At Orange County Great Park

The Orange County Great Park proudly offers a month-long series of Family Fitness Fridays featuring free outdoor exercise classes for parents and their children. The series, which takes place the Terraced Lawn near the Great Park Balloon, includes both morning and afternoon classes that provide activities for different age groups.

All classes will be held outdoors, so don’t forget your sunscreen, water bottle and towel. Space is limited and pre-registration is requested.

Activity Schedule:

Friday, May 3, 2013

10 – 11 a.m. Parent & Me: Creative Gymnastics
4 – 5 p.m. Family Fitness: CrossFit Kids

Friday, May 10, 2013

10 – 11 a.m. Parent & Me: Stroller Strides (Please bring a stroller.)
4 – 5 p.m. Family Fitness: CrossFit Kids

Friday, May 24, 2013

10 – 11 a.m. Parent & Me: mini yogis (Please bring a yoga mat.)
4 – 5 p.m. Family Fitness: CrossFit Kids

Friday, May 31, 2013

10 – 11 a.m. Parent & Me: OC Dance Productions
4 – 5 p.m. Family Fitness: CrossFit Kids

To register for either a class or the series:
Please send an email to events@ocgp.org with the following information at least 48 hours prior to the start of class:

1. Class(es) and dates you are registering for
2. Number of parents and number of children you are registering for each class
3. Name(s) of parent(s) and child(ren) you are registering for each class
4. Contact phone number

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Related Articles: Great Park Hot Air Balloon | Family Frisbee

Memorial Day Services

Memorial Day Ceremony

Monday, May 27 – 10:00am – Free

Col. Bill Barber Memorial Park
4 Civic Center Plz
Irvine, CA 92606

Memorial Day is a time of remeberance; a time for Americans to reconnect with their history by honoring those who have given their lives in defense of our nation and the ideals we cherish. Please join us for the City of Irvine’s Memorial Day Ceremony, as we honor our nation’s fallen and pay special homage to local service members, both at home and abroad.

Redondo Beach Memorial Day Ceremony

Monday, May 27 – 1:00pm – Free

Veterans Park
309 Esplanade
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Traditional Memorial Day service at the new Redondo Beach Veterans Memorial on Veterans Park near the Redondo Pier. Solemn observence with reflection and remberence,music,commentary and honors to the fallen.Participant include the Redondo High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC who will also be acknowledged for their service to the community. Those speaking include Asm Betsy Butler and Undersecretary of the Calif. Dept Of Veterans, Larry Gonzales. BBQ at Elks Lodge after ceremony. Open to the public.

Harbor Lawn Mt. Olive Memorial Park’s 59th Annual Memorial Day Service

Monday, May 27 at 11 am

The Costa Mesa Historical Society, along with Harbor Lawn Mt. Olive Memorial Park, hosts the 59^th Annual Memorial Day Services. The service will include men and women who served in the armed forces and will honor the memory of those who died during their time in the service.

More Events

15th Annual Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half Marathon

Monday, May 27 – 5:30am – Free

Laguna Hills Community Center & Sports Complex
25555 Alicia Pkwy.
Laguna Hills, CA 92609

The City of Laguna Hills is hosting the 14th Annual Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half Marathon 5K, 10K & Kids Run honoring the United States Marine Corps Dark Horse Battalion. There’s no better way to celebrate Memorial Day! Come out and run the 1/2 Marathon, 5K, 10K or Kids Run and stay for the Community Expo. The Community Expo will feature entertainment, local merchants, food and more.

Spend the Day in the Sun!

Go Surfing. San Clemente Surf School is dedicated to teaching and improving your surfing. They offer lessons year round and their goal is to get you up and riding a wave with the knowledge of ocean awareness and the rules of surfing. More information…

Learn to Kite Surf. Learn to kitesurf with SoCal Kitesurfing! Kitesurfing is an extreme sport that has grown quickly in the past decade. Harness the power of the wind as you glide across the water on a specially designed board. More information…

See Dolphins. Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Safari offers you the opportunity to get close to and view the exquisite California dolphins and California whales, as well as other beautiful sea creatures. More information…

Relax on a Gondola. Cruise through spectacular Newport Harbor in one of the World’s most beautiful gondolas with Gondola Adventures. Create a memory with that special someone as you glide silently through quaint canals guided by a charming gondolier. More information…

Go Parasailing. Experience the thrill of floating through the air with California’s premier parasail operator. Balboa Parasail specializes in providing the safest, easiest and most exciting watersports activity – PARASAILING! More information…

Cruise the Balboa Boardwalk. The best way to see the Balboa Peninsula and Island is to rent a beach cruiser and ride where ever your heart desires. East Ride Bicycle Rentals offers selections of Rental Bikes and Beach Equipment. More information…

Celebrating 55 Years of Helping Local Kids

May 24 – 27, 2013

Started in 1958, The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce put on the first Garden Grove Strawberry Festival as a way to bring together the east and west sides of Garden Grove. Resident Tom Hoxie, a public relations professional, suggested a festival to celebrate the area’s then prolific strawberry fields. That first festival was held on a vacant lot in the Brookhurst Triangle, an area bordered by Garden Grove Blvd., Brookhurst St., and Brookhurst Way. And Hoxie, true to his profession, sent locally grown strawberries to a monastery in Europe — the festival’s first PR ploy.

