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The Last Weekend of Summer
September 3 through September 8, 2026
What's up Laguna! Sorry for the email being late this week. The ocean has been wild lately and another big swell peaks this holiday weekend. It's also the week summer wraps up: the Pageant takes its last bow Friday, the Sawdust and Art-A-Fair close Sunday, and Labor Day caps it all off.
Below you'll find this week's events, ways to give back, spots coming soon, the conditions, and some local news.
Here's what's going on in Laguna...
This Week
Surfer in a wave
Thursday 9/3
Rainbow Cone ribbon cutting
Rainbow Cone, 244 S Coast Hwy Thu, 11:30am to 12:30pm
A free ice cream social for the grand opening of Rainbow Cone, Chicago's stacked five flavor cone shop. Just show up.
Festival of Arts Fine Art Show, final day
650 Laguna Canyon Rd Thu, opens 4pm
The last day of the juried summer art show. Buy admission at the gate; Laguna residents free with ID.
Pageant of the Masters, final two nights
Irvine Bowl, 650 Laguna Canyon Rd Thu + Fri, 8:30pm
A stage show where real people hold perfectly still inside recreations of famous paintings. Two nights left this summer; tickets at foapom.com.
Farm tour at The Ranch
The Ranch, 31106 S Coast Hwy Thu, 11am to noon
A guided walk through the resort's working farm and chef's garden. Details and signup on their calendar.
Canyon Foundation fitness hike
Willow Staging Area, Laguna Canyon Rd Thu, 8:30 to 11am
A guided 6 mile trail hike with 1,150 feet of climbing, on the strenuous side. Free; RSVP at lagunacanyon.org.
Friday 9/4
The Greatest Party of All Time
Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Rd Fri, from 5:30pm
The Pageant's closing night party hosted by Esai Morales, then the final 8:30 show where the living pictures break pose and move. Requires a Sep 4 Pageant ticket; foapom.com.
Tijuana Dogs
Ivan'z House at Mozambique, 1740 S Coast Hwy Fri, 9pm
A high energy party cover band in the upstairs music room. Tickets from $26 via mozambiqueoc.com.
Saturday 9/5
Jedidiah fall patio party
Jedidiah Coffee, 397 N Coast Hwy Sat, 1 to 4pm
A patio party at the coffee shop with a DJ and the debut of their fall menu. Free, just show up.
Sunday 9/6
Sawdust Festival, final day
935 Laguna Canyon Rd Sun, 11am to 8pm
The last day of the Sawdust's 60th summer festival: 180 Laguna artists, live music, and glassblowing. Admission at the gate.
Art-A-Fair, final day
777 Laguna Canyon Rd Sun, closes 6pm
The festival's final day, with live music from noon. Admission at the gate; Laguna residents free with ID.
Labor Day Weekend BBQ
Laguna Presbyterian, 415 Forest Ave Sun, 11:30am to 1pm
A community barbecue on the church patio. Everyone welcome, just show up.
Monday 9/7
Labor Day
Around town Mon
Banks, the library, and the Food Pantry are closed, and the beaches will be packed. Fernando Noronha plays The Drake at 5:30pm if you want a holiday dinner soundtrack.
Tuesday 9/8
Last day at Driftwood Kitchen and The Deck
Pacific Edge Hotel, 647 S Coast Hwy Tue, last day
The final day of service for both restaurants before the hotel's redevelopment. One last meal over the sand if you want it.
Canyon Foundation discovery hike
Canyon View Staging, Aliso and Wood Canyons Tue, 8:30 to 11am
A guided morning trail hike through Aliso and Wood Canyons. Free; RSVP at lagunacanyon.org.
Laguna Run Club
Downtown, meet spot on their Instagram Tue 6:30pm + Sun 9am
A free group run with 3.5 to 5 mile route options, all paces welcome. Just show up.
All week
Last week of the free trolley
Coastal and Canyon routes Through Mon
The free summer trolley's final week; service ends after Labor Day. Ride it to the festival finales while it lasts.
Weekly Favorites
Laguna Farmers Market
Farmers Market
Lumberyard lot, 521 Forest Ave Sat 8am to noon
The weekly farmers market and maybe our favorite hour of the week: local produce, flowers, and prepared food. The first apples are in; figs and grapes are finishing.
Live music at The Porch
The Ranch, 31106 S Coast Hwy Nightly, 4 to 8pm
Free live music on the resort's patio, every single night, fire pits included. Order a drink and stay a while.
Sawdust art classes, final days
Sawdust grounds, 935 Laguna Canyon Rd Daily through Sun
Drop in art classes at the Sawdust: throw a pot, blow glass, print a shirt. They end with the festival Sunday; schedule at sawdustartfestival.org.
Live music at The Cliff
The Cliff, 577 S Coast Hwy 6 nights a week
Live music at the restaurant's ocean view patio. Go before sunset, thank us after.
Tickets On Sale Now
Laguna trolley
Coast Film and Music Festival
Rivian theater + Irvine Bowl Oct 16 to 25
Single night tickets are out for the Irvine Bowl concerts: Ben Harper, Amos Lee, Aloe Blacc, and Donavon Frankenreiter, Oct 23 to 25. At eventive.org.
Silent disco at Camel Point
Camel Point Beach Sundays, Sep 13 on
A headphone dance party on the sand, Sunday afternoons through late October. RSVP through @beu_collective.
