Wine and food festivals, harbor cruises with pups, a cooking class… Here are the top Orange County weekend events for April 25-28.
Edited by Whitney Lauren Han.
EVENTS
Southern California Spring Garden Show
April 25-28. Landscape designers partner with home stores to create Southern California lifestyle displays that provide inspiration for your own house and garden. Activities include cooking classes conducted by chefs from South Coast Plaza restaurants, a tour of palm varieties around the shopping resort and more than 70 complimentary seminars. Th-F 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sa 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Su 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Free. Crate and Barrel/Macy’s Home Store wing, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa, 800.782.8888. southcoastplaza.com
Back to the Beach Festival
April 27-28. Dig your toes into the sand for a family-friendly weekend festival at Huntington State Beach featuring music, food, drinks and local artisans in the vendor village. The entertainment lineup includes blink-182, the Used, Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, the Story So Far, Anthony Green, Streetlight Manifesto, the Aquabats, Less Than Jake and the Wonder Years. VIP Lounge for ages 21+. Noon-9 p.m. $40-$249.50 GA; free for children under 10 (with paid adult admission). 21601 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach. backtothebeachfest.com
Butter, Flower, Sugar with Danielle Keene
April 27. Learn from Danielle Keene, owner of the Sheila Mae dessert-based catering company and Top Chef: Just Desserts finalist, as she shows you how to embrace flower power and add a floral twist to your favorite sweet treats. 2-4 p.m. Free. Stonewall Kitchen, Macy’s South Coast Plaza Home Store, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa. Tickets
Earth Day Celebration
April 27-28. Families celebrate Earth Day and learn simple, everyday tips to protect the environment. They can visit booths from various earth-friendly organizations and participate in hands-on learning demonstrations for all ages. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free with Aquarium admission ($30 adults, $18 ages 3-11). 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, 562.590.3100. aquariumofpacific.org
OC STEAM Fest
April 27. Come one, come all to learn, discover and play at this exciting community event featuring games and activities related to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math). The event includes human foosball, dancing robots, Lego engineering, virtual reality, live performances and food trucks. 2-7 p.m. $10 presale online for children ages 4-17, $15 at the door, free for adults and children 3 and under. Orange County Great Park, 6950 Marine Way, Irvine, 949.263.8340. ipsf.net
Dogs on Deck Cruise
April 28. Bring your pooch aboard for a lunch cruise in scenic Newport Beach Harbor. Furry friends enjoy pet snacks sponsored by Petco on the sun deck of the yacht; wine, beer and cocktails are available for purchase. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Best Friends Animal Society. Boards at noon; cruise from 12:30-2:30 p.m. $65 adults, free for dogs. Hornblower South, 2431 W. Pacific Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.631.2469. hornblower.com
Slime Bonanza
April 28. Orange County’s ooey-gooiest event returns to the District at Tustin Legacy to celebrate all things slime. Special-edition slimes are available for purchase from some of SoCal’s most popular slime-creators and personalities. Attendees are encouraged to bring their homemade slimes to enter into a contest or to trade among fellow slime lovers; the event also includes slime-making demos. Noon-3 p.m. $20 GA, $45 VIP, $5 Parent Pass. Valet station at The District, 2437 Park Ave., Tustin, 714.259.9090. Tickets
FOOD + DRINK
Vegan Omakase
Now Available. Taste an array of vegan nigiri, rolls and other vibrant plant-based dishes at Sushi Roku. Four courses include organic kale salad, the santen mori appetizers trio and avocado vegan chocolate mousse. Among third-course entrée options are tofu steak with mixed mushroom tobonyaki, four-piece vegan nigiri and vegan roll, and grilled avocado with ponzu. $40 per guest (available at lunch and dinner). Fashion Island, 327 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.706.3622. sushiroku.com
California Wine Festival
April 26-27. Sip on fine wines and enjoy a variety of delicacies at this elegant VIP event by the ocean for true fine-wine loversat the Dana Point Yacht Club. F 6:30-9 p.m., Sa 1-4 p.m. $70-$110 single day, $175 two-day, $35 designated driver. Friday: Dana Point Yacht Club, 24399 Dana Drive; Saturday: Lantern Bay Park, 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point. californiawinefestival.com
Hundred Acre Dinner with the Winemaker
April 26. Join Hundred Acre owner and winemaker Jayson Woodbridge for an intimate wine dinner featuring his Napa Valley wines, including cult favorites such as the opulent Cabernet Sauvignon that made the label famous. Wines will be paired with six seasonally inspired courses from Andrea’s chef de cuisine. Call for reservations. 6:30 p.m. $795. The Resort at Pelican Hill, 22701 Pelican Hill Road South, Newport Coast, 888.507.6427. pelicanhill.com
Spice Box Cooking Class
April 27. Adya chef-owner Shachi Mehra digs deep into the complexities of Indian spices and shares her secrets to making great Indian dishes that you can recreate in your kitchen. At the end of the class, guests take a traditional Indian spice box home (left). 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $55. Anaheim Packing House, 440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, 714.533.2392. adyaoc.com
Knott’s Boysenberry Festival
Through April 28. Make merry at America’s first theme park at the annual boysenberry fest. Indulge in more than 75 one-of-a-kind boysenberry-inspired dishes and drinks—plus samplings of ribs, grilled chicken, alligator and other dishes smothered in Knott’s boysenberry barbecue sauce. See website for prices and park hours. Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 714.220.5200. knotts.com
Taste of Huntington Beach
April 28. Sampling from more than 50 local restaurants in Huntington Beach, local breweries and California wineries and live entertainment by the Ramsey Brothers Band. VIP reception 11 a.m.-noon, GA noon-4 p.m. $60 GA, $80 VIP. HB Sports Complex, 18100 Goldenwest Ave., Huntington Beach. tastehb.com
ARTS + CULTURE
Art of Adorning Bead Bazaar
April 27. View hand-made creations by more than 60 art jewelers as well as importers and distributors of historic and contemporary beads, fabrics, fashion items, clothing and buttons. Vendors at the 25th annual gathering of artisans from across SoCal share their one-of-a-kind creations; they also offer kits that allow individuals to fashion their own bead masterpieces. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free; museum admission not included. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 714.567.3600. bowers.org
Day of Design
April 27. Explore spring trends at this all-day crafts event. Attend workshops and sessions that introduce new and upcoming products, collections, styles and concepts in home design. Participating showrooms include Pirch, Cisco Home, Design Within Reach, Hay, Timothy Oulton, Brown Jordan and Ligne Roset. The first 75 guests to arrive at check-in get a complimentary Day of Design swag bag. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $25. SOCO & the OC Mix, 3303 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa. socodayofdesign.com
Earth Day Celebration photo by Aquarium of the Pacific. OC STEAM fest photo courtesy Irvine Public Schools Foundation. Dogs on Deck Cruise photo by Hornblower Cruises & Event. Slime Bonanza photo courtesy FWD PR. California Wine Festival photo by Luis Esparza. Hundred Acre Dinner with the Winemaker photo courtesy Pelican Hill. Spice Box Cooking Class photo courtesy ADYA. Knott’s Boysenberry Festival photo by Knott’s Berry Farm. Taste of Huntington Beach photo by Kait McKay. Art of Adorning Bead Bazaar photo courtesy Bowers Museum. Day of Design photo courtesy Kitchen Table Marketing + PR.
