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North County Inland Events

34 dates are listed for Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Poway and Ramona, read on organizer pages. 28 are marked family-friendly. A few dates are computed from an organizer’s rule or flagged as unconfirmed, and are named below. Many annual events have no 2027 date posted yet.Checked October 23, 2026.

34confirmed dates ahead
28marked family-friendly by the organizer
Free to $$see each organizer page for prices
Organizerpages are the source for every date

Every Week

  1. Escondido Certified Farmers' Market

    Every Tuesday from 2:30 pm until sundown (the organizer page gives no season window)

    Juniper Street between Grand Ave and Valley Parkway / Heritage Garden Park · Price: See event site · Organizer page

  2. Poway Farmers Market

    Every Saturday 8:00 am to 1:00 pm at Old Poway Park (the organizer page gives no season window)

    Old Poway Park area, 14134 Midland Rd · Price: See event site · Organizer page

October 2026

  1. Safari Park Kids Free (October)

    Oct 23 to Oct 31, 2026 · Park hours; see event site · San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd

    Price: Children free Oct 1-31 (per Safari Park home page); see event site for terms · Organizer page

    On nowFamily

  2. Autumn Festival (weekends)

    Oct 24 to Oct 25, 2026 · Entertainment about 1-5:45 p.m.; A-MAZE-ing Autumn Adventure 9 a.m.-7 p.m. · San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd

    Price: See event site · Organizer page

    Family

  3. Halloween Campout

    Oct 24 to Oct 25, 2026 · 1:00 PM to 10:00 AM (as listed) · Lake Poway

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

  4. October Antique Tractor Show (second weekend)

    Oct 24 to Oct 25, 2026 · Not confirmed · Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, 2040 N Santa Fe Ave

    Price: See event site (organizer says special events may require paid admission) · Organizer page

    Family

  5. October Trail Talk

    Sat, Oct 24, 2026 · Not confirmed · Not confirmed

    Price: Not confirmed · Organizer page

  6. Once Upon a Hallowe'en

    Sat, Oct 24, 2026 · 3:30-8:30 PM · Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

  7. Halloween Movie in the Park: Hocus Pocus 2

    Sun, Oct 25, 2026 · 6:15-10:00 PM; movie starts about 15 minutes after sunset · Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

  8. Haunted House at Old Poway Park

    Sun, Oct 25, 2026 · 6:30-8:30 PM · Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

  9. Fright Night (Downtown Vista)

    Fri, Oct 30, 2026 · Not confirmed · Historical Downtown Vista, Main Street

    Price: Free (per organizer) · Organizer page

    Family

  10. Halloween Merchants Safe Trick-or-Treat (Main Street)

    Sat, Oct 31, 2026 · Not confirmed · Main Street businesses, Ramona

    Price: Free per chamber description (businesses hand out candy); see event site · Organizer page

    Family

November 2026

  1. Kid's Night Out

    Fri, Nov 6, 2026 · 5:00-9:00 PM · Mickey Cafagna Community Center, Oak Hall

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

  2. Veteran's Day Ceremony (San Marcos)

    Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · Not confirmed · Not confirmed

    Price: Not confirmed · Organizer page

  3. Veterans Day Ceremony

    Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · 11:00 AM, no end time listed · Veterans Park

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

  4. Fun Friday Nights

    Fri, Nov 13, 2026 · Not confirmed · Not confirmed

    Price: Not confirmed · Organizer page

    Family

  5. Train Song Festival

    Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · 10:00 AM-4:00 PM · Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

  6. Wild Holidays (Nov 28-29)

    Nov 28 to Nov 29, 2026 · Park open until 8 p.m.; evening entertainment 4-8 p.m. · San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd

    Price: Included with admission or membership; admission price See event site · Organizer page

    Family

December 2026

  1. Holiday Lights (Dec 4-5)

    Dec 4 to Dec 5, 2026 · Not confirmed (page says More Details Soon) · Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, 2040 N Santa Fe Ave

    Price: See event site · Organizer page

    Family

  2. Kid's Night Out

    Fri, Dec 4, 2026 · 5:00-9:00 PM · Mickey Cafagna Community Center, Oak Hall

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

  3. Ramona Christmas Tree Lighting

    Sat, Dec 5, 2026 · 5:00-9:00 p.m.; tree lighting 7:00 p.m. · Old Town Ramona (Main Street)

    Price: See event site · Organizer page

    Family

  4. Tree Lighting & Merry Market

    Sat, Dec 5, 2026 · 1-7 p.m.; Santa photos 1-5 p.m.; tree lighting 6 p.m. · San Marcos Community Center, 3 Civic Center Dr

