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Coffee in a Historic Gem
☕ Tucked inside a red-brick Victorian built in 1883, Ellie’s Table isn’t just another café - it’s a National Historic Landmark where you can bite into towering croissants and sip pumpkin chai lattes. Plus... Rancho Family Fest in RSM, Harbor After Dark in Dana Point, and free sunset concerts along the coast.
Hey friend,
Welcome to The Scene… your weekly roundup of what’s actually worth doing in South Orange County.
Our motto: the more you know, the more you 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.
So… what’s on your weekend list?
Hit reply and let us know.
Lorna & Jason
What's Inside...
🗓️ THIS WEEKEND’S PICKS 🗓️
~~ FRIDAY OCT 3rd ~~
🎉 Rancho Family Fest 2025 Two days of live music, food vendors, artisan shopping, beer & wine garden, kids’ fun zones—and even a new Fine Art Fair for the whole crew.
Fri. & Sat., Oct. 3 & 4, Rancho Santa Margarita
🌙 Harbor After Dark Sunset is just the start—shop late, sip waterfront cocktails, and catch live music at Don Hansen Plaza for this new First Friday series.
Fri., Oct. 3 | 4:30–7:30pm | Dana Point Harbor
😂 Comedy Night at Jojo’s Hideaway Four comics, one stage, and nonstop laughs with Matt Balaker & Friends. $15 cover with entrée, plus food and drinks to keep the fun rolling.
Fri., Oct. 3 | Doors 6pm, Show 7pm | Jojo’s Hideaway, Tustin
🎡 Tustin Tiller Days A hometown tradition since 1957 with carnival rides, live music, food booths, a parade, and community fun for the whole family.
Fri.–Sun., Oct. 3–5 | Columbus Tustin Park, Tustin
Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️ PLAN AHEAD…
🎶 🎶 Checkout This Weekend’s Live Music Options
~~ SATURDAY OCT 4th ~~
🌿 Forest Bathing Walk Slow down and recharge with a guided shinrin yoku (forest bathing) experience at the Niguel Botanical Preserve, ending with a reflective tea ceremony. Free, RSVP required: [email protected]
Sat., Oct. 4 | 9–11am | Niguel Botanical Preserve, Laguna Niguel
🍷 Vintage Wine Walk Stroll historic downtown SJC with 12 tasting tickets for wine and bites from 16+ local restaurants, then enjoy live music to close out the day.
Sat., Oct. 4 | 2–6pm | Check-in at Rancho Capistrano Winery | San Juan Capistrano
🛍️ Craft Fair Stroll through a curated collection of local artisans inside the Crown Valley Community Center, featuring a kids’ craft station, live music, plus a family-friendly photo op and treat from 11am–2 pm. Free.
Sat., Oct. 4 | 9am–2pm | Crown Valley Community Center, Laguna Niguel
🤝 Love Laguna Beach Volunteer Day Join neighbors for the 4th annual citywide volunteer day. Kick off at Susi Q, then spread out across Laguna Beach for projects that give back to the community. All ages welcome.
Sat., Oct. 4 | 8am kickoff, 9am–12pm projects | Laguna Beach
🐾 Aliso Viejo Pet Fair & Vet Clinic Pet costume contest, Halloween photo ops, pet adoptions, giveaways, and a canine demo by OC Sheriff’s Department—plus low-cost vaccines, microchipping, and more. Free entry.
Sat., Oct. 4 | 9–11am | AV Ranch, Aliso Viejo
🎃 Pumpkin Rescue Make a splash at Laguna Niguel Aquatic Center’s floating pumpkin patch. Rescue your own pumpkin, decorate it, then stick around for open swim with diving boards and inflatable slide.
Sat., Oct. 4 | 2–4pm | Laguna Niguel
🕉️ Kirtan: Find Peace, Feel Joy A soulful evening of mantra, music, and meditation to uplift your spirit and calm your mind. All ages welcome, offered by donation.
Sat., Oct. 4 | 6:30–8:30pm | Neighborhood Congregational Church, Laguna Beach
Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️ PLAN AHEAD…
🎶 🎶 Checkout South OC Live Music Options
~~ SUNDAY OCT 5th ~~
🎶 Neil Diamond & Carly Simon Tribute Sing along to timeless hits in a night celebrating two pop legends. Featuring Jay Asher channeling Neil and rising star Lauren Lundeen as Carly, backed by a stellar live band.
Sun., Oct. 5 | 7pm | Jojo’s Hideaway, Tustin
🍸 Groove & Cocktails at Roost 374 Ease into your Sunday with smooth soul and groove as The Reverend Doctor takes over Roost 374. Drinks, good vibes, and live music to wind down the weekend.
