Destination East County: Festive Events from mid-May through mid-June

by Miriam Raftery | April 28, 2026 2:51 am

 

By Miriam Raftery

April 27, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) – Car shows, farm tours, Mother’s Day teas, a music festival, a country dance, and concerts including the famed rock band Three Dog Night are all coming to East County from mid-May to mid-June.

Scroll down for all the fun and festive details on these events and more.

Cajon Cruise revs up each Wednesday from May through August

Downtown El Cajon’s favorite midweek tradition, Cajon Cruise  returns with a an exciting showcase of vehicles that blend nostalgic classics with cutting-edge modern designs. This year, the event takes place every Wednesday starting in May through August from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p,m.

Cajon Cruise transforms Main Street into a lively gathering spot where car enthusiasts and families come together to admire gleaming chrome, revving engines, and an impressive mix of vintage treasures and contemporary machines. Cajon Cruise is the midweek celebration that keeps El Cajon rolling.

Find details and a schedule of events at https://www.downtownelcajon.com[1].

Mother’s Day Teas in Julian

Julian Tea and Cottage Arts invites you to Mother’s Day Teas will May 7th through May 11th. These special teas include finger sandwiches and savories, scone and tea breads with curd, jam and whipped cream and dessert, plus a special menu for children under 12. Vegetarian and Gluten Free versions are available with advance notice.

There are three seating times on each date. Reservations are required. For reservations and details, visit Home – Julian Tea and Cottage Arts[2]

Open Farm Tours at Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona

Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona offers Open Farm Tours May 9, May 28, and Jun3 6 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Each open house features a show starring talking parrots, a camel, and the Wild West Turkey Stampede.  Guests can also feed treats to camels and farm animals. Tickets must be purchased online at https://cameldairy.com[3] .

The Dance in Julian May 16

The popular Julian backcountry dance and BBQ fundraiser is back on Saturday May 16t from 12 noon to 8 p.m. featuring four bands including musical headliners Ash & The Mondays with pop hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

The event also features BBQ, beer, wine, full bar, soft drinks, local vendors, a pie eating contest, and an air guitar contest.

The Dance will be held at the Julian American Legion, (2503 Washington St in Julian) The event is sponsored by the Sons of the American Legion to raise funds for local veterans and community programs.

For tickets and the full dance band lineup, visit https://www.juliandance.com/[4].

La Mesa Classic Car Shows roll out June 4

The 32nd Annual La Mesa Classic Car Show & Live Music Event rolls into downtown La Mesa on Thursday, June 4th from 5 – 8 pm, recurring every Thursday this summer through August 27th.

For more information, visit https://www.lamesavillageassociation.org/[5].

Julian Town Square Music Festival  June 6

The fifth annual Julian Town Square Music Festival will be held June 6 starting at 12 p.m.  The event features five bands plus artisans, vendors, food and more. Proceeds help support the ongoing development of Julian Town Square — a future gathering place designed to serve the mountain community for generations.

The music festival is open to the public and supported by community sponsors.  For more information, visit https://www.juliantownsquare.org/[6].

Santee Summer Concerts begin June 11

Santee’s Summer Concert Series takes stage starting June 11 and continues each Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. through August 13 (except for the 4^th of July weekend.) The concerts are held at Town Center Community Park East (550 Park Center Dr., Santee)

The Summer Concerts will feature additional patriotic activities as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.

For the full concert lineup, visit https://www.cityofsanteeca.gov/city-special-events/santee-summer-concerts[7].

Three Dog Night at the Magnolia June 18

The iconic rock band Three Dog Night will perform at the Magnolia in El Cajon on June 18 at 6:30 p.m. The Grammy nominated band had 21 top billboard hits from 196 to 1975.

Some of their best-known hits include Joy to the World, One, Mama Told Me Not to Come, Black and White, Shambala, An Old Fashioned Love Song, Never Been to Spain, and Easy to be Hard from the rock musical Hair.

For tickets, visit https://www.magnoliasandiego.com/[8].

Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/destination-east-county-festive-events-from-mid-may-through-mid-june/

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