DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: TOP FESTIVALS AND EVENTS OCT. 6-31

East County News Service

October 3, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes Oktoberfest in El Cajon, Camels and Apples at the Oasis Camel Dairy, an art reception with international artist Padre Johnson at Heritage of the Americas Museum, a Circular Visions dance show, the Ramona Air Fair and Fly In, Summers Past Farms’ Pumpkin Patch, Scotty’s Scare Trail, and the Pumpkin Express haunted train ride in Campo.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest in Lakeside, the Borrego Days celebration, El Cajon’s Haunt Fest on Main, a Haunted Elks Lodge, a Halloween Harvest Family Festival on Mt. Helix, a spooky sleepover at Lions Tigers and Bears in Alpine, and the Boulevard BOO Parade.

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

THIS WEEK

OKTOBERFEST IN EL CAJON CONTINUES OCT. 6-8

The German America Club of San Diego’s Oktoberfest continues this weekend, Friday through Sunday at the Club’s headquarters in El Cajon.

You can feast on authentic German fare, from roast ox on a spit to German pancakes, sauerkraut, and bratwurst. A German band flown in from Bavaria will perform German music ranging from polkas and waltzes to beer drinking songs. You’ll also find vendors selling a variety of crafts.

For details, you can visit http://www.germanclubsandiego.org/.

PADRE JOHNSON ART RECEPTION OCT. 6

Heritage of the Americas Museum invites you to a reception with artist Padre Johnson on Friday, October 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. Padre Johnson will make a special presentation, donating 25 paintings from his “Faces of the Global Human Family” to the museum for permanent display.

Johnson served as a Navy Special Forces medical chaplain during the Vietnam War and later earned a doctorate in cultural anthropology.  Research for his thesis led him to travel around the world, painting faces of humanity. 

He spent 14 years living with people in 159 countries and capturing the common humanity in their faces. Now he has put together an exhibition of his amazing works reflecting cultures around the world. His works have been exhibited at the United Nations and the Royal Palace in China’s Forbidden City. 

Johnson originally planned on gifting all of his paintings to the United Nations, but has since decided that they belong in Heritage of the Americans Museum on the campus of Cuyamaca College here in East County, where he held his very first exhibition years ago.

For more information, you can visit heritageoftheamericasmuseum.com/..

CAMELS AND APPLES: OPEN FARM AND SHOWS OCT.7-9

The Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona joins in celebrating Julian’s apple season this weekend, inviting visitors to treat camels to sweet, tart, crisp apples.  On October 7th, 8th and 9th from 1 to 4 p.m. the celebration also includes an open farm tour with friendly farm animals and curious camels. Plus, at 1:30 p.m. each day, you can enjoy a humorous and entertaining animal show.

There are also camel rides, weather permitting, and camel-themed gift items available.

For more information, you can visit www.CamelDairy.com.

CIRCULAR VISIONS DANCE CONCERT OCT. 6-8

Visionary Dance Theatre, a La Mesa-based dance troupe, presents “Circular Visions” at the City Heights Performance Annex (3795 Fairmount Ave, San Diego) on October 6th-7^th at 8 p.m.

This dance concert kicks off Visionary’s 8th season, titled Restoration 8.  “Join us for the entire season as we re-stage, re-create, and re-image some of our best works from the past seasons,” the invitation states. For tickets visit www.VisionaryDanceTheatre.org.

RAMONA AIR FAIR AND FLY-IN OCT. 7

Cool airplanes, awesome cars, live country music, and a hot air balloon are all part of the Ramona Air Fair and Fly-In on Saturday, October 7^th at the Ramona Airport (2926 Montecito Road, Ramona) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors will get the chance to get close-up looks at vintage aircraft and classic cars. Kids ages 8 to 17 can take free flights with the Young Eagles. There will be a tethered hot air balloon for people to ride in. Plus, country and Southern rock band “Del Rio,” and the KSON team will entertain.

There will also be games, free face-painting, balloons and piñatas for children, and a pancake breakfast, Mexican lunch, and food trucks. Visitors can also tour the Classic Rotors Helicopter Museum, the U.S. Forest Service’s helitack base and the CAL FIRE air attack base.

