What's up Laguna! Flood week hopefully winds down and the town flips to festival mode: Coast Film's 8th year opens Friday with films, music, and parties all over downtown. And the beach weather comes back, mid 80s by the weekend. Fair warning: the festival packs the calendar, so this email runs longer than usual.
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.
★ = family friendly
Wednesday 10/14
Willow Staging Area, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Wed, 8:30 to 11am
A beginner-friendly guided hike through Laurel Canyon with Canyon Foundation naturalists. Free, RSVP at
lagunacanyon.org.
Thursday 10/15
James Dilley Preserve, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Thu, 8:30 to 11am
A fast-paced conditioning hike with the Canyon Foundation, not for beginners. Free, RSVP at
lagunacanyon.org.
Friday 10/16
Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park Fri, 9 to 10:30am
A short guided nature walk for toddlers with Canyon Foundation naturalists.
The festival's opening night film: SURFILMUSIC, the documentary of Jack Johnson's path from surfer and filmmaker to musician, with two shorts alongside. The film ticket includes the opening party at SHACC at 9pm with live music from Solar Tropics. Advance sales are closed; the festival says to ask the box office at
boxoffice@coastfilmfestival.com, or catch the same program Oct 24 at the Festival of Arts via
coast2026.eventive.org.
From there the festival runs films and talks all day through Oct 25 at the Rivian, SHACC, the Cultural Arts Center, and more. The full schedule is at
coast2026.eventive.org.
The Breakers' Homecoming football game against Dana Hills, with the halftime show all the grades have been rehearsing. It's Spirit Week at the high school all week. Tickets at
gofan.co.
Saturday 10/17
The weekly farmers market in the Lumberyard lot: pumpkins and winter squash are taking over the stands. Free to wander.
A shopping morning at the inn: jewelry, matcha, the RITUALE home fragrance line, and the first in-person look at their Prosperity deck before it launches online the next day. Free to walk in.
A documentary about four Girl Scouts racing to be top sellers in the 800 million dollar cookie business, with guests in person. Free, reserve a seat at
coast2026.eventive.org.
The surf photography award show: work by young photographers from around the world, emceed by Chris Burkard, the award's first ever winner. Ticketed at
coast2026.eventive.org.
The school's annual Oktoberfest on the canyon campus: a live Bavarian band, German food and drinks. $20, under 3 free, tickets at
simpletix.com.
A 50th anniversary screening of Big Wednesday, the 1978 surf classic, with guests in person at the surf museum. Ticketed at
coast2026.eventive.org.
Glennwood House Sat, 4 to 7pm
The country-themed fundraiser gala for Glennwood House, Laguna's residential community for adults with developmental disabilities. Tickets via their site.
A live evening with adventure photographer Chris Burkard and two-time world champion surfer John John Florence, both there in person. Tickets at
coast2026.eventive.org.
Sunday 10/18
A one day photography workshop taught by adventure photographer Chris Burkard, part of the festival. Ticketed at
coast2026.eventive.org.
Meet spot on their IG Sun, 9am
The free Sunday morning group run, 3.5 and 4 mile options, all paces welcome.
A free group surf session hosted by the festival at the surf lodge. Just show up.
A screening of Native Sons, the documentary about the East LA band, with Los Lobos themselves in the room for it. Tickets at
coast2026.eventive.org.
Tuesday 10/20
Canyon View Park entrance, Aliso and Wood Canyons Tue, 8:30 to 11am
A guided wilderness walk where you might see deer, bobcats, and hawks with OC Parks and Canyon Foundation volunteers. Free, RSVP at
lagunacanyon.org.
A ribbon cutting for the city's first permanent Emergency Operations Center, the command room that fire, police, and city staff work from during disasters like last week's flooding. It gets dedicated to Matt Lawson, the longtime emergency preparedness advocate; no start time posted yet, check
the city's Instagram.
Meet spot on their IG Tue, 6:30pm
The free community evening group run, 3.5 to 5 mile options, all paces welcome.
All Week
Free live music on the resort's patio, every single night, fire pits included. Order a drink and stay a while.
Dinner with an ocean view and a soundtrack. Sundays the music runs 4 to 7pm.
Coast Film's Irvine Bowl weekend Oct 23 to 25, the festival's outdoor concert nights at the Irvine Bowl: Rainbow Body Friday, Ben Harper with Donavon Frankenreiter and Lily Meola Saturday, Amos Lee Sunday.
SHACC surfboard sale Sun Oct 25, the surf museum sells off boards from its collection for the first time ever, classics you can actually ride, right in the SHACC parking lot. $10 entry, members get early access, pre-purchase at
shacc.org.
• Downtown streets get worked on through mid-December Sidewalk replacement and roadway patching started October 12 across the Village streets, per the city. Expect cones downtown and give yourself extra parking time.
• The council candidates, one room The Chamber's City Council candidate forum is this Thursday, 6 to 9pm, in Council Chambers at 505 Forest Ave. Free, in person or watchable from home.
• The Pacific Marine Mammal Center is open again It reopened to the public Monday for the first time in 3 years after expanding its rescue and education facilities. It's open daily, 10am to 4pm; no patients are in house right now because of rescue seasonality.
• Outdoor dining stays, for now Restaurants with outdoor dining can apply for interim permits of up to 18 months while the city writes its permanent rules. Parking changes will go through community workshops first.
• The city wants your input on Ocean Ave and Beach St A town hall on proposed curb bump-outs, a wider Beach Street sidewalk, and landscaping runs Tuesday Oct 20, 5 to 7pm, in Council Chambers and on Zoom.
• Two Laguna hotels made Conde Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice awards Surf and Sand was named one of the Best Hotels in Southern California, and The Ranch made the Top 10 Resorts in Southern California.
Submit Event
