Happy November! 🍂
The holidays are coming way too fast, but November deserves its own moment. If you’d like to bank some good karma before the shopping frenzy starts, we’ve rounded up volunteer opportunities right here in OC.
We also spotted a few unique events and wanted you to hear first:
🤠 Dolly, by candlelight: A string quartet plays Dolly Parton’s hits inside the historic Yost Theater on Sat, Nov 14. Save 10% with code SOUTHOC10.
🌅 Celebrate the shortest day of the year: The Nature Reserve’s Winter Solstice Celebration on Dec 21 includes wassailing in the orange orchard, a sunset walk to San Juan Creek and cocoa around the solstice spiral. It’s just $10 and on private land that’s only open during events. Spots are very limited.
🩰 The Nutcracker everyone wants: American Ballet Theatre returns to Segerstrom with Pacific Symphony playing live. Weekend and Christmas Eve shows go first, so grab seats now.
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
Choosing care for a parent or loved one is one of the biggest decisions a family can make, and it rarely comes with a roadmap.
Assisted Living Locators helps South Orange County families find their way with local expertise, personal guidance, and access to trusted senior care options.
Jay, a Ladera Ranch resident, gets to know your loved one first: their needs, their preferences, and what matters most to them. From there, he helps you compare options and make a confident decision you can feel good about.
🗓️ THIS WEEKEND’S PICKS 🗓️
~~ FRIDAY NOV 6 ~~
🤠 Cowboy Canyon Nights at the Vineyard
A night of line dancing with Champagne Cowgirl, local vendors, wine and beer takes over the vineyard.
Fri, Nov 6 | 6–10 pm | Giracci Vineyards, Silverado
🥂 Taste of San Clemente at the Historic Casino
The 35th annual tasting night of local food, wine, microbrews and cocktails, with the band Wigs and Ties.
Fri, Nov 6 | 6–10 pm | Casino San Clemente, San Clemente
🎸 Sister Hazel at The Coach House
The platinum-selling band behind “All for You” brings three decades of Southern-tinged rock to San Juan Capistrano.
Fri, Nov 6 | 7 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🕵️ The 39 Steps: Hitchcock as Slapstick
Four actors play 150+ characters in this fast spy spoof directed by Broadway's Hunter Foster.
Fri, Nov 6 | 7:30 pm | Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach
🏎️ After-Dark Car Show at Saddleback College
The Paddock lines up exotics, classics and off-roaders under the lights, with food trucks and live music from the Corsa & Coffee crew.
Fri, Nov 6 | 6:30–9 pm | Saddleback College Parking Lot 5, Mission Viejo
🎶 Elevated Measure: Concert at the Courts
Reggae, country and blues share the bill with appetizers and refreshments. Preregistration required.
Fri, Nov 6 | 6–8 pm | Marguerite Tennis Pavilion, Mission Viejo
➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.
~~ SATURDAY NOV 7 ~~
🪦 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.
Fri–Sat, Nov 6–7 | Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, Santa Ana
🎁 Irvine Holiday Faire
Browse handmade gifts and artisan goods at Irvine’s annual holiday market.
Sat, Nov 7 | 10 am–4 pm | Great Park Palm Court Arts Complex, Irvine
🍇 Orange County Wine Fest
Three hours of unlimited tastings from 100+ wines and 30+ vendors.
Sat–Sun, Nov 7–8 | The Hangar, OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa
🥗 Salad Starter Seeds
Plant seeds for a home salad garden and learn how to get them started. All supplies are provided.
Sat, Nov 7 | 11 am | Ladera Ranch Library, Ladera Ranch
⛵ Sunset Sail on a 1770s Tall Ship
Help raise the sails and take the helm of the Spirit of Dana Point as the sun drops at about 4:55 pm.
Sat, Nov 7 | 2:30–5 pm | Ocean Institute, Dana Point
🎸 Grammy-Winning Slack-Key Guitar
Jim "Kimo" West kicks off the city's Lord of the Strings series with Hawaiian slack-key guitar in the council chamber, an intimate room that's easy to sell out.
