Drag Me to Brunch, Festival of Arts, Knife Pleat now open, and more…. Here are the top Orange County weekend events for July 4-7.

Edited by Whitney Lauren Han.

EVENTS

Kawaii Slime Show
July 6. Calling all slime fans! A new slime convention at the Hilton Anaheim features live slime demos, buying and trading slime, and meet-and-greets with YouTube slime celebrities Talisa Tossell and Nichole Jackylne. Also offered are a free slime-making station, a huge slime play room, a class with slime stars, music by DJ Livia, contests, raffles and giveaways. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. $20-$100. Hilton Anaheim, 777 W. Convention Way, Anaheim. kawaiislimeshow.com

 

 

Drag Me to Brunch
July 7. Have a mimosa and a fabulous time with acclaimed drag entertainers at Mozambique’s monthly brunch extravaganza. Guest talents include Willemina Caviar, G Licious G, Raquel Blake and Shae Shae Lareese, who bring celebrity impersonations, high-energy dance, comedy and drama. Ages 18+. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $45 presale, $55 at the door. 1740 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.715.7777. mozambiqueoc.com

 

 

FOURTH OF JULY

Hornblower Cruises & Events
July 4. Celebrate Fourth of July on the water in Newport Beach. Choose from the Old Glory Boat Parade brunch with free-flowing champagne, a lavish buffet and live entertainment, or a buffet dinner cruise complete with a DJ, libations and an all-American buffet. See website for departure times. Buffet Dinner Cruise: $115; Brunch cruise: $75; Observation Cruise: $78. 2431 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.650.2412. hornblower.com

 

 

 

Independence Day on the Bay
July 4. Come to the Back Bay for the annual Fourth of July celebration at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina. Enjoy a jam-packed day of live music from top tribute bands, an inflatable aquatic park, food trucks and the acclaimed fireworks finale. Doors open at 2 p.m., 2:30-10 p.m. Free GA, $60 VIP table seating, $50 per car (street parking also available). 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach, 800.765.7661. newportdunes.com

 

 

 

The Queen Mary
July 4. Let freedom ring aboard the majestic Queen Mary with an Independence Day full of live entertainment, delicious food, strolling performers, carnival activities, arts and crafts and other family-friendly activities. The red, white and blue celebration is a shipwide event, culminating with fireworks over the shining sea. Considered one of SoCal’s best displays, the Queen Mary’s 15-minute fireworks show takes place off the stern at 9 p.m. and in sync to patriotic music. 3-10 p.m. $49 adults, $29 ages 4-11, $119 VIP. 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, 877.342.0742. queenmary.com

 

 

FOOD + DRINK

Knife Pleat
Now Open. The highly anticipated new restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred chef Tony Esnault and restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi features contemporary French dishes on the Penthouse level at South Coast Plaza. Menu highlights include escargot ravioli featuring wild Burgundy snails with porcini, black garlic and watercress; chilled Norway lobster with radish, green papaya, mango and coconut-lemongrass espuma; and Crescent Duck Farm breast and leg confit with Swiss chard, Tokyo turnip and pickled rhubarb. Tu-Sa 5:30-9 p.m. 3333 Bristol St., Suite 3001, Costa Mesa, 714.266.3388. knifepleat.com

 

 

Andrei’s 10th Anniversary Menu
Now Available. Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails, which opened a decade ago on Bastille Day, offers 10 of its signature items, each priced at $10, through July 13. The menu features gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian-friendly options, a multi-dessert tasting, and a Bastille Day cocktail. Andrei’s is donating 20 percent of all sales for the month to the nonprofit Miracles for Kids. M-F 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Sa 11 a.m.-9 p.m. 2607 Main St., Irvine, 949.387.8887. andreisrestaurant.com

 

 

Summer Menu at Five Crowns
Now Available. Executive chef Alejandra Padilla unveils a vibrant menu featuring 16 seasonal items, among them ricotta ravioli, stone fruit and burrata, and soft shell crab (pictured). New dessert options include coconut pie and chocolate cherry cake. Su-Th 5-9 p.m., F-Sa 5-11 p.m. 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona Del Mar, 949.717.4322. thefivecrowns.com

 

 

 

Golden Egg Contest
July 6. The Crack Shack has hatched a scheme in celebration of National Fried Chicken Day. Be on the lookout for a golden egg hidden in a 5-piece or 10-piece order of fried chicken. Find it and you win a catered fried chicken party for 15 guests courtesy of the Crack Shack. If you find a silver egg, you get a free chocolate chip cookie. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. 196 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, 949.383.5040. crackshack.com

 

 

National Fried Chicken Day
July 6. Mark the fun food holiday with finger-lickin’ new fried chicken offerings at Burnt Crumbs and Burntzilla. Burnt Crumbs offers a Nashville hot chicken sandwich and its acclaimed Southern fried chicken sandwich. Burntzilla, also a fast-casual concept, has slider versions of both on King’s Hawaiian rolls as well as fried chicken tots! Burnt Crumbs: Pacific City, 21058 Pacific Coast Hwy., Suite M100, Huntington Beach, 714.374.0777; Los Olivos Marketplace, 8549 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, 949.502.5998. Burntzilla: 14413 Culver Drive, Irvine, 949.392.5995. burntcrumbs.com | burntzilla.com

 

ARTS + CULTURE

Festival of Arts
Begins July 5. Art lovers enjoy a breathtaking showcase for artists at California’s longest-running outdoor fine-art exhibition. The Festival of Arts features juried works by 140 artists in a wide variety of media including paintings, photography, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry, handcrafted wood, ceramics and glass. Also: nightly live music, jazz concerts, guided art tours, demonstrations and art workshops. M-F noon-11:30 p.m., Sa-Su 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. $5-$15. 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.494.1145. foapom.com

 

 

Artist Reception: Judit Csotsits
July 6. Avran Fine Art presents Undercurrents, featuring original acrylic work by Hungarian-born artist Judit Csotsits. Attendees can meet Csotsits and learn more about her work and technique at the opening reception that includes appetizers and wine. Please send your RSVP—not required but appreciated—to margo@avranart.com. 6-9 p.m. 540 S. Coast Hwy., Suite 106, Laguna Beach, 949.494.0900. avranart.com

 

 

 

Pageant of the Masters
July 7-Aug. 31. The renowned production of tableaux vivants (“living pictures”) presents faithful re-creations of classical and contemporary works of art. Real—and very still—people pose to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. This summer’s production is themed The Time Machine. Live narration and a full orchestra accompany each full-stage vignette. Daily 8:30 pm. $15-$178. 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.494.1145. foapom.com

 

Photos: Kawaii Slime courtesy Visit Anaheim. Drag Me to Brunch courtesy Mozambique. Hornblower Fourth of July courtesy Hornblower Cruises & Events. Independence Day on the Bay, Summer Menu at Five Crowns, Queen Mary courtesy the ACE Agency. Knife Pleat and Andrei’s courtesy Moxxe PR. The Crack Shack courtesy Bay Bird Inc. Festival of Arts and Pageant courtesy Festival of Arts. Artist Reception courtesy Avran FIne Art.