San Diego Events

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San Diego's East County Calendar of Events

San Diego's rural East County boasts a variety of exciting annual and special events to welcome visitors throughout the year. From the Annual Julian Fall Apple Days and Harvest to the bloom of the wildflowers in the Anza-Borrego Desert each spring, visitors to East County can find an extraordinary range of colorful street festivals, parades, seasonal celebrations and much more.

Following are highlights of the year-round events that await visitors in San Diego's East County.

FEBRUARY

Feb. ― Apr.
Wildflowers Bloom in the Desert
Each spring, the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park turns into a wonderland of color when wildflowers, nourished by winter rains, burst into bloom. The exact timing of the blossoms varies year-to-year based on precipitation patterns. parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638

MARCH

Tour of Borrego
Cyclists have their choice of 22-, 40-, 62- and 80-mile routes on paved roads through the scenic Borrego Springs valley. This annual bicycling event is extremely popular and fills up fast; riders enjoy Julian pie and ice cream after their ride. julianactive.com

Mar.
Julian Daffodil Show

Visitors to Julian can enjoy an annual celebration of spring's most cheerful blooms. Daffodils are on display from 12 noon to 4 p.m. both days at the Julian Town Hall, with experts from the National Daffodil Society on hand to answer questions. julianca.com

APRIL

Julian Family Fiddle Camp
Fiddlers of all ages are invited for a weekend of expert instruction for all skill levels, master classes in mandolin and fiddle, rousing evening concerts and delicious food in a lovely setting at Julian's Camp Cedar Glen. familyfiddlecamp.com

Apr.
A Taste of Julian
Visitors can sip and nosh their way through the charming mountain town of Julian during this annual self-guided culinary tour. During the afternoon of the event, participants simply pick up a map of participating restaurants and show their colored wristband to receive tasty samples of local fare. julianca.com

Apr.
49th Annual Lakeside Rodeo
Bareback bronco rides, calf roping and other traditional rodeo competitions, along with food and crafts, bring the Wild West to life in the rural town of Lakeside. lakesiderodeo.com

MAY

Sage & Songbirds Festival
Occurring at the Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine, this annual celebration of Alpine's recognition by the National Wildlife Federation as "America's 1st Community Wildlife Habitat" features a plant and art sale, live butterfly exhibit and daily butterfly releases. Admission is free; home garden tours are also offered at $15 per person. chirp.org

Ramona Music Festival April
Visitors can enjoy two full days of bluegrass and old fashioned cowboy music, along with jam sessions and workshops for children, at the Ramona County Fairgrounds. ramonamusicfest.org (older link: ramonabluegrassfest.com)

May 17-19
Ramona Rodeo
Rustic Ramona embraces its Wild West roots with an annual rodeo that includes barrel racing, bull riding, saddle bronco riding, team roping and steer racing. Other activities include a cowgirl fashion show, cowboy and cowgirl mixer and Kid's Day. ramonarodeo.net

May 18
11th Annual Explore Mission Trails Day

This fun free event showcases one of the largest urban parks in the United States and features guided nature walks, outdoor recreation demonstrations, pony rides, a climbing wall, educational discovery stations, crafts and face painting, bird watching, raptor encounters and a Star Party at night. mtrp.org

May 18
Pine Valley Run to the Hills Car Show

Guests view over 300 classic cars on display along historic Highway 80 in the quaint rural town of Pine Valley. freewebs.com/mountainempiremensclub

May 25
Santee Street Fair

Hundreds of vendor booths, live entertainment, food stations, arts and crafts and an expanded beer and wine garden are all part of Santee's largest outdoor event. santeestreetfair.com

May ― Sept.
Concerts on the Green
Downtown El Cajon transforms into a dynamic live concert scene during 6-8 p.m. every Friday night during the summer with free rock, country, big band and R&B performances. downtownelcajon.com

May ― Sept.
Cajon Classic Cruise
Southern California's largest weekly classic car show features classic and specialty cars on display every Wednesday night in downtown El Cajon. downtownelcajon.com

May TBD
Julian MayFest
Each year, the town of Julian turns out for a traditional Austrian-style May Festival to celebrate the coming of spring with authentic oom-pah bands, a festive beer garden and lots of tasty bratwurst. julianca.com




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