Sat, Nov 7 | 7–9 pm | Mission Viejo City Hall, Mission Viejo
🦜 Go Birding on an Organic Farm
A free morning birding tour that explains how farm practices support wildlife.
Sat, Nov 7 | 8–9 am | The Ecology Center, San Juan Capistrano
🎨 Downtown Santa Ana ArtWalk
Explore open galleries, local art, live music and street performances at this monthly downtown event.
Sat, Nov 7 | 5–10 pm | Artists Village, Santa Ana
~~ SUNDAY NOV 8 ~~
🥧 Don McLean Live
The legendary singer-songwriter behind “American Pie” and “Vincent” brings his classics to The Coach House. Tickets required.
Sun, Nov 8 | 7 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎄 Holiday Vintage Market at Laguna Hills Mall
The Coast Vintage Market goes holiday for its November edition, filling the parking lot with retro décor, vintage Christmas finds and one-of-a-kind gifts. Free admission and parking.
Sun, Nov 8 | 8 am–3 pm | Laguna Hills Mall South Parking Lot, Laguna Hills
📚 A Court of Books & Blooms
A book lover’s market with 60+ book and plant-themed vendors, author readings, live music, Kindle decorating and more. Free to attend.
Sun, Nov 8 | 10 am–4 pm | Inn at the Mission, San Juan Capistrano
🍂 Fall Artisans Market at Aliso Viejo Ranch
Get a jump on holiday shopping with one-of-a-kind finds from local artists, makers and small businesses, plus live music, food and plenty of fall atmosphere.
Sun, Nov 8 | 11 am–3 pm | Aliso Viejo Ranch, Aliso Viejo
🎻 Coldplay by Candlelight at the Ritz
A string quartet plays Coldplay’s biggest hits on the ocean bluff. Save 10% with code SOUTHOC10.
Sun, Nov 8 | 8:30 pm | The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point
📖 Books & Bowls: Quiet Reading + Sound Bath
Bring your current book for tea, reading and journaling, then sink into a gong and bowl bath.
Sun, Nov 8 | 6–7:30 pm | OC Dancing Ballroom, Irvine
☕ Cacao & Sound on the Farm
Sarah Evangelista brings cacao and sound together for a Sunday afternoon gathering.
Sun, Nov 8 | 3–4:30 pm | The Ecology Center, San Juan Capistrano
➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.
🤔 Trivia Time
What unusual activity once happened on a John Wayne Airport runway?
A. Horse racing
B. Drag racing
C. Dog racing
D. Motorcycle polo
(Scroll to bottom for answer)
🗓️ NEXT WEEK…
MONDAY NOV 9
🫖 Herbal Tea Gardens
Learn about growing herbs that can be used to make tea. This workshop is open to all ages, and supplies are provided.
Mon, Nov 9 | 5 pm | Aliso Viejo Library, Aliso Viejo
🪡 Embroider a Little Personality Into Your Closet
Learn beginner embroidery techniques for adding decorative details to fabric. Materials provided; adults, teens and tweens welcome.
Mon, Nov 9 | 11 am–noon | Library of the Canyons, Silverado
TUESDAY NOV 10
🎪 Water for Elephants Comes to Segerstrom
The bestselling circus-set novel becomes a touring Broadway musical combining theater, movement and acrobatics in one of Segerstrom’s bigger fall productions.
Tue, Nov 10–Sun, Nov 22 | Showtimes vary | Segerstrom Hall, Costa Mesa
🪰 Build a Garden for Hungry Plants
Explore carnivorous plants and create a seeded bog garden for insect-eating greenery. All ages welcome; materials provided.
Tue, Nov 10 | 3–4 pm | Library of the Canyons, Silverado
🎷 Sit In With the Jazz Trio
Bring an instrument, sing with the Bryan Cabrera Trio or simply listen at the library’s jazz open mic.
Tue, Nov 10 | 4:30–6 pm | Laguna Niguel Library, Laguna Niguel
🀄 Mahjong Night on the Patio
Guided play for newbies and open tables for everyone else.
Tue, Nov 10 | 6–9 pm | River Street Marketplace, San Juan Capistrano
WEDNESDAY NOV 11
🎹 Dueling Pianos Returns
Audience requests drive the setlist as two piano players turn The Coach House into one big Wednesday-night sing-along.
