Happy Wednesday!
🎟️ Last chance to sign up to win tickets to see award-winning bluegrass, country, and gospel duo Dailey & Vincent live at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, plus a $50 merch credit. Enter here.
A few things to highlight:
1. 🎭 If you love Shakespeare, head over to Soka University tomorrow at 7pm for MacBeth. It’s free.
2. 🎵 Big event coming to Mission Viejo on July 31 - Concert for a Cure brings reggae-rock favorites Common Sense to town for a benefit concert supporting cancer research. Music starts at 5 PM.
3. 🐦 Birding is having a moment. A few weeks ago we talked about “granny hobbies” making a comeback, from knitting to birding. And every time we post a birding event, it fills up almost instantly. So here’s one to grab now: a free beginner birding walk on Sept 19.
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 24th ~~
🎤 Taylor Swift Tribute
Calling all Swifties. New Romantics brings the hits from every era to life with a high-energy tribute show packed with fan favorites and sing-along moments.
Fri, July 24 | 8pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎶 Line Dancing in the Barn
Boot-scoot your way into an actual barn night at Farmakis Farms, where line dancing gets the rustic South OC treatment.
Thurs, July 24 | 7-10pm | Farmakis Farms, San Juan Capistrano
🎭 Menopause The Musical
Four women, one lingerie sale, and a whole lot of hot flashes, memory lapses, and classic ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s songs in this musical comedy.
July 24–26 | Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach
🍸 Ibiza After Dark
Salt Creek Grille brings late-night house music to the Walker Lounge with DJake, handcrafted cocktails, and tropical Ibiza-inspired energy.
Fri, July 24 | 9pm–1am | Salt Creek Grille, Dana Point
🎡 OC Fair
The OC Fair returns with carnival rides, fried food, live entertainment, exhibits, games, shopping, and peak summer people-watching. Tickets required.
July 17–August 16 | OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa
🎶 🎶 Checkout all of this weekend’s Live Music Options
➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.
~~ SATURDAY JULY 25th ~~
🏄 US Open of Surfing
The world’s largest surf competition returns to Huntington Beach with pro surfers, live music, shopping, food vendors, athlete appearances, and beachside activities.
Saturday–Sunday, July 25–August 2 | Huntington Beach Pier, Huntington Beach
🎤 Don’t Tell Comedy
A secret Mission Viejo restaurant becomes a pop-up comedy club for the night, with the lineup and exact address revealed day-of to ticket holders. Tickets required.
Sat, July 25 | Secret venue, Mission Viejo
🤠 Boots on the Runway
Beginner-friendly line dancing with lessons, food, craft beer, cocktails, and country-night energy on the patio. No cover.
Sat July 25 | 8:30–11:30pm | Hangar 24, Irvine
🍅 Salsa U-Pick on the Farm
Harvest tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños, then head home with everything you need to make fresh or fermented salsa.
Saturday, July 25 | 10am–12pm | Fermentation Farm Acres, San Juan Capistrano
🍔 Summer Foodie Fest
Food vendors, beer garden, live music, local vendors, and family fun at the final Lake Forest foodie fest of the summer. Free admission.
Saturday, July 25 | 5–9pm | Onyx Golf, Lake Forest
🎷 Live on the Lawn: A Tribute to James Williams
Drummer Shawn Baltazor leads an all-star quintet celebrating jazz legend James Williams, blending classic influences with a fresh, contemporary sound.
Sat, July 25 | 4–7pm | Fashion Island, Newport Beach
🥾 Saturday Nature Walk at O’Neill
Take a leisurely morning walk through oak woodlands and coastal sage scrub, with stops for wildlife, plants, local history, and scenic views.
Sat, July 25 | 9–10:30am | O’Neill Regional Park, Trabuco Canyon
~~ SUNDAY JULY 26th ~~
🍷 Sunday at the Vineyard
Spend the afternoon with local wine, live music, food, drinks, and small business vendors at Giracci Vineyards. Free entry.
