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Happy Wednesday!
Before we get to this coming weekend, a few things worth knowing about:
🎶 A FREE concert inside an actual tunnel. The Louie Cruz Beltran Trio brings Latin jazz to Mission Viejo’s colorful Jeronimo Tunnel on Oct. 14.
🍷 Five wines. One comedy show. An Idiot’s Guide to Wine on Oct 15 turns a wine tasting into 70 minutes of stand-up, with five different wines from around the world poured along the way.
🧛 Support SJC’s new local theater. Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors opens Oct. 16 at the newly opened Camino Real Playhouse. Fast, funny and tickets are just $37 including fees.
👻 We also have our guide to Fall and Halloween ready with local home haunts and other fun Fall events.
New to The Scene? Welcome! Our motto is simple: 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 Quick Favor
Click the sponsor ad below. It’s an easy way to support The Scene at no cost to you (We get paid when you click, even if you don’t buy).
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🗓️ THIS WEEKEND’S PICKS 🗓️
~~ FRIDAY OCT 9 ~~
🎻 From Bach to The Beatles by Candlelight
Bach and The Beatles share one unlikely setlist as centuries of music collide by candlelight in an elegant setting surrounded by 5000 candles. Save 10% with code SOUTHOC10
Fri, Oct 9 | 8:30pm | Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, Newport Beach
🔬 OCC Opens Its Labs
Explore the planetarium, aquarium and horticulture gardens while OCC faculty run hands-on demos in astronomy, marine science, chemistry, archaeology, engineering, geology and more.
Fri, Oct 9 | 5–8pm | Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa
🌌 Bioluminescence Night Cruise
Head offshore after dark aboard the R/V Sea Explorer to hunt for glowing plankton, deploy a net 600 feet deep and watch the nocturnal food chain come alive beneath squid lights.
Fri, Oct 9 | 8:30–10:30pm | Ocean Institute, Dana Point
🤠 Ty Herndon
The country singer performs hits from his three-decade career, with Pollen Collective opening.
Fri, Oct 9 | Doors 6pm, show 7pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.
~~ SATURDAY OCT 10 ~~
Silverado Country Fair Oct 10-11
🤠 Silverado Country Fair
Step back into the Old West with two days of live music, local vendors, fair food, contests, and a healthy dose of Silverado charm.
Sat–Sun, Oct. 10–11 | Silverado Fairgrounds & Community Center, Silverado
🪦 Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy Inside a Cemetery
Actors bring four of Poe’s darkest tales to life inside a historic cemetery chapel, with each performance paired with a themed cocktail.
Sat, Oct 10 | Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, Santa Ana
👑 Queen + The Beatles by Candlelight
Two of rock’s biggest catalogs go head-to-head by candlelight, with Queen and Beatles classics reworked for strings. Save 10% with code: SOUTHOC10
Sat, Oct 10 | 6:15 & 8:30pm | Hyatt Regency Newport Beach
🍂 Harvest in the Hills
Crafts, games, face painting, food and a magic show take over the Town Green, plus Polly’s apple pie eating contest.
Sat, Oct 10 | 4–7pm | Town Green, Laguna Hills
👻 Haunted Escape Room at the Library
Work through spooky puzzles and hidden clues in 30-minute escape-room sessions inside the library. Ages 8+.
Sat. Oct 10 | Mission Viejo Library, Mission Viejo
🌎 Irvine Global Village Festival: 25th Anniversary
Irvine’s huge multicultural festival celebrates 25 years with international food, live music and dance, cultural exhibits, art and a global marketplace.
Sat, Oct 10 | 10am–6pm | Great Park, Irvine
🚎 Dana Point Trolley Art & History Tour
Hop aboard the trolley for a guided tour of Dana Point’s public art and local history, with stops at sculptures, murals and historic sites led by an Art Ambassador and Historical Society docent.
Sat, Oct 10 | 10am & 12pm | Dana Point
🐶 Fur-Ever Friends Fall Festival
More than a dozen rescue groups bring adoptable dogs, cats, bunnies and even reptiles, along with animal meet-and-greets and wildlife activities.
Sat, Oct 10 | 11am–2pm | Mission Viejo Animal Services Center, Mission Viejo
🎤 Ronstadt Revival
Ronstadt Revival performs Linda Ronstadt’s rock, country and pop favorites, with Lake House Trio opening.