Wed, Nov 11 | 7:30 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🥾 Explore Barbara’s Lake With a Naturalist
Discover Laguna Canyon's trails and natural history on a guided morning hike to Barbara's Lake. Registration required.
Wed, Nov 11 | 8:30–10:30 am | Nix Nature Center, Laguna Beach
🔔 Feng Shui & Sound Bath
Learn simple Feng Shui practices, then settle into a sound bath with Youniversal Energy.
Wed, Nov 11 | 6–7 pm | The Light Therapy Lounge, Laguna Hills
THURSDAY NOV 12
🐦 Beginner Bird Walk in Whiting Ranch
A slow 2-mile walk through oak woodland and sage scrub looking for residents and fall migrants (12+).
Thu, Nov 12 | 7:30–10:30 am | Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, Borrego Lot, Lake Forest
🖌️ Watercolor in the Canyon With Sawdust Artists
A beginner watercolor-pencil class on a canyon scene, materials included.
Thu, Nov 12 | 9–10:30 am | Berns Canyon Preserve, Laguna Beach
✨ Dana Point Harbor Lights Up for the Holidays
More than 700,000 lights transform the harbor into a waterfront holiday display, complete with illuminated sculptures, festive installations and the return of the popular Merry Kiss Me arch.
Beginning Thu, Nov 12 | From 5 pm | Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point
FRIDAY NOV 13
📻 The Calling at The Coach House
The band behind the early-2000s mega-hit “Wherever You Will Go” comes to The Coach House for a Friday-night throwback.
Fri, Nov 13 | 8 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎻 Queen + The Beatles at Pelican Hill
Candlelight brings its Queen and Beatles program for a particularly fancy version of the string-quartet experience. Save 10% with code SOUTHOC10.
Fri, Nov 13 | The Resort at Pelican Hill, Newport Beach
🎭 Fairy Tales & Radical Politics in Pre-Revolutionary Paris
In The Salonnières, a young woman escaping an arranged marriage finds refuge with literary women whose stories conceal radical ideas.
Nov 13–Dec 13 | Cabrillo Playhouse, San Clemente
🪶 Turkey Vulture Mindfulness Walk
A new series pairs vulture lore about renewal with intention-setting and a meditative 2-mile walk (12+).
Fri, Nov 13 | 10 am–noon | Baker Staging Area, Black Star Canyon, Silverado
SATURDAY NOV 14
🤠 Dolly Parton, by Candlelight
Dolly’s songs get a string-quartet tribute inside the historic Yost Theater. Save 10% with code SOUTHOC10.
Sat, Nov 14 | 4 pm | Yost Theater, Santa Ana
😂 Brewery Stand-Up in the Hills
Next Stop Comedy brings comics from TV and podcasts to a rare South County comedy night.
Sat, Nov 14 | 7 pm | Mission Ready Brewing, Rancho Santa Margarita
⛵ Sing Sea Shanties Under Sail
Belt out shanties aboard an Ocean Institute tall ship.
Sat, Nov 14 | 10 am–noon | Ocean Institute, Dana Point
😂 Second Stage Stand-Up
A night of live stand-up on the playhouse's intimate second stage.
Sat, Nov 14 | 7:30 pm | Camino Real Playhouse, San Juan Capistrano
📚 OC Book Fair: Volume 3
Book lovers take over Old Town Tustin with independent bookstores, authors and plenty of opportunities to discover your next great read.
Sat, Nov 14 | 10 am–5 pm | Old Town Tustin, Tustin
🤘 Dokken Brings ’80s Metal Back to The Coach House
The multi-platinum hard-rock band behind “In My Dreams,” “Dream Warriors” and “Alone Again” lands in San Juan for a Saturday-night show.
Sat, Nov 14 | 8 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🥾 Hike Both Sides of The Sinks
See both the East and West Sinks on a 9.5-mile trek through protected Limestone Canyon, with 1,000 feet of climbing and access you can’t get on your own.
