East County News Service

May 18, 2017 (El Cajon) - The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College will host its second Customer Appreciation Day on Sunday, May 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The winners of the 2017 Landscape Contest will be recognized.

By Miriam Raftery

May 14, 2017 (Jamul) – Wineries from along the emerging Highway 94 wine corridor  served up fruits of their labors at the Jamul Wine Festival April 29^th at St. St. Pius X Catholic Church in Jamul,  all to benefit building classrooms for local children.  Guests also savored an abundant array of delicious foods,  bid on unique silent auction items,  enjoyed live music, a presentation with wine tasting tips, and more.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to showcase the Vineyards and Wineries in Jamul and to make our Festival the first of many to come,” said Gary Gorton with the Knights Council 9659 at the church.

East County News Service

May 12, 2017 (Alpine) -- "Casino Royale at the Ranch" at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine will be Saturday, May 20 from 3-7 p.m.  Besides exotic cats and bears, this event will have entertainment for the whole family, featuring the 2017 Funniest Person in San Diego winner James Schrader, and the “most exciting Elvis-themed entertainment on the planet” James Kruk, plus The Big Boss Men.  

East County News Service

May 12, 2017 (La Mesa) – You’re invited to come out and enjoy the line-up of local bands at La Mesa’s “Sundays at Six” free summer concert series each Sunday night from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. from June 11-July 23.

By Miriam Raftery

May 11, 2017 (Jacumba Hot Springs) — The Jacumba Hikers and Walkers will hit the trail this Saturday, May 13^th  on a five-mile hike to visit an inactive garnet mine. Hikers will encounter a waterfall, exhilarating views and othr hidden treasures of the high desert area.  “Bring your rock picks and safety glasses to do a little mining, or just enjoy your lunch on a scenic hilltop at the mine,”  the invitation reads.

East County News Service

May 9, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes Mother’s Day brunch, tea and dinners as well as a butterfly festival, classic car events, the Manzanita Rendezvous with mountain men and more.

Plus, we’ll tell you about coming attractions including the Julian Fiddle and Pickin’ Contest, America on Main Street, Explore Mission Trails Day, Fly Day at Gillespie Field, Night Fishing at Santee Lakes, the launch of Santee’s Summer Concert series, and a Father’s Day brunch with Cowboy Jack.

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

By Miriam Raftery

Video, above: Open fiddling competition 2016 champion Shira Ellison in her winning performance

May 2, 2017 (Julian) -- Each year,  the town of Julian comes alive with the sounds  of music—fiddle music, along with banjos, guitars, mandolins and mountain dulcimers at the annual Julian Fiddle and Pickin’ Contest. 

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, May 20^th at the Julian Town Hall, plus on Friday night a Texas-style fiddle workshop will be led by two-time national grand fiddle champion Matthew Hartz.  (For details and a schedule visit www.SanDiegoFiddler.org)

Recently we’re seeing a revival of interest in the art of fiddling and more broadly, a Renaissance in traditional music both regionally and nationally.

By Miriam Raftery

April 28,2017 (San Diego) – Seeking to empower women through outdoor activities REI has launched “Forces of Nature,” a series of over 1,000 programs for women from May through September nationwide, including San Diego. Locally the series kicks off with events at Mission Trails Regional Park on May 6^th that include rock climbing, and a free inspirational TED-talk style presentation by outdoor writer Shelby  Stanger. 

“Outdoors is a level playing field,” says Alyson Wright, outdoor programs and outreach market manager from REI in San Diego.  “You don’t have to behave a certain way.”  Nationally, REI is telling stories of women adventurers, makers and rule-breakers, encouraging women, “Let’s make outside the largest level playing field on earth.”

East County News Service

Hear our interview with Mark Hanson and Terri Steele from Heartland Youth Build by clicking the audio link.

April 26, 2017 (San Diego) – Nearly 70 classic vehicles and muscle cars will be toughing it out to earn a $250 “Best in Show” prize at new East County Chamber member Heartland YouthBuild’s Cool Car Classic. 

The event takes place on Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the YouthBuild campus, 5280 Orange Avenue in City Heights.

Story and photo by Miriam Raftery

April 21, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon Library, located at 201 E. Douglas Avenue in El Cajon, will host its first Monarch Butterfly Festival, in partnership with San Diego Master Gardeners and the Water Conservation Garden organization, on Saturday, May 13, 2017, from 1 – 4 pm.   Beautiful orange and black monarch butterflies are both year-round San Diego residents and winter migration visitors.  Their numbers have greatly declined over the years and festival visitors can learn about them and how to help increase their numbers by planting a monarch butterfly garden.  Having a butterfly garden is a popular and fun family activity.  Even if you don’t have room for a garden, you can plant milkweed in pots.

East County News Service

April 19, 2017 (San Diego) - On Sunday, April 30, the San Diego County Vintners Association’s 22^nd Annual Wine & Food Festival returns to Bernardo Winery.  The festival features over 25 local wineries, national and international award-winning wines, unlimited food sampling, live music, and a silent auction.

East County News Service

Photo: Jupiter and its moons

April 19, 2017 (Julian) -- You’re invited to a star party at William Heise County Park (4945 Heise Park Rd.) in Julian this Saturday, April 22^nd starting at 7 p.m. with the Curiosity Peak Observatory and the Julian Dark Sky Network. The event celebrates International Dark Sky Week.   Organizers state, “Join us to travel through space and time and get to see what our local starry nights have to offer. You will get to see planets, moon, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and Jupiter with all its moons.”

East County News Service

April 18, 2017 (Jamul) – Fantastic local wines, great food and live entertainment will be just a few of the highlights of the second annual Wine Festival benefiting St. Pius X Catholic Church's building fund.  On Saturday, April 29, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., wine lovers will enter the event grounds in Jamul, Calf. and begin tasting wines from the following participating wineries:

East County News Service

April 8, 2017 (Rancho San Diego) -- In conjunction with the Spring Garden Festival and the Butterfly Festival at Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego, the Heritage of the Americas Museum holds a very special drawing each year:  the "Five-Choices Dream Drawing."  The drawing will take place at the museum on Saturday, April 29, at 2:30 p.m.  Tickets can be bought in advance or the day of the festival.  You don't have to be present to win.  The cost of a drawing ticket is $1.00.  The Heritage of the Americas Museum is located on the campus of Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego.  Admission to the museum and parking will be free that day. 

East County News Service

April 7, 2017 (Flinn Springs) - The Alpine Kiwanis Club invites the public to attend the 27th Annual Vintage Alpine fundraiser held from 1 - 4 p.m. on May 7, hosted by the nonprofit Kiwanis Club of Alpine Foundation, Inc. This "Wine Experience in the Country" will take place within the lovely gardens of Summers Past Farms at 15602 Old Highway 80 in Flinn Springs.