Autumn Brings a New Season of Arts and Culture to Orange County
- Culture OC Staff
- 11 hours ago
- 23 min read
Fall 2025 offers audiences everything from adventurous debuts to time-tested favorites across the O.C. arts and culture scene.
We’re excited to share with you our writers’ picks for notable events in theater, dance, visual arts, food, culture and music for fall 2025.
Culture OC’s talented team of arts and culture writers has scanned the schedules, communicated with the presenting organizations and culled the calendars to bring you the best of fall 2025 – and, in some cases, a peek at what’s coming up in 2026. While some groups are relying on safe, bankable productions, others are pushing the envelope and hoping to attract audiences seeking something different.
Here’s a look at what’s coming up in the Orange County arts and culture scene this autumn. And if we missed something important, please let us know.
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Theater
With several local theaters building new spaces, looking for new homes or cutting back on programming, there may be fewer plays scheduled for the rest of 2025, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some potential gems in the mix. The five that make the short list include plays written by three of the most heralded contemporary American playwrights and tackle weighty concerns like organized religion and faith, what the U.S. Constitution means and the immigrant experience, and two others are part of a theater initiative that gives marginalized voices a forum. – Joel Beers
‘What the Constitution Means to Me’
When: Oct. 3 through Oct. 26. 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays
Where: Chance Theatre, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim
Admission: $12-$42
Contact: 888-455-4212; chancetheater.com
Heidi Schreck’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize-nominated play blends personal history with civic critique and examines how the nation’s founding document has shaped – and failed – generations of Americans, especially women. It felt relevant when it premiered in 2017 and became a hit on Broadway in 2019; in 2025, as battles over reproductive rights, voting access and the limits of free speech intensify, its interrogation of who – and what – the Constitution protects feels more urgent and timelier than ever.
‘Heart Sellers’
When: Oct. 26-Nov. 16. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays
Where: South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Circle Drive, Costa Mesa.
Admission: $23-$122
Contact: 714-708-5555; scr.org
In May 2024, South Coast Repertory hosted the Steinberg/ACTA awards presentation, one of the most prestigious playwriting laurels in the country. Lloyd Suh won for best new play and 17 months later it will be produced by the theater. It’s set eight years after the 1965 Hart-Celler Act reshaped U.S. immigration. On a lonely Thanksgiving night, a Filipina and a Korean woman meet, share wine, and spark a friendship that wrestles with identity, isolation and the absurdities of building a new life in America.
‘The Christians’
When: Nov. 14-23. 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Where: Irvine United Congregational Church, 4915 Anton Parkway, Irvine
Admission: $37.50; $27.50 students
Contact: 949-378-0706; info@thewaywardartist.org
In the county that helped spawn the megachurch, producing Lucas Hnath’s 2015 play is nothing short of daring. But the Wayward Artist’s decision to stage a play about a church on the verge of tearing apart and that asks some searing questions about faith and authority, in a new home, the Irvine United Congregational Church, even if it is progressively oriented, borders on jaw-droppingly audacious.
‘Amplify’
When: 5 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 21 and Oct. 19
Where: Brea Curtis Theatre, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea
Admission: $12-$20
Contact: 714-990-77822; www.cityofbrea.gov/1594/Curtis-Theatre
Amplify is an initiative created around 2020 designed to increase inclusivity in the theater by choosing plays written by, or centered around, members of communities who have long been marginalized in American theater. Three plays are chosen each season by an advisory board and are staged for one night. The two upcoming productions, both one-person shows, include Jo Yuan’s “Something Old, Something New. Something Tesla. Something True,” in which a woman looking for answers must rely on two unreliable narrators: her mother, who was born in Shanghai, China, and her father, born in Busan, South Korea.
The second is “Eleanor’s Story,” Ingrid Gardner’s adaptation of her grandmother’s memoir about growing up as an American teenager trapped in Nazi Germany. Gardner both adapted and stars in the show.
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Dance
Orange County's fall dance season unfolds as a compelling dialogue between history and the future. This year, the season lineup is pointing to a fascinating through-line: performances that invite both reflection, through emotionally resonant classics, and reinvention through fresh voices and innovative interpretations.