Sat, Oct 10 | 8 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎸 Rooftop Cars & Cocktails
Classic cars, supercars, hypercars, live DJ, local pop-ups, food, drinks, and skyline views come together for Orange County’s first Pacific Motor & Spirits Festival.
Saturday, October 10 | 18155 Von Karman Ave, Irvine
~~ SUNDAY OCT 11~~
🌼 The Mamas & The Papas Experience
The tribute recreates the group’s signature harmonies and ’60s folk-pop sound, with XXL opening.
Sun, Oct 11 | 7pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🧙♀️ Whimsical Witchcore Market
Spooky sips, brunch bites, vintage Halloween finds, live music and witchy crafts take over Giracci for a fall market with serious October energy. Free admission.
Sun, Oct 11 | 10 am–2 pm | Giracci Vineyards & Farms, Silverado
🥒 Try a Wall of Pickleball Gear for Free
Test paddles, balls and court shoes, play free drop-in games and take a crack at the hit-for-prizes court.
Sun, Oct 11 | 1–5 pm | Felipe Recreation Center, Mission Viejo
⛸️ Contemporary Dance... on skates
Montreal’s Le Patin Libre turns skating into contemporary dance, ditching sequins and competition routines for something closer to experimental performance art on blades.
Sun, Oct 11 | 5pm | Irvine Barclay Theatre, Irvine
➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.
🤔 Trivia Time
How many times has the drawbridge at Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty castle been lowered?
A. Never
B. Twice
C. Right before firework shows
D. Every night
(Scroll to bottom for answer)
🎤 Vegas Comedy Legend Rita Rudner Plays The Lido
Rita Rudner is a master of the one-liner, with dry, smart takes on marriage, relationships and everyday life. See her on Nov. 1 at The Lido
If marriage has taught you that romance evolves, and so does the definition of “getting lucky,” Rita Rudner’s show at The Lido is for you.
A Dana Point local, Rudner spent decades as one of the Las Vegas Strip’s biggest draws selling nearly two million tickets. She was named Comedian of the Year nine years running.
Her perfectly timed one-liners on marriage, aging and life's small indignities are all without a single four-letter word. Bring your spouse, your friends, even your mother-in-law.
Playing in Newport Beach's restored Art Deco Lido Theater, it's Rudner’s only Southern California show of 2026. Make it a date night with dinner at Lido Marina Village first.
Sun, Nov. 1 | 7:15 pm | The Lido Theater, Newport Beach
🎟️ Get Tickets →
🗓️ NEXT WEEK…
MONDAY OCT 12
🥾 San Clemente Wet Sand Hike
Join Sunrise to Sunset Hikers for a social 3–5 mile walk along the beach from the pier toward Califia.
Mon, Oct 12 | 9–11 am | San Clemente Pier, San Clemente
👻 Spookeasy on the Queen Mary
Sip with spirits aboard the Queen Mary with haunted tales and cocktails, then explore the ship’s eeriest spaces before slipping into the hidden Speakeasy for palm readings, and a haunting sound bath.
Every Mon, through Oct 19 | 7–9:30pm | Queen Mary, Long Beach
🏈 Monday Night Mingle at Mac’s Tavern
Meet new people over Monday Night Football, drinks and casual conversation on the patio. Jerseys encouraged.
Mon, Oct 12 | 5–8 pm | Mac’s Tavern, Mission Viejo
TUESDAY OCT 13
🐤 Quail Hill Open Space Bird Walk
Take a relaxed morning walk through grassland, scrub, wetlands and woodland while searching for everything from California Quail and hawks to meadowlarks, sparrows and roadrunners.
Tue, Oct 13 | 7–10 am | Quail Hill Open Space Preserve, Irvine
🧛♀️ Brides of Dracula Afternoon Tea
Halloween tea gets a gothic makeover with hauntingly beautiful bites, sweets, tea and cocktails from the crypt, plus a little spooky story magic.
Sep 16–Oct 31 | Story Anaheim, Anaheim
WEDNESDAY OCT 14
🎶 Latin Jazz Inside the Jeronimo Tunnel
The Louie Cruz Beltran Trio mixes Afro-Cuban rhythms, jazz, pop and R&B inside the acoustically wild Jeronimo Tunnel for the latest Subterranean Soundscapes concert.
Wed, Oct 14 | 7–8 pm | Jeronimo Tunnel, Mission Viejo
🎹 Dueling Pianos at The Coach House
Part concert, part comedy show and part giant sing-along, two pianists battle through audience requests all night.
