DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: TOP ACTIVITIES APRIL 18-20

Easter egg-stravaganza events and much more!

By Ariele Johannson

April 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination: East County begins with a Chamgane Brunch, glow-in-the-dark egg hunt and other Easter events--then ends with fishing and a Spring Harp Festival.

But that's not all. We have a fabulous preview of some great upcoming events all right here in East County and San Diego’s inland region.

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The Cottonwood Golf Club is featuring a Champagne Easter Brunch in their pavilion and spring gardens with lake views on Sunday, April 20th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The brunch includes meat carving stations, a waffle station, entrees, dessert offerings, and much more. 

For more information, including the complete menu and to book reservations, contact the Cottonwood Golf Club at 619-442-9891, Ext. 22 or www.cottonwoodgolf.com. Cottonwood Golf Club is located at 3121 Willow Glen Drive in El Cajon, CA 92019. 

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Saturday, April 19th is the last day to ride the Bunny Train; a real train out at the Campo Depot and Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. The Bunny Train has lots of Easter eggs and fun craft activities for the kids. Trains depart Campo Depot at 11:00 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. for a scenic one hour round-trip journey through the mountains with the Easter Bunny. Advance reservations required for this event at http://www.psrm.org. 

The Campo Depot is located at 750 Depot Street in Campo, CA 91906. The Campo Depot can be reached by phone on weekends at (619) 478-9937.

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The 60th Annual Easter Pancake Breakfast will be held in Alpine on Easter Sunday, April 20th from 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Alpine Elementary School Auditorium at 1850 Alpine Boulevard in Alpine. For more information, contact the Alpine Chamber of Commerce at http://www.AlpineChamber.com.

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Santee Lakes' Eggstravaganza & Egg Hunts will be celebrated on Saturday, April 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The egg hunts are for children ages 3-8 years old. The continuous egg hunts are first come, first served. Other fun activities throughout the day include Primo DJ, pony rides, a petting zoo, bounce houses, face painting, craft booths, food, carnival rides and games. 

Tickets are $0.50 each • Activities and rides range from 1 to 10 tickets. Dogs are prohibited on site.

Cash Only • ATM on site. Santee Lakes, Lake #5 is located at 9310 Fanita Pkwy in Santee, CA 92071. For info, contact Community Services at (619) 258-4100, Ext. 222 or visit these websites for more information: http://www.ci.santee.ca.us and http://www.santeelakes.com.  Parking: $5 Tickets: $.50

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be presented. Activities include egg hunts, air jumpers, live music, a DJ and more egg hunts every half-hour starting with the little ones from 1-2 at 0-2 years at 10:30 a.m. and ending with the 9-12 year olds at 12:00 p.m. Baskets are not provided. This event is sponsored by the San Carlos/Lake Murray Recreation Council and the City of San Diego Park & Recreation Department.

The San Carlos Recreation Center is locatd at 6445 Lake Badin Avenue in San Diego, CA 92119. From Interstate 8 take the Lake Murray exit. Take Lake Murray to Jackson Drive and turn left. Take Jackson Drive to Lake Badin and turn right the center is on the corner of Lake Badin and Lake Adlon. The center is accessible by bus via SDMTS routes 115 & 854.   Info: (619) 527-3443 

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Pine Hills Lodge in Julian is holding an Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday,  April 20th. The Egg Hunt begins at 11:00 a.m. Reservations are required for the brunch, which is served from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with the Easter Egg Hunt at 11:00 a.m. 

Cost: $15.95 Adults / $10.95 Children 10 and under. Pine Hills Lodge is located at 2960 La Posada Way, Julian 92036. Phone: (760) 765-1100. Website: www.pinehillslodge.com.   

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The Kroc Hop Bunny Drop will be happening at the Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center on Saturday, April 19th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Kroc Community Church is hosting its tenth annual free Community Easter Egg Hunt and Festival with more than 2,000 local children expected who can enjoy visits and pictures with the Easter Bunny, bounce houses, arts and crafts, music, carnival games, and exciting prizes! This year, they are introducing the new Toddler Zone for children under 3-years-old. Kids 4 to 11 years are invited to hunt for more than 15,000 eggs on the Kroc Center field!

The Kroc Community Center is located at 6854 University Avenue in the College Avenue area of San Diego, just outside of La Mesa.

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Ramona is hosting their Annual Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19th at 10:00 a.m. at Dos Picos Regional Park in Ramona. They plan to have 4000 goodie-filled eggs awaiting children in three designated zones for ages 2 and under, ages 3-5, and ages 6 and older.  Stick around after the hunt to play their Lifesized Candyland game. The Easter Bunny will be hopping by for photo ops and furry hugs!

Cost: A donation of $1 per egg hunter is requested and ample parking can be found in the day use lot for $3.

