DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: NOV. 4-DEC. 24

November 4, 2016 - This week’s Destination East County include live music at La Mesa’s newest wine tasting room, a fall Planstravaganza, the Ramona Art and Wine Festival, and the opening of trout fishing season in Santee.

Plus, we’ll tell you about coming attractions including a holiday open house at Summers Past Farms, a  Paint-a-Holic program in La Mesa,  a Veterans Day commemoration in El Cajon, the Casa de Oro Fall Festival,  the Mother Goose Parade, holiday concerts at Parkway Plaza and more.

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

THIS WEEK:

LIVE MUSIC NOV. 4 AND 5 AT LAMESA WINEWERKS

La Mesa Wine Werks will have live music this weekend. On Friday, November 5, Chet and the Committee’s band will perform swinging’ good time blues and boogie music from 7 to 9 p.m. Barbecue food will be available.  Then on Saturday night, November 6^th, you can hear Stage 4 Jazz from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. playing jazz,rhythm and blues music and savor items from a Snack Grill truck. For more information on these and other upcoming events you can visit www.LaMesaWineWerks.com.

FALL PLANTSTRAVAGANZA NOV. 5

The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego hosts its annual Fall Plantstravaganza on Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event aims to help you make the most of the fall planting season with a plentiful mix of gardening experts and plants offered by local growers and nurseries. Visitors can attend workshops on gardening-related topics led by experts, plus visit exhibits staffed by Garden docents and guest exhibitors to learn about water-saving gardening, edible gardening, compost-making, gardening for butterflies and more.

Local water agencies will share money saving rebate opportunities for residents replacing thirsty landscapes with those that save water and are beautiful too. Personalized attention can be found at the "Ask the Designers" area for in-depth landscape design advice. Plus, the Garden's gift shop will be overflowing with unique nature-inspired treasures perfect for gift giving.

For more information, visit  http://thegarden.org/

RAMONA ART AND WINE FESTIVAL NOV. 5

The 4^th annual Ramona Art and Wine Festival will be held on November 5^th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year the event is at Begent Ranch in Ramona (18528 Highland Valley Road.)  Guests can savor vintages from local wineries, sample foods from local restaurants and caterers, shop for artwork from local artists, and bid on hand-painted wine barrels- all to benefit the Ramona HEART mural project. For tickets and details visit www.RamonaArtandWineFest.net

TROUT OPENER AT SANTEE LAKES NOV. 5

2,500 pounds of Rainbow Trout will be stocked for the trout opener at Santee Lakes on November 5^th from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prizes for largest fish as well as tagged fish! A permit from the General Store is all you need, no state license required.  For directions to the lake, visit www.SanteeLakes.com.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AT SUMMERS PAST FARMS NOV. 10

SummersPast Farms in Flinn Springs will host an old-fashioned Holiday Open House on Thursday, November 10th from 5 to 8 p.m. Christmas music and hot wassail drinkswill be provided. Guests are invited to bring a plate of your favorite holiday cookies to share. The barn, store, and soap shopped will be decked with lights and holiday décor, and you can shop for holiday gifts,  fall items and home décor.  For details you can visit www.SummersPastFarms.com.

PAINT-A-HOLICS NOV. 10 AND 17 AT SAN PASQUAL TASTING ROOM

If you’re looking to enjoy an artistic experience while sipping wine you can learn how to paint your own masterpiece with Paint-A-Holics at the San Pasqual Tasting Room (8364  La Mesa Blvd.) in La Mesa on November 10^th and 17^th from 6 to 9 p.m.

Beginners are welcome at this event, which features instruction by a professional artist ($25 includes 20 x 16 inch canvas,  use of paint supplies, apron, and easel) . Learn more  in the events section at www.SanPasqualWinery.com.

 PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS

KIDZ DANCE KOMPANY PRESENTS “1968” NOV. 11-12

Kidz Danz Kompany will present “1968” at the San Diego Performing Arts Center (4579 Mission Gorge Place, San Diego) on November 11^th and 12^th at 7 p.m. The production will show you how 1968 changed the world—and in many ways parallels 2016. You can tap your toes to hit songs of 1968 and see new works including “Mama Said” and Kidz Dance Kompany’s 1968/2016.

VETERANS DAY COMMEMORATION NOV. 11

Honoring Our Veterans, El Cajon’s annual Veterans Day ceremony will be held on November 11^th from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Centennial Plaza (200 Civic Center Way).  The event includes music from students from Valhalla High School and a color guard presentation by Marines from Miramar.

WIEGHORST MUSUEM HOLIDAY LUNCH NOV. 17

The Wieghorst Museum invites you to welcome the holidays at its annual holiday luncheon on Thursday, November 17!  This festive event is from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 131 Rea Avenue in downtown El Cajon.  You can enjoy a catered luncheon by Cupid’s Catering, an opportunity drawing, and view paintings and sculptures by famous Western artist Olaf Wieghorst.  For tickets ($40) you can visit www.wieghorstmuseum.org.

CASA DE ORO FALL FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 19

The Casa de Oro Community Alliance announces the first annual Fall Festival on Saturday November 19th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The festival will be held in the Casa de Oro Plaza, across the sreet from Starbucks in the 9700 block of Campo Road.

Family fun, games, live music, children's interactive crafts and the Fern Street Circus with face painting and entertainment for all will be provided. The Alliance is also sponsoring a food drive for families in need for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Non-perishable donations are greatly appreciated.

For more information visit the Casa de Oro Community Alliance on Facebook(https://www.facebook.com/CasadeOroCommunityAlliance/ ).

70^TH ANNUAL MOTHER GOOSE PARADE NOV. 20

On Sunday, November 20, the Mother Goose Parade will again march down Main Street for the 70^th year.  Also known as the children’s parade, it begins at 1:00 p.m.  See over 100 colorful and exciting parade entries, including floats, marching bands, clowns, equestrians, local dignitaries and Santa Claus!

The route is Downtown Main Street, from El Cajon Boulevard, eastbound, to First Street. This popular parade is one of the largest parades in Southern California and a wonderful way to officially kick off the holiday season.  You can also enjoy holiday lights on Main Street after the parade.  To learn more you can visit www.mothergooseparade.org .

HOLIDAY CONCERTS AT PARKWAY PLAZA NOV. 26-DEC. 24

You can enjoy holiday musical performances at Parkway Plaza on the Macy’s stages starting November 26^th through December 24^th.  Upcoming performance include the Southwestern College BigBand on November 26^th and the Celtic Nations Pipe Band on December 10^th  from 1 to 4 p.m.  There are more musical groups and additional events coming up at Parkway Plaza in El Cajon,including visits by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus!

For a full schedule of events visit  www.shoppingparkwayplaza.com/events

That’s all for this week! You can find details on all of these events and more on our Calendar and in our Festivals and Events section online at eastcountymagazine.org.

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.

We’ll be back next week with more festivals, events and attractions in San Diego’s East County!