And yes, come December, “The Nutcracker” returns in familiar guise. Festival Ballet Theatre at the Irvine Barclay, Anaheim Ballet at the Grove of Anaheim and American Ballet Theatre at Segerstrom continue to charm holiday revelers. But before sugar plum magic takes over, here are four performances to explore. – Kaitlin Wright
Limón Dance Company
When: 8 p.m. Sept. 25
Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine
Cost: Tickets start at $39
Contact: thebarclay.org or 949-854-4646
Founded in 1946 by José Limón, the company is one of the oldest and most respected modern dance ensembles in the country. Limón’s choreography was groundbreaking in its time for its sweeping use of weight, breath and gesture, but it has endured because of its emotional clarity and human themes.
Today, under artistic director Dante Puleio, the troupe balances stewardship of Limón’s masterpieces with commissioning new voices that extend his legacy. Programs often pair mid-century classics such as “The Moor’s Pavane” and “Suite from a Choreographic Offering” with contemporary pieces, offering audiences a conversation across eras. The group’s visit to the Barclay gives Orange County audiences a rare opportunity to see a company that has been central to the story of modern dance for nearly 80 years.
San Francisco Ballet’s ‘Frankenstein’
When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2–4; 2 p.m. Oct. 5
Where: Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: Tickets start at $59
Contact: scfta.org or 714-556-2787
Founded in 1933, San Francisco Ballet is the oldest professional ballet company in the United States and one of its most adventurous. Its touring productions often showcase the company’s flair for marrying tradition with theatrical daring and Liam Scarlett’s “Frankenstein” is no exception. This evening-length ballet, created in 2016, brings Mary Shelley’s classic novel to the stage with choreography that critics describe as both visually striking and emotionally charged. The work also includes an original score by Lowell Liebermann which will be performed live by the Pacific Symphony.
More than spectacle, “Frankenstein” explores themes of creation, obsession and human vulnerability. For Segerstrom audiences, it’s a rare opportunity to experience a major narrative ballet on the scale of grand opera, a ballet-as-theater experience, if you will, and one that combines the thrill of classic storytelling with the emotional immediacy of modern choreography.
Ballet Project OC's ‘Starbound’
When: 7 p.m. Oct. 16
Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine
Cost: Tickets start at $25
Contact: thebarclay.org or 949-854-4646
Still a relative newcomer on the Southern California dance landscape, Ballet Project OC was founded in 2019 by Ally Helman and Emily Helman Berry with a mission to create more performance opportunities for local professional dancers. The company has quickly distinguished itself for blending established repertory with premieres by up-and-coming choreographers.
“Starbound” is emblematic of that ethos. The program includes Christopher Wheeldon’s “This Bitter Earth,” a poignant duet originally created for The Kings of the Dance tour, alongside new works by choreographers tied to O.C. The result is a program that reflects both international sophistication and regional identity. For audiences, it’s a chance to support a homegrown company on the rise and to see how Orange County voices are shaping the larger conversation in contemporary ballet.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet
When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18
Where: Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 415 N. Glassell St., Orange
Cost: Tickets start at $48
Contact: muscocenter.org or 844-626-8726
Founded in 1994 by Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet has built a reputation for pushing ballet beyond its traditional boundaries. The company’s signature is fusion: Classical lines meet the athleticism of contemporary dance, the rhythmic pulse of hip-hop and the theatricality of jazz.
Critics frequently describe Complexions’ dancers as both technically fearless and emotionally raw, able to move seamlessly from pointe shoes to bare feet in a single program. The Musco Center appearance will likely showcase this eclecticism, with repertory that ranges from high-octane ensemble pieces to deeply lyrical solos. For O.C. audiences, it’s an opportunity to see ballet remixed for the 21st century – bold, inclusive and designed to speak to a wide spectrum of viewers.
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Visual Arts
Fall is a great time to check out what’s happening in the O.C. art scene. Most museums and art centers are presenting new exhibitions, including the Hilbert Museum of California Art, which will host the 57th Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition, and “99 Voices in Pastel,” which both opened in August and run through Nov. 29.
At the Bowers Museum, “First Look: New Acquisitions at Bowers Museum” just opened and runs indefinitely, while “Global Threads: India’s Textile Revolution” runs Dec. 13-April 5.