The festival became and has always been a charitable event benefiting local organizations. In the past 50 years over $4.5 million has been donated to hundreds of non-profits. While many have mistakenly believed the festival is part of the City of Garden Grove, it is in fact a totally separate non-profit organization which has raised money for numerous city projects, as well as the city’s police and fire departments. Festival profits have built the amphitheater seating, two showmobiles, the children’s wing of the central library, a police command post, the twin towers in Atlantis Park, and a building for the Garden Grove Boys and Girls Club. The board provides scholarships annually and supports local schools. Charities such as Kiwanisland, homeless and abuse shelters and children’s non-profits have greatly benefited. Service groups, who are the only ones allowed to sell food at the festival, also raise many thousands for their organizations, often enough to fund all their events for the year.

The festival, long known for its carnival rides, added a roller coaster in 2003. Today there are over 44 rides for adults and young children which are provided by RCS, the company that also furnishes them for the Orange County Fair.

Overview of Events:

Contests:

There are contests of all types. Come enjoy these great talents or sign up to show off your own. Contests include: – Berry, Berry Beautiful Baby Pageant – Tiny Tots King and Queen – Redhead Roundup! – Strawberry Idol Karaoke Contest!

Strawberry Cake Cutting:

Since 1958 the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival has treated the community to free strawberry shortcake at its grand opening ceremony, usually on the Friday evening of the Festival at Main and Acacia streets in Garden Grove. The giant cake is created by French’s Pastry Bakery in Costa Mesa. Some of the Saturday parade celebrities, who could not resist having a taste, will be there to say a few words and to personally pass out cake to the crowd. Many local dignitaries also attend. The Strawberry Cake Cutting Event will take place Friday evening, May 24th at 6:00 p.m.

Strawberry Festival Parade:

Everyone loves a parade!  So each year the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival holds its parade on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend at 10 a.m. with floats, bands, equestrians and characters such as Knott’s Berry Farm’s Snoopy.  The festival board generously subsidized local high school bands so they can join in the fun.  Thousands turn out each year to view the parade and cheer Miss Garden Grove and her court, Miss Outstanding Teen and her court, the Senior King and Queen and the Tiny Tots King and Queen as they ride by on their floats.

Admission is free! All day ride tickets: $25
For a full list of calendar events visit their website.

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Related Articles: Stanley Ranch Museum | Tanaka Farms Strawberry Tours

OPA!

Join us for Orange County’s premiere Greek Festival, the 2013 OC Greek Fest! Experience the flavors, sights and sounds of Greece and enjoy the very best of Greek food, music, and dancing and culture right here in Orange County!

Try some of the best authentic Greek foods available this side of the Ionian Sea: lamb or chicken kabobs (generous portions of seasoned meat with onion and green pepper slivers grilled on a skewer), grilled lamb dinners, pork or chicken souvlakia (smaller pieces of meat grilled on a skewer), gyro sandwich (a blend of beef and lamb with Mediterranean spices served on warm pita bread and topped with tomatoes, onions and traditional tzatziki sauce (yogurt, cucumber and garlic) sauce; pastitsio (seasoned ground beef and macaroni) and moussaka (seasoned ground beef and eggplant), both topped with a delicious bechamel sauce, Greek-style baked chicken with olive oil, lemon juice and Greek oregano, and a wide variety of Greek mezedes (appetizers) – spanakopita (filo pastry with spinach and feta cheese filing), tiropita (filo pastry with feta cheese filing), dolmathes (marinated grape leaves filled with rice), greek olives, feta cheese, and much, much more.

Live entertainment will be provided by Takis “Kokatas” Stathoulis & Friends, performing the very best of Greek laika traditional and (popular) songs. Church tours and other Hellenic cultural activities will take place throughout the weekend.

Have a sweet tooth? Come and taste the homemade delights prepared by members of our community, including: baklava (layers of filo dough filled with chopped walnuts and topped with honey syrup), galactobouriko (creamy custard between layers of filo and covered with honey syrup), karidopita (rich walnut spice cake with a delicate honey syrup), loukoumades (pastry puffs dipped in honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon), and Yia-Yia’s cookies (delicious baked cookies, filled with Grandma’s love), and much, much more.

Visit our outdoor agora (marketplace) and view the wide variety of unique jewelry, apparel, accessories, gifts, souvenirs and novelties offered by more than two dozen merchants.

