historic Jacumba Hot Springs. Visit www.Jacumbahotspringscentennial.org and click the “fall festival” tab for details.
JULIAN APPLE DAYS OCT. 4-5
As part of Julian’s popular Apple Days Celebration, a two-day Apple Days Festival will be held October 4th and 5th at Menghini Winery in Julian featuring apple displays, music and dancing, an antique tractor display, children’s games and activities, gold panning demonstrations, a beer and wine garden, food and merchandise vendors, contests, and, of course, apple pie. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday.
(Admission $5 adults, free for children 12 and under. For more details visit http://www.julianmerchants.org/#!apple-days/c1p0 )
LA MESA OKTOBERFEST OCT. 3-5
The La Mesa Oktoberfest is one of East County’s biggest street festivals, drawing 200,000 people every year. This year’s Oktoberfest will be held October 3rd through 5th in the heart of La Mesa’s downtown village on La Mesa Boulevard between 4th Avenue and Acadia. The event, sponsored by the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce and the La Mesa Village Merchants Association, began as a small street fair over 35 years ago. Now the three-day bash features over 250 vendors, food including German bratwurst and a beer garden, kids’ activities and entertainment ranging from German music to classic rock and roll. For hours and details on each day’s activities, visit www.LaMesaChamber.net
(http://www.lamesachamber.net/oktoberfest.php )
GERMAN AMERICAN CLUB OKTOBERFEST CONTINUES OCT. 3-5 IN EL CAJON
The German American Club’s Oktoberfest celebration continues this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in El Cajon. You’re invited to come and enjoy authentic German food, such as bratwurst, ox-on-the-spit, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, red cabbage, pretzels, and Bavarian pastries. You’ll also find plenty of German beers, as well as entertainment by the Guggenbach-Buam band all the way from Germany. Feel free to dance and sing along with the chicken dance, polkas and oom-pah-pah songs. You can also watch traditional folk dancing performances, compete in games and contests, check out vendor and craft booths, and let the kids enjoy the Kids’ Zone.
For more information, visit the GermanClubSanDiego.org website (http://www.germanclubsandiego.org/events/oktoberfest )
EAGLES CONCERT OCT. 4
The Eagles, one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, will be performing at the Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on October 4th. The band sold over 150 million records including such hit singles as Hotel California, Desperado and Tequila Sunrise. The band has reunited for this “History of the Eagles” tour. The San Diego performance on Ocotober 4th will be held at 8 p.m. Tickets are still available at Viejas Arena or through Ticketmaster.
PUMPKIN FESTIVAL OCT. 4-5
Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center is famed for its giant pumpkins, some weighing 100 pounds or more, though there are plenty of smaller jack-o-lanterns to be in their patch. On October 4th and 5th, Bates Nut Farm hosts a Pumpkin Festival from9 a.m. to 5 p.m. complete with a straw bale maze, tractor hayrides, pony rides, and an Arts and Crafts fair featuring works by over 80 artisans ranging from candles and woodworking to jewelry. You’ll also find food and live entertainment from 12 to 3 p.m. Admission and parking are free. For directions and details, check http://batesnutfarm.biz/ .
Now for a preview of coming attractions….
LA MESA SENIOR EXPO OCT. 9
The City of La Mesa will host its fifth annual Senior Expo on Thursday, October 9thWith a wide variety of speakers and exhibitors, Senior Expo will offer free "one-stop shopping" for senior services, tips on safety and security and more. Senior Expo will be held at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Drive, La Mesa 91942, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Flu shots will also be offered.
EAST COUNTY VINTNERS’ HARVEST CELEBRATION OCT. 11
You’re invited to join the East County Vintners Wine Group for its second annual Mountain Empire Country Harvest Celebration on Saturday, October 11 from 12 noon to sundown. The festivities take place at the Jim and Janet Wright Ranch and Vineyard in scenic Potrero. The festivities include a smoky barbecue with all the trimmings, wine sampling by local vineyards and wineries, plus a silent auction and door prizes. RSVPs and tickets are required. For tickets ($25 in advance, $30 at the door) and reservations, contact countryharvest2014@gmail.com.
BUNCO BASH IN LEMON GROVE OCT. 11
The Soroptimists are holding a Bunco Bash in Lemon Grove on Satruday, October 11 from 1 to 4 p.m. at St. John of the Cross Social Hall. Proceeds benefit projects that help women and children in the community. The event includes three rounds of bunco, door prize ticket and snacks. A raffle will also be held. For tickets ($20) send an e-mail to soroptgloria@gmali.com.
FAIR TRADE HOLIDAY SALE OCT. 12
If you want to get an early start on your holiday shopping, Fair Trade La Mesa will host a holiday sale on Sunday, October 12th. This all day event at St. Martin of Tours Parish Hall, 7710 El Cajon Boulevard, will feature hand-made artisan crafts, jewelery, coffee and more. Fair Trade products help provide sustainable production and living wages for craftspeople around the world.
That’s all for this week! You can find details on all of these events and more on our Calendar and in our Festivals and Events section online at http://www.eastcountymagazine.org.
If you have an event you’d like added to our calendar, or if you would like to sponsor the Destination East County show on KNSJ, you can contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.
We’ll be back next week with more festivals, events and attractions in San Diego’s East County.
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