Its summertime, which means tons of events in Orange County this August 2016 from the OC Fair to beach Lobsterfests. Check out our list of all the fun things to do around town and make the most of your summertime in SoCal. For some real good clean fun straight out of Mayberry, dont miss the La Habra Corn Festival amp; Parade with an apple pie baking contest
OC Fair
Now – August 14th Open Wednesday – Sunday ocfair.com
Image: Wikipedia
The OC Fair is here with endless fun at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Enjoy the carnival rides, games, exhibits, livestock, courtyard wine seminars, live music and entertainment and so much more all month long. Check out the list of performers at the Pacific Amphitheater with everyone from Styx, The Offspring and Boston to Train, Hunter Hayes and Ziggy Marley. There will also be several events at the action sports arena including Broncs amp; Bulls, Extreme Rodeo, Xtreme Freestyle Moto-X and demolition derbies.
Segerstrom Centers FREE Movie Mondays
Monday, August 1st and 8th scfta.org/movieMondays
Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa finishes their free summer movie series outdoors this August for two more Monday nights of movies under the stars. Set-up begins at 5:30PM, with the movie starting at dusk (approximately 8 p.m.). Guests are encouraged to bring beach chairs or other easily portable seating items, snacks and picnic suppers. There will be food trucks so you can get your grub on with great movies all month long.
August 1st – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off | August 8th – Labyrinth
American Family Housing Ribs, Pigs, amp; Watermelons Festival
Friday, August 5th – Sunday, August 7th Fri. 5-10PM, Sat. 10AM-10PM, Sun. 10AM-5PM afhusa.org
All weekend long there’s live music, watermelon and rib eating contests, a car show, family-friendly fun and plenty of smells of smoked meat wafting through the air. Friday night and Sunday will feature bluegrass and country bands and Saturday will include a reggae festival with 7+ bands. General admission is $9 and good all weekend long
La Habra Corn Festival amp; Parade
Friday, August 5th – Sunday, August 7th Fri. 5PM-11PM, Sat. 11AM-11PM, Sun. 12PM-9PM lahabracornfestival.com
The La Habra Corn Festival hosted by the Lions Club is the ultimate clean-cut family fun festival. The whole weekend is filled with rides and attractions, food, games, crafts, live music, contests and Miss La Habra, the club queen and her court. All-American contests include the apple pie baking contest and the baby contest. The Parade will be held Saturday, August 6th at 9AM, running down West to East down La Habra Blvd between Idaho and Cypress Streets.
OC Fair 5K
Sunday, August 7th 8AM ocfair5k.com
Race fee includes your race tee shirt, timing chip, commemorative finishers medal and entrance to the OC Fair. Race day registration (if available) and bib pick-up will be available from 6AM to 7:45AM on Sunday, August 7, 2016 at the Start/ Finish Line inside the gate at the OC Fair Main Gate, 88 Fair Drive. Award ceremony at the Main Stage happens at 9:15 and the fair opens at 10AM so you can enjoy a full day of fun after the race.
Lobsterfest at Newport Beach
Sunday, August 7th 3PM-8PM lobsterfestatnewportbeach.com
Lobsterfest at Newport Back Bay is all about summer fun and giving back to the community. General admission is $60 and includes one whole Maine lobster and grilled steak plus all the fixings from potatoes, corn on the cob, and rolls to desserts. While feasting you will enjoy live entertainment from a local band plus swimming and use of the playground on the beach for the kids.
Shakespeare by the Sea
Throughout August Various locations shakespearebythesea.org
Free Shakespeare in the Park. This year the company will be putting on performances of Othello and Cymbeline throughout Los Angeles County with a handful of shows in Orange County. Here’s the lineup of OC shows you can catch:
Soka University in Aliso Viejo: Wed, August 10th @ 7PM – Cymbeline Laguna Niguel | Crown Valley Park: Sun, August 14th @7PM – Othello Irvine Valley College: Wed, August 17th @ 7PM – Cymbeline
Huntington Beach Beer Festival
Saturday, August 13th 7PM-10PM huntingtonbeachbeerfestival.com
The Huntington Beach Beer Festival will celebrate craft beer and live music in a collaborative effort of rockstarbeer Productions and breweries to raise money for Wrech Check Charities. The event will showcase multiple local and regional breweries as well as local bands and DJs. Held at Meadowlark Golf Club, general admission is $35 for admission and samplings of over 100 craft beers. VIP admission is $50 and includes early entrance at 6PM.
18th Swingin on the Promenade amp; Art Crawl Experience
Saturday, August 13th 6PM-10PM facebook.com/events
Stop by as Center Street Promenade in Downtown Anaheim is transformed into an outdoor 1940’s swing club. Swing night just happens to coincide with the “Art Crawl Experience” or simply “ACE”, a visually invigorating, tastefully titillating, and an auditory explosive art walk and arts festival that takes place quarterly at Downtown Anaheim. Come early for free dance lessons from 6-6:30PM and stay all night for live bands, great food and indie craft vendors.
