DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: TOP FESTIVALS AND EVENTS MARCH 21 - APRIL 12

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By Miriam Raftery

March 17, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes a star party and a free community festival in Lakeside, theater, and musical events. Plus we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including some major music festivals, historical renactments, egg hunt extravaganzas and a family fiddle camp.  Stay tuned for all of these events and much more, from East County Magazine.

STAR PARTY AND FAMILY CAMPOUT AT OAKOASIS IN LAKESIDE MARCH 21

Want an up-close view of stars and planets? You can take a look through some high powered telescopes and learn the science and legends of the night time sky at the Oakoasis county preserve in Lakeside (12620 Wildcat Canyon Road) on March 21st from 7 to 9 p.m. There will also be a campfire, s’mores, and music. You can also opt to stay overnight for a family campout that includes a ranger-led hike to see bats after dark.  For details, visit County of San Diego Parks And Recreation on Facebook or call 858-565-3600 to reserve a campsite site.

IT’S HOW WE LIVE FESTIVAL MARCH 21 IN LAKESIDE

The County of San Diego invites you to It’s How We Live, a free community festival for the entire family, will be held Saturday, March 21st at Lakeside’s Lindo Lake Park (9841 Vine St. in Lakeside) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This event includes games, activities, a rock climbing wall, live entertainment, information booths, healthy food samples, health and dental screenings, prizes and giveaways to help you find a path to a healthier you. The festival will follow the community’s annual Run for the Arts marathon, which benefits the Lakeside Union School District. For details on the run, visit Lakeside Run for the Arts on Facebook.

DAFFODIL SHOW IN JULIAN MARCH 20-21

Spring is in the air, and Julian’s Town Hall will be the setting for a Daffodil Show on March 21st and 22nd. You can bring your daffodils for judging on Friday, March 20th from 12-4 p.m., with questions answered by National Daffodil Society experts.

LAMPLIGHTERS THEATRE PRESENTS GOODBYE CHARLIE  NOW THROUGH MARCH 29

Lamplighters Theatre in La Mesa presents Goodbye Charlie each Friday and Saturday evening in March.  The comedy focuses on a man who is shot by his lover’s jealous husband and is reincarnated as a woman—and soon finds a way to take advantage of the situation. For tickets and details, visit www.lamplighterslamesa.com

MARIE OSMOND AT SYCUAN MARCH 25-26

Remember Danny and Marie?  One half of that duo, Marie Osmond, will be performing in concert on March 25th and 26th at Sycuan’s Live & Up Close Theater.  She recorded her first hit, Paper Roses at age 12 and got a Grammy nomination and has been in the limelight ever since.   She’s done Broadway, Vegas, Dancing with the Stars and most recently in 2011, went on tour with her new album, A Little Bit of Country…and a Whole Lot More. For tickets and details, you can visit www.Sycuan.com.

Now for a preview of coming attractions….

VALLECITO DAY MARCH 28 CELEBRATES FRONTIER DAYS AND CATTLE DRIVES

Take a trip back in time to life on the 1860s frontier during Vallecito Day on Saturday, March 28th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Vallecito County Park.  This year’s event focuses on cattle drives and cattle ranching along the Southern Overland Trail, with cattle ranching demonstrations as well as the arrival of trial riders on horseback.

You can also visit with pioneer men and women in period attire, visit a mountain man camp and hear historic talks, as well as experiencing frontier equipment, crafts and firearms.  Visitors are encouraged to dress in frontier attire. Be sure to bring a picnic lunch, since there is no food at the site. Vallecito County Park is located in the Anza Borrego Desert on County Route S-2( at Mile Marker 34-35.  For more information, visit http://www.sdparks.org

RAMONA MUSIC FEST MARCH 28

The Ramona Music Fest will be held March 28th in Ramona, featuring emerging talent and popular San Diego musicians playing everything from rock to reggae and from country to Americana.  This all-day outdoor event benefits the Ramona Rotary and  Kiwanis Clubs.

The festival will be held at the Ramona Outdoor Community Center, also known as the Rodeo/Fair Grounds at the northeast end of downtown Ramona. For details, visit www.RamonaMusicFest.org.

 

SAXOPHONE AND FLUTE CONCERT MARCH 28 AT MISSION TRAILS

Adrienne Nims will perform a free saxophone and flute concert on Saturday, March 28 at 3 p.m. in the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center theater. Seating is limited to 93 people and are available on a first come, first served basis. For directions to the park, visit www.MTRP.org.

EASTER BUNNY TRAIN MARCH 28-29 AND APRIL 4

The Easter Bunny Train will be rolling out of the Campo Depot at the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum on March 28 and 29 and on April 4th. This annual family event includes a ride aboard the vintage train and an Easter egg hunt. For details visit www.PSRM.org .

EGGSTRAVAGANZA AT SANTEE LAKES APRIL 4

Santee Lakes invites the public to its annual Eggstravaganza on April 4th. This community event features continuous egg hunts for children ages 8 and under, live entertainment, a petting zoo, pony rides, craft booths and carnival rides brought to you by the City of Santee and the Padre Dam Municipal Water District. For full details, hop on over to www.SanteeLakes.com.

HARP FEST HARMONICA EXTRAVAGANZA APRIL 4 IN LA MESA

12 top bands will take stage at the 16th annual Spring Harp Fest, a harmonica extravaganza at La Mesa’s Harry Griffen Park on Saturday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This will be an all-day harmonica music. This annual outdoor family-friendly musical tribute is a fundraiser to support children’s music education in San Diego. Last year the organization donated $3000.00 of the proceeds to the Blues Lovers United of San Diego’s Blues in the Schools program to help pass the love of the harmonica on to the next generation. For a full lineup see http://www.springharpfest.org/

JULIAN FAMILY FIDDLE CAMP APRIL 8-12

The Julian Family Fiddle Camp will be held at Camp Cedar Glen April 8-12, providing an emersion-style “roots” music camp for folks of all ages and levels wanting to improve their skills on fiddle, mandolin, guitar or old-time banjo. Some of the most renowned North American artists serve as faculty, with attendees coming from across the US as well as abroad. Tents and RV’s are allowed, with evening concerts for the public on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11 at 7 p.m. For more info, visit  www.familyfiddlecamp.com

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 http://www.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!

 


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