Orange County Events THIS WEEKEND for Kids and Families - September 30, and October 1 & 2, 2022. Here are some fun things to do in Orange County this weekend. This is a list of the BEST Events in the OC for kids and families. All the OC activities on this list are happening this Friday, Saturday or Sunday...some events are FREE!
Looking for – FREE family activities, children's activities, a community event, food trucks, OC entertainment, live performances or live music, craft fairs with local merchants or unique vendors, neighborhood special events, a parade or festivals? If they are happening in Southern California, they will be listed.
(To submit your event, email jill@sandytoesandpopsicles.com.) Details change! Double check event's website before going.
Things to Do in Orange County This Weekend
OC Events Happening ALL Weekend in OC
Orange County Event Calendar
Monthly Calendar with family-friendly events hall month long.
Orange County HALLOWEEN Events for 2022
GIANT list of all the Halloween and Fall events happening in OC listed by city!
The Pacific Airshow
Huntington Beach Pier
Pacific Coast Hwy & Main Street, CA
All Day
3 days to celebrate the love, patriotism and awe-inspiring feats of aviation along with the thrill of sports, entertainment, art and technology. An action-packed lineup of events, from over-the-water aerobatic demonstrations from the world’s best display teams to live music on the beach and VIP offerings – you enjoy Southern California’s most iconic beachfront destination... Huntington Beach, California.
Knott's Spooky Opening Weekend!
Knott's Berry Farm
8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA
All Day
Enjoy the Halloween season at Knott’s Spooky Farm, a family-friendly fall time celebration. Little ghouls can trick-or-treat around the town of Calico’s shops and buildings to collect sweet treats from the friendly townsfolk plus enjoy even more kids' Halloween activities. Families can join in on the Halloween fun as the park is transformed with themed décor and spooky surprises.
Cal Poly Pumpkin Fest
Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Patch
4102 S. University Drive, Pomona, CA
All Day
Whether you are new or have been coming for years, guests at this year's Pumpkin Fest will enjoy tons of family fun activities such as the Corn Maze, large and small Pumpkin Patches, Hay Rides, Displays and Demonstrations, Games, Contests, and so much more!
"Nightmare" Halloween Boo-tique
Rogers Gardens
2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Corona Del Mar, CA
All Day
Creeps, bats and ghouls rise from the grave this weekend to officially kick-off the season of spooky chills and thrills. Explore the grounds and shop from a huge variety of local vendors featuring original works, spooky services and licensed merchandise.
Broadway's Hamilton at the Segerstom
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA
Times Vary
Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.
Hana Field Pumpkin Patch
Hana Fields, Costa Mesa
427 Anton Boulevard, Costa Mesa
10am - 6pm
Pick your own pumpkin! Pick your own flowers! Wander through the flower fields! Shoot the Root! Visit the Barnyard! Don’t forget to bring your stroller or wagon to carry your pumpkins! Hana Field employees will not be able to assist in carrying pumpkins to your vehicle.
42nd Annual Oktoberfest
St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church
19767 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda, CA
6:30 - 8pm
FREE
The largest event in Yorba Linda, Oktoberfest draws families and friends from our local and surrounding communities for lots of weekend fun! The event is open to the public, who have graciously supported this event throughout the years.
OC Auto Show
Anaheim Convention Center
800 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA
All Day
FREE
The OC Auto Show will showcase hundreds of new cars and more all at the Anaheim Convention Center!
Kids Play with Goats
Goods and Goat Market, San Juan Capistrano
9am - noon
Fun for Adults and kids! Come anytime between the hours listed and stay as long as you would like. Booking online is not necessary. This special time is set aside for ALL GOAT LOVERS to visit the farm.
Family Workshops at AR Workshop
AR Workshop
31107 Rancho Viejo Road, Suite B2 San Juan Capistrano, CA
10am - 1pm
Join AR Workshop for a family DIY class to make one of their many wood projects! In the workshop, you will have the opportunity to customize your project with your choice of designer paints and (non-toxic!) stain colors.
Whimsical Garden Craft Workshops
Dragonfly Shops & Gardens
260 N Glassell St, Orange, CA
Times vary
Offering a fun variety of classes, including Mosaic Tiling, Beading & Jewelry Making Workshops, Windchimes, Dreamcatchers, Fairy & Miniature Garden Workshops, Succulent Container Workshops, Gardening, Essential Oils, Macrame, Kokedamas, and so much more. Registration required.
Things to Do in Orange County This Friday, September 30, 2022
Make sure to check the "Happening ALL Weekend" event list above.
