Weekend Events for Families in Orange County

Weekend Events for Families in Orange County – August 10 & 11, 2019 – It’s going to be beautiful and hot here in Orange County! Check out all these events on this list happening here in the OC this Saturday and Sunday…some are even FREE! (to submit your event, email jillparkin@gmail.com by the Wednesday before your event.)

All Weekend

Summer Movies!!!
Your guide to Summer Movies in the OC, including movies in the park, movies on the beach, summer movie programs and more!

2019 Orange County Summer Concerts!!!
Your guide to Orange County Summer Concerts in the Park!

Knott’s Summer Nights LAST WEEKEND!!!
Knott’s Berry Farm | 5:30 – 10:00pm
Enjoy nighttime festivities such as live music, food and games on the Knott’s midway. A variety of bands that rotate at the Calico Park stage nightly, rock out to a top 40’s band at the Calico Mine Stage or bop to beats of the Boardwalk DJ around Charleston Circle Fountain. Plus, a summer night party is not complete without food and drinks. Plus, Instagram-able photo opportunities, interactive experiences, and family-friendly games, Knott’s Summer Nights will be an event to remember.

OC Fair
OC Fair & Event Center | All Day
Enjoy nighttime festivities such as live The annual Orange County Fair is the premier family attraction in Southern California offering a wide variety of exhibits, foods, entertainment, rides and hands-on activities. There is something for everybody at the Fair including the summer headline concert series, working farm and petting zoos, thrill rides, contests, and games.

Knott’s Soak City
Knott’s Soak City Waterpark | All Day
Open for summer, enjoy waterslides, lazy river, and wave pools at Orange County’s only full-size waterpark. Great for the entire family.

Festival of Arts
Festival of Arts, Laguna Beach | All Day
Come discover the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach- a juried fine art show featuring 140 of Orange County’s top artists in an open-air gallery setting. A world-renowned art destination, visitors can take tours of the exhibit, catch an art demonstration, dine at one of the on-site restaurants, create their own masterpiece, or simply sit back and enjoy the creative atmosphere. Weekends are jam-packed with live music and special events providing entertainment for all.

Sawdust Festival
935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach | All Day
Outdoor arts and crafts festival. Watch artists create their work and buy directly from the artists while enjoying the wonderful atmosphere.

Watermelon and Sugar Cane Harvesting Tours
Tanaka Farms
Take a one hour long wagon ride around the farm. Learn about the farming methods and history of our farm from your friendly tour guide. You will see how fruits and vegetables grow! Throughout the tour, you will sample several seasonal fruits and vegetables. The last stop on this tour is where you get to pick strawberries or watermelon!

Weekends on the Farm
The Ecology Center | 10:00am – 4:00pm
Every Saturday and Sunday – explore The Ecology Center and all it has to offer! Saturdays are our Farm Festival Days, While Sundays are open for self-guided exploration. Be sure to check their calendar for workshops and events happening every weekend!

Discounted Late Nights at Aquarium of the Pacific
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach | 5:00pm
The entire Aquarium will be open, except Lorikeet Forest. Admission after 5:00 p.m. is just $19.95 for adults and seniors, and children (3-11). Watch the nighttime activities of our animals, touch a shark, and enjoy the beautiful evening lighting of the Aquarium’s architecture.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Summer Movies!!!
Your guide to Summer Movies in the OC, including movies in the park, movies on the beach, summer movie programs and more!

2019 Orange County Summer Concerts!!!
Your guide to Orange County Summer Concerts in the Park!

Walk with a Naturalist
O’Neill Regional Park | 9:00 – 10:30am
Join O’Neill Regional Park naturalists and learn about the animals and nature of Trabuco Canyon. This will be a light to moderate walk on mostly paved roads. All ages welcome. FREE

Wolves and Coyotes
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve | 2:00pm
Join staff from Wolf Haven International to take a close look at the differences and similarities between wolf, coyote and dog biology, behavior, social structure, historical and current ranges, and ecosystem roles. How do our domesticated dogs compare and contrast with these wild canids? We will discuss both wild and urban coyote challenges, and of course wild wolves in Lassen County in California! The program features awesome video clips of wolves at Wolf Haven International, as well as wild wolves and coyotes. Portions of the program include skulls, antlers and tracks. Proceeds from the event benefit both Wolf Haven International and Newport Bay. FREE

Beginning Archery
Mile Square Park | 9:00 & 10:45
Join Mile Square Park staff for a beginning archery course for first time archers! This course will include an introduction to the sport of archery and safety instruction. All archery equipment will be provided. Park in the overflow parking lot near the archery range. Must register online. FREE

National Cowboy Day
Knott’s Berry Farm | 10:00am – 5:30pm
It’s #NationalCowboyDay! Dress in your Western best and become a Citizen of Calico for a day of Ghost Town Alive! adventures. With special photo ops and a day jam-packed with Founders Day activities, you won’t want to miss a moment of celebrating, all culminating with our Hoedown at 5:30 p.m. in Calico Park!

