Happy Wednesday!

Summer is officially here: Laguna’s art festivals are back, Doheny brings surf contests and local artists to Dana Point, and local favorite Pinch Me! Band has a big show at The Coach House.

🇺🇸 We also have your full South OC Fourth of July guide, with the best fireworks, parades, concerts, festivals, and parking notes to hopefully make your life easier.

🌕 And yes, Mooning of the Amtrak returns July 11 in Laguna Niguel. This outrageous OC tradition started in 1979, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: people gather near Mugs Away Saloon to bare their butts at passing trains. Refined? Nope. Memorable? Absolutely.

To all the new readers, welcome to The Scene… Our motto is: the more you know, the more you’ll go. That’s what this newsletter is all about, sharing ideas big and small to make it easier (and more fun) to get out and enjoy OC.

See you out there!
Lorna & Jason

🍷 P.S. a few weeks ago we invited Scene readers to a private Newport Beach winery tour (yes, there’s a winery in NB). Check out what it was like in this short video we made.

3 money habits teens can start building now

With a Cash App Card, teens can take their first steps toward independence with a secure debit card. They’ll learn how to spend, save, and manage money, all with your guidance and oversight to help them get started.

1. Learn to spend responsibly A debit card gives them a safe way to practice managing money under your supervision.

2. Start saving for their goals
Setting goals can help them see how saving a little at a time adds up. 

3. Manage their own money
They get real experience with money.

🎨 Laguna's Summer Art Festivals Are Back
Both the Sawdust Art Festival and Laguna Art-A-Fair open Friday, kicking off a summer of local art, live music, workshops, and creative inspiration.
Opens June 26 | Laguna Beach

🎶 Pinch Me! Band
This longtime Newport Beach party band mixes everything from classic rock to pop hits with saxophone, big harmonies, and dance-floor energy.
Fri, June 26 | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano

🎸 Summer Concert: Surf City All Stars
Bring a blanket and get ready for classic rock, surf tunes, and beach-party favorites from one of OC's longtime crowd-pleasing bands.
Fri, June 26 | 7 PM | Gallup Park, Laguna Hills

🌊 Save the Waves Film Festival
The world’s only international surf and environmental film festival comes to The Ecology Center for a night of ocean, adventure, conservation, and surf culture documentaries.
Fri, June 26 | 7 PM | The Ecology Center, San Juan Capistrano

🎶 🎶 Checkout all of this weekend’s Live Music Options

➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.

🏄 Doheny Surf & Art Festival
Surf contests, local artists, live music, interactive exhibits, and beach culture come together for a free weekend celebration on the sand at Doheny State Beach.
June 27–28 | Doheny State Beach, Dana Point

🎸 FREE Summer Concerts
Choose your vibe: Beatles classics, country hits, or funk legends, Saturday brings three outdoor concerts: 4 Lads from Liverpool in Irvine, Redneck Rodeo in Lake Forest, and Tower of Power at Lake Mission Viejo (members only).
Sat, June 27 | Various Locations

🤠 Coastal Cowgirl Tour
Line dancing, country jams, vendors, photo ops, and cowgirl-core taking over Dana Point Harbor for a free afternoon that feels very “boots by the beach.”
Sat, June 27 | 11 AM–5 PM | Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point

🛍️ Silverado Flea & Artisan Market
Browse vintage finds, handmade goods, local art, and unique treasures tucked into one of Orange County’s most scenic canyon communities.
Sat, June 27 | 9 AM–2 PM | Silverado Canyon Community Center, Silverado

🌭 Chili Dogs for Charity
Bikes, brews, chili dogs, and a good cause. Bardega's first annual fundraiser features food and drink specials, a charity chili dog eating contest, and plenty of biker-friendly fun.
Sat, June 27 | 4–10 PM | Bardega, Laguna Hills

⚪ Sexy Summer White Party
Dress in white and dance the night away to live '80s and '90s hits from Nothing But a Good Time at this annual summer kickoff party.
Sat, June 27 | 8 PM - 11 PM | The Station, San Juan Capistrano

🍔 Summer Foodie Fest
Food trucks, local vendors, a beer garden, lawn games, and a kids' play area come together for a laid-back summer night market.
Sat, June 27 | 5–9 PM | Onyx Golf, Lake Forest

🚚 Trucks, Bikes & Coffee
Classic trucks, motorcycles, and vintage rides from the 1950s through the mid-1990s gather for a laid-back morning fueled by True Love Coffee
Sat, June 27 | 9–11 AM | San Juan Capistrano

🎧 LIMBO: Oceanfront House Music Night
House music, live dancers, ocean views, and a five-hour DJ set take over Sunsets in Capistrano Beach for this late-night beachfront party. Tickets required.
Sat, June 27 | 9 PM–2 AM | Sunsets Bar, Capistrano Beach

🌿 Nature Meditation Walk
Slow down and reconnect with nature during this guided mindfulness walk through Aliso & Wood Canyons. Includes meditation exercises, and a closing tea ceremony.
Sun, June 28 | 8–10 AM | Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Laguna Niguel

🍷 Wine, Cheese & Local History at Giracci
Sip wine, sample artisan cheeses, and learn the fascinating story of Madame Helena Modjeska. Includes a historian-led talk, walking tour and live music.
Sun, June 28 | 12–4 PM | Giracci Vineyards & Farms, Silverado

🎭 Last Chance to See Red
Catch the final performance of the Tony Award-winning play about legendary painter Mark Rothko and his young assistant as they wrestle with art, ambition, and legacy.
Sun, June 28 | Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach

🥾 Hike, Yoga & Meditation
Start your morning with a guided hike followed by yoga and meditation surrounded by the natural beauty of Irvine Regional Park.
Sun, June 28 | 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Irvine Regional Park, Orange

🍷 The Secret Newport Beach Vineyard Hidden Behind a Private Gate

🍔 Want to Eat Out? Here are the Best Deals City by City

🫶Your Guide to Volunteering...Without Leaving South OC

🏝️This Laguna Beach Rooftop Has Ocean Views & A Great Happy Hour

🧐 Trivia Answer:

✅ B - A Union Oil gas station office

Before it became Laguna Beach's iconic Main Beach Lifeguard Tower, this little hexagonal building was the office for a Union Oil gas station on the corner of Broadway and Pacific Coast Highway. The larger building behind it served as the service garage, where mechanics handled oil changes and repairs.

This 1928 photo, courtesy of the Laguna Beach Historical Society, shows the building nearly a decade before it got its second act. In 1937, after the gas station closed, the office was hauled across the street by a team of horses and transformed into Laguna's first official lifeguard tower.

Bonus fact: The tower's distinctive six-sided shape wasn't designed for lifeguards at all. It's simply the original shape of the gas station office, making it one of the most unusual second acts of any building in Orange County. 🏖️

📍 Main Beach, Pacific Coast Highway & Broadway, Laguna Beach

🥱 Boring Stuff

Publication Disclaimer: Everything included here is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. It is always best to double-check links to be sure event information hasn’t changed if you plan on attending something.

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©️ 2026 The Scene: South OC | All content and information set forth above was created by Lorna Ladd and Jason Ladd and is the intellectual property of this publication. It is protected under US copyright law, including but not limited to “The Digital Millennium Copyright Act.” Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or duplication of any material, in whole or in part, without express written authorization & consent, is strictly prohibited by law and may result in legal action. Violators will be subject to prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.