The environment seems to be on many institutions’ minds as we head into the fall. Here are some more highlights of the autumn season, which promises a cornucopia of visual delights. – Richard Chang
IMAGE 1: "Donner Lake," 1890, oil on canvas. Raymond Dabb Yelland. IMAGE 2: "Untitled (Poppies, Lupines and Cows)," after 1914, oil on canvas. Angel Espoy. IMAGE 3: "Long Lake, Sierra Nevada," circa 1929, Oil on canvas. Marion Kavanagh Wachtel. IMAGE 4: "Red Buckwheat, Santa Barbara," after 1906, Oil on canvas. John M. Gamble. IMAGE 5: "The Old Coast Road (Arch Beach Road)," after 1917, Oil on board. Curtis Chamberlin. IMAGE 6: "Calce de Oro" (Poppy Field near Banning), before 1939, Oil on canvas. John M. Gamble. IMAGE 7: "In Laguna Canyon," 1928, oil on canvas. William Alexander Griffith. Images courtesy of the UC Irvine Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art
‘Habitat: Making the California Environment’
Where: UCI Langson Institute and Museum of California Art, 18881 Von Karman Ave., Suite 100, Irvine
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Sept. 20-Jan. 10.
Cost: Free
Contact: imca.uci.edu or 949-824-1449
Drawing from the museum’s permanent collection and loans from the James Irvine Swinden Family Collection, this exhibition will feature more than 40 artworks that reflect a pivotal period in the state’s ecological history – after European settlement, but before California’s landscapes were dramatically changed by urban growth. “Habitat” offers a lens into California’s environmental past while forging connections with contemporary ecological concerns, from the spread of invasive species to the urgency of preservation. Artists will include Angel Espoy, William Alexander Griffith, John M. Gamble, Joseph Kleitsch, Edgar Payne, Granville Redmond, Marion Kavanagh Wachtel and Raymond Dabb Yelland. This exhibit is curated by James Nisbet, professor and chair of the art history department at UC Irvine.
IMAGE 1: "Chicken" (2023), made of ink, woll and nails. Angela Nguyen. Image courtesy of Carlye Packer Gallery/Evan Walsh. IMAGE 2: "Xin Loi Means Sorry" (2025), made of traffic delineator, found fabric, wood, printed plastic, steel and spring. Felisa Nguyen. Image courtesy of the artist and OCCCA
‘On Refuge: 50 Years of Recomposition’
Where: Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, 117 N. Sycamore St., Santa Ana
When: Opening reception from 6-10 p.m., Oct. 4. Noon-5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, Oct. 4-25.
Cost: Free
Contact: occca.org or (714) 667-1517
OCCCA is presenting artworks by 13 multigenerational Vietnamese American artists, each recognizing the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnamese American community in their own way. “Recomposition” is a core exhibition theme, manifesting itself in homages to family, community and physical spaces, through paintings, photographs, textiles and other media. Artists will include Angela Anh Nguyen, An Ha, Anh Nguyen, Ann Le, Dan Lynh Pham, Din Q. Le, Hung Le, Huyen Tran, Phung Huynh and Vivian Tran, and the exhibition is curated by Audrey Bui.
‘Yo Gabba Gabba: The Super Art Friends Show’
Where: Brea Gallery, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea
When: Noon-5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, Oct. 18-Dec. 12
Cost: $3 general admission, $2 for seniors, military and students, free for Brea residents and children under 12
Contact: breagallery.com or (714) 990-7731
Did you know that the popular children’s TV series, “Yo Gabba Gabba!” was created in Brea? Well, at least the series developers, Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz, are from Brea. This exhibition will be a celebration of the show, and will also tap into the gallery’s vibrant network of emerging local pop, surreal and low-brow artists. Nearly 100 artists’ work will be featured. An exclusive opening reception preview is planned for 4-5 p.m. Oct. 18; tickets ($20) are required. Otherwise, the general opening reception will be from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 18 and will be free.
‘Art + Nature’
Where: Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach and Main Beach in Laguna
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, Nov. 6-10
Cost: Free admission in November; otherwise, tickets are $10-$15, free for youths 19 and younger
Contact: lagunaartmuseum.org or 949-494-8971
Laguna Art Museum is hosting its 13th annual Art + Nature festival, celebrating the exchange between artistic expression and environmental awareness. This year’s commissioned artist is Ana Teresa Fernández, a San Francisco-based, Mexico-born artist whose practice challenges boundaries both literal and conceptual. Her project, called “SOS,” will incorporate sculpture, performance and photography, and will be installed on Main Beach from Nov. 6-10. The sculptural portion will consist of 800 circular mirrors, and there will also be a photo station where visitors can pose with Fernández’s artwork, which will reflect the ocean.
