East County News Service

November 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - This week’s Destination East County includes a Swing with Santa charity golf tournament, live music at La Mesa Wine Works, a meteor shower watching event at Oakoasis Park in Lakeside, and the ever-popular Mother Goose Parade.

Plus we’ll have a preview of coming attractions over the next month including Pomegranate Days at the Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona, Holiday Lights on Main in El Cajon, holiday hay rides in Santa Ysabel, a Julian Country Christmas, a bonfire and ice skating in Lemon Grove, Lakeside’s Spirit of Christmas on Maine, a Christmas Cabaret, La Mesa’s Holiday in the Village, and the San Diego Festival Chorus and Orchestra’s “Sounds Good” performance of Handel’s Messiah and other holiday favorites.

So stay tuned for all of these events and many more!

By Helen Ofield   

November 9, 2017 (Lemon Grove) -- The City of Lemon Grove will hold its 20th annual holiday "Light up the 'Grove" bonfire on Dec. 1 from 12 noon to 8 p.m. The bonfire lighting at 6 p.m. will be preceded by game booths, rock climbing wall, hayrides, arts and crafts, live music and skating on an actual ice rink. Free hot chocolate and outreach from the city's non profit groups, including the Lemon Grove Historical Society's traditional open house, will be part of the fun.  Event hours are extended this year to mark Lemon Grove's 40th anniversary of incorporation.

For information, call 619-825-3800 or visit https://www.lemongrove.ca.gov/home/showdocument?id=3549.

East County News Service

November 8, 2017 (La Mesa) - On Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11, Grossmont Center is pulling out all the stops to honor our veterans.  The event kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday evening in the Courtyard with a concert by the Navy's SW 32nd Street Brass Band.  These outstanding musicians will be performing traditional New Orleans jazz, Navy favorites and pop tunes.

East County News Service

November 8, 2017 (Lakeside) - Lakeside’s Chamber of Commerce invites you to celebrate the Spirit of Christmas on Maine Street in downtown Lakeside on December 2^nd from 4 to 9 p.m. This event features Santa Claus, craft booths, vendors, jumps and rides for kids, performances by local school students, and the lighting of a community Christmas tree for plenty of old-fashioned family fun this holiday season.

Admission is free.  Find details at www.LakesideChamber.org and at www.LakesideRodeo.com.

East County News Service

November 8, 2017 (Santa Ysabel) - Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures in Santa Ysabel, (4424 State Route 78) just outside of Julian, will be offering a holiday hayride activity package on November 25^th from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Activities include a holiday hayride with caroling, candle dipping, rustic ornament making, cider pressing, a country hoedown, petting zoo, tomahawk throwing, rope making, a ghost town, slingshot range, hoops and stick relay races, plan racing, nature walks and a tire swing.

For more information, visit http://www.FortCross.com. 

East County News Service

November 8, 2017 (El Cajon) - The 71^st Annual Mother Goose Parade will be on November 19^th, the Sunday before Thanksgiving.   This year’s parade theme is “Family Traditions!”  The parade begins at 1 p.m.  You can see over 100 colorful and exciting parade entries, including floats, marching bands, clowns, equestrians, local dignitaries, TV celebrities, and Santa Claus!  The parade Grand Marshal is Randy Jones, former San Diego Padre and CY Young award winner.

East County News Service

November 5, 2017 (Julian) -- Christmas comes to Julian every year in an old-fashioned way with a Country Christmas Tree Lighting celebration on Saturday, November 25^th to start the holiday season.  Festivities start at 2 p.m. and continue until 7 p.m. including lighting of a giant Christmas tree in Pioneer Park, just one block from Julian’s historic town hall.

By Miriam Raftery

November 1, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes a wildlife walk, live hawk demonstration and world music ensemble concert at Mission Trails, an Autumn Fest at the Water Conservation Garden, the Ramona Art and Wine Fest, and acoustic concerts at the Rancho San Diego and Ramona libraries.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including Veterans Day activities at Grossmont Center, a Veterans’ Day commemoration in El Cajon, the Mother Goose Parade, a holiday hay ride and many more activities at Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures in Santa Ysabel, plus a Julian Country Christmas celebration later this month.

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

East County News Service

October 25, 2017 (Alpine) – Viejas Outlets in Alpine invite you to “trick or treat off the street” on Tuesday, October 31^st from 5 to 8 p.m.

You’re invited to bring your whole family of goblins, ghouls and witches! Visit any retail shop to receive Halloween treats.

October 5, 2017 (La Mesa) – You’re invited to join our East County Dining Club in a “Feast from the East” at Himalayan Cuisine (7918 El Cajon Blvd., La Mesa) on Thursday, October 19 at 6:30 p.m.  The restaurant features delicious  foods from Nepal, India and Tibet. 

For this event, you can order food and drinks off the extensive exotic and affordable menu, plus we’ll have a wealth of prizes. View the delicious menu options:  www.HimalayanCuisineOne.com.   

You can pay at the door for this event, but please RSVP early to reserve space—our last two events sold out!  RVSP to reserve space:  (619)698-7617 or email editor@eastcountymagazine.org .

The restaurant will donate 15% of proceeds to benefit East County Magazine and East County Wildfires & Alerts.  More delicious details:

 By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Mark and Miriam Raftery

October 15, 2017 (Santa Ysabel) – The Laguna Mountain Rendezvous in Santa Ysabel continues this week through October 22nd, offering fascinating glimpses into the rugged skills of mountain men, frontiersmen and Revolutionary War era militia members. 

East County News Service

October 14, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - The owners of The Hills in La Mesa and the Eastbound Bar and Grill in Lakeside are serving up some spooky fun--along with some wild libations, prizes and more this Halloween Season. From a cauldron of concoctions served in gravedigger skull mugs to a costume contest with a $10,000 prize, these local night spots have plenty of “treats” in store for their Halloween weekend guests.

By Miriam Raftery

Click to view video of Emms shooting black-powder, muzzle loaded gun

September 24, 2017 (Mount Laguna) — If you stop by the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous October 13-21, you’re likely to feel as though you’ve been transported into the past –a mountain man encampment bringing history to life.  Activities for participants include black-powder shooting instruction, archery, tomahawk throwing, tool-making, camp stove cooking, early American music, and a traders’ row selling vintage and replica items from Colonial times in the 1770s through around 1840.

In an exclusive interview, Richard Emms, president of the Laguna Mountain Shooting Club, resident gunsmith and Rendezvous Booshway (leader of a group of mountain men)shares insights on how the group got started and what attracts folks to don historical garb for the 10-day encampment in period-style tents. 

East County News Service

October 10, 2017 (San Diego) -- 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.