So few Christmas lights, IDK if hidden San Diego just hadn't gone to check out the houses this year…read moreor what. The houses that were decorated were nice-thank you, but otherwise underwhelming. I do get it. Everything is expensive. Thanks for putting lights up in the past-hopefully the tradition returns.

This was just an overcrowded evening in South Park. I only saw one live band outside of cafe…read moreMadeline. Some places were giving out free samples but there was really nothing to do apart from walk through the business that are already in the neighborhood. There was no food vendors or activities to do. The streets were still open to cars so it was stressful crossing the road because of all the traffic and the sidewalks were overcrowded.

Here is my annual review!…read more This past weekend our little neighborhood hosted the street fair and while it was the smallest one I've ever been to, it still had all of the Rolando charm. The music was great, the food vendors were serving delicious food (I had BBQ) and the beer garden served as the constant heart of the entire thing. Props to Corbin and crew for keeping the beer cold and the bands for keeping the vibe live. Good times in a great neighborhood!

What do you think of when you go to local block parties the smell of food and the many vendors? Yes…read morethe many places that you can go to you may find festivals and the large school gatherings the ones where you see dunk tank and the teachers that like to volunteer to help out . When its the neighborhoods you have more of the many people that know each and everyone and see your many friends that do stop by . Rolando Street is off El Cajon Blvd and its a nice historical area of San Diego when you come to place that has a large sign that Says Welcome to Rolando large wooden sign that can be seen when you drive in . There are many places that I have been to the many states that are north of California and the further Northern areas of the United States that have the local fireworks displays that light up the skies . When I had arrived at Rolando Street Faire that I was welcomed of the bat as I had walked past the barricade that had blocked of the street the many cars that had parked such far distances . What can you expect when you go to neighborhood festivals and the many people that you will see when I had walked up the middle of the faire I could see so many tents that had lined the streets the many people that have their own business meeting people . To get the general feel of a street faire you can get to see the many retailers those that were selling products, and the one which were connected with city and state governments that were running for office where else can you go is a family oriented street faire . The many tents that were there you could find jewelry products that were the best I have ever seen many of them were from private owners and sellers here in San Diego and some that were from out of State . The many people that I had met were very friendly and the services they had were ones that many families could use , and the services of pharmacies that had come to street faire to check blood pressure and free products . The many food trucks and the tents that had some of the best food that I have seen the ones that I liked were the funnel cake and the great pizza they had there when you have great pizza you also have great music. The concert stage they had set up over near the kid's area they had there-own adventure that had some of the climbing and blow-up wall and tumble adventure set ups . For those that like to have a good beer they had a medium size bar garden that was set up near by you got the music and get to see the music bands they ad play there . The many food trucks and the tents that had some of the best food that I have seen the ones that I liked were the funnel cake and the great pizza they had there when you have great pizza you also have great music. The concert stage they had set up over near the kid's area they had there own adventure that had some of the climbing and blow up wall and tumble adventure set ups . For those that like to have a good beer they had a medium size bar garden that was set up near by you got the music and get to see the music bands they ad play there . This was one of the best street faire ha s been here in San Diego I have seen many that it didn't compare to this kind you didn't see people walking around with beer in their hands . To the many staff members off the Rolando Street fair you have done a fabulous job that you have gone above and beyond .

I didn't have very high expectations for this, but to my surprise it was a blast!…read more we came around 10:45 am, thinking that we could get good parking.....ahh how naive we were. Parking at balboa is always a nightmare. The whole concept of this fair is that all the international cottages (each country had its own little decorated cottage) make food from their country in sample portions. Sample costs ranged from $1 to $10. The great thing about the sample sizes is that you can take more risks and try food you've never heard of. It was so much fun walking around and checking out different cultures, and getting to try authentic foods. They also had international performances as well. Some things I personally liked: Swedish waffle dessert, English cake, Scottish meat pies, Indian chai,Hungarian fried bread with cheese/sour cream (sorry for the life of me can't remember what it was called) Irish stew, French fruit tart and quiche, Israeli latkes. The only thing I super disliked was the Scottish whisky bread pudding. Like they should have carded for that thing LOL. VERY heavy on the whiskey. I definitely recommend going. It's hot and outdoors and crowded, so be prepared for that. Luckily lines werent more than like 10 minutes long.