Taste of Laguna
Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Rd Thu Oct 1
The chamber's big food and music night: bites from 30 plus Laguna restaurants, drinks, and live bands. 21 and up; tickets at lagunabeachchamber.org.
Give Back to Laguna
Dad helping his son carry a surfboard
This week
Laguna Canyon Foundation hikes
Willow and Canyon View staging areas Thu + Tue, 8:30 to 11am
Free volunteer led guided hikes, Thursday and Tuesday mornings (details up in This Week). RSVP at lagunacanyon.org.
Weekday mornings
Laguna Food Pantry
20652 Laguna Canyon Rd Tue to Fri, 7:30 to 10:45am
Volunteer shifts at the free grocery pantry: sorting food and handing it out to neighbors. Closed Labor Day Monday; ages 14 and up, application at lagunafoodpantry.org.
Signups open now
Become a tidepool docent
Heisler Park and Shaws Cove tidepools Training Sun Sep 13
The Laguna Ocean Foundation trains the volunteers who teach visitors what they're looking at in the tidepools. Ages 18 and up; sign up at lagunaoceanfoundation.org.
Coastal Cleanup Day
Aliso Beach + Crystal Cove Sat Sep 19, 9am
The statewide beach cleanup morning, with local sites at Aliso Beach and Crystal Cove. Signups open now at lagunaoceanfoundation.org.
Pacific Marine Mammal Center
20612 Laguna Canyon Rd Ongoing
The seal and sea lion rescue center opened new volunteer roles. See what's available at pacificmmc.org.
Homework Club 325
Laguna Presbyterian, 415 Forest Ave Mondays from Sep 21
A free Monday afternoon homework help program for local kids. Volunteer tutor and student registration are both open now.
Save the date
Love Laguna Beach service day
Kickoff at the Susi Q, 380 Third St Sat Oct 3, 8am
The annual town wide volunteer morning, with project sites all over Laguna. More details as it gets closer.
Coming Soon to Laguna
The Laguna Greeter
SHACC grand opening, Sep 18 to 20
The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center opens its new home at 239 Bro​adway in two weeks: ribbon cutting Friday, free open house Saturday morning, and a ticketed gala Sunday. Gala tickets at shacc.org.
Laguna Longevity Lab
A new wellness studio cuts its ribbon September 10 with the chamber.
Loomey's Toys, new home
The toy shop's countdown to its new storefront continues. Still no address or date announced.
Truly Bagels
The team behind Truly Pizza is still building out the bagel shop at 31727 Coa​st Hwy in South Laguna, the old Ti Amo space. No open date yet.
Coast Gallery x Arcade la Tour
The gallery is teasing a collaboration with the French arcade brand. No details yet.
Local Conditions
Golf cart
Surf
A long period south swell builds all week: small Thursday, then chest to head high Saturday through Labor Day at the south facing breaks, easing Tuesday. Aliso's west lot is closed from surf damage and it's been a rough summer in the water, so swim near lifeguards this weekend. Water around 73.
THU
9/3
2-3ft
15s
FRI
9/4
3-4ft
16s
SAT
9/5
4-5ft
17s
SUN
9/6
4-6ft
17s
MON
9/7
4-6ft
16s
TUE
9/8
3-4ft
14s
Weather
Sunny and mid 70s Thursday and Friday, then warmer for the holiday weekend, into the mid 80s. The only real rain chance is Sunday. Nights around 70.
THU
9/3
sunny
76°
61°
FRI
9/4
sunny
78°
61°
SAT
9/5
sunny
86°
70°
SUN
9/6
rain chance
83°
74°
MON
9/7
sunny
86°
71°
TUE
9/8
partly cloudy
84°
70°
Crowds
Labor Day weekend, the festival finales, warm beach weather, and a swell, all at once. Expect the year's last big crowd surge through Monday; the town exhales Tuesday.
Tourist-O-Meter
Tourist-O-Meter
MellowPacked
In Season
The first apples are at Saturday's market, figs and grapes are finishing, and melons and sweet corn are still everywhere.
Local Wildlife
Grunion runs return next week, Sep 11 to 14, late nights on the flat sandy beaches. Dolphins are still working the surf line most mornings.
(facts only) Laguna News (facts only)
Main Beach lifeguard tower
•  Izakaya Sora is open A new Japanese small plates spot at 220 Bea​ch St, the old Salerno's space, from chef Sota Akiyama, who rebuilt here after losing his last restaurant to a fire.
•  Driftwood Kitchen and The Deck close Tuesday Both Pacific Edge Hotel restaurants serve their last day Sep 8 ahead of the hotel's planned redevelopment.
•  Mayur's farewell continues The Indian restaurant, closing after 42 years, still hasn't announced a final day.
•  The historic homes list is staying, for now The city wanted to retire its 1981 list of about 700 older Laguna homes with historic status. A court just said it can't do that without reviewing each home first.
•  Ocean Ave is the city's next downtown project The proposal: wider sidewalks and safer crossings on Ocean Ave, with no trees removed, per the city. It would follow the Promenade work.
•  The Planning Commission reviewed those plans Wednesday The main concern residents raised: keeping the downtown street trees. No decision has been published yet.
•  Council race season is on Term limits are the issue splitting candidates, and forums are running around town, including KXFM's potluck forum next Tuesday.
That's it for this week, see you out there!
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