By Robert Gehr © 2015

November 21, 2015 (El Cajon )—El Cajon’s first-ever Holiday Lights on Main celebration will be held November 28^th from 12 noon to 7 p.m.  Festivities take place at Prescott Promenade Park and in downtown El Cajon.

This special event features a Santa’s village complete with Santa Claus and an elf making an appearance just in time for Christmas! There will also be an ice skating rink, craft and food vendors, a train ride, community acts, plus live music featuring Danielle Tucker from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.

A special Christmas tree lighting at 6:00 p.m. in front of Starbucks and Urbn St. Brewing Co. at Main St. and Magnolia Ave. will coincide with all the lights throughout downtown and Prescott Promenade Park being turned on to brighten the holidays for everyone.

November 18, 2015 (San Diego)--This holiday season Visionary School for the Performing Arts presents “Kracked Nutz”, a holiday musical revue, at the Visionary Performance Space (7202 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115) on December 3rd-5^th at 7 p.m. directed by the VSPA teaching artists.

East County News Service

Lions, Tigers and Bears invites you to a Christmas Festival on  Saturday, December 5^th from 1 to 4 p.m.  You can watch the animals open their Christmas presents –and get holiday shopping all in one day at the exotic animal rescue facility east of Alpine.

There will be also be many local vendors, food, entertainment and a special appearance by the man in red--Santa Claus.

November 17, 2015 (La Mesa) - Marking your calendar for the holiday season?  Mt. Helix Park has some winter events for the whole family...from Christmas caroling to a hike to start off the New Year.

November 12, 2015 (Lemon Grove)—“JFK Remembered,” a screening of President John F. Kennedy’s visit to San Diego on June 6, 1963, will be presented on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. by the Lemon Grove Historical Society at the Lemon Grove Library (3001 School Lane).

“If you were there that day, please bring your memories and join with former policemen, students, teachers, crew, military and civilians who were connected to JFK’s visit. We’ll be videotaping your memories for posterity,” says Helen Ofield, president of the Lemon Grove Historical Society.  There will also be a display of memorabilia.

Kennedy visited San Diego State College (now San Diego State University) to deliver the commencement address at graduation and  stopped at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. He also traveled by open motorcade through San Diego—just 5 months and 16 days before his assassination on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

By Kathy Carpenter

Associate and Youth Reviewer www.sdtheatrereviews.com

November 9, 2015 (Spring Valley) - Students at Monte Vista rock Radium Girls. Was the small theatre at the school full? No. Do the students who work hard for two months deserve a full house, with the school and peers behind them? Yes? I don't understand how the big theatres fill up and the small ones remain unoccupied. Their is no reason those seats should not be full. The arts benefit everyone in a positive way.

Factory workers treated unfairly is the theme of the play, still very much relevant throughout the world today. Is this a popular subject? No. A controversial subject, yes. As the "Grinder", a new television series said tonight, dramatic--which makes for a compelling play.

By Kathy Carpenter

Associate and Youth Reviewer www.sdtheaterreviews.com



November 9, 2015 (Santee) - Anne Frank and Me by Cherie Bennet.is a play about keeping history and memories alive so as not to be forgotten. The question asked in today's world and Ms. Edwards, is how do we motivate students in this short span society to learn things like history?

Let me say bravo to Carrin Edwards for finding a way. Ms. Edwards is a teacher at West Hills in Santee, and the director of this profound piece.Kudos also go out to West Hills High administration for encouraging students and rewarding them to support the arts.

Source:  County Parks Department

November 10, 2015 (Lakeside)-- This Veterans Day weekend, you can honor the sacrifice and service that all of our military neighbors, friends and family members make to preserve peace and maintain freedom — and enjoy a great “Warrior Challenge” hike at the same time.

From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at El Capitan Preserve in Lakeside, the San Diego County Parks Department will hold the first of what is expected to become an annual event: a hiking event with something for everyone, whether you’re a beginner — or little — hiker to those hardcore warrior-hikers as well.

November 10, 2015 (La Mesa) On Saturday, November 14^th, Guitar Center will present live music in a “Locals Only” concert at Grossmont Center shopping mall in La Mesa.  The event runs from 12 noon to 6 p.m. and will feature local bands, DJs and a banjo jam!

November 9, 2015 (ElCajon)—The sign-up is now open for Jingle Paws, an annual holiday walk to benefit the El Cajon Animal Shelter through ACES, an organization that funds surgeries for shelter pets and helps meet other needs.  You can sign up online to walk with your pet at https://www.crowdrise.com/JINGLEPAWSWALKFORPETS2015 or arrive early and register at the event.

This year, Jingle Paws will be held at the beautiful Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College on December 5th.

East County News Service

November 7, 2015 (Ramona) – One of East County’s most unique holiday traditions is Pomegranate Days at the Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona. 

Instead of battling crowds at the mall on the post-Thanksgiving weekend, why not head up to the Pomegranate Festival to enjoy feeding pomegranates to camels, camel rides for kids 3-14 (just print the coupon below)  watching a turkey stampede  (as seen at the county fair),  tropical bird show, and this year, circus performers as the high-flying McCandles family brings their aerial show to the site.

You can also buy holiday gift items such as a new product this year, Camel Milk Bath Bombs. Owners claim, “Cleopatra herself never had such a luxurious milk bath!”

East County News Service

November 7, 2015 (Jacumba Hot Springa) – The town of Jacumba will host a community-wide yard sale on Saturday, November 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring hand-made crafts, art work, household items and other yard sale treasures.  Parking and admittance are free.

In addition, tours will be offered of the Chinese Castle, a historic icon in Jacumba. There is a $5 charge for the castle tour and proceeds benefit the Jacumba-Boulevard Revitalization Alliance, a 501c3.

East County News Service

November 6, 2015 (Anza-Borrego) – Discover the Old West of Western novelist/artist Marshal South with historian and travel writer Diana Lindsay along the Butterfield Overland Stage Route on Saturday, November 21^st.  This one-of-a-kind journey aboard a California Overland Adventures vehicle begins at 9 a.m. at the Carrizo station and ends with an optional hike to the relics of South’s homestead atop Ghost Mountain.

South promoted Anza-Borrego’s history in the 1930s and ‘40s , as well as Native American culture and desert lore through his cliffhanger western novels reminiscent of Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour.  On this excursion back in time, you’ll travel the old stage route and explore the places that inspired South and still echo with the past.

By Helen Ofield, President, Lemon Grove Historical Society

Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there.

November 1, 2015 (Lemon Grove) -- He will be. The witching hour is 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 in the H. Lee House, 3205 Olive, Lemon Grove.

Of course, you knew that.  Come November, neither you, we, nor anyone within earshot is exempt from visions of sugar plums, the hope of reindeer hooves on the roof, the hearkening to Donner and Blitzen, and the careful setting out of a post prandial libation and figgy pudding for The Great Claus.

He is William Swank and the name fits.  He is swell, swank, super-duper and silver-tongued.  He's been Santa Claus for 14 years, including seven in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. He's an author of 10 books, too, bringing us to the main event.