Special Guest Playtime with a Magic Unicorn
Play & Parties
The Village at Orange Mall
1500 E. Village Way, Suite 2131, Orange, CA
10:30am
Play & Parties is a new store and party place at that hosts Live Storytimes, Singalongs, Kids Clubs & Parties! They offer safe, socially distanced creative experiences, and quality educational gifts, books, & dress up.
Tale Trail Fall Celebration
Pavion Park
24051 Pavion, Mission Viejo, CA
5 - 6:30pm
Bring a beach chair and blanket and join us for an evening of outdoor fun! All ages welcome! Enjoy games, activities, and snacks on the lawn, and partake in interactive storytimes along the Mission Viejo Tale Trail.
Wild Tales
Upper Newport Bay
2301 University Drive, Newport
10:00 - 10:45am
FREE
Upper Newport Bay’s popular storytime is back! Wild tales will be offered every Friday and include an outdoor storytime in their amphitheater, an age-appropriate hike, and a craft project in our classroom. Each session has a new story, hike theme, and craft project.
Weekend Entertainment at Irvine Spectrum
Irvine Spectrum Center, Irvine, CA
6 - 8pm
Irvine Spectrum Center presents Weekend Entertainment. Join us Friday and Saturday evenings to listen to the sweet sounds of some local talent. This Friday is Kianna Ugalde.
Main Street Classic Car Show
Historic Main Street, Garden Grove
4-8pm
FREE
The Main Street Classic Car Show is the longest-running car show in Orange County. With roughly 50 parking spaces, and the show running every Friday, you’re bound to catch a wide variety of rides on display.
Things to Do in Orange County This Saturday, October 1, 2022
Make sure to check the "Happening ALL Weekend" event list above.
Kids Fairy Garden Workshop
Dragonfly Shops & Gardens
260 N Glassell St, Orange, CA
Times vary
Bring your child and their friends to create an enchanting miniature garden with the help of the fairies! This class is a BLAST for little ones, ages 4 & up.
Tour of great Chica Wetland
9 - 10:30pm
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
18000 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA
FREE
This free first Saturday tour offers an exceptional on-site presentation of the Bolsa Chica Story. Volunteer Naturalists gather at the south lot of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Volunteer Naturalists are stationed on or near the footbridge, a truly magnificent entrance to the restored Bolsa Chica wetlands. Tours begin every 15 minutes.
Free Pacific Symphony Concert
Yorba Linda Public Library and Cultural Arts Center
4852 Lakeview Avenue, Yorba Linda, CA
6:30 - 8pm
FREE
Join members of the Pacific Symphony for a free music performance with the Symphony on the Go! mobile stage outside of the Cultural Arts Center. Bring your own lawn chairs, picnic dinner and enjoy the show!
Miniature Paint Party
Mission Viejo Library Storytime Room
100 Civic Center, Mission Viejo, CA
1pm
Looking for a creative space to paint miniatures for games like Warhammer or Star Wars Legion? Join the library for painting and refreshments!
Walk with Goats
Goods and Goat Market, San Juan Capistrano
11am
See what it's like to walk a pet goat. This is a 30 minute walk with the herd. Take them up our trail to explore and exercise. While walking, learn stories from the farm and tons of Goat Facts from Farmer James. Playtime is included with this service. Stay and brush, cuddle and get to know all our goats until we close. Enjoy all the fun our little Bliss farm has to offer for a great get-to-know-a-goat experience.
Weekend Entertainment at Irvine Spectrum
Irvine Spectrum Center, Irvine, CA
6 - 8pm
Irvine Spectrum Center presents Weekend Entertainment. Join us Friday and Saturday evenings to listen to the sweet sounds of some local talent. This Saturday is 3 Mile Radius.
South OC Cars and Coffee
Outlets At San Clemente, San Clemente
9 - 11am
FREE
The name says you’ll find cars and coffee there. But you’ll also find people and conversations. And those conversations will cover anything from powertrains to politics.
See Classic Cars at Donut Derelicts
Donut Derelicts, Huntington Beach
Saturday Morning
FREE
Each Saturday morning, car enthusiasts from all over gather in the parking lot of Adams Ave Donuts to enjoy a donut, a cup of coffee and a spectacle of hot rods and classic cars.
Things to Do in Orange County This Sunday, October 2, 2022
Make sure to check the "Happening ALL Weekend" event list above.
