Keep your summer schedule packed with these concert and film series in and around Orange County.
Music
OC Parks Summer Concert Series
This popular series returns with nine Thursday night concerts at various OC Parks. The two in June are at Fullerton’s Craig Regional Park with Sweet and Tender Hooligans on the 18th and Mariachi Divas on the 27th. Flashback Heart Attack plays Mason Regional Park on July 11. Irvine Regional Park hosts A Thousand Horses on July 18 and No Duh on July 25. All showtimes are 5 pm-8 pm. Concerts continue through August 22.
Concerts on the Green
Mission Viejo presents a pair of concerts on the Village Green at the Norman Murray Community & Senior Center. Families can enjoy the band Family Style on June 6, while Yachty by Nature performs July 19. A Business Expo takes place from 4 pm-6 pm with the music happening 6 pm-8 pm. There will also be free bounce houses for kids along with gourmet food trucks and beer and wine for purchase.
Laguna Niguel’s Summer Concerts
To help folks have a groovy summer, Laguna Niguel has assembled a hot concert series. Cassie B kicks things off on June 7 and then Family Style will heat up the night of June 21. The Suffragettes light up the stage on July 4 while Dog N’ Butterfly play on the 18th. Three more shows happen in August. Every free concert occurs at Crown Valley Park from 6:30 pm-8 pm. Check its website for guidelines.
Summer Concerts On The Green
Friday nights equals free songs and dancing at Cypress’ Civic Center Green. You’ll experience Guilty Pleasure Makers on June 21 and Family Style on June 28. The Answer rocks out July 5, followed by the Kings of 88 (July 12), OC Groove (July 19) and Suave The Band (July 26). August offers The Dreamboats (August 2) and The 80’z All-Stars (August 9). Shows go from 6 pm-8 pm.
Music in Laguna Beach
A free World Music series happens in June at the Heisler Park Amphitheater. Quarteto Nuevo delivers innovative classic/folk/jazz music on June 7, while Jessica Fichot fuses gypsy swing and French chanson and Shanghai jazz on June 14. Concerts run from 6:30 p.m. to sunset. In July, a free Music in the Park commences in Bluebird Park on Friday evenings (5 pm-7 pm) through August 11, commencing with rootsy rock from The Great North Special on July 7.
Los Alamitos’ Summer Concerts
Summer concerts start on Pine Street: country music Redneck Rodeo (June 13); No Duh Band (June 20); 80z All Stars (June 27) and Doin Time — Sublime Tribute (July 11). Concerts then happen at Little Cottonwood Park with Woodie & the Longboards (July 18) and Britain’s Finest (August 1) and Orville Lewis Jr. Park with Circa ’77 (July 25) and Escape — Journey tribute (August 8). All concerts start at 6:30 pm.
San Juan Summer Nites
Summer Nites happen in San Juan Capistrano’s Historic Town Center Park once a month from June through September. There’s country music from Mowdy on June 19 and soulful rock by Family Style on July 17. Flashback Heart Attack performs August 21 and Tijuana Dogs play the September 18 finale. Concerts are 6 pm-8 pm and there’ll be food trucks, a business expo and kids activities. Free trolley service runs 4 pm-9 pm.
Huntington Beach Concert Band’s Summer Series
The Huntington Beach Concert Band hosts Sunday concerts at the Central Park Concert Bandstand. The band headlines June 23’s show. June 30 features the Air Force Band of the Golden West. Golden West Pops performs July 7 and Long Beach Community Band plays July 14. Nutty gets jazzy on July 21 and there’s Beach Boy music with Surf’s Up July 28. The series continues through August 25. Concerts commence at 5 pm.
Surfin’ Sundays
Surfin’ Sundays washes up on the Huntington Beach Pier once a month from June through October. Between 11 am-6 pm, there will be beach-y music played on Pier Plaza. Surfin’ dates are June 23, July 14, August 18, September 29, and October 13 (check https://www.huntingtonbeachsurfingmuseum.org/surfin-Sundays for updated information). Presented by the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum, this free, all-ages event also contains the Surf City Marketplace. Proceeds support the concert series and museum programs.
huntingtonbeachsurfingmuseum.org
Garden Grove’s Summer Concert Series
The summer music kicks off on June 27 on downtown Main Street with hot rock ‘n’ roll by Smokin’ Cobras. The series shifts to Eastgate Park for performances from Taylor Nation (July 11), Jimmy’s Buffet (July 18), Redneck Rodeo (July 25), and Tijuana Dogs (August 1). Main showtime is 6:30 pm-8:30 pm; however, the Eastgate nights begin at 6 pm with local high school singers competing in “The Voice of Garden Grove” contest.
Tustin’s Concerts in the Park
Tustin’s Peppertree Park is home to some hot music on Wednesday nights (6 pm-8 pm) this summer. Opening the season will be Tijuana Dogs (June 12) and the Rayford Brothers (June 19). Experience the 90s Rock Show Band on June 26 while July 3 offers Undercover Live. Ignition revs up the tunes July 10, while July 17 features The Fenians. Fans also can catch Fan Halen (July 24) and Sticks and Stones (July 31).