This is a yearly event which highlights the various ethnic foods from Thai to traditional American…read moredishes. It takes place at Balboa Park inside the international cottages and each cottage participates and offers food from their respective host country. Food is extra here but it is only $3-$6 per cottage but the helpings are large for an event of this type. After only a couple of cottages, I was full but wanted to try out a few different ones just to experience the food. We stopped in Finland, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Ireland, and China. All of the food that we had was homemade and delicious! The cottages really put up some good food for this event and it was really worth the price of admission and would recommend it to anybody looking to experience a variety of different foods at a relatively cheap price.

Wow! This was my first time ever at the Dia de Muertos festival in Bario Logan and it certainly…read morewill not be my last. I went with my husband to see the headlining band, Glass Spells, as we have enjoyed their shows in the past. Little did we know that there was so much more to see. We arrived just about an hour before the band was due to begin, so had some time to look around and explore the festival. We had a chance to check out some of the vendors. Many had traditional Mexican clothing and pottery, but there were also a lot of other crafts for sale. We also caught another band that was really fun. There were three different stages with various bands throughout the day. There were some great art pieces and lots of photo ops, as well as some traditional altars. Bario Logan is a special place with lots of brightly colored murals and plenty of restaurants and shops. It's the perfect backdrop for an art and music festival. There were lots of food vendors with the most common items being elotes (Mexican street corn) and churros. My favorite surprise was the parade that I didn't even expect. It was amazing with phenomenal intricate costumes, music and choreographed dance. I've never seen anything quite like it. It reminded me of the videos I have seen of the parade in Mexico City. That, in itself, was a reason to go to the festival. Finally, Glass Spells, which was my reason for going, was amazing as always. I look forward to returning to this festival next year!

1st Time at TinyFest…read more TinyFest was a good experience! If you've ever wondered how people can live in such small spaces (i.e vans, tents, shipping containers...) you'll definitely want to check out the festival. You get to see the size of different living units up close. Inside, they have sales of items that are useful for living minimally. Some of the units had an odd odor, which I found out later that the units on display are currently being lived in. The food was pricy, but expected. Overall, a good experience.

What a fun event! My daughter and I enjoyed attending our first TinyFest together on Saturday, and…read morewe had a blast! There were so many tiny houses, bus conversions, van conversions, ambulance conversions, campers, and travel trailers to see. It truly is a community. San Diego is still beautiful this time of the year, and the fairgrounds were a great place to host an event of this magnitude. Several of the tiny homes and conversions were available for sale. Every time we stepped into a home, I was amazed to see how different it looked from the outside. There was so much space on the inside. It truly is something you have to experience in person. After years of watching Tiny House Nation on HGTV, YouTube videos, and subscribing to Tiny House Newsletter, it was finally time to experience it ourselves. We were not disappointed. It was great to speak with the DIY homeowners and get their takes on how long it took to build. Some of the homeowners had the cost of the build posted, while others might have included additional information to follow them on social media sites. It was a worthwhile experience. I definitely recommend TinyFest to anyone seriously considering a tiny purchase. It's also a great event for someone just getting their feet wet if they're on the fence about a purchase. We saw several food vendors, although we didn't partake in any food at the event. There was also a woman walking on stilts wearing a black and white costume. It was pretty cool. This event showed my daughter and me that you're only limited by your imagination. My key takeaway was: 1) make your living space comfortable for you! Your style, your design. It doesn't have to look like someone else's idea of home. That's what I love about tiny living; it's custom. It's not a one-size-fits-all. It's an exciting adventure that I look forward to taking. Soon. Thank you, TinyFest, for such an incredible event!

The line was very long for this event it stretched around the base a full block. Once the event…read moreopened, it went pretty fast-paced, and we got in within 20 minutes. This was our first time here, and it was impressive. There were lots of vendors from whisky, wine, spirits, food, beer, and donuts. Most of them were excellent and were fantastic. We spent a good time around the fountain square where most of the great foods and wines were. Plus, there was an awesome dj on center stage playing classic to modern hits and mixes. We had a great time even though it was a short 3 half-hour long. But, too much is a great thing, right? We were all stuffed beyond capacity, too. I'm sure many of you have been here, especially if you live down here in the San Diego area. I was fortunately able and luckily to live in Carlsbad, North County, for three years back in 2000. Anyway, next year is a go for sure. We will be in line sooner than later. Enjoy.

