What's up Laguna! Congrats to Avalon Gall, an LB local, on winning the US Open of Surfing longboard title!
School starts Thursday and the festivals are into their final weeks. Below you'll find this week's events, ways to give back, spots coming soon, the conditions, some local news, and a bit of Laguna lore.
This Week
Wednesday 8/19
A free storytime hour for toddlers, this one about life on ocean reefs, with a VR dive simulation and an underwater robot photo op. RSVP at
events.rivian.com.
Friday 8/21
A three time Grammy nominated blues rock band in the little room above Mozambique, a legit touring act in a 200 person venue. Tickets from about $42 at
ticketweb.com.
Saturday 8/22
A morning popup from the surf brand ADAMÓ at the coffee shop: surf inspired drinks, clothes, and music, with pieces made just for the day. Free, walk in.
Willbo, downtown Laguna Sat, 3 to 9pm
The third annual end of summer party from the Willbo crew: food, drink, live music, and local vendors. 300 spots total; grab yours at
partiful.com.
A screening of the 1971 motorcycle classic, hosted by Troy Lee and Dana Brown, son of the film's director. Happy hour at the Troy Lee store at 5, then the film at the Rivian theater; free, sign up at
events.rivian.com.
Sunday 8/23
A live art competition at the festival: exhibiting artists go head to head in a paint off while pianists share the stage. Included with admission, and free for residents with ID.
All week
All three art festivals
All three on Laguna Canyon Rd Daily
The final stretch: all three wrap in early September, and all three are free for Laguna residents with ID.
An art festival where 180 Laguna artists sell handmade work, with live music, glassblowing, and a beer garden under the eucalyptus. Opens 11am daily through Sep 6.
An art show where 120 juried OC artists sell their work, many painting right at their booths so you can watch. Through Sep 3; opens 4pm weekdays, 11am weekends.
An art festival with artists from around the country, plus margaritas and drop in classes. The mellowest of the three; through Sep 6, open 10am daily.
A stage show where real people hold perfectly still inside life size recreations of famous paintings, and somehow it works. Through Sep 4; tickets at
foapom.com, and every ticket doubles as a season pass to the Fine Art Show.
Weekly Favorites
The weekly farmers market and maybe our favorite hour of the week: local produce, flowers, and prepared food. Figs and grapes are peaking, with melons, corn, and late peaches right behind.
Free live music on the resort's patio, every single night, fire pits included. Order a drink and stay a while.
Drop in art classes at the Sawdust: throw a pot, blow glass, print a shirt, and take home the thing you made. Schedule at
sawdustartfestival.org.
Live music at the restaurant's ocean view patio. Go before sunset, thank us after.
Tickets On Sale Now
The Pageant's one night season finale: a Beatles tribute on the Festival Green at 6, then a special 8:30 Pageant where the living pictures finally break pose and move. Tickets at
foapom.com.
Give Back to Laguna
Saturday 8/22
The fourth Saturday beach cleanup: an hour of picking up Main Beach with coffee, donuts, and all the gear provided by Laguna United Methodist Church. Just show up, everyone's welcome.
Weekday mornings
Volunteer shifts at the free grocery pantry: sorting food and handing it out to neighbors. Ages 14 and up; application first.
An update
Last week this section asked you to help Hannah from the Hobie shop. You showed up: her GoFundMe blew past the original $55K goal and sits at $62K and climbing. It stays open if you'd still like to chip in.
Coming Soon to Laguna
Surfing Heritage & Culture Center
The surf museum's crew is building out 239 Broadway now, aiming to open later this year with over 500,000 pieces of surf history, the largest collection anywhere.
Dinner at Kitchen in the Canyon
It happened: the canyon breakfast and lunch spot at 845 Laguna Canyon Rd now serves dinner nightly until 9, bold Mexican menu included.
OC Bare Skin Spa
A new day spa just opened at 1400 S Coast Hwy: facials, waxing, and Korean lash lifts, with a $75 first timer facial to start.
Truly Bagels
The team behind Truly Pizza is working on a bagel shop for South Laguna at 31727 Coast Hwy, the old Ti Amo space. Still no open date.
Local Conditions
Surf
Waist high with some chest high sets early in the week, dipping a touch midweek, then building back Sunday into Monday. It's a shorter period windswell mix, so a bit crumbly; water stays warm, low 70s, with moderate rip currents.
TUE 8/18 2-4ft 11s | WED 8/19 2-4ft 10s | THU 8/20 2-3ft 10s | FRI 8/21 2-3ft 12s | SAT 8/22 2-3ft 12s | SUN 8/23 2-4ft 10s | MON 8/24 2-4ft 10s |
Weather
Steady as it gets: 77 and mostly sunny through Friday with a little patchy morning fog midweek, then sliding gently to the mid 70s by Monday. Nights in the high 60s all week.
TUE 8/18  77° 66° | WED 8/19 77° 67° | THU 8/20 77° 67° | FRI 8/21 77° 68° | SAT 8/22 76° 68° | SUN 8/23 75° 67° | MON 8/24 74° 66° |
Crowds
| School starts Thursday, so weekday crowds finally ease. Weekends are another story: perfect beach weather and four festivals in their final stretch keep Saturday and Sunday busy downtown and in the canyon. | Tourist-O-Meter  |
In Season
Figs and grapes at their peak, late peaches and nectarines hanging on, and sweet corn and melons everywhere at Saturday's market.
Local Wildlife
Dolphins are cruising just past the surf line all week, easiest to spot from the Heisler Park bluffs in the morning glass. The grunion are resting up: no runs this week, with the season's next ones coming Aug 28 to 30.
(facts only) Laguna News (facts only)
• A Laguna surfer won the US Open Avalon Gall took the women's longboard title at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, and with it the No. 1 ranking on the world longboard tour. Congrats Avalon!
• The Deck and Driftwood Kitchen are closing Both oceanfront restaurants serve their last day September 8; the Pacific Edge Hotel property they sit on is being redeveloped. Final crew shirts are on sale at both, with proceeds going to the staff.
• The police chief on drones and e-bikes Chief Jeff Calvert says the department's new first responder drones can reach a scene in under a minute, and an August 10 traffic operation stopped 124 vehicles for 184 violations.
• Term limits are on the November ballot The measure would cap council members at two consecutive four year terms with a break required after; organizers turned in 2,227 verified signatures to qualify it.
Laguna Lore
| Since school starts Thursday: Laguna's first schoolhouse was an 1883 chapel that doubled as the village school and got moved around town as Laguna grew. When the new Park Ave school opened in 1908 (pictured top, around 1918, on the ground where the high school stands today), hotel owner Joe Yoch bought the old schoolhouse, hauled it to Catalina Street, and donated it to the Catholic church, naming it St. Catherine's after his wife. The parish that little chapel started later built the St. Catherine's church pictured below it. Laguna never threw its first school away; it just kept giving it new jobs. |  |
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