(For more information about the airport, check the County Department of Public Works’ Ramona Airport web page.)

SUMMERS PAST PUMPKIN PATCH

The Pumpkin Patch at Summers Past Farms in Flinn Springs invites you Pumpkin Patch Weekends complete with corn maze, jumpy for kids, popcorn and more. There are also special dates for petting and meeting a variety of animals from alpacas to pigs, as well as a dog show, costume contest and more.

There will be a different themed event each weekend in October. For a full schedule of activities, you can visit www.SummersPastFarms.com.

SCOTTY’S SCARE TRAIL IN FLINN SPRINGS DURING OCTOBER

Scotty’s Scare Trail, located at the Marshall Scotty’s abandoned amusement park in Flinn Springs just east of El Cajon, is rumored to be haunted to old employees and children who never left., plus monsters roaming the premises.

Open Fridays and Saturdays in October from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., the scare trail aims create haunting memories for you – whether or not you’ve ever visited this once enchanting destination as a child. 

For more chilling details, you can visit http://scaretrail.com.

PUMPKIN EXPRESS TRAIN RIDES EACH WEEKEND IN OCTOBER

The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association is hosting its 12^th annual Pumpkin Express Halloween Celebration.  You’re invited to ride decorated vintage railcars through the San Diego county mountains as fall descends upon the Campo community.

Trains depart from the Campo Depot three times daily each Saturday and Sunday in October.  The Pumpkin Express will wind down the hill through some of the most scenic parts of the historic San Diego and Arizona Railway.  Keep your eyes open for the Grim Reaper who may be stowed away onboard!

After the train returns to the museum grounds, passengers will be let off at the Display Building, where children and their parents will enjoy decorating pumpkins from an indoor pumpkin patch. You can also walk through one of our two haunted trains with a creepy cast of goblins and ghouls—and take home a pumpkin for each train rider.

For reservations and details, visit the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum at www.PSRM.org and click on the Pumpkin Express tab.

NOW FOR A PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS…

LAGUNA MOUNTAIN RENDEZVOUS OCTOBER 13-22

Step back in time to a fur trading and colonial camp from the 1700s to 1840s at the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous. This event takes place October 13 through 22 at the Mataguay Scout Reservation in Santa Ysabel.

You can see demonstrations of survival skills such as cooking, archery, tomahawk-throwing, black powder shooting and tool making. For more information, you can visit the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous page on Facebook. (https://www.facebook.com/Laguna-Mountain-Rendezvous-154665167884580/)

CHILI COOKOFF IN LEMON GROVE OCT. 14

Get your appetites ready. Lemon Grove Soroptomists are fired up to host their 13^th annual hometown chili-cook-off on October 14^th at the VFW hall (2885 Lemon Grove Avenue) from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

A dozen community groups will vie for the coveted Fiery Chili Chef Trophy and the also-ran plaques for Chili Chef Ablaze and Chili Chef Smokin'.

As you cast your ballots for your favorite chili entry, remember it’s all for a good cause, with proceeds benefiting Soroptomists charitable endeavors including scholarships and a holiday food and toy drive.

KIDS CARE FEST OCTOBER 14 IN LAKESIDE

Grossmont Healthcare District presents Kids Care Fest on Saturday, October 14 from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds.  This event will offer potentially life-saving healthcare screenings as well as dental and vision screenings at no cost as well as safety demonstrations, flu shots, blood pressure and cholesterol checks, health information, plus fun activities such as pony rides and a rock-climbing wall.

For details, visit kidscarefest.org. 

HAUNTFEST ON MAIN OCT. 20

The Sixth Annual “HauntFest on Main” will be held October 20^th from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. in Downtown El Cajon. This fun, family-friendly Halloween-themed event features live music on the Promenade Stage including the Stand-Up Guys from 5 to 7:15 p.m. and the Amazing ‘80s All-Starz from 7:45 to 10 p.m.:

This event also features costume contests on the Main Street stage, carnival rides, crafts, games, car show, a candy trail, kids zone with outdoor movies, face painting, inflatables for kids, pumpkin patch, Ghostbusters and more.  This event is presented by the City of El Cajon and the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners. 