In addition to “SOS,” the museum will present two indoor exhibitions, “Silence and Solitude: Conrad Buff and the Landscapes of the American Southwest,” Sept. 20-Jan. 25; and “Eternal Construction: Photographic Perspectives on Southern California’s Built Environment,” Sept. 20-Jan. 5, an exhibit organized by former LAM curator Tyler Stallings.
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Food & Drinks
Nothing says fall in Orange County like pumpkin patches, hospitality industry fundraisers and sushi news. Our food and beverage suggestions below may pair well with a seasonal, iced, spiced latte. – Anne Marie Panoringan
URBAN AG AND GARDEN EXPO
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 11
Where: South Coast Research, 7601 Irvine Blvd., Irvine
Cost: Free parking and admission; $5 pumpkins; $1 tractor tours
Contact: urbanagexpo2025.eventbrite.com
As a multi-faceted educational and resource facility, South Coast Research is able to support scientists, students and the regional community with experimental opportunities in horticulture, agriculture and natural resources due to its fertile grounds.
The annual open house includes a vendor fair, free garden tool sharpening and produce sampling. Also featured is a plant sale with succulents, native greens and drought tolerant plants. If this is your first visit to the farm, remember to allocate time for pumpkin picking and tractor tours around the farm. Sunscreen, hats and sneakers are recommended.
When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, September 11
Where: 13941 Nautilus Drive, Garden Grove
Cost: From $250
Contact: Jessica Bowen, jessica@brackenskitchen.org
Chef/Founder Bill Bracken is back with his eighth annual fundraiser and friendly competition among 15 chef friends where the crowd votes for the victor. Proceeds raised will benefit Bracken’s nonprofit organization in its ongoing efforts to feed the less fortunate with dignity and respect. Cheftestants include Shelly Register from “A” Market, previous winners Michael and David Rossi from the Santa Monica Club and Jessica Roy of 608 Dahlia inside Sherman Gardens.
Enjoy the complimentary valet, stay extra hydrated and as Bracken would say, “May the odds be ever in your flavor.”
When: As of June 2025
Where: 100 W. Coast Highway, Suite 202, Newport Beach
Cost: Varies
Contact: (949) 287-6268, sushi-ii.com
Michelin Guide-listed Sushi Ii stepped up its concept again from expediting a well-regarded kaiseki menu – a multi-course experience for the senses utilizing the current season’s highest-quality ingredients, where the series of dishes are primarily modest servings plated to perfection from light to heavy courses (previously the establishment adopted a bespoke cocktail program with imported spirits plus ice from Japan). It now includes some new additions – specifically the talents of Chefs Koji Takahashi and Norio Izawa being brought into the spotlight.
Chef Takahashi, who has been present since day one of Sushi Ii, now modernizes the traditional prix fixe kaiseki to include elements currently being done in Japan. Chef Izawa’s culinary resume includes stints at kaiseki destinations in Tokyo and Kanazawa, plus Newport Beach’s Bluefin and New York’s Nobu. Izawa now oversees the kitchen, preparing updated renditions of classics such as green tea-filled cream puffs paired with toasted brown tea.
For smaller appetites, Sushi Ii’s newer à la carte listings enable choices beyond the prix fixe – imagine an entire toro roll alongside vinegared crab and cucumber.
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Culture
Cultural activities span a wide range of themes and topics in Orange County this fall, from getting immersed in the life of pirates and mermaids (41st Annual Maritime Festival) to experiencing a tradition that’s so ingrained in a city that it’s now a permanent part of fall celebrations (Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade). A new event, the Dream Glow Festival, aims to merge local holiday tradition with Chinese culture. – Jessica Peralta
Ocean Institute's Maritime Festival features local vendors, food trucks, beer gardens, kids’ activities, sailor reenactors, local marine life, tall ships and more. Photos courtesy of the Ocean Institute
41st Annual Maritime Festival
When: Activities start at noon Sept. 12, festival runs Sept. 12-14
Where: Dana Point Harbor, Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point
Cost: Both free and ticketed activities
Contact: maritime-festival.org
Ocean Institute’s Maritime Festival is back in Dana Point with a long list of sea-themed activities – from Cannon Battles at Sea and Mermaid Swim Shows to Pirate Adventure Shows and Sailor Camp.
This year, the festival adds an appearance by the Californian, the state’s official tall ship, for the first time in Dana Point Harbor. The Mermaid and Mateys Breakfast is also new this year. It’s a ticketed morning experience where guests get to eat alongside mermaids and pirates and also includes a brunch board, live mermaid swim show, sword fighting lessons with pirates, storytime and photo opportunities.