Enjoy Zorba’s Kidz Carnival with its many rides and games sure to entertain and amuse kids of all ages hour after hour.

Come and enjoy a slice of Greece in Orange County!

Dates:

Friday, May 17th – 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday, May 18th – Noon – 10:00 PM
Sunday, May 19th – Noon – 10:00 PM

Location:

St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
405 N. Dale Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801

Admission: $3 | For more information visit ocgreekfest.com!

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Related Articles: Orange International Street Festival | Anatolian Cultures Festival

The Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival is a cultural and historical event that includes exhibitions, food, art craft, performances, dances and live music activities. More than 45,000 people from United States and around the world attend the four-day event each year.

Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival was held in OC Fair and Event Center, the 2nd one at OC Great Park, the 3rd year, the festival came back at the OC Fair and Event Center. This year again in OC Fair and Event Center, the festival will run from the 16^th to the 19^th of May, 2013.

Visitors enter the festival area through the “Civilizations Path”, which consists of 14 gates each representing different civilizations like The Hittite Empire, The Kingdom of Commagene, Lydia, The Persian Empire, The Urartu State (Armenians), The Phrygia, The Ionian Civilization,The Assyria, Troy, The Roman Empire,The Byzantine Empire, The Great Seljuq Empire, The Ottoman Empire, and Turkish Republic. Anatolia has been a cradle for all these and many other civilizations throughout the history. At each gate, actors wearing authentic costumes of each civilization welcome and greet all visitors.

Three dimensional giant-sized replicas of five different cities of Anatolia (Istanbul, Konya, Mardin, Van, Izmir, Gaziantep, Adiyaman and Kilis) and the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul are assembled with panoramic backgrounds. Artisans traveling all the way from Turkey display and demonstrate many traditional handicrafts like hand- woven carpets, the arts of water marbling, calligraphy, stone-carving and filigree during the four-day festival.

The replica of the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul houses more than 120 booths with food, handcrafts, souvenirs, and art exhibits. Visitors are able to freshen themselves up with a cup of Turkish coffee or several glasses of tea at another busy spot of the festival area, named after The Traditional Coffeehouse. Just like the real Grand Bazaar, visitors can walk through the booths displaying hand-made jewelry, scarves, lucky charms and hand- woven carpet displays accompanied by the Anatolian hospitality.

Visitors are drawn into 99 different kinds of food including kebabs and doner (Gyros), various kinds of desserts including baklava, dumplings, and the world famous tough and stretchy Maras’s ice-cream. The Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival is a feast for all of the five senses!

Related Articles: OC Fair | OC Renaissance and Pleasure Festival

Every Friday Night in May come watch a one of a kind Laguna Beach sunset while enjoying great live music. What could be better than that on a Friday night?? Sunset Serenades in Laguna Beach will be at Heisler Park at the Picnic Beach Entrance at 6:30pm!

Heisler Park, with its stunning ocean view along the bluffs on Cliff Drive from Aster Street to Diver’s Cove, presents numerous Kodak moments along its scenic terrain and is one of the most beloved spots in Laguna Beach! The park’s meandering trails, which wind from the top of the cliff down to the ocean, lead to various lookout areas, natural-plant gardens and public art, offering beautiful ocean views.

Sunset Serenades Schedule:

• 5/3   Dannielle DeAndrea & Evan Stone Trio- Jazz vocalist

• 5/10 Salty Suites – Acoustic Bluegrass Folk

• 5/17 Lisa  Nemzo – Acoustic Rock

• 5/24 Trevor Green – World Folk Rock (Multi- Instrumentalist and  Digeridoo)

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Related Articles: Laguna Beach Art Walk | La Vida Laguna

On Tuesday, May 21, Surf City Nights is holding the annual summer kick-off by presenting a fashion show at 6:15 and 7:15 p.m. at Main and Olive Streets. The show will feature local HB youth, live music and family fun. This event is sponsored by the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District, Jack’s Surfboards, Huntington Surf and Sport andModel Citizen – making it a true community-based event.

Surf City Nights is every Tuesday from 5pm-9pm and is free to the public! Enjoy food vendors, local farmers’ market, merchant vendors and live entertainment.

Related Articles: Huntington Beach | Surf City Nights

Sunday, May 10th | 10am – 12pm

Do something extra special for mom this year!

Join us for a two hour Coastal Cruise aboard the Ocean Adventures Catamaran. This holiday trip will depart Dana Point Harbor and cruise up the coastline to Laguna Beach. Champagne, fresh seasonal fruit, juices, pastries and muffins will be served.

Ticket Prices: Adults: $45 | Kids: $30

 Reserve your spot by calling: 949-496-5794 ext. 7

 Related Articles: Dana Wharf | OC Wine Cruises