Sun, July 26 | 12–5pm | Giracci Vineyards, Silverado
🎙️ A Little Vegas After Dark
Step into the swing era with Rat Pack-style classics, big-band charm, and old-school crooner energy. Tickets required.
Sunday, July 26 | Doors 5pm; Show 7pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎭 Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Three friends take a glittery road trip across the Australian outback in this big-hearted musical packed with wild costumes and disco favorites.
July 17–Aug 2 | No Square Theatre, Laguna Beach
🔧 Get Your Stuff Fixed for Free at Repair Café OC
Broken lamps, wobbly chairs, busted gadgets — volunteers help you fix them at no cost.
Sunday, July 26 | 1-5pm | Norman P. Murray Community Center, Mission Viejo
🎷 Jazz at Club 616
Ease into Sunday evening with live jazz, cocktails, and old-school lounge energy at Club 616.
Sunday, July 19 | 5–8pm | Club 616, Santa Ana
🎬 The Odyssey in IMAX
Christopher Nolan’s mythic action epic brings Homer’s legendary voyage to the big screen with Matt Damon as Odysseus. Shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, this is one to see on the biggest screen you can find.
Now playing | Local IMAX theaters
☕ Motel Mini Market
Shop 25+ local vendors at High Tide Coffee, with live music, coffee, flowers, face painting, henna tattoos, toe rings, and tin type photos.
Sun, July 26 | 9am–2pm | High Tide Coffee, San Clemente
🎶 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 Came First: Orange County or the orange groves?
A. Orange County
B. The orange groves
C. They started the same year
(Scroll to bottom for answer)
In Case You Missed It…
🗓️ NEXT WEEK…
✏️ Add these events to your Calendar
MONDAY JULY 267
🤠 Line Dancing at Swallow’s Inn
Kick up your boots for a night of country music and line dancing.
Monday, July 20 | 6pm | Swallow’s Inn, San Juan Capistrano
TUESDAY JULY 28
🌺 Hula Night
Slow it down with graceful, traditional Hawaiian dance in a relaxed outdoor setting.
July 28 | 6:30pm | Argyros Plaza, Costa Mesa
WEDNESDAY JULY 29
🥁 Full Moon Drum Circle at Aliso Creek
Community drum circle on the beach—bring a drum (or just listen) and join in under the full moon. All levels welcome.
July 29 | 7–10pm | Aliso Creek Beach (just south of Montage), Laguna Beach
🕺 Taste of Square Dancing
Try a free beginner-friendly square dancing class with Ramblin’ Rogues. Come solo or with a partner.
Wednesday, July 29 | 7–8pm | Norman P. Murray Community Center, Mission Viejo
THURSDAY JULY 30
🎻 Nashville Comes to San Juan
Grand Ole Opry members Dailey & Vincent bring award-winning harmonies, bluegrass virtuosity, country heart, and gospel soul to one of South OC’s classic live music rooms. Tickets required.
Thursday, July 30 | 8pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎸 Voices of Rock
A powerhouse classic rock concert packed with hits from Styx, Boston, Kansas, Starship, Toto, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, and more.
Thu, July 30–Sun, Aug 2 | Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach
🪴 Paint, Plant & Sip
Paint a handmade herb pot, plant something fresh, and sip kombucha during this hands-on workshop at River Street.
Thursday, July 30 | 6–8pm | River Street Marketplace, San Juan Capistrano
FRIDAY JULY 31
💜 Relay For Life South Orange County
This overnight community event honors cancer survivors, remembers loved ones lost, and raises money for the American Cancer Society through walks, ceremonies, music, and team fundraising activities.
Fri, July 31 | Oso Viejo Community Park, Mission Viejo
🎶 Concert for a Cure with Common Sense
Reggae-rock favorites Common Sense bring the beach vibes to this benefit concert supporting cancer research.
