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By Miriam Raftery
April 14, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- There’s a wide assortment of events coming up across San Diego’s East County, including Cajon classic cruises, a butterfly jungle, Earth Day celebrations, music festivals and concerts, a Lego building event, a wine and food festival, Campo Days, Wild in the Country at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine, a Western Days parade, a rodeo, and Descanso Day.
Scroll down for full details on these and more great events.
CAJON CLASSIC CRUISES START APRIL 12
Opening night for Cajon Classic Cruises will be Wednesday, April 12th along Main Street in downtown El Cajon. The car shows will continue each Wednesday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. all summer long.
BUTTERFLY JUNGLE WEEKENDS NOW THROUGH MAY 14 AT THE SAFARI PARK
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido invites you to a Spring Safari featuring a Butterfly Jungle. Visits can wander through the Hidden Jungle aviary among hundreds of colorful, fluttering butterflies, have a chance to feed them, and learn how they contribute to our ecosystem – as well as help save wildlife in our own backyard.
Spring Safari Featuring Butterfly Jungle will shine a spotlight on the incredible local wildlife in the Southwest region—including San Diego, a biodiversity hotspot. Guests are also encouraged to visit the Safari Park’s Native Nectar Garden and Baja Gardens. Guests can also enjoy live music, dancing, juggling, and strawberry-themed treats.
The Spring Safari featuring Butterfly Jungle will take place March 18 through May 14, with check-in from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Find more information at sdzsafaripark.org/spring-safari.
NIGHT SKY PARTY IN SANTA YSABLE APRIL 15
You’re invited to discover the night at a galaxy season star party at the Santa Ysabel Nature Center on Saturday, April 15 at 6 p.m. In addition, a proclamation will be presented from County Supervisors to commemorate International Dark Sky Week April 15-22.
Visitors can check out an exhibition the night sky and enjoy celestial viewings.
The Santa Ysabel Nature Center is located on 79 in Santa Ysabel.
SHELTER TO SOLDIER GOLF TOURNAMENT AT SYCUAN APRIL 21
Shelter to Soldier is a nonprofit that adopts dogs from local shelters and rescue organizations and trains them to become psychiatric service dogs for post-9/11 veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Military Sexual Trauma.
The nonprofit group will hold its 4th annual “Saving Lives, One Swing at a Time” golf tournament and dinner on Friday, April 21 on the Championship Oak Glen Course at Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan.
To register or get details, visit https://www.sheltertosoldier.org.
LA MESA EARTH DAY FESTIVAL APRIL 22
The city of La Mesa invites you to the La Mesa Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MacArthur Park (4900 Memorial Drive, La Mesa).
The free event will include arts and crafts, eco-friendly vendors, a bicycle rodeo and bike activities, a fix-it clinic, food truck, kids zone with bounce house, tile painting for Collier Park, giveaways and more.
For more information or to become a vendor, contact friends@lamesaparks.org
EARTH DAY BOULDER FAIR APRIL 22
For its annual Earth Day celebration, the Desert View Tower and Boulder Park will host a Boulder Fair on Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The festivities will include live music by Sage, Victor Bosc, and Sunrise Highway as well as arts and crats, gifts, jewelry, displays of rocks and gemstones, healing herbs and medicinal plants, gardening tips and a plant sale, organic produce, cacao and superfoods, tie dye products, a desert plant walk and a kid zone.
There will also be tamales and Mexican food to purchase, as well as a gourmet coffee truck. Desert View Tower and Boulder Park are located just off I-8 on In-Ko-Pah Road in Jacumba Hot Springs.
You can learn more at the Desert View Tower page on Facebook.
JULIAN TOWN HALL CONCERT APRIL 22
San Diego Music Hall of Fame curator Java Joe Flammini brings the music of Berkley Hart to the iconic Julian Town Hall, a historic, intimate setting that comfortably seats 200. The well-known musicians will perform their Americana original songs in a concert as American as Julian apple pie on April 22 at 3 p.m.
For tickets, call Celeste at (619) 818-2596.
RAMONA CAR SHOW REVS UP APRIL 22
The Ramona Senior Center will host a car show on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grace Community Church, 1234 Barger Place in Ramona. The event is presented by the Over The Hill Gang Car Club and Ramona American Graffiti Cruise.
Visitors can see muscle cars, classic and custom vehicles, motorcycles, hot rods, trucks and off-road vehicles.
No preregistration is required to participate, though donations are welcome.
The event will also include a silent auction, All Pro live sounds and DJ, raffle prizes, drinks, free hot dogs and trophies for winning participants.
EL CAJON DINNER AND A CONCERT SERIES
El Cajon’s Dinner and a Concert series opens May 5 and will continue every Friday night from 6 to 8 p.m. from May through September. Opening night will feature Twisted Gypsy, a Fleetwood Mac Tribute band taking you back to the early days of ‘70s rock and roll.
The concerts will be held at Prescott Promenade in downtown El Cajon, on Main Street between Magnolia and Ballantyne.
Other concerts coming up in May include the Jim Allen Band on May 12, the Patrick Howard Trumpet Band on May 19, and Fortunate Son on May 26.