Egg Hunt is free for campers and there is a $3 day use fee. Dos Picos Regional Park, 17953 Dos Picos Park Rd - Ramona CA 92065 Info: (760) 789-2220.

Young visitors and their families are invited to have breakfast with the Easter Bunny & participate in an Egg Hunt at the Spring Valley Community Center on Jamacha Blvd. in Spring Valley. Breakfast with the Easter Bunny includes pancakes, sausage, juice, coffee and milk; all served by Kiwanis volunteers. The free Egg Hunt is for children ages 2-10 and starts at 9:00 a.m. sharp. 

Date: April 19, 2014  Time: Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Egg Hunt: 9:00 a.m.  Ages 2 thru 10. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for children 12 years. A picture taken with the bunny is $5. Spring Valley Community Center, 8735 Jamacha Blvd - Spring Valley CA 91977. Info: (619) 479-1832 (619) 667-6833 

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Our last featured Egg Hunt is a unique knock-off from the original egg hunt idea, and it's just for the older kids. A Teen Glow-in-the-Dark Egg Hunt will take place in Poway at the Lake Poway Pavilion on Poway Road on Friday night, April 18th from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm. This glow-iin-the-dark egg hunt is just for teens in Grades 6-9 who want to join the quest to hunt a thousand glow-in-the-dark eggs. These eggs will be filled with candy, gift cards, and tons of marvelous prizes. Early registration is recommended as spots are limited for this free event.

Lake Poway Pavilion, 14644 Lake Poway Rd - Poway CA 92064  Info: (858) 668-4671 and www.poway.org.

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Fishing is back at Cottonwood Golf Club in Lake #1 every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Contact the Cottonwood Pro Shop for more information and to buy tickets. Cottonwood Golf Club is located at 3121 Willow Glen Dr. in El Cajon, CA 92019. Contact 619-442-9891, Ext. 3 or http://www.cottonwoodgolf.com for info.

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The Spring Harp Fest is a free all-day event happening on Saturday, April 19th from 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. This annual festival was originally founded in 1999 to promote the American artform of the blues harmonica. Some of Southern California's finest harmonica players perform at this annual Spring Harp Fest. The Harp Fest is a family-friendly, outdoor event located at Harry Griffen Park in La Mesa, California.  

The address of the park is 9550 Milden St. in La Mesa, CA 91942.  It is behind Grossmont High School. The Spring Harp Fest line-up can be found on the 2014 Spring Harp Fest page.  Suggested donation is just $10.  Please donate what you can afford as every dollar helps.

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Now, we have a preview for you of some seasonal traditional events in East County events, as well as some new ones coming up in the next couple of weeks:

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Cajon Classic Cruises returns again this year beginning on Wednesday, April 23rd from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. This annual car show is held in the area of the Prescott Promenade in Downtown El Cajon and is hosted by the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners. Cajon Classic Cruise Car Shows are held every Wednesday night and continue through October 29th, 2014. The first car show will involve a full street closure of East Main Street between Magnolia and Claydelle Avenues, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. For information, visit the website http://www.downtownelcajon.com or call (619) 334-3000. 

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The WINGS OF FREEDOM Aircraft TOUR will stop at Ramona Airport on Wednesday, April 23rd and will be available through Friday, April 25th. Aviation enthusiasts and war history buffs can enjoy a unique display at Ramona Airport of World War II aircraft, including the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and P-51 Mustang. There are walk-through tours, as well as actual flights in a few of the vintage aircraft, including a B-17 Bomber.

The aircraft are scheduled to arrive in Ramona at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23rd and will be on display to the public until 5:00 p.m. On April 24th, hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on April 25th from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Following the Ramona Airport stop, the tour will move to McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, April 25th to 27th. For flight reservations and information, call 800-568-8924 or visit http://www.cfdn.org. Ramona Airport is located at 2898 Montecito Rd. in Ramona.

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The 49th Annual Lakeside Western Days Parade's theme for this year is "Lakeside: Where the West is Still Alive" and celebrates the Lakeside Rodeo’s 50th anniversary. The event will take place on Saturday, April 26 at 9:35 a.m. along Woodside and Maine Avenue. This year’s Parade Grand Marshal is the El Capitan Stadium Association for 50 years of organizing the Lakeside Rodeo. The Association selected long-time volunteer Don Hickle to be its representative in the parade.  Hickle has been an active member of the Lakeside community for the past 38 years. The parade will be filled with a wide variety of antique and classic cars, bands and entertainment from local schools, floats representing local businesses and organizations, clowns and of course – cowboys and cowgirls!

For information about the parade or the Chamber, visit http://www.lakesidechamber.org.

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To get ready for the parade the night before on Friday, April 18th, the Optimists' Club of Lakeside will be offering its 33rd annual Western Days BBQ Dinner served at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. The menu is Deep Pit BBQ Beef with all the fixins'.