    Price: Photos with Santa and children's crafts free; no admission fee listed · Organizer page

    Family

  5. Vista Christmas Parade

    Sat, Dec 5, 2026 · Not confirmed · Historical Downtown Vista

    Price: See event site · Organizer page

    Family

  6. Winter Movie in the Park: The Polar Express

    Sat, Dec 5, 2026 · 5:00-9:00 PM · Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

  7. Christmas in the Park (tree lighting and Santa's train arrival)

    Dec 11 to Dec 12, 2026 · 3:30-8:30 PM; Santa's arrival by train then tree lighting at 6 p.m. · Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

  8. Holiday Lights (Dec 11-12)

    Dec 11 to Dec 12, 2026 · Not confirmed (page says More Details Soon) · Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, 2040 N Santa Fe Ave

    Price: See event site · Organizer page

    Family

  9. Holiday Lights (Dec 18-19)

    Dec 18 to Dec 19, 2026 · Not confirmed (page says More Details Soon) · Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, 2040 N Santa Fe Ave

    Price: See event site · Organizer page

    Family

  10. Wild Holidays (Dec 18-23)

    Dec 18 to Dec 23, 2026 · Park open until 8 p.m.; evening entertainment 4-8 p.m. · San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd

    Price: Included with admission or membership; admission price See event site · Organizer page

    Family

  11. Wild Holidays (Dec 26-Jan 3)

    Dec 26 to Jan 3, 2027 · Park open until 8 p.m.; evening entertainment 4-8 p.m. · San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd

    Price: Included with admission or membership; admission price See event site · Organizer page

    Family

January 2027

  1. Winter Festival

    Jan 8 to Jan 9, 2027 · Jan 8 5:00-9:00 PM; Jan 9 3:30-8:30 PM (Jan 9 2:30-3:30 PM is a separate session for the special needs community) · Community Park

    Price: Not listed on city calendar (See event site) · Organizer page

    Family

February 2027

  1. Youth Fishing Derby (32nd annual)

    Sat, Feb 6, 2027 · 6:00 AM-12:00 PM · Lake Poway

    Price: FREE (per city calendar) · Organizer page

    Family

May 2027

  1. Fiber Arts Fiesta

    May 1 to May 2, 2027 · Not confirmed · Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, 2040 N Santa Fe Ave

    Price: See event site · Organizer page

    Family

  2. Vista Strawberry Festival

    Sun, May 30, 2027 · Not confirmed · Historical Downtown Vista, 231 Main St

    Price: Free (per organizer) · Organizer page

    Family

October 2027

  1. Fright Night (Downtown Vista)

    Fri, Oct 29, 2027 · Not confirmed · Historical Downtown Vista, Main Street

    Price: Free (per organizer) · Organizer page

    Family

What We Could Not Verify

  • Computed, not posted: Downtown Vista’s Fright Night (October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2027), the Vista Christmas Parade (December 5, 2026) and the Vista Strawberry Festival (May 30, 2027). The organizer gives only a rule, such as the Friday before Halloween, the first Saturday of December or the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Hours are not confirmed.
  • Unconfirmed date: the Ramona Christmas Tree Lighting on December 5, 2026. The chamber says first Saturday in December and lists a dinner that Saturday, but its page still carries 2025 contest dates and does not state the tree-lighting date plainly.
  • Unconfirmed details: the venue, hours and price of the San Marcos Veterans Day ceremony (the page does not state the year; we read it as 2026), Fun Friday Nights and October Trail Talk; the ages and fee for Poway Kid’s Night Out and the Halloween Campout; hours and prices for the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum Holiday Lights, Tractor Show and Fiber Arts Fiesta. The Haunted House at Old Poway Park has no age guidance from the city and is not marked family-friendly.
  • No 2027 date posted on an organizer page, so not listed: Poway Rodeo and Poway Days; Ramona Rodeo, Country Fair, Fourth of July picnic and Christmas Tree Lighting 2027 (the chamber rule is the first Saturday of December); Escondido Christmas Parade (no organizer page read); Vista Duck Race at the Wave, Summergrass (2026 was August 14 to 16), Viking Festival and the museum’s June tractor show 2027; Old Poway Park’s Christmas in the Park, Halloween and Train Song Festival 2027; Safari Park 2027 seasonal events and Wild Holidays after January 3, 2027.
  • Poway’s calendar lists special events only to about February 2027; March to October 2027 shows only registration dates and City Hall hours.
  • Blocked to our reader, so nothing is listed from them: California Center for the Arts (artcenter.org), The Wave Waterpark (season dates and prices), the City of Vista (vista.gov) and its calendar. The Alta Vista Botanical Gardens’ old web address now shows an unrelated site and was not used; its real page was not found.
  • The Poway and Escondido farmers markets state no season dates, so they run the full window shown. Vista, Ramona and San Marcos farmers markets, library programs and Cal State San Marcos public events: no readable organizer listing, so none are listed.
  • Left out as adult-oriented or alcohol-centered: a bar-style holiday event, a game and drink evening, a mead event, a wine festival and a tasting event. Also left out: a gothic-themed market (unsure of fit), a ticketed dinner and a motorcycle rally (details unclear), the Escondido Grape Day Festival (its wine and beer garden is part of it, and its 2027 date is not posted), and events with only a month or a conflicting date.
  • Escondido Grape Day 2026 sources disagreed (September 5 or 12); that date is past. The Ramona Turkey Fest from our draft list was not found on the chamber pages.