(Admission is free, but some rides will charge a nominal fee.) For more information, you can visit Hauntfest.org or call (619) 441-1754.

BORREGO DAYS OCT. 21-22

The 52nd Annual Borrego Days Desert Festival kicks off Saturday, October 21 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and continues through Sunday, October 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The Borrego Days Parade steps off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 21^st along Palm Canyon Drive and Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs, complete with pre-parade flyover, floats, marching bands and trick-riding Western cowboys.

Borrego Days also includes arts and crafts and a carnival fun zone for kids both days, plus live music for dancing under the stars on Saturday night.

For more information, you can visit BorregoDays.com.  

HAUNTED LODGE OCT. 26-31

The El Cajon Elks Lodge 1812 is teaming up with a local Haunted House Production Company “Scareventures” to present a Haunted Lodge for the community in their parking lot from October 26th through 31st. This will be one of the only Haunted Houses in San Diego’s East Count.

The “Haunted Lodge” will feature a maze and four different key scare areas for guests to experience, plus activities and booths.

There will also be early evening hours set aside for children under 12 to experience a less scary version of the haunted lodge that is family friendly for youngsters where they will be treated to Halloween candy from nicer monsters they encounter as a part of their tour through the Lodge maze.

The Elks, who have been serving the community for 60 years, will donate 100% of proceeds from the event for children’s charities. The lodge is located at 1500 East Washington Avenue in EL Cajon. 

You can purchase advance tickets at elcajonelks.com.

HALLOWEEN HARVEST FAMILY FESTIVAL ATOP MT. HELIX OCT. 29

The Mt. Helix Park Foundation and Grossmont Mt Helix Improvement Association (GMIA) are joining together for a fun-filled Halloween Harvest Family Festival at the top of Mt Helix Park for neighborhood families on Sunday, October 29^th from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

A costume parade for kids, live music by Lenny & the Lounge Lizards, plus booths from local businesses offering crafts, games and treats will all be part of this fall festival.

Park at the San Miguel Fire Station on Vivera to take a free shuttle to the top of Mt. Helix.

For more information on the event, visit MtHelixPark.org.

SPOOKY CAMPOVER AT LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS OCT. 27-28

Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine will host its annual Spooky Campover from 3 p.m. Friday October 27 until noon on. October 28. Bring your own pumpkin to carve, food, camping gear and best costume. This event promises "a wild and ghoulish night under the stars with the rescued animals." There will be pumpkin carving, s'mores, campfire songs, a costume contest and animal feedings.

For ticket prices and reservations, visit www.LionsTigersAndBears.org  (or see https://lionstigersandbears.org/upcoming-events/lions-tigers-bears-spooky-campover/ .) All proceeds benefit the nonprofit facility’s work to rescue exotic animals and provide a permanent home for them.

BOO! PARADE OCTOBER 28 IN COLLEGE AREA

Celebrating its 13th year, the Boulevard BOO! Parade will be held on Saturday, October 28^th starting at 10 a.m. With over 70 entries of live entertainment marching on one mile of El Cajon Boulevard in the College area, the parade will entertain you with spooky ghouls, goblins, ghosts and witches to fill you with the Halloween spirit.

Grandstand seating is available for purchase, or arrive early to stake out space along the parade route.  The best viewing is along the south side of El Cajon Boulevard between Rolando Blvd. and 60^th Street.

SAPS AT SEA’S HOWLARIOUS HALLOSCREAM!  OCTOBER 28

The Saps at Sea, the official Laurel & Hardy fan club in San Diego, will host its October event, Howlarious HalloScream! On October 28 at 7:00 p.m. with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. at Trinity Presbytarian Church in Spring Valley.

This month, the Saps are teaming up with the Theatre Organ Society of San Diego to bring you spooky silents and a Felix the Cat cartoon.  Don’t miss a special screening of the classic silent horror film, The Cat and the Canary!  Donation is $7 per person.

That’s all for this week!

If you have an event you’d like added to our calendar, or if you would like to sponsor the Destination East County column on our website, or the Destination East County show on KNSJ Radio, you can contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.  Destination East County is the most-read feature on our website.