Wed, Oct 14 | 8 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🍋 An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi
The bestselling chef and cookbook author comes to Irvine for an onstage conversation celebrating his new cookbook SIMPLE TOO, with food stories, cooking philosophy and plenty of Ottolenghi flavor nerdery.
Wed, Oct 14 | 8 pm | Irvine Barclay Theatre, Irvine
THURSDAY OCT 15
🖼️ “Squeezed Out” Opening Reception
Moulton Museum welcomes artist Barbara Hendricks for a new exhibition interpreting Orange County history through collage.
Thu, Oct 15 | 5:30–8 pm | Moulton Museum, Laguna Hills
🌹 Live Dead and Brothers
Musicians connected to the Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers traditions come together for a night of live improvisation.
Thu, Oct 15 | 8 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🍷 An Idiot’s Guide to Wine
A comedian guides the room through a tasting that promises more laughs than wine jargon.
Thu, Oct 15 | 6 pm and 8:30 pm | The Charleston, Fullerton
🎡 Carnival Del Mar at 3rd Thursdays
Corona del Mar’s monthly street party brings together live music, local shopping, food, drinks, games and prizes.
Thu, Oct 15 | 5–8 pm | Corona del Mar, Newport Beach
FRIDAY OCT 16
🧛 Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors
Bram Stoker gets the Mel Brooks treatment in this fast, funny vampire romp packed with wordplay, quick changes, and a very dramatic Count Dracula.
Oct 16–Nov 1 | Camino Real Playhouse, San Juan Capistrano
🎬 Coast Film Festival
Ten days of adventure films, documentaries, filmmaker events and outdoor storytelling take over Laguna Beach later this month.
Oct 16–25 | Laguna Beach
⚡ Led Zepagain
Led Zepagain recreates the power of a classic Led Zeppelin concert, with Full Throttle opening.
Fri, Oct 16 | Doors 6 pm, show 8 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎺 The Jazz Room
A live band travels back to 1920s New Orleans with hot jazz, ragtime, brass, blues and spontaneous improvisation.
Fri, Oct 16 | 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm | The Charleston, Fullerton
🩰 Shanghai Ballet Brings the Chinese Romeo + Juliet to Irvine
After more than five years away from North American stages, Shanghai Ballet returns with The Butterfly Lovers, blending classical ballet with Chinese theatrical traditions.
Fri, Oct 16 | 8 pm | Irvine Barclay Theatre, Irvine
SATURDAY OCT 17
💀 Día de los Muertos Night Market
Celebrate with food, local vendors, a beer garden, games and a kids play area at this family-friendly night market.
Sat, Oct 17 | 5–9 pm | North Paseo at Los Osos, Mission Viejo
🎃 Fall-O-Ween at Heritage Hill
Heritage Hill gets a Halloween makeover with festive decorations, a straw maze, scavenger hunt, photo ops and family-friendly activities.
Sat, Oct 17 & Sun, Oct 25 | 4:30–8:30 pm | Heritage Hill Historical Park, Lake Forest
🎃 Lake Eerie
Lake Mission Viejo’s annual Halloween event returns to the waterfront for one October night. LMVA members and invited guests only.
Sat, Oct 17 | 5–8:30 pm | Lake Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo
🎬 The Best of Hans Zimmer by Candlelight
The blockbuster scores of Interstellar, Gladiator, The Lion King and more get a candlelit string-quartet makeover.
Sat, Oct 17 | 6:15 pm | Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, Newport Beach
🦜 Try Birding on a Morning Walk Along Aliso Creek
Learn the basics of birding on a relaxed three-mile walk along Aliso Creek with Laguna Canyon Foundation and OC Parks naturalists.
Sat, Oct 17 | 7:30–10 am | Aliso Creek, Laguna Niguel
🤠 Country Hitmaker David Nail
Grammy-nominated country singer David Nail brings “Whatever She’s Got,” “Red Light” and more to the Coach House.
Sat, Oct 17 | 8 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🧙 Witch & Warlock Ball
Dress for the occasion and party inside an 1889 Victorian mansion with dinner, a fortune teller, games, raffles, and prizes.
Sat, Oct 17 | 6–10 pm | Howe-Waffle House, Santa Ana
🚶 Walk Against Drugs
Mission Viejo’s annual community walk brings families, schools and local organizations together for a drug-free future.
Sat, Oct 17 | 8 am–noon | Starts at Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo
🎃 Fall Harvest Festival
Bring the kids for bounce houses, community booths, and a costume parade at this family-friendly Halloween celebration.