Live Music in the Pavilion – Tyler Simmons
Bella Terra, Huntington Beach| 1:00 – 4:00pm
Enjoy live music from Tyler Simmons around the large fountain in the Pavilion Event Plaza. FREE

Live Music on the Green – Mike Schiavo
Bella Terra, Huntington Beach| 6:00 – 9:00pm
Bring your blanket, a chair, sit on the grass or find a seat in our newly finished Green area and enjoy live music from Mike Schiavo. FREE

Symphonies in the City
Village Green at Mission Viejo’s Oso Viejo Community Park | 4:00pm
Pack a picnic, grab a lawn chair or blanket and gather the family for an evening of free music and outdoor summer fun! Now a long-standing summer tradition, Symphony in the Cities (SITC) brings thousands of people together for great music and entertainment in local parks each year. The Musical Playground features many interactive and hands-on activities for children, including instrument making, a drum circle, an instrument petting zoo, and an opportunity to meet the musicians. And—back by popular demand—kids have the chance to learn how to conduct with Maestro St.Clair and later help lead the orchestra in Sousa’s “Hands Across the Sea” during the concert. FREE

Cypress Community Festival
Oak Knoll Park in Cypress | All Day
One of the largest one-day festival in Orange County that attracts over 20,000 people annually. This event includes an early morning 5K / 10K run, a pancake breakfast, car show, chili cook-off, family games, food booths, the Chamber of Commerce business expo, children’s rides, arts and crafts booths and four stages with continuous entertainment.

Seaweeds & Sea Creatures
Crystal Cove State Park | 9:00am
Explore the huge variety of seaweeds on a guided Seaweeds & Sea Creatures of Crystal Cove Beach Walk. There are countless species of marine algae; green, red, and brown found on the beach. Learn about the biology, ecology, and even human uses of seaweeds. Meet at Pelican Point parking lot #2 near the boardwalk (PCH coastward at Newport Coast, right at kiosk to the first lot.) $15 day use fee. FREE

Movies on the Beach
Newport Dunes | 7:30pm
Enjoy some classic and family friendly movies on the beach! Bring a lawn chair and a picnic and watch a movie under the stars on the sand. Food & drinks available for purchase at Moe B’s Corner. Movie screen located by Moe B’s Watersports. FREE

Free Crafts
Lakeshore Learning Centers Laguna Hills and Fountain Valley | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Make fun seasonal crafts. No reservations necessary FREE

Animal Feeding Day at Bolsa Chica Conservancy
Bolsa Chica Conservancy, Huntington Beach | 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Come join us to learn more about the animals at our interpretive center! During the feeding, we will cover feeding habits and general biology and anatomy of our reptiles and marine animals! *Please note: snake feedings involve live mice.* FREE

See Classic Cars at Donut Derelicts
Donut Derelicts
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. FREE

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Summer Movies!!!
Your guide to Summer Movies in the OC, including movies in the park, movies on the beach, summer movie programs and more!

2019 Orange County Summer Concerts!!!
Your guide to Orange County Summer Concerts in the Park!

CHOC Walk in the Park at Disneyland
Disneyland | 6:00am
Last day to sign up is Saturday afternoon! With your favorite Disney® characters cheering you on, celebrating children has never been so fun!
Experience Disney® as never before at the one and only walk to take place inside the Disneyland Resort.

Mysterious World of O’Neill Park
O’Neill Regional Park | 9:00am
Have you ever wondered, “Where are all the wild animals in the park?” Visit a Show and Share exhibit next to the Nature Center at O’Neill Regional Park and discover mysterious clues animals leave behind. Make a wild animal track mold. Enjoy nature, crafts and games. Show and Share exhibit activities from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Scavenger Hunt 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Meet at the Nature Center patio. FREE

Music and Movies
Irvine Spectrum Center| All Day
Come hang with us every Sunday in July and August at the Giant Wheel for Music & Movies. From 1pm – 5pm, enjoy music from a DJ and games. Then, at 7:30pm, grab a blanket and a friend and enjoy a movie under the Giant Wheel. FREE

Live Music on the Green – Sam Kiles
Bella Terra, Huntington Beach| noon – 3:00pm
Bring your blanket, a chair, sit on the grass or find a seat in our newly finished Green area and enjoy live music from Sam Kiles.

Ranger Led Hike
Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park | 8:00 – 9:15am
Join OC Parks rangers for a one-mile nature hike in the beautiful Bell Canyon area of Caspers Wilderness Park. The hike lasts approximately one hour and is suitable for all ages. Contact park office for hike updates. Parking: $5 per vehicle (day use fee). Meet at the Old Corral Day Use Area. FREE