Fri, July 31 | 5pm | Oso Viejo Community Park, Mission Viejo
🎸 That Doobie Brothers Sound
Doobie Doubles brings the breezy rock hits of The Doobie Brothers to the stage, from “Black Water” to “Long Train Runnin’.” Tickets required.
Friday, July 31 | Show 7pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
SATURDAY AUGUST 1
🎨 Glass Goes Off Script
Laguna Art Museum opens a bold new exhibition from the de la Torre Brothers, known for vivid glasswork, pop culture mashups, and borderland storytelling.
Aug 1–Jan 24 | Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach
🎭 The Spitfire Grill
A heartwarming musical with a folk-inspired score about second chances, small-town secrets, and a fresh start at a Wisconsin diner.
Sun, Aug 1 | 2pm | Cabrillo Playhouse, San Clemente
🧚 Butterfly & Fairy Festival
Kids can decorate wands, meet “fairies,” sip color-changing fairy punch, and learn about butterflies at this whimsical garden event.
Saturday, August 1 | 12–2pm | Laguna Beach Library Laguna Beach
🌺 The Sounds of Hawaiʻi
Hawaiian music legend Henry Kapono brings his soulful island sound to South OC, with songs from a career that spans sold-out shows, C&K classics, and decades of Hawaiian pop. Tickets required.
Saturday, August 1 | Show 8pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
📚 American Revolution Book Give Away
Visit Moulton Museum’s augmented American Revolution exhibit and pick up signed books from historian Dr. Robert Allison. “How Revolutionary was the Revolutionary War?”
Saturday, August 1 | 11am–1pm | Moulton Museum, Laguna Hills
🎷 Live on the Lawn: Daniel Rotem Quintet
Saxophonist Daniel Rotem and his quintet showcase the spirit of today’s LA jazz scene with a mix of original compositions and reimagined standards.
Sat, Aug. 1 | 4–7pm | Fashion Island, Newport Beach
SUNDAY AUGUST 2
🏄 US Open of Surfing
The world’s largest surf competition in Huntington Beach with pro surfers, live music, shopping, food vendors, athlete appearances, and beachside activities. Free admission.
Final Day August 2 | Huntington Beach Pier, Huntington Beach
🎭 Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Three friends take a glittery road trip across the Australian outback in this big-hearted musical packed with wild costumes and disco favorites.
FINAL PERFORMANCE Aug 2 | No Square Theatre, Laguna Beach
📚 Saucy Story Society Pool Party
A poolside book club meetup with cocktails, snacks, and unfiltered discussion of Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas. New members welcome.
Sunday, August 2 | Orange County
📸 This Week’s Snapshot
The Hidden Sea Cave at Thousand Steps Beach
So, we’ve been watching the low-tide levels to find a day when we could explore the cave at the south end of Thousand Step Beach. Last weekend’s report said it would be perfect. Albeit at 7:30am !
We grabbed an early coffee, headed to Laguna and descended the 1,000 steps - actually there’s only 233! The walk along the beach was refreshing, the tide was turning, and the morning surf was starting to swell.
By time we walked across the rocks and were about go onto the slippery path to the cave entrance, we could tell this was not for the faint of heart… surging swell, crashing waves, and a sea level that was rapidly approaching our thighs!
Needless to say, we still haven’t been in the cave or seen the elusive hidden pools! We did get to talk to a family who had just been ‘rescued’ from the cave by the lifeguard on duty!
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:
✅ A - Orange County
Despite the name, Orange County was not named because the area was already covered in orange groves. When the name Orange County was first proposed in 1872, there reportedly was not a single orange grove in what is now OC, just a few scattered trees. The name was more of a sunny sales pitch than an agricultural report.
The orange groves came soon after and eventually became a huge part of the county’s identity. The first orange grove in the city of Orange was planted around 1873, and by the early 1900s, citrus helped define the area’s image. So yes, the branding came first, then the fruit moved in and made it look intentional.
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.