Also new this year is the United States debut of the American Burger Cup, an international food competition originally launched in Spain. The free competition invites attendees to sample burger creations from local food trucks and vote for the best.
Returning activities include the interactive School for Scallywags, where children can learn about the pirate life, the Mermaid Tea and the Sails N’ Ales kickoff party, with live music, craft brews, harbor views and cannon battles.
“The Maritime Festival is a long-standing celebration in the harbor, inviting people to dive into Dana Point’s rich maritime history,” said Riley Russell, director of education and operations at Ocean Institute, in a statement.
PHOTOS 1-3: Anaheim Fall Festival offers activities for the whole family. PHOTOS 4-8: Anaheim Fall Festival's Halloween Parade involves organizations throughout Anaheim to celebrate Halloween, Dia de Los Muertos, and the Harvest Season. Photos courtesy of Anaheim Fall Festival
101st Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade
When: Festival 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Classic Car Show 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Halloween parade starts at 7 p.m. Oct. 25
Where: Downtown Anaheim, Fall Festival at Center Greens, 305 E. Broadway, Anaheim
Cost: Free
Contact: anaheimfallfestival.org
The Anaheim Fall Festival has been part of Anaheim’s heritage since 1923. The Halloween Parade was introduced in 1924. This year, the Classic Car Show returns for the first time since 1957, with American-made classic cars dating back to 1923 to 1975. The car show will take place on Center Street.
The festival has become an attraction to generations of locals with its family-friendly vibe, games and crafts, live performances, local artists, photo ops, scavenger hunt, costume contests for kids and pets, a marketplace, food and community-built floats featured in the parade. The event is put on with the help of volunteers and local businesses.
Dream Glow Festival is a brand-new Chinese lantern festival and cultural experience located at Wild Rivers Waterpark in Irvine. Photos courtesy of Dream Glow Festival
Dream Glow Festival
When: 4:30-10 p.m. nightly starting Nov. 14
Where: Wild Rivers, 10000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine
Cost: Ticket details announced soon via Wild Rivers website.
Contact: wildrivers.com
Dream Glow Festival is a new Chinese lantern festival and cultural experience. Each lantern on display is handmade by artists from Zigong, China, known for its lantern-making. There will be more than 1,000 lanterns, each designed to show Chinese stories, symbols and folklore, including mythical creatures and festive scenes.
“The lantern festival is one of the most cherished celebrations in China – it’s about art, tradition and family togetherness,” said Di Wu, founder of Dream Glow Festival and Zigong native, in a statement. “As someone who grew up surrounded by this beautiful tradition, I’ve always dreamed of bringing this experience to the U.S. and sharing its cultural magic with new audiences.”
The festival welcomes all ages for a holiday and cultural experience with themed zones, interactive light installations and live cultural performances – including traditional Chinese folk music and the Sichuan Bian Lian (Face-Changing) opera, known for fast mask changes.
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Classical Music
Every year as the fall season arrives and the classical music schedule once again gets underway, we are pleasantly reminded of how rich the offerings are here in O.C. With an array of fine concert halls, excellent presenters and local ensembles, the pickings are plentiful, both for the novice and the connoisseur. The listener can witness a large sampling of the current classical music world, with touring orchestras and internationally celebrated soloists. The listener can spend a lot (box circle seats at Segerstrom Concert Hall for the Chicago Symphony, say), or a little (free tickets to string quartets presented by the Fullerton Friends of Music). Either way, the going is good. – Timothy Mangan
Daniil Trifonov
When: 8 p.m. Sept. 26
Where: Soka Performing Arts Center, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo
Cost: $50-$105
Contact: soka.edu/soka-performing-arts-center
Russian pianist (and composer) Daniil Trifonov, still just 34 years old, is among the greatest instrumentalists of our time. A virtuoso of phenomenal skill, he can fly through the thorniest repertoire with the greatest of ease, all while finding the music underneath. His program here, opening Soka’s Great Pianists Series, explores some lesser known Russian music – three pieces by Taneyev, Prokofiev’s “Visions Fugitives,” Myaskovsky’s Sonata No. 2 – before ending with Schumann’s neglected but magnificent Sonata No. 1. What’s more, with its two fine Steinways on hand, lucid acoustics and great sight-lines, Soka remains O.C.’s best venue for piano recitals.