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The Annual Lakeside Rodeo will take place the same weekend as the Lakeside Parade and Western Days Celebration. Performances are scheduled throughout Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 25th, 26th, and 27th at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds. Spectators can enjoy Western-Style Fun with Bronc Riding, Barrel Racing, Steer Wrestling, Roping Competitions and more.

Ticket prices: $5-$250   Lakeside Rodeo Grounds is located at12584 Mapleview Street, Lakeside, CA 92040  Phone: 619-561-4331 for more ticket and performance information.

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The Lemon Grove Historical Society presents A Day at the Historic 1892 Troxell Manor and Gardens, Lemon Grove’s Third Oldest Home, on Saturday, April 26th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The home was built by William and Mary Ann Troxell. Visitors can tour the Manor and its gardens with ancient trees and a working organic garden & orchard. Also available will be demonstrations and live music under the trees with guitarist Jon Garner. Guests can also observe artists at work and enjoy refreshments and tastings. Garden-related door prizes will be given out. 

Tickets are $15. There is free parking in Civic Center Park (only a half block from the manor's long driveway) or street parking with a convenient, short stroll to the manor. Please let them know if you're bringing anybody in a wheelchair or with a walker, and they will advise you of an easy way to deliver your precious cargo without walking up the driveway.

Ticket Info: (619)-460-4353. No tickets will be mailed. Your tickets will be held at Will Call for pickup on April 26h at the H. Lee House Cultural Center, 3205 Olive Street, Civic Center Park, Lemon Grove (half a block from the Troxell Manor & Gardens). You may pick up your tickets starting at 9:00 a.m. Please wear flat shoes; no cameras or large bags in the manor; and no handicapped access to this private home. Ticket requests and payments can be mailed to the Lemon Grove Historical Society, P.O. Box 624, Lemon Grove, CA 91945. 

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The sixth annual “Coyote Music Festival” will he hosted by Cuyamaca Community Collegeon on the campus Grand Lawn on Saturday, April 26th from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The festival features seven bands of up-and-coming local talent that will showcase all-original music compositions. These home-grown singer-songwriters will perform in a variety of genres, including acoustic, rock, folk and pop. The event is free and open to the public and parking is free.

Visit www.facebook.com/coyotemusicfestival or www.coyotemusicfest.com for more information.

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A springtime English-Style High Tea amidst blooming fields of lavender will be served up at the Keys Creek Lavender Farm in Valley Center. Their menu including lemon lavender scones with jam and Devonshire cream, appetizers, sandwiches, smoked turkey, truffled egg salad, chicken tarragon, fresh fruit, raspberry crème roulade, Viennese chocolate vanilla crescents, lavender lady kisses and an assortment of hot teas. The high teas will be served at 2:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 25th and 26h. 

Tickets cost $45 for adults and $22.50 for children ages 3-10. For more information and tickets, visit http://kclfarm.com/index.html. 

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The 19th Annual East County Garden Tour put on by Friends of East County Arts, Inc. takes place on Saturday, April 26th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All six gardens offer a variety of settings to learn from and enjoy. Included in the tour this year are water-wise settings, unique garden "corners," an African-themed explosion of colorful characters and drought-tolerant plants, St. Madeleine Sophie’s 2 acre Organic Garden and Nursery (which sells many wonderful plants), and "Applecrate” vendors offering crafts and garden creations for purchase.

Tickets for the 19th Annual Garden Tour are $15.00 in advance or $18.00 at any garden site the day of the tour. Contact Christy Klock at (619) 442-8515 for advanced tickets or visit their website at http://www.friendsofecarts.org.

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The Wine and Rail event embarks on Saturday, April 26th at the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo and the Campo Depot, where riders can enjoy an afternoon of leisure in the beautiful backcountry riding the historic Pacific Southwest rails. All together, there will be live presentations by local wineries, heavy hors d’oeuvres, presentations by historians and wineries, as well as a scenic train ride all put on by The Mountain Empire/Campo Kiwanis and the East County Vintners Association. A self-guided tour of the museum is included. Guests may also win door prizes and vie for raffle baskets. 

Your $45 ticket includes wine tasting. For tickets, contact Arvy at 619-478-5566.  For driving directios, visit http://sdrm.org.

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Next year marks the century milestone of the founding of Jacumba Hot Springs. Although the community of Jacumba was settled in the middle 1800’s, the first time the community appeared in an official document as Jacumba HOT SPRINGS was in a State of California Railroad Commission document dated in 1914.

Four major festivals are planned for the Centennial, including the Third Annual Blues Festival on Saturday, May 3rd. You'll be hearing more details about this music festival in our next East County Magazine radio show.

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supported by our listeners and by a Community Enhancement Grant from San Diego County.