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Happy Wednesday!
This weekend is all about the Fourth. Fireworks, concerts, beach celebrations, drone shows and parades.
We pulled it all into one city-by-city guide, plus a few Friday night kickoffs and easy Sunday plans for easing back into real life
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
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What's Inside...
🗓️ THIS WEEKEND’S PICKS 🗓️
~~ FRIDAY JULY 3rd ~~
🎤 Wild Child: The Doors Tribute
Wild Child brings The Doors tribute show to The Coach House. Tickets required.
Fri, July 3 | 8 PM | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎸 Stars, Stripes & Summer Concert Night
Kick off Independence Day weekend at the San Clemente Pier with the James Kelly Band followed by Sega Genecide, plus ocean views and plenty of patriotic energy.
Fri, July 3 | 5 PM & 6:30 PM | San Clemente Pier, San Clemente
🎸 Tunes at the Dunes Kickoff
The Back Bay comes alive with live music on the sand, food trucks, and beachfront bars.
Fri–Sun, Jul 3-5 | 5 PM – 8 PM | Newport Dunes Waterfront
🇺🇸 Independence Day Community Celebration
Get your fireworks fix a night early without battling July 4 beach traffic. This free community celebration includes live music, family activities, food trucks, and a fireworks show.
Fri, July 3 | 5–11 PM; fireworks 9:30 PM | OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa
🎭 Opera Laguna: The Student Prince
Opera Laguna presents a one-night semi-staged concert at Laguna Playhouse.
Fri, July 3 | 7:30 PM | Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach
🎶 🎶 Checkout all of this weekend’s Live Music Options
➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.
~~ SATURDAY JULY 4th ~~
Check out our city-by-city guide to South OCs Fourth of July fireworks, festivals, concerts, and family celebrations.
Quick Picks:
~~ SUNDAY JULY 5th ~~
We loved listening to live music and cocktails on The Porch at The Ranch in Laguna Beach. You feel a million miles away!
🎶 Live Music at The Ranch
Tucked into Aliso Canyon just minutes from the beach you can grab a drink, settle in under the trees, and enjoy one of Laguna’s prettiest little hideaways.
Sunday, July 5 | The Ranch at Laguna Beach
🚗 Cars & Café at River Street
Classic cars, coffee, raffles, free Hot Wheels for kids, and a community car meet welcoming everything from muscle cars to exotics and daily drivers.
Sun, July 5 | 8–10 AM | River Street Marketplace, San Juan Capistrano
🎨 Laguna's Summer Art Festivals
Two favorites are worth pairing together: Sawdust Art Festival and Laguna Art-A-Fair. Make a day of it with local art, live music, workshops, and plenty to browse.
Now through Sept 6 | Laguna Beach
🥕 Sunday Farmers Markets
Pick up fresh produce, flowers, breads, and weekend provisions at two easy South OC markets.
Sun, July 5 | 9 AM–1 PM San Clemente | 8 AM–12 PM Laguna Niguel
🎶 Live Music Guide
Whether you’re looking for free summer concerts in the park or live music at restaurants, bars, and local venues like The Coach House, we’ve rounded it all up into two easy-to-browse guides.
☀️ SUMMER CONCERT SERIES →
🎸 LIVE MUSIC GUIDE →
New events added weekly !
🤔 Trivia Time
Which OC city is home to the county’s only naturally occurring lake?
A. Lake Forest
B. Mission Viejo
C. Laguna Beach
D. Irvine
(Scroll to bottom for answer)
In Case You Missed It…
💎 8 OC Places You Might Not Know About
✨ Most Romantic Patio Dining Is Hiding In…
🏄 Best Places to Paddleboard in South OC
🗓️ NEXT WEEK…
✏️ Add these events to your Calendar
MONDAY JULY 6
🍹 Rooftop Drinks in Laguna
Ease into the week with ocean views, cocktails, and happy hour at The Rooftop Lounge above La Casa del Camino. $10 apps and drinks during happy hour.
Monday, July 6 | Happy Hour 2–5 PM | The Rooftop Lounge, Laguna Beach
TUESDAY JULY 7
🎭 Shakespeare Under the Stars: Romeo & Juliet
Shakespeare’s classic love story gets a Dust Bowl-era twist at UCI’s intimate outdoor New Swan Theater.
July 7–Aug. 29 | New Swan Theater at UCI, Irvine
🎬 Bollywood Dance Night
A vibrant mix of storytelling, rhythm, and high-energy Bollywood moves.
July 7 & 14 | 6:30 PM | Argyros Plaza, Costa Mesa
WEDNESDAY JULY 8
🎹 Dueling Pianos Singalong
Tom Bagley and Missy Alcazar turn the piano bar into a rock ’n’ roll sing-along, with audience requests, comedy, and plenty of off-the-rails energy. No two shows are the same, which is half the fun.
Wednesday, July 8 | 7:30 PM | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🍸 Shakespeare Under the Stars: The Merry Wives of Windsor Cove
This playful 1950s California take on The Merry Wives of Windsor comes to the an intimate outdoor theater, where audiences sit just feet from the action in one of OC’s coolest summer theater experiences.