60th Annual Newport Beach Sandcastle Contest
Corona del Mar State Beach
Iris Street and Ocean Boulevard in Corona del Mar, CA
10am - 4:30pm
FREE
Bring your team to the 60th Annual Sandcastle Contest and have a great day at the beach! This year’s theme is California Dreamin’. We are celebrating all things California, from the Beaches of Newport to the Redwoods in the North, to the glimmer of Hollywood to the Golden Gate Bridge.
D. Yoder Family Sundays
Casa Romantica
415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA
10am
FREE
Free admission to the Casa with docent-led tours and live performances from COA. Live Performances with Community Outreach Alliance San Clemente.
Orange County Children’s Book Festival
Orange Coast Community College
2701 Fairview Rd, Costa Mesa, CA
9:30am - 4pm
FREE
An annual family tradition is back! Featuring a spectacular lineup for all Southern California families! In addition to its usual lineup of 100 authors, 15 studio artists, 80 exhibitors and big stage entertainment. Meeting and greeting bestselling authors & professional studio illustrators, Book signings, Six separate and unique stages offering readings, drawing demonstrations, multicultural and bilingual presentations, & live animal exhibitions, planetarium & S.T.E.A.M. presentations with NASA engineers, Family-friendly entertainment and Food trucks. Free admission & free parking
Kids Play with Goats
Goods and Goat Market, San Juan Capistrano
11:30am - 4pm
Fun for Adults and kids! Come anytime between the hours listed and stay as long as you would like. Booking online is not necessary. This special time is set aside for ALL GOAT LOVERS to visit the farm.
Kid’s Fishing Clinic Sundays
Dana Wharf Sportfishing, Dana Point
12:15pm
Dana Wharf Sportfishing invites children dockside for an educational fishing clinic. Kids will learn hands-on-fishing techniques from our expert- anglers. After each Sunday clinic concludes, Dana Wharf will be running a fishing trip from 12:45 – 5:15; Adults are $59 and Children ages 5-12 will fish for FREE when they are enrolled in the Kids Fishing Clinic!
Fun Things to Do in Orange County with Family
Places to Visit with Families ALL Weekend in Orange County
- Orange County Farmers Markets - All Over OC | Times Vary
Check out this list of all the farmers markets happening on Orange County. - Balboa Fun Zone - 600 E. Bay Avenue, Newport Beach
The Fun Zone has over 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor restaurants, carnival games, vendors, food and fun overlooking the Newport Harbor and Balboa Island. - Anaheim Packing District - 440 S. Anaheim Boulevard, Anaheim
One of the last remaining citrus packing warehouses in OC, that has been historically preserved and retrofitted into a market hall with restaurants, food and vendors. - Irvine Park Railroad - Irvine Regional Park, Orange | All day
Ride the train, concessions, Wheel Fun Rentals - paddleboat and bike rentals, pan for gold, OC zoo, and enjoy the park. - OCC Planetarium - Orange Coast College | Times Vary
The OCC Planetarium is committed to providing an innovative, immersive, and illuminating experience. Regular showings are offered on weekends so everyone can come enjoy a rotating schedule of breathtaking full-dome experiences that transport you to faraway worlds. - Donut Life Museum - Westminster Mall | Times Vary
Get ready to experience donuts in a new way! Orange County's selfie museum with a donut experience that captures moments in life through the creativity of donuts.
Free Things to Do This Weekend in Orange County
- Centennial Farm - OC Fair & Event Center | Times Va
Centennial Farm is now to the public. Visit the animals and the farming gardens. Admission and parking are free - Family-Friendly Tide Pools in the OC - Beaches in Orange County
Check out this list of the best family-friendly tide pools in Orange County. - Niguel Botanical Preserve - Crown Valley Community Park | All Day
If you are looking for a scenic, family friendly nature experience, then the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel is a great place to check out. - The Ecology Center - The Ecology Center, San Juan Capstrano
Every Saturday and Sunday – Open for self-guided exploration. Be sure to check their calendar for workshops and events happening every weekend! FREE - Pier Plaza Art Afair - Pacific Coast Highway & Main, adjacent to the Huntington Beach Pier
An arts and crafts fair overlooking the pacific Ocean.
What's the Surf This Weekend in Orange County?
- FRIDAY - AM: 0-1ft flat CLEAN | 0-1ft PM: flat CHOPPY
- SATURDAY - 1ft AM: flat FAIR | 1-2ft PM: flat FAIR
- SUNDAY - AM: flat CHOPPY | PM: flat CHOPPY
Don't forget about all of these fun things to do in Orange County!!!!!
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