A Fantastic Fall in San Diego

Mmm, fresh apple pie!

Mother Goose Parade

the sun is still shining in fall

Joe Timko (619) 557-2812
Kate Buska (619) 557-2889
Stephenie Medina (619) 557-2838

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When autumn arrives, a crisp soothing breeze sweeps over San Diego complementing the region’s warm temperatures and welcoming vibe.  As the San Diego Chargers gear up for another exciting football season, and the sweet aroma of homemade apple pies escapes from Julian, visitors can enjoy a variety of annual festivals and fairs, haunting Halloween celebrations and diverse cultural entertainment.

 During autumn, San Diego comes alive with the fall-owing things to see and do:

MAJOR EVENTS

• A San Diego tradition “as American as apple pie” is the popular Annual Julian Fall Apple Harvest, September 15 – November 15.  This year, the Apple Harvest celebrates its 100th birthday as thousands of visitors venture to this historic East County mining town, nestled in the Cuyamaca Mountains, to sample fresh crisp apples, homemade apple pies and ciders. Visitors can also enjoy acres of colorful fall foliage, charming bed and breakfast inns, art shows, quaint antique shops and live entertainment.  www.julianca.com
  
  
• The annual MCAS Miramar Air Show, October 2 – 4, showcases several types of aircraft, including vintage biplanes, Air Force Thunderbirds, a Navy Super Hornet and numerous stealth fighter jets. The event includes simulated combat demonstrations, a Twilight Show with the Great Wall of Fire and a firework grand finale.  www.miramarairshow.com
  
  
• The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, the region’s largest wine and culinary event, takes place November 18 – 22.  Held at venues throughout downtown San Diego, the festival includes gourmet food, celebrity chefs, wine tasting, an elegant Reserve & New Release Tasting event and more. www.worldofwineevents.com
  
  
• On November 22, the 63rd Annual Mother Goose Parade, the largest parade in San Diego County, brings crowds of spectators to the city streets of El Cajon.  The parade kicks-off the holiday season and features whimsical floats, clowns, bands, equestrians and celebrities. www.mothergooseparade.org 

FESTIVALS AND FAIRS

• Banjos twang full force in the historic town of Julian during the 39th Annual Bluegrass Festival, September 19 – 20.  The oldest bluegrass festival in California, many of the genre’s stars of today started on this stage.  Festivities include banjo playoffs for all levels and classic fun. www.julianbluegrassfestival.com
  
  
• The San Diego International Film Festival returns to the Gaslamp Quarter September 23 – 27, with a full slate of films showcasing the best in American and International full-length features, documentaries and shorts.  Extra activities include Q&A sessions with the directors, workshops, panel discussions, guest appearances by film and video artists and more. www.sdff.org
  
  
• Southern California's largest free two-day musical festival, the 28th Annual Adams Avenue Street Fair returns to Normal Heights September 26 – 27 with three beer gardens, six stages and more than 70 musical acts.  Ranging from rock, country and folk to rockabilly and TexMex, the fair offers something for everyone; it also features arts and crafts, carnival rides, food and circus acts. www.adamsaveonline.com/streetfair
  
  
• During October 15 – 29, the 10th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival presents films, videos and workshops to the public that celebrate the work of Asian artists from around the world. Screenings are held at the UltraStar Mission Valley Cinema in Hazard Center and showcase feature films, shorts and animation. www.sdaff.org
  
  
• The 33rd annual Harvest Festival, October 23 – 25 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, is one of the largest art and gift shows on the U.S. West Coast. The event includes gourmet food samplings, live music, a pumpkin patch and more than 300 artists and craftspeople featuring unique handmade works. Tickets are $9 for adults, and children ages 12 and under are admitted for free.  www.harvestfestival.com
  
  
• The cool desert breeze and vast landscape welcome visitors to the Borrego Springs 44th Annual Desert Festival, October 23 – 25.  This weekend celebration, themed “Starry Starry Nights,” includes a parade, the Miss Borrego pageant, dance parties, live music, art and craft exhibitions and more. www.borregospringschamber.com
  
  
• On November 1, the Gaslamp Quarter Fall Back Festival brings alive the history and culture of downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter. The event features entertainment, food, demonstrations and lots of fun for children and families from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Island Avenue between Fourth and Fifth streets.   www.gaslampquarter.org
  
  
• The largest one-day street fair in California takes place along Grand Avenue in the San Diego North County city of Carlsbad.  The Carlsbad Village Street Faire, which occurs 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on November 1, features hundreds of exhibitors, international food, live entertainment and children's rides.  www.carlsbad.org
  
  
• The 30th Annual San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival, November 25 – 29 at the Town & Country Resort in Mission Valley, is a nationally known celebration that showcases over 25 bands from throughout the United States and Canada. www.dixielandjazzfestival.org

AUTUMN AT THE ATTRACTIONS

• The San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park presents Kid Free Days during the month of October.  From October 1 – 31, children ages 3 – 11 receive complimentary admission into both parks.  www.sandiegozoo.org
  
  
• Halloween makes a splash at SeaWorld San Diego during its Halloween Spooktacular at SeaWorld celebration.  This family-friendly program features trick-or-treat stations, a Sesame Street-themed Halloween show, special Halloween-themed sea lion show and interactive Halloween characters along the pathways of the park.  Halloween Spooktacular at SeaWorld takes place every weekend between October 3 and November 1. www.seaworld.com
  
