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.

Source: Alpine Woman’s Club

October 23, 2017 (Alpine) --The Alpine Woman’s Club will hold its next monthly luncheon on November 21^st.  The Club is open to all East County women. The club is located in the Historic Alpine Town Hall, 2156 Alpine Blvd. After lunch Author Eleanor Garner will discuss her book, Eleanor’s Story: An American Girl in Hitler’s Germany.

East County News Service

October 22, 2017 (El Cajon) – The East County Coalition will hold a Hope Rally on Tuesday, October 24th  in El Cajon, where community residents and professionals will walk, rally and give presentations to raise awareness about domestic violence on.  Last year, there were 16,719 domestic violence incidents reported in San Diego County and up to a dozen homicides related to domestic violence. 

By Robert Gehr

October 21, 2017 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon held its sixth annual HauntFest on Main in downtown El Cajon last night, with a Ghostbusters theme this year.

I had a quite a time weaving through the crowds trying to capture the fun and energy I saw on the faces amongst everyone with my camera. There were literally thousands of people attending this ever-popular event, which can make it challenging to navigate around. One simply cannot be in a hurry to any particular destination.

East County News Service

October 18, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - On Saturday, October 21st, the Jacumba Hikers and Walkers are hitting the trail to Carrizo Creek.  This is a four-mile round trip hike rated moderate.  Hikers will be traveling a short distance on a county maintained dirt road, through a short tunnel to the “Echoing Mountains,” down a cliff to a creek bed strewn with boulders, overgrown shrubs and Tamarisk trees. Following the creek bed, you will encounter numerous pools and waterfalls.

East County News Service

October 18, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The Sixth Annual “HauntFest on Main” will be held this Friday night, October 20^th from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. in Downtown El Cajon. This fun, family-friendly Halloween-themed event includes 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. 

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:

Source:  Chabad of East County

October 17, 2017 (San Carlos) -- Rabbi Rafi Andrusier of Chabad of East County will recount 2000 years of Jewish history through the lens of six epic debates that rocked the Jewish world and still resound powerfully today.  Beginning Tuesday, October 31, at 7:00 p.m., Chabad will be offering a new six-session course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), titled Great Debates in Jewish History.

By Sam Warren © 2017

The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.

— Mark Twain —

This week’s calendar features books about the border. On Sunday, we have a book about rock art and on Wednesday we have photographs on organized crime.

Scroll down for a full list of local readers and writers’ events.

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 11, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes pumpkin patch events at Summers Past Farms and Scotty’s Scare Trail in Flinn Springs, train rides on the Pumpkin Express in Campo, The Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, a chili cookoff for charity in Lemon Grove, and Kids Care Fest in Lakeside.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including El Cajon’s Haunt Fest on Main, Borrego Days, a Toast to East County, a haunted lodge, a Halloween harvest family festival on Mt. Helix, the Boulevard Boo Parade, a spooky campover at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine, Laurel and Hardy night’s “Hallowscream” in Spring Valley, a Harvest Fest and Plant Sale at the Water Conservation Garden, the Ramona Art and Wine Festival, and live hawk demonstrations at Mission Trails Regional Park.

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

Source:  El Cajon Elks Lodge

October 10, 2017 (El Cajon) - The El Cajon Elks Lodge 1812 is working with a local Haunted House Production Company, “Scareventures,” to present a Haunted Lodge for the community in their parking lot from October 26^th through 31^st.  This will be one of the only Haunted Houses in San Diego’s East County, it represents an important charity fundraising effort where the Elks will contribute 100% of proceeds from the event for children’s charities as a part of their annual “Purple Pig” (or CHEMPI) and “Youth Charities” fundraising efforts. 

By Sam Warren © 2017

“Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them!”

--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Jurist —

October 8, 2017 (San Diego) -- You Shakespeare fans should see how Ian Doescher mixes Shakespeare with Star Wars on October 11^th.at the Mysterious Galaxy.

Scroll down for a full list of local readers and writers’ events.

By Liz Alper

October 7, 2017 (Spring Valley) - Saps at Sea, the San Diego chapter of the Sons of the Desert, the international Laurel & Hardy fan club, presents their Halloween program, Howlarious HalloScream! on October 28 at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity Presbytarian Church in Spring Valley.   The Saps are teaming up with the Theater Organ Society of San Diego and both groups' very own Russ Peck will be playing organ accompanyments to the films.