For a full schedule of events, visit www.downtownelcajon.com
LEGO BUILD APRIL 29 AT GROSSMONT CENTER
Grossmont Center in La Mesa is hosting a Lego Build event on April 29 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. You’re invited to bring the kids and join the L Gauge Museum “Master Builders” in front of the Grossmont Central Railroad model train display for a fun afternoon with LEGOs!
No registration is required, so you can stop by anytime and enjoy viewing the trains as well as fun with Legos.
For more information visit https://GrossmontCenter.com.
COYOTE MUSIC FESTIVAL, SPRING GARDEN BUTTERFLY FESTIVAL AND MORE ON MAY 6
On May 6, Cuyamaca College is combining several major events for a true springtime extravaganza.
Coyote Music Festival will present a range of amazing artists in The Garden’s Amphitheater all day, from rock-and-roll bands to singer-songwriters’ melodic tunes.
The Water Conservation Garden will host its Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival on May 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests can watch butterfly releases and children can join Miss Smarty-Plants and Miss Monarch at a Pollinator Party to hear stories and craft their own Pollinator wings. The Garden will also have specialty vendors, workshops, and food trucks.
In addition, Cuyamaca College’s Ornamental Horticulture Department will hold its largest plant sale of the year in their brand-new nursery. Plus, the Heritage of the America’s Museum will be hosting tours throughout the day.
Find more details at https://thegarden.org.
CAMPO DAYS MAY 6-7
You’re invited to experience the history and heritage of San Diego’s East County during Campo Days on May 6th and 7th.
Guests can experience historic train rides, vintage vehicles, equestrian events, military history, food, music and more at four locations in Campo:
•Gaskill Brothers Stone Store Museum
•Camp Lockett Event & Equestrian Facility
•Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, and
•the Motor Transport Museum
You can find more information at visitcampo.com
VINTAGE ALPINE MAY 7 IN ALPINE
You can savor tastes from 25 wineries, 3 breweries and 20 local restaurants at Vintage Alpine on May 7 from 1-4 p.m. at Summers Past Farms in Flinn Springs
Vintage Alpine began in 1990 and is now one of the biggest events of its kind in San Diego County. More than 500 people from all over the Southwest attend the event, which also features relaxing live music in a beautiful garden setting, as well as a silent auction and opportunities to meet wine and food experts.
All proceeds of Vintage Alpine are used by the Kiwanis Club of Alpine to provide services and programs supporting the children of San Diego.
For tickets and reservations, you can visit https://vintagealpine.org/.
FRIDAY NIGHTS LIVE IN SANTEE MAY 19 – JUNE 9
The City of Santee will host its Friday Nights Live entertainment series at the Santee Trolley Square, kicking off summer with free family fun an entertainment.
The events will be held each Friday from May 19 through June 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The lineup includes It’s Never 2 L8, Expressions Dance & Movement, Bill Magee Blues, and Staumpf Music School.
Learn more at www.SanteeSpecialEvents.com
WILD IN THE COUNTRY MAY 20 AT LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS IN ALPINE
Lions, Tigers & Bears, a nonprofit exotic animal sanctuary in Alpine, invites you to their annual fundraising bash, Wild in the Country on May 20. This year’s event features emcees Jagger and Kristi from Magic 92.5 radio, as well as Broadway stars Sandra Joseph and Ron Bohmer, lead actors in Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. Dinner will be prepared by world renowned chef Jeffrey Strauss, known as “Chef to the Stars” for pleasing the palates of dignitaries, presidents, royalty and entertainment icons.
The main event will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on May 20. There is also a pre-event reception for platinum and gold level ticket holders at 1 p.m.
For tickets, visit https://www.lionstigersandbears.org/our-events/wild-in-the-country.
LAKESIDE WESTERN DAYS PARADE APRIL 29, RODEO APRIL 30
The theme of this year’s Western Days Parade in Lakeside will be “Fighting for Justice.” District Attorney Summer Stephan will service as grand marshal of the parade on Saturday, April 29.
The 59th annual parade, sponsored by the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce, begins at 9:35 a.m. and will proceed along Maine Avenue in downtown Lakeside.
The next day, May 30th, the annual Lakeside Rodeo will be held featuring traditional Western competitions such as bull riding and barrel races. For more on the rodeo, visit LakesideRodeo.com.
DESCANSO DAY JUNE 3
Descanso’s first community fair was held in 1899 under a tent near the creek. The tradition has grown through the years to include a parade and community fair, which this year will be held on June 3. The festivities take place at the historic Descanso Town Hall, 24536 Viejas Grade Road in Descanso, a small rural town east of Alpine.
Arrive early, since roads close at 8 a.m. for the parade, which begins at 9 a.m. The parade is followed by the fair which begins at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m.
You’re invited to “get your boots on” to learn about the town’s history and enjoy the fun, which includes music by Whiskey Ridge, food by Descanso Junction, and beer served up by Burning Beard Brewing Company. There will also be vendors, children’s games, face painting, horseshoe tournaments, a cakewalk, raffle and more.
JULIAN TOWN SQUARE CONCERT
The Julian Community Heritage Foundation will host its second annual Town Square Music Festival on June 3rd. This music festival will feature seven live bands, as well as food, local artisans, raffles, silent auctions and more.
All donations will benefit the continued development of the Julian Town Square, in the heart of historic Julian. For more information, visit www.juliantownsquare.org.
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