September ushers in another reason to celebrate as Downtown El Cajon closes out the summer with a community festival at the Prescott Promenade.
The “September to Remember” festival is set for Sunday, Sept. 21, from 2 to 8 p.m. The free event will feature live performances by Whitney Shay, Santana Ways, and The Mighty Untouchables. A car show with classic, vintage, and custom vehicles will line the promenade, while children can enjoy hands-on activities nearby.
Local food trucks and specialty vendors will also be on hand, offering a mix of dining and shopping options.
Marco Li Mandri, executive director of the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners, said the idea grew out of the summer’s usual programming.
“With the change in the normal schedule for Music on Main and Cajon Cruise, we wanted to pull key elements of each event into a summer finale celebration,” he said. “This inaugural event is special to Downtown El Cajon because it is honoring and celebrating the roots of our community while highlighting new and fresh things to come.”
The mix of music, cars, and vendors reflects that vision.
“The idea of September to Remember is to really showcase the best of the best — polished, elevated cars, a diverse genre lineup of music, and a hint of special artisan and food vendors,” Li Mandri said.
Organizers also hope the event supports local businesses.
“With Prescott Promenade being activated, we intend for attendees to peruse and stop into local businesses and restaurants before the event,” he said. “Really enjoying what Downtown El Cajon has to offer and still enjoying the carefully curated vendors highlighting local businesses and artists.”
The festival’s music lineup was designed to cover different styles.
“We worked closely with our entertainment booker to bring a little flair to this one-night celebration,” Li Mandri said. “We wanted to bring the Latin flavor of a Santana cover band, while adding that soul with R&B and blues.”
Car lovers can expect plenty to see and oh and ah: “We wanted this to really highlight true classic top-notch machinery, so we worked closely with our Car Show Manager to selectively pick vehicles that truly elevate that experience,” he said.
Looking ahead, Li Mandri said the hope is that this first-time event sets the stage for more.
“We are excited to invite people from all over San Diego to this new event to experience and showcase the unique charm and vibrancy of Downtown El Cajon,” he said. “This event will lay the groundwork for many more family-friendly events and activities to come in the months and year ahead.”
The festival is presented by the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners, a property business improvement district that invests in events, beautification projects, and public space improvements to revitalize the area.
For more information, visit www.downtownelcajon.com or call (619) 334-3000.