The San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival
Sunday, August 14th 9AM-7PM scchamber.com
This will be the 63rd Anniversary Music Festival in San Clemente. Enjoy live music all day alongside the salsa challenge, contests and games from the tortilla toss to pie eating, arts and crafts vendors, motorcycle show, kids activities, action sports expo, exhibits, face painters, jugglers and more. Admission is free and there’s a wide array of fabulous food available, provided by local non-profits. Remember, the more you eat, the more you benefit local philanthropic programs
Auto Enthusiast Day
Sunday, August 14th 10AM-5PM eventbrite.com
4th annual Auto Enthusiast Day will take place on Sunday, August 14th at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The show is free for all spectators, car show participants, and vendors and will include a variety of activities, such as drifting and off-road demonstrations, a vendor midway featuring automotive products and giveaways, food trucks and much more.
Dana Point Lobster Beach Fest
Saturday, August 20th 4PM danapointlobsterfest.org
Didn’t get enough lobster in Newport earlier this month? Chow down on more surf and turf in Dana Point for their 7th Annual Lobster Beach Fest hosted by the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club. Enjoy gourmet appetizers, no-host bar, fresh east coast lobster, smoked tri-tip steak, desserts, live music, DJ, dancing and an amazing Silent Auction. The best beach party of the summer awaits
Taste of Paleo
Sunday, August 21st 1PM-6PM tasteofpaleo.com
Taste of Paleo boasts the distinction of being the first paleolithic food festival and spotlights the Caveman diet, which emphasizes real, whole food, including grass-fed meats and organic fruits and vegetables. The festival gives people a chance to explore the paleo lifestyle by tasting samples and perusing vendor booths, and there’s also (non-paleo) beer and wine, guest speakers and cooking competitions between paleo chefs.
Plum Fest
Sunday, August 21st 2PM-6PM oldworld.ws
Admission is free for the 21st Annual Plum Fest at Old World in Huntington Beach. Come enjoy a fun family day with carnival games, face painting, wiener dog races and tons of great food. Chow down on plum cakes, plum crepes, berliners, BBQ and more while you browse the arts and crafts vendors and take in all the fun. The Dachshund Wiener Dog Races will start at 3PM and are coming soon again for Oktoberfest celebrations.
Ohana Fest
Saturday, August 27th – Sunday, August 28th theohanafest.com
Ohana Fest is a weekend beach concert festival with headliners Eddie Vedder and Lana Del Rey. In addition to offering fun in the sun with a diverse music lineup, Ohana will donate a portion of proceeds to the San Onofre Parks Foundation, a California non-profit that works to develop, preserve and enhance the recreation and experience of Californias coastal parks. Festival general admission allows roaming throughout the lush grass areas of Doheny State Beach, right off the shore of the Pacific Ocean, touching the sand.
Annual Fit Expo Anaheim
Saturday, August 27th – Sunday, August 28th 10AM-5PM thefitexpo.com
Your ticket to the two-day Fit Expo includes admission into the exhibition floor filled with cutting edge companies displaying, promoting and selling fitness, health and well-being products and services. You’ll also get into all of the competitions taking place on TheFitExpo Anaheim exhibit floor There will be free seminars, demonstrations and celebrity autograph sessions and of course, tons of free samples.
Food, Wine, amp; Jazz
Saturday, August 27th – Tuesday, August 30th Various events throughout the weekend stregisfoodandwine.com
Featuring the culinary talents of celebrity Chef Michael Mina, this weekend of events will be an excursion into. VIP ticket holders are invited to attend an exclusive private event with Chef Mina, set against the stunning backdrop of Stonehill. Subsequent festivities include 2 Grand tastings, Champagne on the Beach, and finally a Seaside Jazz Brunch. This celebration of food and spirits will bring the best of the culinary and wine worlds together, as patrons drink and dine in beautiful Dana Point at the St. Regis.
Dana Point Harbor 50 Year Time Capsule
Monday, August 29th 4PM-6PM danapointhistorical.org
Image: danapointtimes.com
Fifty years ago on Monday, August 29, 1966, a rock-placing ceremony sponsored by the County of Orange, the Orange County Harbor District marked the start of construction of Dana Point Harbor. At Doheny State Beach, during the event, a capsule was sealed into a rock chosen from those forming the breakwater. It’s time for the capsules contents will be revealed - exactly 50 years after the signature event. The unveiling Ceremony will begin at 4PM with a welcome address by Supervisor Bartlett and a BBQ dinner to follow.
Have an Orange County event this month that didnt make the list? Leave a comment and tell us all about it