Find the best Orange County things to do for the weekend of April 6-9

Edited by Laura Okey

EVENTS
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
April 7-9. Watch a seven-race lineup headlined by the IndyCar Series with stars like Scott Dixon, Will Power, Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya behind the wheel. The event is packed with activities, food trucks, sports bars and more. Families will enjoy a fun zone with rock climbing walls, games and racing simulators. Look forward to live performances from Kings of Chaos starring Billy Idol, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park on Saturday night at the Rock-N-Roar concert. See website for schedule of events. See website for all prices. (Photo by Jeff Lewis.) 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, 562.981.2600. gplb.com

 

 

Night Nation Run
April 8. Dance along an illuminated 5k course featuring live music from various electronic music DJs. Celebrate completing the course at an after party, featuring surprise celebrity guest performers. General registration includes a Night Nation T-shirt, a race bib, a glow necklace, free giveaways and admission to the after party. 5-10 p.m. $60, children 8 and younger free. Parking $8. OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa; Angel Stadium, 2000 E. Gene Autry Way, Anaheim. nightnationrun.com

 

 

Angels Opening Day
April 7-9. For the team’s first home stand, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim go up against the Seattle Mariners. Angel Stadium, 2000 E. Gene Autry Way, Anaheim, 714.940.2000. losangeles.angels.mlb.com

 

 

 

Sabroso Craft Beer & Taco Festival
April 8. Indulge in over 100 craft beers and $3 gourmet tacos from some of OC’s best chefs and restaurants. Participating breweries include Modern Times, Bottle Logic and Bootleggers Brewery among others. Live performances include multi-platinum rock band The Offspring, along with Sum 41, Unwritten Law and more. New to this year’s festival, see world famous Lucha Libre USA Luchadors like Red Spider, La Golosa, Lady Lee and Mariachi Loco, who will take to the ring for four action packed qualifying matches, followed by a championship match. VIP Noon; General admission 1-9 p.m. Doheny State Beach, San Juan Capistrano. sabrosotacofest.com

 

 

FantaSea: Magic Festival
April 8. Jump on board the majestic Queen Mary for a magical day of entertainment. Get up close and personal with roaming magicians, learn a trick or two from expert performers and see performances from celebrity magicians. Additionally, see showcases of illusions, mind reading mentalists and more. Tour the ship with with a trained paranormal guide and visit the Queen Mary’s most notorious ghostly hot spots. Noon-6 p.m. Tickets start at $15. See website for more details. Parking $20. 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, 877.342.0738. queenmary.com

 

 

Gratitude Newport One Year Anniversary Celebration
April 9. Celebrate Gratitude Newport Beach’s one-year anniversary with food, fun and entertainment. The Newport Beach vegan mainstay offering 100 percent organic fare and cocktails will kick off the party with live music, delicious plant-based bites and craft cocktails. Of course, no party would be complete without birthday cake, as well as a surprise musical guest or two. RSVP recommended. 2-5 p.m. Free. Gratitude, 1617 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach, 949.386.8100. facebook.com

 

 

Clam Bake at Fish Camp
April 8. Head to Sunset Beach’s Fish Camp for its quarterly clam bake. Listen to live music by Carmine and enjoy games, prizes and of course—clams! For $25, enjoy a plate of fresh steamed lobsters, clams and mussels with corn on the cob and potatoes carried to your table and served traditionally. 4-8 p.m. Free admission. 6600 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 562.592.2267. samsfishcamp.com

 

 

When We Were Young
April 8-9. Head to the Observatory grounds for a long list of performances from bands reminiscent of when we were young. Among them are Taking Back Sunday, AFI, Morrissey, Descendents and so many more. See website for full weekend lineup. Tickets start at $60. 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana, 714.957.0600. whenwewereyoung.net

 

 

 

SoCal Corgi Nation Beach Day
April 8. Join the corgi craze at Huntington Dog Beach for this meet-up of corgi owners and corgi enthusiasts. Enter your corgi for the costume contest and limbo contest, stop by the kissing booth and take selfies at the Instagram meet and greet area. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Huntington Dog Beach, Goldenwest and Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 562.335.7674. surfcityusa.com

 

 

Yoga on the Deck
April 8. Join Curl Fitness for a free outdoor yoga class on the main deck at Lido Marina Village. Bring your water bottle and yoga mat and start your weekend surrounded by breathtaking views, all while strengthening your body and your mind. Arrive early to find your spot and to enjoy special offers, samples and discounts from merchants throughout Lido Marina Village. Special offers include an eight ounce complimentary juice from Juice Served Here, gift card raffles to Sweaty Betty and Charlie & Me, sample sachets from Aesop and much more. RSVP recommended. 10-11 a.m. Free. 3434 Via Lido, Newport Beach. eventbrite.com

 

 

Spring Fling at SOCO
April 9. Put a spring in your step with SOCO and The OC Mix’s 6th annual Spring Fling. Bring the family for fun activities like a scavenger hunt, a photo booth, face painting, kids crafting and an appearance from the Easter Bunny himself. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. 3313 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, 657.232.0920. southcoastcollection.com

 