Shelley Conducts Scheherazade
When: 8 p.m. Oct. 16-18
Where: Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: $13-$191
Contact: pacificsymphony.org
Things have been perking up at the Pacific Symphony ever since Alexander Shelley was named its next music director last year. This season, as music director-designate, he’ll appear with the orchestra in several programs. In previous appearances, the British conductor has shown himself to be an elegant and energetic musician, with a meticulous touch for detail and ensemble precision. The program features American composer Jessie Montgomery’s “Starburst,” Arturo Márquez’s Concerto for Guitar “Mystical and Profane” (with the ebullient Spanish guitarist Pablo Sainz-Villegas as soloist), and Rimsky-Korsakov’s masterpiece “Scheherazade.” Take note: Shelley seems to take special care of masterpieces, refreshing them anew.
Philharmonia Orchestra
When: 8 p.m. Oct. 21
Where: Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: $41-$371
Contact: philharmonicsociety.org
London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, founded by a record executive in the 1940s, has long been considered among the world’s elite ensembles. Led by principal conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali (a Finn, they’re everywhere in classical music these days), the orchestra visits the Philharmonic Society’s great orchestras series bookending Gabriela Ortiz’s new “Si el oxígeno fuera verde” and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, a classic work becoming more trenchant by the day. In between, the newly minted superstar, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, who made his name playing Bach and Philip Glass, takes on Ravel’s jazzy and bejeweled Piano Concerto in G.
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Popular Music
Sun-soaked days are nearly constant in Orange County, where the only signs of autumn are usually a few changing leaves and a slight chill in the air after the sun sets below the horizon. With so-called endless summer weather, music lovers can opt to spend their nights outside on the beach or in a park, or embrace the magic of interaction and connection at the region’s ample indoor venues.
No matter what you’re looking for, Southern California’s music venues have plenty to offer, with some of the biggest names in popular music gracing stages. Here, discover which shows to add to your wish list this fall. – Ashley Ryan
LoCash
When: 7 p.m. Sept. 14
Where: House of Blues, 400 W. Disney Way, Suite 337, Anaheim
Cost: $34.50 to $82
Contact: houseofblues.com
Country music duo LoCash, consisting of Preston Brust and Chris Lucas, will take the stage at the local House of Blues this September in support of their latest album, “Bet the Farm.” Released earlier this year, the album is their first full-length record since 2019 as well as the debut launch on the duo’s Galaxy Label Group record label.
Uplifting, high-energy tunes blend a contemporary country sound with other styles like Americana, pop and hip-hop to produce music that is both adventurous and engaging for listeners – especially when performed live. Anthem hits like “Hometown Home” feature relatable elements of the country lifestyle while other songs highlight their love for nature and their rural roots.
Crowd-driven performances put the fans at the forefront during every LoCash show, with the duo often grabbing phones out of the audience for selfies or pulling concertgoers up on stage to dance during the show.
PHOTO 1: As the founder of Ohana Festival, Eddie Vedder will be a headliner on the opening night of the event. Photo by Pooneh Ghana. PHOTO 2: The Breeders performing in a previous year of Ohana Fest. Photo by Pooneh Ghana. PHOTO 3: An aerial view over Ohana Festival, making its return to Orange County this September. Photo courtesy of Miranda McDonald
Ohana Festival
When: Sept. 26-28
Where: Doheny State Beach, 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point
Cost: $198 for one-day tickets, $530 for three-day tickets, plus additional VIP tickets
Contact: ohanafest.com
This annual seaside festival offers good vibes by the coast as some of the biggest names in music perform for Southern California concertgoers. Held at Doheny State Beach, the concert offers visitors views of the ocean throughout the show, with seating on the sand, as well as a guaranteed performance from Eddie Vedder, best known as the singer for Pearl Jam, who started the festival back in 2016.
Don’t expect to find only one genre at this eclectic affair. With this year’s lineup, enjoy sets from rock bands Kings of Leon, Green Day and Cage the Elephant as well as singer-songwriter Hozier, gospel artist Leon Bridges, ‘90s icon Garbage, country singer Lukas Nelson (son of Willie Nelson), indie band Wet Leg as well as others.
Along with the concert, visit The Cove for immersive storytelling focused on activism, the environment, art, indigenous voices, the importance of community and more. Some of the 2025 speakers include a ceremonial healer, a National Geographic photographer/filmmaker, an ice core scientist, an Olympic surfer and many more.