Waaayyyy too crowded and standing in long lines to get a measly small sample was no fun! I should…read morehave saved the money and went to get a nice steak dinner instead! The line to just get in was over a mile long...next year they need to start checking tickets and putting on wristbands 30 min before the event starts that way at 6:30 sharp they can just let people walk in! Also a majority of the booths didn't not have clear signage so a lot of the time you had no idea what you were standing in line for! This event needs to be more organized period.

Awesome! I love this event. This was my second year going and it keeps getting better. The price…read morefor the tickets are extremely reasonable, especially for an all you can eat and all you can drink event! The food is amazing!! I love food and the variety and quality of food that is offered at the annual Santee Bluegrass Festival is a perfect match for food lovers. They have everything for every type of craving. The carnivores (me) were able to have our palettes satisfied by Slaters 50/50 signature patties, which is 50% ground bacon 50% ground beef and topped with more bacon. Life doesn't get any better than bacon. There were plenty of other food vendors but nothing tops bacon, sorry other vendors. Ok, so there were other vendors other then our lovely bacon providers. There were vendors that solely had sweets (cupcakes, pies, cakes, etc.) there was Mexican food, Italian food, and fish. I'm certain there was more food but I only cared about one food vendor and that is what I mostly ate while there. In addition to all the bacon that was provided there were plenty of wine tasting opportunities. One of my favorite wine tasting tables was by PRP Wines located in San Diego. I have personally been buying from PRP Wines for several years and I'm a little partial to them. They import wines from all over the world, they do not carry anything domestic which gave them an advantage compared to the other wine vendors who locally grow their grapes. There is something special inside a bottle of a South African Cab. One of the things I was most impressed by was the fact that PRP Wines brought not only their $20 bottles of wine but their $80 bottles too and they did not hold back on their pours of their most expensive labels. This is not a quality most wineries have. Food (bacon), wine, and now beer. There was a plethora of beer vendors that gave out free shirts, hats, etc. I'm not much of a beer drinker so I have nothing to say other than there was beer and those vendors were friendly. Music, a Bluegrass Festival is not complete without music. There was a band that played great tunes to wash all our food and drinks down with. I have no complaints. I look forward to going again next year!

Great east County folks bring the best local wine, craft beer, and food. And guess what all for the…read moregreat cause of santee! The vendors bring there own free food and feed you. Everything is donated! Awesome event I'll always be there!

Hui O Hawaiʻi of San Diego, located in Chula Vista, was founded in 1969. Many of the current board…read moremembers have grown up with the club since they were children. They now have their children dancing in the shows and representing the Hui at festivals--as they once did. This is their first annual Lōkahi Festival. It was well received with a great turnout, clearly demonstrating its potential to grow bigger in the coming years. Whereas the PIFA Pacific Islander Festival, held two weeks earlier, presents various cultures of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia, the Lōkahi Festival showcases the Hawaiian culture exclusively. It is also an initiative to help fill the vacuum left by the annual San Diego Hoʻolauleʻa that ceased after 2019. The show lineup featured three local dance academies: Nā Pua ʻIlima of Chula Vista; Hālau Hula ʻO Kawahinepiʻilani of Chula Vista; and Healiʻi's Polynesian Revue of San Diego. Two solo dances were performed by this year's Miss Hui O Hawaiʻi of San Diego, Kehaulani Wilson (of Healiʻi's Polynesian Revue). In between the performances, music was provided by Mele Mokupuni and Hui O Hawaiʻi's Kanikapila Group. The performances all took place on the stage inside of the church, which also included vendors selling Hawaiian foods, goods, crafts, and clothing. A fascinating historical display highlighted the Hawaiian ancestry of William Heath "Kanaka" Davis, founder of San Diego. The parking lot in front of the church had a water station, food served by several Hawaiian vendors (including a food truck from Hawaiian Fresh Seafood), a tent that served a small selection of beer and wine. The weather was hot here in Santee on this first Saturday of October, so folks had to make effective use of the indoors and shade.

Go for the food, stay for the local vibe. Poke was ono and the ube cookies (yeah, I know not…read moreHawaiian) were really good, in fact all the desserts were great. Also got some Ani's Sweeat Bread, which is similar to the Molokai Bread I get on Maui. Caught the tail end of a Chula Vista Halau performing - beautiful. Festival had lots of seating in the air-conditioned hall, where people could get out of the sun. Nice assortment of vendors carrying local crafts and t-shirts. A nice way to spend a couple of hours soaking up Hawaiian-style culture in Southern California.