 

 

Spring Trend Presentation
April 6. See this season’s trending apparel and accessories presented by Fashion Island’s personal shopper and stylist Sara Aplanalp. Enjoy Dior’s must-haves for spring followed by a special Marco Bicego trunk show. RSVP to personalshoppingstylists@irvinecompany.com. 5:30 p.m. Free. Bloomingdales at Fashion Island, 3rd Floor, 701 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.701.3166. shopfashionisland.com

 

 

 

Spring Hop Carousel Party
April 8. Enjoy free carousel rides, face painters, crafts by Storymakery and live entertainment at Irvine Spectrum’s Carousel Court. Delight in treats by Häagen-Dazs and California Pizza Kitchen while supplies last. 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Irvine Spectrum, 670 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine, 949.753.5118. shopirvinespectrumcenter.com

 

 

Bistango Art Exhibit Meet & Greet
April 8. Meet some of the region’s top artists at Bistango’s quarterly art exhibit unveiling. The critically acclaimed Irvine restaurant that doubles as an art gallery (and notably one of the best places in Orange County to purchase original art), will host artists such as photographer Tom Lamb, sculptors Jayne Reich and Steven Lustig and mixed media artist Mia Tavonatti. Curated by Antoinette Sullivan of Studio Gallery, the new works are by an acclaimed cast including Ellen Rose, Mel Andrews, Rene Romero, Steven Lustig, Melody Allen and Suzie Vuong. Pictured artwork by Tom Lamb. Space is limited and RSVP’s are encouraged by emailing info@bistango.com. 3-5 p.m. Free. Bistango, 19100 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, 949.752.5222. bistango.com

 

 

Fusion Academy Mission Viejo Art Show
April 6. See inspiring works of art during the annual Spring into Summer Art Show. From original sketches and expressive photography to live performances and a silent auction, you’ll see a wide display of creativity from the students of Fusion Academy. 6-8 p.m. Free. Fusion Academy Mission Viejo, 23456 Madero, Suite 140, Mission Viejo, 949.218.5454. ocfusionacademy.com

 

 

 

CONTINUING
Knott’s Boysenberry Festival
Through April 23. Celebrate the historic berry that put Knott’s Berry Farm on the map—the boysenberry! Knott’s Boysenberry Festival will feature countless one-of-a-kind boysenberry-inspired dishes, drinks and more, plus live entertainment for the entire family. Delicious treats include items such as boysenberry pizza with arugula and goat cheese, corn on the cob with boysenberry butter and mayo, freshly baked boysenberry fry bread. Also eat ribs, grilled chicken, alligator and more, all smothered in Knott’s very own farm-made Berry Market Boysenberry BBQ sauce. See online for ticket pricing and park hours throughout festival. Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 714.220.5200. knotts.com

 

 

Discovery Cube’s Bubblefest
Through April 16. Learn the science of bubbles at an indoor festival combining bubble artistry, real science and spellbinding lasers for the whole family. This year’s Bubblefest features performances by bubble artist Deni Yang in the Mega Bubblefest Laser Show. The world-famous performance artist combines music, lasers, lighting effects and bubble artistry to create a spectacular show for all ages. Create your own bubble art with wands, participate in science demonstrations, roll around in water spheres and more. Tickets start at $15. Discovery Cube, 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 714.542.2823. discoverycube.org

 

 

FOOD + DRINK
Umami Burger Artist Series: Cindy Crawford
Through May 12. Sink your teeth into Umami Burger’s latest creation within its artist series—Cindy’s Casa Burger. Created by supermodel Cindy Crawford, the burger is slightly spicy with jalapeno beef patties, miso mustard and tortilla chips tossed in a chilaquiles-style salsa brava and dusted with queso fresco. The burger is then topped with American cheese, caramelized onions, avocado spread, tomato and butter lettuce. Pair it with her husband Rande Gerber’s spicy margarita, also made exclusively for Umami Burger.The cocktail combines Casamigos Blanco, muddled serrano peppers, fresh lime juice, orange juice, housemade simple syrup and a PAMA infusion topped with Xicaru Mezcal,Cointreau foam and thinly sliced Serrano pepper. See website for all Orange County locations. 338 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, 714.991.8626; 2981 Bristol St., Suite B-2, Costa Mesa, 714.957.8626. umamiburger.com

 

 

Beast Feast at Cucina Enoteca
April 6. Head to Cucina Enoteca for a unique whole animal dinner. The night centers around dishes made from different cuts of a whole pig accompanied by seasonal smartly-sourced fruits and veggies. Menu highlights include roasted suckling pig with date agridulce, traviso and spicy pig ear salad and for dessert, sticky toffee pudding with bacon bourbon ice cream. See website for full menu. 6:30 p.m. $70. Fashion Isalnd, 951 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.706.1416. urbankitchengroup.com

 

 

ARTS + CULTURE
A Doll’s House, Part 2
April 9-30. Based on Henrik Ibsen’s classic three-act play, A Doll’s House, Part 2 delivers the aftermath. See what happens when Nora, a mother who left her husband and children, returns after 15 years. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $48. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.708.5555. scr.org