Sat, Oct 17 | 4 pm | Grand Park, Aliso Viejo
SUNDAY OCT 18
🌿 Take an Aromatic Plant Walk Through Crown Valley
Follow a guided walk through Crown Valley Park focusing on fragrant plants and the scents hiding in the landscape.
Sun, Oct 18 | 1–2:30 pm | Crown Valley Park, Laguna Niguel
💃 Spanish Guitar, Flamenco & Fire
Benise celebrates 25 years with fiery Spanish guitar, dramatic dancers and a theatrical journey through music from around the world.
Sun, Oct 18 | 7 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🥾 Outdoor Book Club: Read, Hike & Connect
This monthly book club takes reading outside with an easy 1–2 mile hike to discuss Secrets of the Oak Woodlands, explore the plants and wildlife from the book, then wind down with guided meditation beneath an oak tree.
Sun, Oct 18 | 4–6 pm | Santiago Oaks Regional Park, Orange
🐦 Anaheim Coves Bird Walk
Explore this surprisingly bird-rich park along the Santa Ana River, home to shorebirds, waterfowl, wading birds, migrant songbirds and one of the county’s few inland tern colonies.
Sun, Oct 18 | 8 am–12 pm | Anaheim Coves, Anaheim
🎃 Haunted Halloween at the Inn
The Inn at the Mission goes spooky with trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, a makers market, live music, a costume contest and a Spookeasy Bar for the grown-ups.
Sun, Oct 18 | 4–8 pm | Inn at the Mission, San Juan Capistrano
☕ Coffee Talks at Jeddidiah Coffee
Grab a coffee and start your weekend with artists, athletes, environmentalists and storytellers sharing interesting ideas and stories as part of the Coast Film Festival.
Oct 18 | 9–10 am | Jeddidiah Coffee, Laguna Beach
🔧 Bring Your Broken Stuff to Repair Café OC
Bring a wobbly bike, broken lamp, torn jeans or other fixable casualty and volunteers will help you repair it instead of tossing it.
Sun, Oct 18 | 1–5 pm | Murray Community Center, Mission Viejo
📸 This Week’s Snapshot
Sunset Celebrations!
It was birthday ‘month’ for our daughter and she decided she wanted to go to a steak restaurant to celebrate. Well, we all know what that means these days: $$$$ - Mastro’s, Fleming’s etc.
There are a few options though where you can get a reasonable steak for under $100. One of our favorites is Mozambique in Laguna Beach. A good-sized filet mignon is just $55.
The best thing about Mozambique is that it always feels special. Much better than sitting inside a restaurant at the Spectrum! Get your timing right and you get to enjoy a great sunset. When it’s super hot out, you get a nice sea breeze, and in the cooler months (when the sunsets are better) you get to enjoy their many patio heaters.
Lorna kept her food choice healthy with a fresh plate of Ceviche. My choice was definitely the winner, the Durban lamb curry, so tasty and just a little spicy. The kids went all out for their celebration meal and had a calamari appetizer followed by Filet Mignon and all the trimmings! 🙄
MOZAMBIQUE
Reservations: 949-715-7777
1740 S. Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
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 in South OC. And we want you to enjoy it too.
Thanks for letting us be a small part of your weekend.
🧐 Trivia Answer:
✅ B. Twice
Walt Disney in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle
The Sleeping Beauty Castle drawbridge is fully functional, but unlike a real medieval castle, Disneyland doesn’t raise and lower it as part of daily operations.
Once it was lowered for Disneyland’s opening in 1955, it became the main walkway through the castle into Fantasyland, so there was little reason to ever raise it again.
The bridge was raised again nearly 30 years later during Fantasyland’s massive 1983 renovation, then ceremonially lowered for the grand reopening, marking only the second time it had been lowered in Disneyland history.
July 17, 1955: As Sleeping Beauty Castle’s drawbridge lowered for the first time, children raced across it into Fantasyland on Disneyland’s opening day. Photo Credit: D23
Even better: children of some of the kids who crossed the bridge on opening day in 1955 were invited to be among the first to cross it again.
So yes, that famous drawbridge really works. Disneyland just almost never has a reason to use it.
In Case You Missed It
🤠 Cowboy by Nick’s to Open in San Juan Capistrano by end of 2026
🍷 Frisby Cellars to Close in Dana Point Harbor Location Oct. 31
It’s A Wrap..
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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.