Places to Visit in North County Inland

Zoo and Wildlife Park

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Big wildlife park in Escondido. Kids Free in October.

City Park

Kit Carson Park

Escondido’s largest park, open sunrise to sunset.

Sculpture Garden

Queen Califia’s Magical Circle

Mosaic sculpture garden inside Kit Carson Park. Hours not confirmed.

Trails and Conservation Area

Daley Ranch

3,201 acres and 25 miles of trails, open dawn to dusk.

Lake, Fishing and Camping

Dixon Lake

City lake with fishing and camping. Gates open at 6 a.m.

Reservoir and Fishing

Hodges Reservoir

Open Wed, Sat and Sun, February to October. Closed November to January.

County Park

Felicita County Park

Oak-shaded county park with playgrounds. $5 parking.

History Museum

Escondido History Center

Small museum with a blacksmith shop and a train depot.

Library

Escondido Public Library

Downtown library open six days a week.

Arts Center

California Center for The Arts, Escondido

Arts center and museum. Official site blocked; nothing confirmed.

Museum and Grounds

Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum

Old engines and tractors in Vista. Donation-based admission.

Seasonal Water Park

The Wave Waterpark

Vista’s water park. Official site blocked; nothing confirmed.

Historic House Museum

Rancho Buena Vista Adobe

Historic adobe in Vista. No official page reached.

Outdoor Theatre

Moonlight Amphitheatre

Outdoor theatre in Vista. Official site blocked; no shows confirmed.

City Park

Walnut Grove Park

San Marcos park with playgrounds. Hours not confirmed.

University Campus

California State University San Marcos

Hillside campus. No public event list could be read.

Lake and Park

Lake Poway Recreation Area

City lake with fishing and boating Tuesday to Sunday.

Trail and Parking

Mount Woodson and Potato Chip Rock

Long, exposed hike. $5 county parking off Highway 67.

Historic Park and Railway

Old Poway Park

Weekend train rides, small museums and a Saturday market.

History Museum

Poway Heritage Museum and Nelson House

Free history museum and a homestead tour in Old Poway Park.

Theater

Poway Center for The Performing Arts

City theater. No show dates read.

City Park

Poway Community Park

Adventure Playground, splash pad, swim center and community center.

Nature Reserve

Blue Sky Ecological Reserve

700-acre canyon reserve with docent-led programs.

Library

Poway Branch Library

Free county library, open seven days a week.

Preserve and Trails

Ramona Grasslands County Preserve

3,867-acre preserve with a 4-mile loop trail system.

County Park and Camping

Dos Picos County Park

Quiet county park with camping. $5 parking.

County Park

Collier County Park

Ramona park with two shaded playgrounds. No alcohol allowed.

History Museum

Ramona Heritage Museum

Walk-through 1886 adobe, jail and wagons. $5 a person.

Library

Ramona Branch Library

Free county library with weekly kids events. Closed Sundays.

FAQ

Why are there no California Center for the Arts events?

The center’s site (artcenter.org) blocked our reader for every page, so we list none of its shows. Check its own site.

Why are some Vista dates computed?

Downtown Vista’s organizer page gives a rule, such as the first Saturday of December, rather than an exact date. We worked out the date from the rule and flag it below as computed, not posted.

Where are the 2027 rodeo, fair and festival dates?

The organizers had not posted them when we read their pages on October 23, 2026. They are named below and will be added when posted.

Sources

  1. San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Autumn Festival
  2. San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Wild Holidays
  3. Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
  4. City of Poway: Calendar
  5. City of Poway: Farmers Market
  6. Ramona Chamber of Commerce
  7. Downtown Vista: Annual Events
  8. City of San Marcos: Special Events
  9. Escondido Arts Partnership: Farmers Market

Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.