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Hey friend, we took our daughter to the Balboa Fun Zone for her 14th birthday last week and it felt like stepping back into the 80’s. Very vintage!

With a $115M makeover coming soon, now may be a good time to visit the Fun Zone before it changes forever. (More below).

And if ferris wheels aren’t your thing, I also tried a free yoga hike which was wonderful. (More below).

Both reminded me why we put this newsletter together: The more you know, the more you go. That’s the heart of this newsletter — giving you ideas, big and small, that make it easier to get out, and enjoy South OC.

~~ SATURDAY SEPT. 13th ~~

⚓️ Maritime Festival Tall-ship tours, live cannon battles, mermaid encounters, carnival games, food trucks, a beer garden, and Friday-night Sails N’ Ales.
September 12–14 | Ocean Institute, Dana Point

🎨 Dana Point Fine Arts Waterfront Show Stroll the harbor boardwalk during the Maritime Festival and browse paintings, photography, and coastal keepsakes in a seaside open-air gallery.
September 13–14 | 9:30am–5pm | Dana Point Harbor

🍔 Old Towne Burger Fest Pop-up burger chefs face off in a brand-new food fest with live music, local vendors, and a People’s Choice vote.
September 13 | 11am–3pm | Chapman Crafted Beer Orange

🍀 Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Party Green pints, live music (including a bagpiper), jello shots, an antique car show and plenty of Irish cheer pack the day (and night) at Patsy’s Irish Pub. Celebrate the luck o’ the halfway mark with friends and a full pint glass.
September 13 | 11am–1:30am | Patsy’s Irish Pub, Laguna Niguel

🌾 Irvine Harvest Heroes Celebrate the city’s agricultural roots with U-pick pumpkins, wagon rides, local vendors, and a ceremony honoring the farmers who built Irvine. (In collaboration with Irvine Mayor Larry Agran)
September 13–14 | 9am–6pm | Tanaka Farms, Irvine 

Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️  PLAN AHEAD!

🎶 🎶 Checkout South OC Live Music Options

~~ SUNDAY SEPT. 14th ~~

🎉 Fiesta Latina  Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with live music, food trucks, crafts, cultural demos, and a pop-up art show honoring Latin American history and traditions. Free and family-friendly.
September 14 | Great Park, Irvine

🛒 Outdoor Vintage Market Shop unique finds from vintage vendors, artisans and even succulent vendors. It’s part flea market, part craft show. Free admission, and free parking.
September 14 | 8am–3pm | Laguna Hills Mall Parking Lot, Laguna Hills

🧜‍♀️ Modern Makers Mart: Mermaids & Makers A magical, mermaid-themed artisan market with handmade treasures, local vendors, live music, free kids' crafts, and family-friendly fun—right on Irvine’s palm‑lined walkways.
September 13–14 | 3–8:30pm | 6460 Irvine Blvd, Irvine

Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️ PLAN AHEAD!

🎶 🎶 Checkout South OC Live Music Options

How 433 Investors Unlocked 400X Return Potential

Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.

Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.

No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso.

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

The Balboa Fun Zone of Your Childhood is Changing.

🎡 Balboa Fun Zone Makeover Newport Beach’s Balboa Fun Zone is set for a $115 million revitalization beginning in 2026, with promises to keep its vintage charm. If you loved it back in the 80’s, now’s the time to revisit, before the changes roll in.

The Fun Zone has been around since 1936, when Al Anderson turned an old boatyard into a Depression-era escape, complete with a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and arcade. Nearly 90 years later, a Ferris wheel still spins in the same spot!

The Fun Zone has been bulldozed, rebuilt, and reinvented more than once, but it’s always been a place for simple thrills and big memories. Now it’s about to get its biggest glow-up yet.

✨ Want to see what’s in store, and how the past and future collide on the boardwalk? We were there just last week. Check out our short video.

🦄 NICE NEWS…

🔥🐐 Mission Viejo’s G.O.A.T. Fire Crew
A herd of goats is munching through invasive weeds as part of the city’s wildfire prevention plan. Their exact location is hush-hush — so the goats can focus on fire mitigation, not fan photos.

🚶🏽‍♂️ Laguna’s Promenade Is Here to Stay
Laguna Beach will keep Forest Avenue car-free, replacing 48 parking spots with pavers and landscaping. Construction begins early 2026.

🛍️ Outdoor Village Coming Soon in Mission Viejo
The Shops at Mission Viejo is adding a new open-air village with gathering spaces, dining terraces, and fresh shops. Construction starts later this year with opening planned for late 2026.

🏈 BOGO at Chipotle 
Wear your college football jersey on Monday, September 15 after 5pm and get a free entrée when you buy one. The deal celebrates the return of Carne Asada — plus enjoy $0 delivery fees on Carne Asada orders through September 30.

🍴 Miramar Food Hall Unveils Lineup
San Clemente’s historic 1938 Miramar Theatre is being transformed into a new food hall this fall. Thirteen of 17 vendors are confirmed, including Cosmos Burger, Ricebunn, and Immersion Coffee Co. Learn More

✏️ PLAN AHEAD…

🧐 Trivia Answer: 

✅ Answer: D) El Toro
Before officially incorporating as Lake Forest in 1991, the community was known as El Toro, a name that came from the old railroad stop and surrounding ranch lands. By the late 20th century, many residents felt “El Toro” sounded dusty and rural—and it was often confused with the nearby El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine. Voters opted for “Lake Forest” instead, highlighting the city’s lakes and eucalyptus groves and giving the area a fresher, more upscale identity.

🥱 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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©️ 2025 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.