  
• LEGOLAND California joins in the Halloween fun every Saturday and Sunday in October with its annual Brick-or-Treat celebration.  Children ages 12 and under can trick-or-treat with a souvenir goodie bag along the park’s Brick-or-Treat Trail, a kid-sized cul-de-sac of spooky LEGO homes with fun and creepy creatures.   A costume contest every Saturday and huge 4-ft. tall LEGO jack-o-lantern round out the fun.  www.legoland.com

CULTURAL EVENTS

• The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation presents the 20th Annual Sycuan Pow-Wow, September 11 – 13.  This traditional celebration features Indian song, dance, arts and crafts, games and food. The free event is open to the public and takes place on the Sycuan Indian Reservation in San Diego’s East County. www.sycuan.com
  
  
• The 15th Annual Pacific Islander Festival, September 26 – 27, is a free event that showcases the cultures and customs of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia with continuous entertainment throughout the day.  Held at Mission Bay’s Ski Beach, the event also features food, music and unique crafts.  www.pifasandiego.com
  
  
• Bratwurst, beer gardens and oompapa bands can only mean one thing—Oktoberfest!  A number of communities throughout San Diego County celebrate this traditional German holiday.  Oktoberfest in La Mesa, October 2 – 4, is among the largest festivals of its kind on the U.S. West Coast.  Visitors can enjoy dancing, food, Bavarian bands and 300 crafts and commercial booths along La Mesa Boulevard.  www.lmvma.com
  
  
• Little Italy in downtown San Diego presents the 15th Annual Little Italy Festa on October 11.  A grand celebration of Italian culture, this traditional street festival offers music, fine foods, specialty crafts and Gesso Italiano, a classic Italian street chalk painting exhibition.  www.littleitalysd.com
  
  
• On November 1, the city of Oceanside brings its 9th Annual Dia del los Muertos celebration to Mission San Luis Rey.  The mission grounds are transformed into a Mexican plaza with thousands of marigolds used to create ‘ofrendas’ or altars as memorials. Guests can enjoy music, dancing, food booths, a retail mercado and the Chalk Cemetery, an interactive area that allows guests to use flowers, candles and chalk to create a memorial for lost loved ones. www.sanluisrey.org

HALLOWEEN HAUNTS

• Old Town’s Most Haunted offers nightly walking tours of Old Town San Diego’s original downtown, led by a real ghost hunter.  Offered Thursday – Sunday year-round, the tour is based on the ghost hunter’s own paranormal experiences and research for the past eight years in the historic neighborhood. Guests have the opportunity to visit after hours some of Old Town’s oldest buildings, including the Whaley House, constructed in 1856 on a former gallows site and believed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. www.oldtownsmosthaunted.com
  
  
• Ghostly Tours in History presents a frightseeing 3-hour adventure that takes guests to some of the oldest areas of San Diego, unearthing local ghosts and legends and their favorite haunts. Some of the spooky sights guests learn about include Tesoro, a Gaslamp Quarter restaurant that was once one of San Diego’s first mortuaries, and Villa Montezuma, a grand Victorian mansion that was home to the eccentric San Diego spiritualist, Jesse Shepard.  Ghostly Tours in History operates year-round. www.ghostlytoursinhistory.com
  
  
• More thrills and chills await guests at the Del Mar Fairground's massive Scream Zone with featured frights including a 3-D ghost maze, 25-room house of horror, haunted hayride and thrilling midway rides.  Dates TBA.  www.sdfair.com/screamzone
  
  
• Screamin' good times await in downtown San Diego at the Gaslamp Quarter's popular annual haunted house, The Haunted Hotel, September 25 – October 31.   Located at 424 Market Street, guests venture through rooms and hallways inspired by haunts from Hollywood’s favorite horror films.    www.hauntedhotel.com 
  
  
• Visitors are invited to run for their lives on the Haunted Trail of Terror at Marston Point in Balboa Park, September 25 – October 31.  www.hauntedhotel.com
  
  
• Night crawlers enjoy the annual Monster Bash in the Gaslamp Quarter, October 31, from 6 p.m. to midnight.  This annual outdoor music festival in the streets of downtown’s historic Gaslamp Quarter features bewitching live bands and an extreme costume contest.  This ticketed event is for guests ages 21 and older; tickets cost $20 for advanced purchases and $25 at the door.  www.gaslampquarter.org
  
  
• San Diego's uptown community of Hillcrest offers devilish delights during Nightmare on Normal Street, an annual Halloween street party and costume contest at the San Diego LGBT Community Center.  Festivities include music, food, a beer garden and other ghoulish entertainment.  Dates TBA.  www.thecentersd.org

SPORTING GOOD TIMES

• Starting in September, the National Football League’s San Diego Chargers begin their 2009 season with home games at Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley. The first season home game pits the Chargers against the Baltimore Ravens on September 20. www.chargers.com
  
  
• Professional rodeo cowboys from around the country compete during the 37th Annual Poway PRCA Rodeo, September 19 – 20. Guests can watch contestants compete in everything from barrel racing to “mutton bustin.” www.powayrodeo.com

Happy happens in San Diego.  For more information on San Diego’s offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau's Web site at www.sandiego.org or call 619-236-1212.  In San Diego, visit the International Visitor Information Center, located at the corner of West Broadway and Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego, or the La Jolla Visitor Center, located at the corner of Herschel Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla.

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