Silverado Summer Concert Series
This summer music program showcases two acts once a month (6 pm-9:45 pm) at the Silverado Fairgrounds & Community Center. June 15’s lineup contains Wild Adults and Bobby Gray. The Conspiracy Radio Band and Starsign perform July 20. Doggful Dead and Hempstring Orchestra share August 17’s bill while the Brother Jonathan and the Simon Sez Revue play September 21. Please bring a can of food for donation (but please leave your pets at home).
Concerts In The Canyon
Come out to Ronald Reagan Park and dance your Thursday nights away from 6:30 pm-8 pm. Stone Soul launches this four-week concert series on June 27. Knyght Riders plays ‘80s and ‘90s hits on July 11. July 18 features country rock from 33 Thunder and Buffett Beach serves up Jimmy Buffett music on July 25. Bring your own food or dine on something from onsite food trucks.
Movies
OC Parks Sunset Cinema
A dozen films fill up this free Friday night cinema series, which begins at Craig Regional Park with Wonka (June 7) and The Little Rascals (June 14). Carbon Canyon Regional Park next screens Migration on June 21 and Men In Black on the 28th. Pre-screening activities start at 6 pm with the movies rolling at sundown (around 8 pm). After skipping July 5, the series continues weekly through August 30.
Movie Nights On The Queen Mary
The Queen Mary is launching a monthly movie series on Wednesday nights this summer. Folks can watch Barbie sparkle under the stars on June 12. Little Giants screens July 17, with Wakanda Forever being shown on August 21 and Wonka on September 18. Movie nights run from 6 pm-10 pm. Admission is free, but you need to make reservations at https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/thequeenmary-attractions/items/538343/calendar/2024/05/?full-items=yes/. Also check the website to see what’s prohibited at the screenings.
Movies in La Habra’s Parks
You’ll hopscotch around La Habra’s parks to catch the city’s free movies. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem screens June 21 at La Bonita Park while Elemental heads to El Centro-Lions Park on July 19. Migration arrives August 16 at Portola Park and Jaws surfaces September 19 at Oeste Park while Our Lady of Guadalupe Church shows Coco on October 19. Free pre-movie activities start at 6 pm and the film begins at sunset.
Dana Point’s Movies In The Park
June is movie month in Dana Point and Fridays are the free film nights. However, the movies screen at different parks each week. June 7’s showing of Jumanji will be at Sea Canyon Park. Sunset Park will present Barbie on June 14, while Shrek screens June 21 at Sea Terrace Park and Hook is at Dana Woods Park June 28. Films start at 8 pm. Free concerts follow in July and August.
Yorba Linda’s Monthly Movies In The Park
The city’s Saturday night free movie series (7:30 pm-10 pm) begins with Wonka at Hurless Barton Park on June 15 with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem screening at Eastside Community Park on July 20. Movies return to Hurless Barton on August 17 and October 19 while the September 21 film happens at Eastside Park. Movies start at dusk. No pre-registration required. Check https://www.yorbalindaca.gov/404/Upcoming-Family-Fun-Special-Events for additional details.
Movies in Santa Ana Parks
See seven free movies (6 pm) in seven Santa Ana parks! The Super Mario Bros screens in Memorial Park (June 7), Elemental in Adams Park (June 14), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem at Roosevelt-Walker Community Center (June 21) and Trolls Band Together (June 28) in El Salvador Park. Aladdin (2019 version) plays Heritage Park on July 12, followed by Kung Fu Panda 4 in Rosita Park (July 19) and Tarzan (1999 version) at the Santa Ana Zoo (July 26).
A Bit of Both
Aliso Viejo’s Free Movies & Music Nights
Aliso Viejo’s Grand Park Town Center Amphitheater screens Elemental (June 7), Migration (June 21), Wish (July 26) and Trolls Band Together (August 9). Pre-movie activities begin at 6 pm with movies at sundown. Summer Concert Nights offer Stone Soul (June 9), Tijuana Dogs (June 23), Young Guns (July 14), Kayln & The New Frontier (July 28) and Flashback Heart Attack (August 11). Showtimes are 5:30 pm-7:30 pm. Visit https://www.avca.net/events/ for guidelines.
Lake Forest’s Monthly Movies & Music Events
Lake Forest’s Sports Park is the spot for some fine, free summer entertainment. The Movies in the Park (7:30 pm-9:30 pm) features Back to the Future (June 14), The Super Mario Bros. (July 12) and Soul (August 9). The Summer Concert Series (5:30 pm-7:30 pm) serves up The Long Run (June 22), Redneck Rodeo (July 27) and Who’s Zepplin (August 24), with August’s event also including a car show.
Summer In the City
Irvine invites folks to have a great time watching a movie in the Great Park. Elemental screens June 27 with Trolls Band Together appearing on screen July 18 and Wonka is August 1’s feature. Food vendors will open at 6:30 pm with the film starting at sunset. In July and August, Irvine also stages its Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts series at Mike Ward Community Park with shows starting at 6:30 pm.
2ND & PCH Summer Events
The Long Beach retail center’s Movies & Moonlight program (6 pm-10 pm) presents Wish on June 28 and Barbie on July 19. Pets are welcome; however, they must remain leashed. 2ND & PCH’s live music concert series, Beachside Beats Fest, offers Seville on June 13 and country music and line dancing on June 28. The series, which goes from 5 pm-8 pm, stages two shows a month in July and August before concluding September 19.
By Michael Berick
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