Sat, Nov 14 | 7–11 am | Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, Irvine
🏄 Paddleboard Yoga in Dana Point Harbor
Spend 30 minutes paddling, then practice yoga on your board. Beginners welcome in both paddling and yoga. Falling in counts as a bonus swim.
Sat, Nov 14 | 8–9:30 am | West Wind Sailing, Dana Point
🖼️ Irvine Fine Arts Center Fall Opening
A free reception for Juan Manuel Gomez's industrial-metal sculpture and a 13-artist show for America's 250th.
Sat, Nov 14 | 2–4 pm | Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine
SUNDAY NOV 15
📺 One Tree Hill Fans, This Concert Was Made for You
Tyler Hilton and Kate Voegele reunite to celebrate the music of One Tree Hill, where both appeared as musicians on the hit series.
Sun, Nov 15 | 7 pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎁 Very Merry Marketplace
Local artisans bring handmade gifts to Casa Romantica for a holiday shopping day with ocean views.
Sun, Nov 15 | 10 am–2 pm | Casa Romantica, San Clemente
🎤 Michael Jackson by Candlelight
“Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” “Smooth Criminal” and more get the candlelit string-quartet treatment inside the Lido. Save 10% with code SOUTHOC10.
Sun, Nov 15 | The Lido Theater, Newport Beach
🤘 Metallica by Candlelight
Metal anthems played by a string quartet, by candlelight. Save 10% with code SOUTHOC10.
Sun, Nov 15 | 5:30 pm | The Lido Theater, Newport Beach
🦃 Turkey Trot Roundup
🌊 Dana Point Turkey Trot
OC’s biggest Thanksgiving run, with a 10K, 5Ks and a vendor expo. Arrive early for parking.
Thu, Nov 26 | From 7 am | Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point
🌾 Turkey Trot on the Ranch
A 10K, 5K and kids’ 1K on community trails, benefiting The Nature Reserve.
Thu, Nov 26 | From 8 am | The Pavilion, Rancho Mission Viejo
🏃 Irvine/OC Turkey Trot
A flat, beginner-friendly 1-miler and 5K, with a medal for every finisher.
Thu, Nov 26 | From 7:30 am | Irvine Valley College, Irvine
🍽️ Turkey Trot OC 5K
A dog- and costume-friendly 5K that funds Thanksgiving meals for people experiencing homelessness.
Thu, Nov 26 | 8 am | OC Rescue Mission, Tustin
📸 This Week’s Snapshot
Amazing Flower Art from The Gilded Age !
If you’ve been hooked on HBO’s The Gilded Age, this one’s for you.
Last weekend we spent a day out in Beverly Hills at Fleurs de Villes, an extraordinary exhibition of floral art where each of the show’s main characters was recreated in opulent costumes made entirely of flowers.
It was simply incredible. Watch a quick video of the show.
All this splendor was set inside the historic Greystone Mansion, which is well worth a visit in its own right.
It offers a glimpse into Los Angeles high society from the 1920s through the 1940s. Tour the mansion, stroll the formal gardens, then explore the larger public park.
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.
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🧐 Trivia Answer:
✅ B. Drag Racing
Long before John Wayne Airport was bustling with commercial flights, it was home to America's first commercial drag racing strip!
In 1950, local hot rod enthusiast C.J. "Pappy" Hart and his partners turned an unused airport runway into the Santa Ana Drags. Every Sunday, drivers lined up to race their souped-up cars while spectators watched for just 50 cents. Racers paid $1 to compete.
The races became hugely popular, helping transform drag racing from an illegal street activity into an organized motorsport. The drag strip operated until 1959, when growing airport operations brought the races to an end.
Back then, it was called Orange County Airport. It wasn't renamed John Wayne Airport until 1979, honoring the actor and Newport Beach resident.
✈️ Did You Know There's a Museum at John Wayne Airport?
Tucked away on the airport's west side, Lyon Air Museum houses an impressive collection of historic aircraft, vintage military vehicles and WWII memorabilia inside a 30,000-square-foot hangar. Founded by Orange County businessman and retired Air Force Major General William Lyon, the museum is open to the public daily from 10 am–4 pm.
It’s a Wrap!
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🥱 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.
