Best Activities & Events To Do This Weekend In O.C. - September 30
Regardless of the kind of work week you might have had, it's always a welcomed sight when that weekend creeps up on you. While it moves quickly, if you happen to plan appropriately, you can cramp a therapeutic amount of good times into just a few days. In an effort to help the readers be efficient with their brief amount of time away from the grind, this is a reference list of great ways to spend your weekend. It was tough, but here is a shortlist of guaranteed prime choices of how best to maximize your time and money.
Echo & The Bunnymen
The Observatory
3503 S Harbor Blvd.
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 957-0600
www.observatoryoc.com
This is one of those tours that no one really saw coming, but when they realize that it's rolling through town, mania sets in. Back in 2014 Ian McCulloch and crew released their 12th studio effort in Meteorites. Enough time passed that warranted the assumption that no support tour was likely to follow. Then the gang up and announced a proper North American tour some two years later. Fortunately, Southern California gets three different opportunities to see the post punk pioneers in intimate club settings. The first appearance is set for Friday night at the Observatory in Santa Ana. Legends like this almost never run the club circuit so scoring a ticket is something you should get on and fast.
Oddball Comedy Festival
Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre
8800 Irvine Center Dr.
Irvine, CA 92603
(949) 855-8095
www.oddballfest.com
The Oddball Comedy Festival pulls up the brakes in Irvine this weekend. Anchored by headlining performances from the likes of Dane Cook, Sebastian Maniscalo, and Nick Swardson, the comedic trio would likely be enough to helm an amphitheater-sized show, but fans also get supporting sets from Ali Wong, Iliza Shlesinger, Matthew Broussard, and Tom Segura. As if the supporting cast wasn't enough, there will naturally be a performance from comedy mainstay in Roastmaster General, Jeff Ross. In much the same way the rock show emerges from the club stage to the arena-sized stage, it's expected that the talent merits the leap. With a roster of contributors that can all claim veteran status of the stand-up circuit, this festival of laughs is a sure fire good time.
Pageant of the Vandals
Artists Republic 4 Tomorrow
1175 S Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 988-0603
www.artists-republic.com
Although the medium has become widely legitimized in recent years, street art is often still stigmatized, shadowed by its once more common categorization, vandalism. Among the more recognizable names, artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey have spent a lifetime to erase the divides that once left street artists marginalized and misrepresented. Artists Republic along with Hexagon Gallery and Elephants & Castles have curated a unique exhibit that brings into focus the contribution of street art. Featuring work from incredibly prolific and internationally renowned contributors like Ben Eine, Swoon, Beau Stanton, Lucy Sparrow, Chad Hasegawa, Jeff Gillette, and Zio Zeigler, the collection is as compelling as it is credible. The work will rotate three times throughout the duration of the exhibit, all orbiting around Banksy's Haight Street Rat – a work largely considered to be a masterpiece if defined among classic, traditional terminology. Coinciding with the release of filmmaker Brian Greif's documentary, Save the Banksy, Pageant of the Vandals will segue into the premiere of the film at the Hollywood Film Festival.
Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch
Irvine Regional Park
1 Irvine Park Rd.
Orange, CA 92869
(714)973-6835
www.irvineparkrailroad.com
Now while you might need a hefty application of sunblock, technically it is the beginning of Fall in Southern California. Along with the seasonal shift comes certain obligations, most of which seem to revolve around the pumpkin. Much like scoring a hot dog at a summer baseball game or hurling a snowball in the winter, a visit to the pumpkin patch is the kind of recreational activity that can definitely help channel the spirit of the season. Paired with the railroad of Irvine Regional Park, the family can take a ride on the train, or participate in a myriad of activities like John Deere racing, panning for gold, hay rides, or even cookie decorating. With live music and weekend events planned throughout the month of October, this is far from the typical pumpkin patch.
Laguna Beach Classic Car Show
Laguna Beach Festival of Arts Grounds
650 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
www.lagunabeachcarshow.com
As if Laguna Beach wasn't scenic enough, this Sunday the Rotary Club is hosting its annual Classic Car Show featuring some 200 different examples of automotive perfection. With each entry carefully and meticulously screened, only the finest examples in each category were selected to be representatives, ensuring visitors get to see some real automotive eye candy. From muscle cars to woodys, from hot rods to antiques not newer than 1931, the specificity of the selection is part of what makes the collection truly impressive. With proceeds benefitting local charities, the Laguna Beach automotive community is giving you every reason to support their efforts.
