DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: TOP FESTIVALS AND EVENTS IN JANUARY 2016

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

 We thank the County of San Diego for a Community  Enhancement Grant to help support Destination East County.

Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audion link.

January 6, 2016 (San Diego's East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes Hawk Watch in Ramona, a Family Fun Fest at Kroc Center, an art show at Mission Trails, a hike into the Jacumba wilderness and a desert oasis, and a bluegrass open mike night in La Mesa. All month long, you can get free health and fitness classes and services as part of Santee’s Health Awareness Month.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions, including the opening of trout season at Santee Lakes,  a Martin Luther King Jr. Day breakfast, civil rights speaker and film showing, plus a hike to a garnet mine near Jacumba Hot Springs. So scroll down for all of these events and more.

THIS WEEK'S MAJOR EVENTS

HAWK WATCH: A RAPTOR CELEBRATION IN RAMONA SATURDAYS IN JAN. AND FEB

Hawk Watch, a free celebration of raptors will take place at the Wildlife Research Institute in Ramona Grasslands at 10 a.m. each Saturday in January and February—rain or shine.   You can observe both wintering and resident raptors such as the Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Burrowing Owl.

Nineteen species of raptors have been recorded at this “raptor hotspot,” where you will learn the life histories of these beautiful birds as well as the importance of the Ramona Grassland ecosystem.  In addition to wild raptors, you will also see trained raptors and owls up close. Bring binoculars if you have them, though scopes will be available.  Refreshments, coffee, and pastries will also be provided. For more information visit http://Wildlife-Research.org

HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH IN SANTEE

January is Health Awareness Month in Santee. To help increase health awareness in the city of Santee, California Health Network has partnered with dozens of organizations and companies to offer free and discounted health and fitness classes and services.  Whether you’re looking for free kickboxing and yoga lessons, tennis, personal trainer, or free checkups of your vision, hearing, spinal alignment or blood pressure, or discounts on other services ranging from dental care to massages, you can find it at all this month at  www.CaliforniaHealthNetwork.org/healthawarenessmonth

VISIONS ART SHOW NOW THROUGH JAN. 29  AT MISSION TRAILS; ARTISTS’ RECEPTION JAN. 8

The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation (MTRP) presents Visions,an exhibition featuring six award winning artists. Their colorful works celebrating nature will be on display in the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center Art Gallery now through January 29thThe public is also cordially invited to a reception in honor of the artists on Sunday, January 10, 2016 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. For directions, visit www.MTRP.org.

FAMILY FUN FEST AT KROC CENTER JAN. 9

The Salvation Army Kroc Center (6854 University Ave. in San Diego) will host its free Family Fun Fest to kick off the new year on January 9th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  The event will feature a musical jam zone, inflatable fun park, painting station, dress up station, soccer, basketball, flag football, guided tours, and more.  For details, visit www.KrocCenter.org and click on their Facebook page.

HIKE TO MYER CREEK-UPPER MYER VALLEY JAN. 9

Jacumba Hikers and Walkers invite you to join a free six-mile hike to Myer Creek and Upper Myer Valley on January 9th.  This six-mile hike will begin at Mountain Springs Grade and will take you into the Jacumba Wilderness via Myer Creek to a spectacular palm oasis.  You will also hike through upper Myer Valley amid giant boulders and beautiful high desert flora. This hike is rated HARD+ and will include some bouldering.  Hikers will meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Jacumba Spa and Resort  (44450, Old Hwy. 80, Jacumba Hot Springs).  Dogs are not allowed on this strenuous hike!  Breakfast is available starting at 7:00 a.m. and lunch will also be available after the hike. For more information, contact hike leaders  Mike Rood or Angel Somera at (760)455-1876. 

BLUEGRASS OPEN MIC NIGHT AT FUDDRUCKERS JANUARY 12

The San Diego Bluegrass Society hosts a jam session and open mic night plus pick-up bands on the second Tuesday of each month at Fuddrucker’s, located at Grossmont Center in La Mesa. The next session will be Tuesday January 12th from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. For more information, you can visit www.SanDiegoBluegrass.org.

NOW FOR PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS….

TROUT SEASON REOPENING AT SANTEE LAKES JANUARY 16-17

Santee Lakes will hold the reopening of its trout fishing season on January 16 and 17.  The lakes have been stocked with 2,000 pounds of rainbow trout, including some weighing up to 12 pounds.  Prizes will be awarded for the five biggest trout caught—and for those who reel in a five-pounder or above, you will be entered in a drawing to win a cabin vacation grand prize. For more information visit www.SanteeLakes.com.

12 YEARS A SLAVE” FILM SHOWING IN LA MESA JANUARY 16

As part of a week of  Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration, the Table United Church of Christ of La Mesa (5940 Kelton Ave., La Mesa) will present a showing of the film “12 years a slave” on Sunday, January 16th  from 1:30 to 4 p.m. This free film showing is hosted by the San Diego Partnership of UCC Churches.  For more information you can visit www.TableUCC.com.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY BREAKFAST JANUARY 18

The Martin Luther King Jr. community breakfast will be held on January 18 at 7 a.m. at the Jacobs Center (404 Euclid Ave., San Diego) . The featured speaker will be Rev. Richard Lawrence, a long-time Civil Rights advocate who marched with Dr. King to desegregate Chicago and participated in the Selma walk.

This event is organized by the United African American Ministerial Action Council. For tickets ($50), visit  http://uaamac.org. For directions see  www.JacobsCenter.org  or call 619 264-1214.

ICE RINK AT VIEJAS NOW THROUGH JANUARY 20

Southern California’s largest outdoor ice rink remains open through January 20th at the Viejas Outlets Center in Alpine, which also has a water show.  For more information you can visit http://viejas.com/ice-rink.

GARNET MINE HIKE IN JACUMBA JANUARY 30

The Jacumba Hikers and Walkers will be hitting the trail to a garnet mine on January 30th.  Along the 4-mile, figure-8 loop trail hikers will encounter a waterfall, exhilarating views and other hidden treasures of the high desert area. This hike is rated moderate to hard, and dogs are not allowed.  Meet at 8 a.m. at the Jacumba Spa & Resort (44450, Old Hwy. 80, Jacumba Hot Springs) Breakfast is available at the spa, starting at 7 a.m. and lunch is available after the hike. Bring a swim suit & towel for soaking in mineral hot springs after the hike, courtesy of the Spa.

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.

 

Audio: 

AttachmentSize
Audio icon Destination East County 1-7-156.27 MB

Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.