By Miriam Raftery
February 27, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – March brings some merry events including farm tours, a stargazing party, live music concerts, a Spring Fling business expo, Tomatomania at the Water Conservation Garden, Daffodil Days in Julian, St. Patrick’s Day festivities, Nature Day atop Mt. Helix, a Pirates of Penzance production at Grossmont College, a desert homes tour, and the Price is Right game show at Sycuan.
Scroll down for these events and more, all in San Diego’s East County.
FARM TOUR ADVENTURES AT FORT CROSS ON SATURDAYS
Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures in Santa Ysabel, just outside of Julian, is offering farm tour adventures each Saturday this spring.
The farm tour adventure includes visits with farm animals, an interactive reptile show, archery, tomahawk throwing, paint balls at the Ghost Town slingshot range, a jug band, walking trails, tire swings, plant sales and more.
For reservations and tickets, visit https://www.fortcross.com
STARS AT MISSION TRAILS March 7
Members of the San Diego Astronomy Association invite you to enjoy stargazing at Mission Trails Regional Park on the first Friday of each month, starting at dusk.
Meet at the far end of the Kumeyaay Lake Campground’s Day Use Parking Lot to view the nighttime sky through telescopes, weather permitting.
For more information, visit https://mtrp.org/events/
GROSSMONT COLLEGE CONCERT BAND CONCERT MARCH 5
Grossmont College Concert Band Concert will present a concert (free!) on Wednesday, March 5 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the school’s Performing & Visual Arts Center.
The ensemble features talented wind and percussion musicians, including students, educators, and community members. For more information, visit https://www.grossmont.edu/events/index.php
SPRING FLING BUSINESS EXPO MARCH 5
On Wednesday, March 5th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invites you to their 10th Annual Spring Fling Business Expo. This special evening will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott in El Cajon between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Guests can meet local business owners and have opportunities to win door prizes and raffle items. For more information, visit http://www.lamesachamber.com
TOMATOMANIA MARCH 7-9
Tomatomania returns to the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College on Friday and Saturday, March 7-8. You can purchase tomato plants including some varieties, heirlooms and l classics—plus get tips from experts on how to grow the most flavorful tomatoes.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 7 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 8.
This year, there’s also a tomato cooking class with Chef Nicolai Winkler. Reservation and a fee are required for the class. Another class offers tips on how to collect and store water on your property.
For details visit https://thegarden.org/.
MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN WITH SEAN GASKELL: MARCH 7 AT JULIAN LIBRARY
Friends of the Julian Library will present a concert by Sean Gaskell on the kora, a 21-stringed West African harp. This performance, titled “Music on the Mountain,” will take place on March 7 at 3 p.m. in the Julian branch of the county library, 1850 Highway 78 in Julian.
Gaskell studied under the extensive instruction of Moriba Kuyateh and the late Malamini Jobarteh in Gambia, and both Youssoupha Cissokho and Mamadou Cissokho in Senegal. The kora is traditionally played by oral historians known as Griots. Many songs featured on the kora preserve an 800 year history dating back to the founding of the Mande empire.
Gaskell has presented adult, youth and family programs at over 400 libraries and a multitude of k-12 schools, colleges, universities and assisted living facilities throughout the United States and Canada.
SPANISH NIGHTS AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE MARCH 7
Fri, Mar 7, 2025 7:30pm | US/Pacific
The Grossmont Symphony Orchestra welcomes its new conductor, San Diego Symphony Orchestra violinist, Hernan Constantino. His first concert performance titled “Spanish Nights: A Concert of Passion and Fire” will be held on March 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the college’s Performing Arts and Visual Center.
Maestro Constantino is also on his seventh season as the music director for Mainly Mozart with the San Diego Symphony. The Spanish Nights concert will feature works of Ravel, Bizet, and de Falla, featuring some of the most iconic and beloved pieces in the Spanish repertoire, from the seductive rhythms of Ravel’s Bolero to the dramatic flair of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnole, to the haunting beauty of Bizet’s Carmen
For tickets, visit https://gcccd.universitytickets.com
DAFFODIL DAYS IN JULIAN: WEEKENDS MARCH 7-APRIL 13
East County News Service
Julian Farm and Orchard invites you to Daffodil Days, held each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from March 7 through April 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In addition to u-pick daffodils, visitors can also enjoy other activities for a fee including a petting zoo, rock climbing, swings, picnic areas, a tractor-pulled hayride and more.
For details, visit: https://www.JulianFarmAndOrchard.com/daffodil-days-spring
ENTRANCES AND EXITS DANCE CONCERT AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE MARCH 8-10
Grossmont College’s dance department will present “Entrances and Exits,” a faculty-choreographed, student-performed dance concert on March 8-10 at 7:30 p.m.in the Performing and Visual Arts Center.
For tickets and more information, visit https://www.grossmont.edu/events/index.php
NATURE DAY ON MT. HELIX MARCH 15
Mt. Helix Park will host Nature Day atop Mt. Helix on March 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This event will feature live animals, a butterfly release, booths from over 30 nature organizations, activities, crafts and a native plant sale.
Shuttles for the public are available (free) from Grossmont High School.
BORREGO HOME AND GARDEN TOUR MARCH 15
The Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association invites you to the 2025 Borrego Home and Garden Tour on Saturday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Explore four desert dwellings in the heart of the Borrego Springs, at your own pace. Each home showcases unique architecture, landscaping and design elements.
Tickets are available online at www.abdnha.org/gardentour or visit the ABDNHA Desert Nature Center (652 Palm Canyon Drive, (760) 767-3098).
ST. PATRICK’S LUCKY ADVENTURES MARCH 17 AT FORT CROSS
Fort Cross near Julian invites you to St. Patrick’s Lucky Adventures on March 17
Participants can kick up your heels in an Irish jig, see snakes like those that St. Patrick drove away from Ireland, target sneaky leprechauns at the Ghost Town slingshot gallery, and venture into a land of leprechaun magic as you seek to find special treasures.
To purchase tickets and get more information you can visit https://www.fortcross.com.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT HOOLEYS MARCH 17
Hooleys Irish Pubs in La Mesa and Rancho San Diego invite you to don your best green attire to join in celebrating St Patrick’s Day on March 17 with Irish music and more. Details will be posted at https://hooleys.com .
PIRATES OF PENZANCE AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE MARCH 20-29
Grossmont College’s Theatre Arts Department presents “The Pirates of Penzance” March 20-22 AND MARCH 27-29.
This stage production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera offers a rollicking good time with endearing pirates, bumbling policemen, zany escapades, and delightfully ridiculous paradoxes.
For tickets and details, visit https://www.grossmont.edu/events/index.php
SPRING FESTIVAL AND EASTER CELEBRATION IN ALPINE MARCH 20-22
Alpine Country Crafts and Gifts (2156 Alpine Blvd. in Alpine) invites you to a Spring Festival and Easter Celebration. The event takes place on:
Thursday, March 20 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, March 21 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 22 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ALWANI MIDDLE EASTERN ORCHESTRA MARCH 27
The Alwani Middle Eastern Orchestra will perform at Cuyamaca College’Samuel Ciccati Theatre on March 27 at 7:30 p.m. It’s mission is to counter negative narratives about the Middle East by showcasing the region’s cultural richness through the transformative power of music.
For tickets visit https://gcccd.universitytickets.com/.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT AT SYCUAN MARCH 29
On on-stage version of the popular TV game show “The Price is Right” is coming to Sycuan, with two shows on March 29 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Audience members will have a chance to hear their names called and “Come On Down” to win major prizes.
Tickets are available at https://www.sycuan.com.