As Andy Williams croons, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” And it is once again upon us. As in years’ past, Lakeside has a whole passel of things to do – both for the family and for others – to celebrate the Holiday Season.
You need a big calendar to track all the events coming up in town. To make it a little easier for you, here are some of my favorites:
As Andy Williams croons, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” And it is once again upon us. As in years’ past, Lakeside has a whole passel of things to do – both for the family and for others – to celebrate the Holiday Season.
You need a big calendar to track all the events coming up in town. To make it a little easier for you, here are some of my favorites:
Oma’s Pumpkin Patch has started the season already with its annual segue from a pumpkin patch to a Christmas Tree Farm. They offer fresh-cut Douglas, Noble and Fraser fir trees from 3 to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It’s always a fun time to head out to the “country” (aka the El Monte Valley) and hunt for the perfect tree, while supporting local business and our last working dairy in the area. You can meet their new baby goats while you’re there.
Saturday, Dec. 2 will be a full day in Downtown Lakeside. It starts with “Breakfast with Santa” at 8 a.m. in the Lakeside Community Center. For $5 each, parents and their children will get a full breakfast, arts and crafts, and entertainment. Members of the Lakeside Fire Department will cook and serve the food; the Faith Chapel Community Orchestra will provide the entertainment. The event goes until 11:00 a.m. It’s a great way for families to kick off the Christmas season.
Our local firefighters will again be on hand later in the day, this time to light the community Christmas tree on Maine Avenue during the 19th annual Spirit of Christmas. Sponsored by the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce, this wonderful event evokes that special small town feeling as families and friends enjoy some good, old-fashioned holiday sights and sounds. The fun starts at 4 p.m., with the tree lighting at 5, in the courtyard of the historic Olde Community Church at Maine and Parkside. There will be a special Mailbox to the North Pole for the kids to drop a line to Santa (parents must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for their kids to get a response for the bid guy in red). It’s always a great event.
The Mrs. Claus Christmas Resale Shoppe will also be open all day in the Olde Community Church. The fundraiser for the Lakeside Historical Society runs through December 23 and is packed with affordable holiday stock. Spend a little, get a lot!
“One Street at a Time” is sharing the Christmas spirit as they continue to clean up our town. For their next event, on Saturday, December 9, from 8 to 10 a.m., Todd Owens and his crew of community volunteers are having a toy drive. They ask that you bring a new toy for charity when you meet (in the old Vons parking lot on Woodside Avenue) this time. Last month, 80 volunteers picked up 100 bags of litter in two hours! For more information, check out its website at: www.cleanuplakeside.com.
On Dec. 16, enjoy “Breakfast with Santa” at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, courtesy of the El Capitan Stadium Association. It runs from 9 to 11 a.m. and is FREE for kids under 12 years (adults are charged only $3). This is another wonderful annual event for our community.
More in Lakeside
Why is Lindo Lake green? Those of you who walk the park have probably seen the posted signs. A bloom of blue-green algae is in the lake, caused by the warm weather and lack of rain. It has produced a toxin that people and pets should avoid – that means no contact with the water. Cooler weather and rain will resolve the situation this year (as soon as we get some), but restoration is definitely the only solution. Information on the algae is available on the Lake’s website at: www.sdparks.org.
The Friends of the Lakeside Library took in nearly $1500 this past November 18 thanks to a fundraiser hosted by Café 67, who donated a percentage of their day’s earnings. This all goes toward the new Lakeside Branch Library.
Take a look at the new sign in front of the Olde Community Church at Maine and Parkside while you’re enjoying Spirit of Christmas. It was recently installed because – surprisingly – many townsfolk were unaware the old church is home to the Lakeside Historical Society. The sign was designed by Billy Ortiz, John Swink, and David Ybarra.
Speaking of signs, the Lakeside community sign is getting closer to reality. The plan came before Lakeside’s Design Review Board earlier in November. The archway will be placed over Maine Avenue at the north end of town. The hope is to get it up sometime next year.
The Sunshine Ranch Therapeutic Riding in the Moreno Valley has found a new home … in the Moreno Valley! Stephanie Mitchell and crew have moved a little north of their former location, onto the Heartland Ranch Equestrian Center at 12139 Moreno Avenue – a very nice early Christmas present indeed. The Sunshine Ranch is a wonderful non-profit that provides therapeutic horseback riding services to children and adults with special needs. Check out their Facebook page for more information.
There is still more going on in Lakeside, but that’s all the room I have right now. Check out the “What’s Going On Lakeside Ca” Facebook page for more community events – and don’t be afraid to share.
There’s so much good going on in our town – for our kids and our community. This is truly a special place to live and work. So for now, I’d like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, and a very Happy New Year!
