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