Sun., Oct. 5 | 5:30pm | Roost 374, San Clemente
🌕 Full Moon Mid-Autumn Hike Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with a 5-mile evening walk through Shady Canyon, complete with mooncake at the halfway point. About 500ft elevation gain—flashlight recommended.
Sun., Oct. 5 | 6:30pm | Meet at Starbucks, Sand Canyon & Quail Hill Pkwy, Irvine
🚗 1st Sunday Car Show Classic cars, food, crafts, demos, coffee, sweets, and a beer, wine & margarita garden—all with $2 tacos and $5 drink specials. Free family-friendly fun.
Sun., Oct. 5 | 9am | Marbella Plaza, San Juan Capistrano
🌼 Día de Muertos Celebration Celebrate culture, tradition, and ancestral remembrance with a family-friendly afternoon featuring a local artisan market, candle workshop, ancestral sound bath, and a free screening of Coco. Bring photos for the community altar and dress in bright florals.
Sun., Oct. 5 | 12–5pm (Movie at 6pm) | 1135 W. Chapman Ave., Orange
Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️ PLAN AHEAD…
🎶 🎶 Checkout South OC Live Music Options
🤔 Trivia Quiz
Which South OC beach was included in the Beach Boys song Surfin’ USA?
A) Capistrano Beach
B) Victoria Beach
C) Thousand Steps Beach
D) Doheny State Beach
(Scroll to bottom for answer)
☕ Espresso Yourself
Sip Your Latte in a National Historic Landmark
Wanna sip your coffee inside a café that’s on the National Register of Historic Places?
Ellie’s Table in San Juan Capistrano isn’t just any café - it’s got croissants that tower over your latte, a pumpkin chai that tastes like fall in a cup, and breakfast sandwiches that people swear are the best in town. The vibe is kind of special because you’re literally eating inside history.
This red-brick Victorian was built in 1883 by Judge Richard Egan, San Juan Capistrano’s unofficial Mayor, Justice of the Peace, and the guy everyone turned to for help.
His house doubled as a schoolhouse, courthouse, and community center, and locals still whisper about tunnels that once stretched beneath the building to the old jail across the street.
Today, the trials and town meetings are long gone, but Ellie’s Table keeps the spirit alive. It’s still a gathering place - just with flakier croissants and much better coffee.
📍Ellie’s Table: 31892 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Want to learn more about those secret tunnels, giant croissants and probably the yummiest brunch in the city?
😱Your Guide to Spooky Season
Haunted Houses, Trails & Ghost Walks…
I’ve always loved Halloween. As a kid, I built crawl-through haunted houses in my parents’ garage with refrigerator boxes, and invited the whole block.
Maybe that’s why I’m obsessed with a good haunt — so much creativity. Here’s a short list of fun Halloween experiences to check out.
🏚️ Haunted Mansion Haunt A home-grown tribute to Disney’s Haunted Mansion with live actors, eerie effects, and immersive sets. Family-friendly frights by night, lighter “not-so-scary” tours for kids.
Select nights in October | 28322 Millwood Rd, Trabuco Canyon
👻 Haunted Trails at Crown Valley Park Step into a world of abandoned hospitals, deranged doctors, and chilling experiments in this four-night scare experience.
Thurs–Sun, Oct 16–19 | Crown Valley Park, Laguna Niguel
👻 Lake Eerie Haunted House Inside Mission Viejo’s lakeside Halloween bash lurks a haunted house made for adults and brave older kids. Chilling scares, eerie effects (members/guests only).
Sat., Oct. 18 | 6pm | Lake Mission Viejo
👻 Black Star Canyon Ghost Walk A three-mile guided night hike into one of OC’s most haunted canyons. Hear chilling tales of soldiers, settlers, and banditos said to linger here, and keep your eyes peeled for owls, frogs, and maybe something… unseen.
Fri., Oct. 31 | 7pm | Black Star Canyon, Silverado
See Full List of Halloween experiences
Know of a great home haunt in your neighborhood? Hit reply and I’ll add it to the list.
🦄 NICE NEWS…
🏅 Olympic Training Hub: Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo just locked in a $1M multi-year deal with Team Netherlands, making it a base camp for up to 20 Olympic and 11 Paralympic sports ahead of LA28.
Add to that, Australia and France will join Team USA and TeamNL at the Nadadores’ world-class dive tower for pre-games training. Camps start rolling in 2026, bringing international athletes to town. Learn More
✏️ PLAN AHEAD…
🗓️ Add these events to your Calendar
(see full listing- new events are added daily)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8
🎹 Subterranean Soundscapes: Music in the Tunnel Experience live piano in Mission Viejo’s vibrant, mural-covered Jeronimo Tunne along Oso Creek Trail, where the colorful walls turn music into magic. Tom Bagley brings classic rock, pop, and oldies to this acoustically stunning underground venue. Free and open to all ages.