July 8–Aug. 30 | New Swan Theater at UCI, Irvine
THURSDAY JULY 9
🎨 The Most Iconic Artworks of All Time Come to Life
Pageant of the Masters returns with “The Greatest of All Time,” recreating legendary works by Michelangelo, Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, Rockwell and more in jaw-dropping, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it living tableaux.
July 9–Sept 4 | 8:30 PM | Festival of Arts Pageant Grounds, Laguna Beach
LINE DANCING
Neighbor’s Bar, 6:30, Laguna Hills
Bigshots Billiards, 8:00, Lake Forest
Inn at the Mission, 6:00, San Juan Capistrano (Beginner lesson)
FRIDAY JULY 10
🎸 Fast Times: The Ultimate ’80s Concert Experience
Big hair, bigger guitar solos, and wall-to-wall hits. Fast Times brings the sights and sounds of the '80s back to life with a high-energy tribute to bands like Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, and Depeche Mode.
Fri, July 10 | 8 PM | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🌿 Summer Herbal Class Series
Learn about the uses and benefits of seasonal herbs with local herbalist Michelle Guerrero during this free community workshop at the Orange Home Grown Education Farm.
Fri, July 10 | 10:30–11:30 AM | OHG Education Farm, Orange
🪼 Bioluminescence Night Cruise
One of the most unique things you can do in OC, see bioluminescence up close from the water.
July 9–12 | 8:30 PM | Ocean Institute, Dana Point
🔥 The Spitfire Grill (The Musical)
A warm, soulful musical about second chances, small towns, and the surprising power of community, set in a struggling Wisconsin diner where hope simmers alongside the coffee.
July 10 – Aug 2 | Cabrillo Playhouse, San Clemente
🎄 Movie Night: The Grinch
Christmas in July hits the park with a crowd-pleasing classic and pre-movie fun.
Fri, Jul 10 | 6:30 PM | Grand Park, Aliso Viejo
🐟 From Water to Table Fishery Night
Fresh-caught local seafood, cocktails, and a dock-to-dinner vibe take over Craft House for this collaboration with Harbor Fish Company and Dark Seas.
Fri, July 10 | 5–9 PM | Craft House, Dana Point
SATURDAY JULY 11
🏅 Mission Viejo Community Parade (250th Celebration)
A new hometown parade is in the works to celebrate America’s 250th, rolling down Marguerite Parkway and ending with a BBQ festival at Oso Viejo Park.
Sat, July 11 | 9 AM | Marguerite Pkwy → Oso Viejo Park, Mission Viejo
🚂 Mooning of the Amtrak
One of Southern California’s strangest traditions returns as people gather outside Mugs Away Saloon to wave, cheer, and moon passing Amtrak trains.
Sat, July 11 | All Day | Mugs Away Saloon, Laguna Niguel
🎭 Dana Point Shakespeare Festival
Bring a blanket or low-back chair and enjoy a free outdoor performance of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, a fast-paced tale of mistaken identities, mix-ups, and nonstop laughs.
Sat, July 11 | 8 PM) | Sea Terrace Park, Dana Point
🪄 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
A spellbinding stage spectacular packed with jaw-dropping illusions, time-turning twists, and theatrical magic that brings the wizarding world to life like never before.
July 11 – 25, 2026 | Times vary | Segerstrom Hall, Costa Mesa
SUNDAY JULY 12
🎸 Dog N' Butterfly: A Tribute to Heart
Relive the hits of Heart with Dog N' Butterfly, a high-energy tribute band known for spot-on musicianship, retro costumes, and an uncanny recreation of classics like Barracuda, Magic Man, and more.
Sun, July 12 | 7 PM | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🛍️ Artisans Market at Aliso Viejo Ranch
Shop handmade goods, unique gifts, sweet treats, and local artisan creations from more than 50 vendors.
Sun, July 12 | 11 AM–3 PM | Aliso Viejo Ranch, Aliso Viejo
☕ Coffee Flight at Red Shift
For the coffee-curious and the indecisive, Red Shift serves coffee flights so you can sample a few favorites without committing to just one.
Sunday, July 12 | Red Shift Coffee, Lake Forest
📸 This Week’s Snapshot
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.
🧐 Trivia Answer:
✅ C - Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach is home to Barbara’s Lake, a small natural freshwater lake tucked inside Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. It’s unusual because it is fed by groundwater, not city planning, and sits in one of the last remaining coastal canyon wilderness areas in Orange County.
The lake is surrounded by sage scrub, willow trees, and quiet canyon habitat, making it a good spot for birdwatching and a short nature walk. You can hike to it, but you can’t swim in it. OC Parks does not allow swimming, wading, or watercraft in the lake.
The easiest access is from the Nix Nature Center or James Dilley Preserve. From Nix, the hike to Barbara’s Lake is about 3 miles with minimal elevation gain.
Bonus fact: Barbara’s Lake is named for Barbara Stuart Rabinowitsh, a local conservationist who helped protect Laguna Canyon from development.
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.