The 5th Julian Town Square Music Festival Brings a Musical Goldrush to the Cuyamaca Mountains

Main stage at the Julian Music Festival. Photo by Dennis Andersen.

Nestled in the mountains and meadows of the Cuyamaca Mountains east of San Diego, this legendary town is a true throwback in time. Founded in 1869 during San Diego County’s only major gold rush by cattleman Fred Coleman, the town has preserved its Victorian charm and Old West character. While the gold has long ceased to flow, the influx of tourists has not. This is largely due to the beauty of the surrounding area and the town’s reputation for its pies, made from the fruit orchards that cover the landscape.

Through its rich history and antique ambiance, this little town with a big heart has become a perennial destination for those looking to escape the rat race of city life. In many ways, driving from the lower, meadow-filled plains through forests, canyons, and mountains before arriving in Julian feels like stepping into a past era when times were simpler.

But it’s the music that comes to mind and heart for any lover of great American music. It doesn’t take long, when visiting the charm-filled town of Julian, for the desire to hear—or even strum guitar, banjo, ukulele, or mandolin, to find its way into the soul of any musically inclined visitor. It’s also a place that has long been home to those who love American roots music enough to celebrate it. Sometimes, if you let the wind blow you where it will, you can hear a song in the air.

Which makes sense, as Tyler Stamets, president of the Julian Chamber of Commerce and organizer of the upcoming 5th Annual Julian Town Square Music Festival, told me during a phone call this week. An enthusiastic lover of acoustic music, he promotes and produces events in the community. He is also a musician himself and has been known to play live gigs around town. Now a resident of nearby Ramona, he has lived in Julian for much of his life, dating back to early childhood. He’s been instrumental in assembling a roster of some of the finest artists in the San Diego area. This year’s lineup includes Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe, Sara Petite, Salinas Road, Donn Bree and Friends, Elizabeth Bowersox, and Rootful.

The day-long festival will help raise funds to complete the Julian Town Square, which is still a few years from completion.

Traditionally, a town square has been an outdoor public space at the heart of a community, providing a central gathering place for activities, get-togethers, and creative events. This aptly describes Julian’s dream of its own unique town square. But there is more. At a time when the world often feels divided, creating a place for a community as unique, diverse, and close to the earth as Julian represents an act of healing and unity. It is a statement that peaceful connection and goodwill can still exist and thrive when such qualities can seem hard to find.

There has long been a movement in Julian to create this town square. According to Stamets, the envisioned turn-of-the-century-style square sits not only at the literal center of the town but also at the heart of an Americana roots music festival intended to attract local and national artists, artisans, and visitors to a welcoming, down-to-earth celebration of creativity and community.

This year’s artists offer a strong start toward that vision. While some are regional, they have all excelled in both talent and reputation throughout San Diego County. At the top of the bill is Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe. Flannery, a former San Diego Padres infielder, has balanced his music, baseball career, and family like a three-legged stool.

As described on his website:

Tim Flannery & the Lunatic Fringe.

Tim Flannery is a rare two-sport standout whose life has been shaped by family, baseball, and music—a “holy trinity” he’s never separated. A former Major League infielder and longtime coach, Flannery spent over three decades in professional baseball, including key roles with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants, where he was part of three World Series championship teams (2010, 2012, 2014).

Alongside the game, Flannery built a prolific music career, releasing more than a dozen albums of heartfelt, roots-driven songs inspired by life on the road, love, and the pull of home. Backed by his band, the Lunatic Fringe, his sound blends country, rock, and bluegrass into a style that’s as honest as his story.

Off the field and stage, Flannery co-founded the Love Harder Project, a nonprofit dedicated to combating violence and bullying. After overcoming a life-threatening illness in 2020, he returned to songwriting with renewed perspective, releasing Waiting on a Miracle in 2022.

Whether in the dugout or with a guitar in hand, Flannery’s journey reflects a lifelong commitment to passion, resilience, and heart.

Flannery’s albums, including Waiting for a Miracle (2022) and Three-Ring Circus (2015), present a singer-songwriter walking roads similar to those of Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Rodney Crowell. His distinctly Californian feel, however, gives us something uniquely suited to the Southland as we stake our claim in the evolving Americana landscape. It’s worth noting that he overcame a nearly fatal antibiotic-resistant staph infection prior to the release of Waiting for a Miracle.

Sara Petite

Sara Petite is among the best in modern Americana music today. She has gained national attention with smoky, hard-edged releases like Rare Bird (2021) and The Empress (2023). Her music is pure modern outlaw country, blending rockabilly textures, singer-songwriter depth, and a swagger all her own. As her website notes:

An outlaw country headliner whose music reaches far beyond the genre’s borders, Sara Petite has built an award-winning career with songs that owe as much to the rock ‘n’ roll roadhouse as they do the honky-tonk….

Salinas Road brings together fine singer-songwriters Paul Cruz and Bill Jones, both local to Julian. They operate in the tradition of early Simon & Garfunkel and the Milk Carton Kids, weaving rich melodies and harmonies into something truly special.

Rootful adds a unique reggae sensibility to the lineup with their original sound. Donn Bree and Friends feature skillfully crafted, singer-songwriter-based music from a local veteran of these Town Square Music Festivals. His song “Hard Rain,” performed with the Bree-Jones Band, showcases a soulful confidence that is both engaging and moving.

Elizabeth Bowersox rounds out the performers, fresh off winning a San Diego Music Award for Best Country/Americana Album. Her California Queen marks a strong entry from this rising young artist.

This festival is another step forward for Julian, allowing it to draw from its rich past while moving into the future—carried by great American music and a vision of peace, creativity, and community goodwill.

The Fifth Annual Julian Town Square Music Festival takes place on Saturday, June 6, noon-6:30pm, 2712 Washington St., Julian. Donations welcome.