Oct. 8 | 7pm | Jeronimo Tunnel, Mission Viejo
THURSDAY OCTOBER 9
🔪 Murder Over Mezcal Sip tequila, mezcal, and wine while sleuthing through an immersive mystery night, San Clemente.
🎃 Succulent Mini Pumpkins Workshop Create a festive pumpkin topped with succulents at the Mesa Verde Library, Costa Mesa.
🍂 Wild West Fall Fest Line dancing, a mechanical bull, BBQ, kids’ crafts, and live music bring western fun for the whole family, San Juan Capistrano.
🤠 Country Line Dancing at the Inn Learn classic line dances, sip cocktails, and two-step the night away at the Inn at the Mission, San Juan Capistrano.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 10
🎬 Movie Night: Scooby-Doo Bring blankets, lawn chairs, and snacks for an after-hours screening in the library courtyard, San Juan Capistrano.
🎃 Fall-O-Ween at Heritage Hill Wander the historic grounds decked out in Halloween magic with a hay maze, scavenger trail, and costumes welcome (pets too), Lake Forest
🍴 San Clemente Restaurant Week Ten days of dining deals and special menus from local favorites, plus the Sip & Stroll with bites, drinks, and live music, San Clemente.
🎨 Paint pumpkins & skulls Join Laguna Beach artist Shane McClatchey for an outdoor painting session at the Native Seed Farm, Irvine.
🌱 Air Plant Terrariums Workshop Build your own terrarium and learn simple care tips for air plants at the library, Laguna Woods.
🪻 Sugar Skull Painted Mini Pots Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by decorating colorful sugar-skull flowerpots at the library, Laguna Beach.
🎶 Symphony on the Go Pacific Symphony rolls into town with a mobile stage for an outdoor chamber concert at Melinda Park, Mission Viejo.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 11
🎂 Modjeska’s Birthday at Arden Celebrate the life of Helena Modjeska at her historic home, Arden, with tours, folk dance, and Polish treats. Silverado
🎃 Scarecrow Festival Trick-or-treat stations, a kids’ costume parade, a scarecrow contest, and live entertainment bring fall fun to Lions Park, Costa Mesa.
🚒 Fire Station Open Houses Tour your local station, meet firefighters, and learn safety tips during OC Fire Authority’s annual open houses.
🌍 Irvine Global Village Festival A one-day world tour with food, music, art, kids’ activities, and a global marketplace at Great Park, Irvine.
📚 Peculiar Baking with Nikk Alcaraz Meet the Craftopia winner and Killer Cakes judge as he shares his bestselling cookbook at the library in San Juan Capistrano.
🐾 Fur-Ever Friends Fall Fest A pumpkin patch, fall fun, and plenty of adoptable pets at Mission Viejo Animal Services, Mission Viejo.
🎶 The English Beat at Kahuna Concert Dance the night away with The English Beat plus sets from Common Sense and Skatoway in San Clemente.
🥾 Limestone Canyon – Hike Both Sides of the Sinks A moderate 9.5-mile trek with sweeping views of both East and West Sinks in Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, Silverado.
🤠 Silverado Country Fair & Folk Festival Step back to the Old West with folk music, artisan vendors, contests, and hearty food in Silverado.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 12
🦈 Jaws 50th Anniversary Screening Float in the water or cozy up on the sand for a free outdoor showing of Jaws at Baby Beach, Dana Point.
🥾 38th Annual FAM Hunger Walk Join a 2-mile walk to fight hunger, then celebrate with music and activities at the Pier Bowl, San Clemente.
To see what’s happening even further ahead, check out our full listing.
New events added daily…
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Learn more here.
About Us: Lorna’s an OC native who has lived in Spain, France and New Zealand but always returns home for the tacos, the trails, and the beautiful tree-lined streets of Mission Viejo.
Jason’s a Brit who swapped pub life for paddleboards and now splits his time between aquascaping and crafting perfect cocktails. We started The Scene because there’s so much to see, do, and savor. Thanks for letting us be a small part of your weekend.
It’s A Wrap
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📰 Read past newsletters and feature stories here.
🧐 Trivia Answer:
✅ Answer: D) Doheny State Beach — Doheny gets a shout-out in the Beach Boys’ surf anthem “Surfin’ U.S.A.” alongside spots like Trestles, Del Mar, and San Onofre. The Dana Point break was a longboarder favorite in the ’60s and is still loved today for its mellow, beginner-friendly waves.
🥱 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.
*Affiliate Disclaimer: This publication contains affiliate links which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We only share things we believe in. Anything you buy through our affiliate links supports the ongoing publication of The Scene. We greatly appreciate your trust in us. Thank you!
©️ 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.
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