Benson Boone
When: 8 p.m. Sept. 28
Where: Honda Center, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim
Cost: $88 and up
Contact: hondacenter.com
Benson Boone’s rise to fame didn’t happen overnight, but his fan base has definitely grown dramatically over the last year. After auditioning for “American Idol” in 2021 and the utter explosion of his song “Beautiful Things” on TikTok last year, the songwriter continues his American Heart World Tour, which launched in August, with a date at the Honda Center.
The tour is named for a 2025 studio album with the same moniker, released over the summer. Like the indie-pop singer’s previous tunes, “American Heart” features high-energy songs that blend pop and arena rock with glam and synth inspiration from the 1970s and ’80s music scenes. The theatrics and emotion behind each track translates perfectly to the live show, with grand moments, powerful vocals, dramatic lighting and his famed flips rounding out the experience.
Expect crowds to sing along as Boone performs, wearing emotion on their sleeve as they move through a show that is just as much a visual treat as it is music to the ears.
Rebelution
When: 5 p.m. Oct. 17-18
Where: Great Park Live, 8000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine
Cost: $72.25 to $83.05 for general admission or $149.56 for VIP tickets
Contact: greatparklive.com
Orange County’s latest temporary music venue, Great Park Live, fills the void left by the closing of both Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre and FivePoint Amphitheatre, offering ample space to roam, lounge and relax while listening to live music.
These two concerts, part of the Good Vibes Cali Tour, offer a mix of modern reggae and surf rock with performers like Rebelution, Pepper, The Elovaters and aurorawave as well as emcee and producer DJ Mackle. Expect to find a laid-back atmosphere as well as vibrant, feel-good moments that embody the final days of warm weather and the beginning of a crisp chill in the air. Other events coming up at Great Park Live include Ziggy Marley’s Do the Reggae Tour and the Holo Holo Music Festival.
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Jazz & World Music
The 2025-26 season is shaping up to be a banner year for jazz and world music in Orange County. Over the next eight months, there’s a dizzying list of choices at O.C.’s best venues for both genres, including Soka University, the Irvine Barclay Theatre, the Muckenthaler Cultural Center and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts: Branford Marsalis, Gerald Clayton, Christian McBride, Ann Hampton Callaway, Keb’ Mo and Emmet Cohen, to name but a few. Here are three outstanding choices from the fall season. – Paul Hodgins
Joshua Redman Quartet
When: 8 p.m. Sept. 27
Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine
Admission: $34-$140
Contact: 949-854-4646 or thebarclay.org
Renowned saxophonist Joshua Redman and his quartet will focus on music from his second Blue Note album, “Words Fall Short.” This tour also introduces his new quartet featuring pianist Paul Cornish, bassist Philip Norris and drummer Nazir Ebo, which was formed as a working band for Redman’s 2023 world tour. During the tour, Redman felt a vibe developing and was inspired to record music he had composed during the pandemic that embraced the shifting moods of wistfulness, sadness and resolve.
Ranky Tanky
When: 8 p.m. Oct. 18
Where: Soka University Concert Hall, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo
Admission: $35-$75
Contact: 949-480-4278 or soka.edu
Ranky Tanky (a Gullah phrase for “get funky”) was formed by five lifelong friends from Charleston, South Carolina. The music of this Grammy-winning band faithfully preserves the musical styles and traditions of African Americans in the coastal South during slavery. It draws heavily from Gullah culture, a unique and enduring African American culture originating from the descendants of enslaved West Africans living in the islands and coastal regions of the southeastern United States, particularly South Carolina and Georgia. Ranky Tanky has appeared on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” “The Today Show,” “PBS Newshour” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Caity Gyorgy
When: 7 and 9 p.m. Nov. 1
Where: Samueli Theater, 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Admission: Tickets start at $49
Contact: 714-556-2787 or scfta.org/events
Only 27, Juno Award winner Caity Gyorgy has quickly established herself as a rising star in the competitive world of female jazz vocalists. Specializing in bebop and swing, the Calgary native has performed at jazz clubs and festivals across Canada, Mexico, Finland, Japan and the U.S., and has recorded with Christine Jensen, Pat LaBarbera, Jocelyn Gould, Ira Coleman, The UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, Bryn Roberts and Joe LaBarbera, to name a few. Georgy is also an award-winning songwriter whose works are inspired by the Great American Songbook.
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