The Weekender
Things to do in San Clemente this Weekend
Festival of Butterflies 2023
SATURDAY, AUG. 5, 10 a.m-3 p.m
Goin’ Native Therapeutic Gardens’ annual celebration returns to San Juan Capistrano’s historic Los Rios Park.
There will be live music, a ballet performance, kids’ parade, and other festivities.
Los Rios Park
31791 Los Rios Street
San Juan Capistrano
goinnative.net/
Friday, August 4
FARMERS MARKET IN SAN JUAN
Farmakis Farms, 29932 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Enjoy the farmers market in town every Friday. Check out the produce, breads, cheeses, artisan craft vendors, and more. 949.364.1270.
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LINE DANCING FRIDAYS
Dorothy Visser Senior Center, 117 Avenida Victoria, San Clemente
10-11 a.m.
Join Age Well Senior Services for line dancing every Friday at San Clemente’s senior center. No partner required. For a $5 donation, learn some easy and fun line dances to get you moving. Carrie Wojo teaches all over South Orange County and makes it easy to stay active and have fun. 949.498.3322.
YOUTH PROGRAMMING AT THE NOBLE PATH FOUNDATION
The Noble Path Foundation, 420 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente
4:30 p.m.
The Noble Path Foundation hosts events multiple times a week to get youth and young adults out and about and participating in safe, productive activities. There will be an improv lesson from 4:30-5:30 p.m., and TGIF Night starting at 6 p.m.—the theme being video games on numerous consoles. 949.234.7259.
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LIVE MUSIC AT BEACHFIRE
BeachFire Bar & Grill, 204 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente
4 p.m.
Live music is featured at this coastal San Clemente restaurant. Contemporary artist John Fullwood will perform. 949.366.3232.
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SUMMER JAMS CONCERT SERIES: MARC FORD
The Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point
6-9 p.m.
Join the Ocean Institute and Music Preserves Foundation for a fun-filled summer night enjoying an outdoor concert with the harbor and the ocean as the backdrop. The event will feature live music, food trucks, and Station Craft Beer. Enjoy learning more about the musicians with Music Preserves Foundation before the show begins and explore the touch tanks with Ocean Institute docents. Proceeds for the event will support the two foundations. Tickets are $35. 949.496.2274.
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WORLD ELEPHANT DAY ELEPHANT ‘PAINT AND SIP’
Gallery Dana Bay, 24682 Del Prado, Suite 100, Dana Point
7-9 p.m.
Join Gallery Dana Bay in celebration of World Elephant Day and paint your own unique miniature elephant. Tickets are $100 and include a blank elephant, paints, brushes, a palette, food, beverages and instruction. Space is limited. 949.276.7597.
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LIVE MUSIC AT IVA LEE’S
Iva Lee’s Restaurant & Lounge, 555 N. El Camino Real, Suite E, San Clemente
7 p.m.
Live music is featured at this San Clemente lounge known for its entertainment. Really Classic will perform. 949.361.2855..
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OUTDOOR THEATER AT THE MISSION
Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano
7:30 p.m.
Bring a lawn chair, blanket and light jacket for the final performance of the nighttime staging of La Havana Madrid by South Coast Repertory. The performance depicts Latino immigrants dancing and finding community at a Chicago nightclub in the 1960s. Tickets can be purchased online. 714.708.5555.
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LIVE THEATER AT CAMINO REAL PLAYHOUSE
Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano
7:30 p.m.
Watch a live performance of the raunchy puppet musical comedy Avenue Q at San Juan Capistrano’s local theater. The show contains adult language and themes and is not recommended for children. There will be one final performance on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m. Admission ranges from $42 to $52. 949.489.8082.
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LIVE MUSIC AT STILLWATER
StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point
9 p.m.
Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue. The ’80s cover band Flock of 80s will perform. 949.661.6003.
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Saturday, August 5
SOUTH OC CARS AND COFFEE
The Outlets at San Clemente, 101 West Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente
9-11 a.m.
South OC Cars and Coffee, dubbed the world’s biggest weekly car meet, attracts a mix of 500-1,000 hypercars, supercars, exotics, vintage, classic, muscle and sports cars, hot rods, rat rods, pickups, 4x4s and motorcycles. No cars in before 8:30 a.m. Cars should enter and leave slowly and quietly—no revving, speeding or burnouts.
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DANA POINT FARMERS MARKET
La Plaza Park, 3411 La Plaza, Dana Point
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
California farmers bring fresh produce to sell at the Dana Point Farmers Market, and craft vendors provide a large selection of art, jewelry, clothing, handbags, candles, handmade soaps and unique, one-of-a-kind gifts. It is strongly recommended that customers bring their own reusable bags.
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KAYAK HARBOR TOUR AND SAIL AT THE OCEAN INSTITUTE
Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point
10.a.m.-noon.
Join the Ocean Institute for a two-hour interactive kayak tour around the Dana Point Harbor and learn about the history of the harbor and its unique ecosystem. All experience levels are welcome. Guests under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets are $28. In the afternoon, from 2-5 p.m., set sail aboard the schooner Spirit of Dana Point and experience California from the perspective of an early tall ship explorer. Join the crew to help raise sail, handle lines and steer the ship, or simply sit back, relax and enjoy the majesty of sailing the seas aboard a tall. 949.496.2274.
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VILLAGE ART FAIRE
San Clemente Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Hosted by the San Clemente Downtown Business Association on the lawn of the San Clemente Library, the Village Art Faire offers a variety of work, including photography, fine art, jewelry, ceramics, fused glass, home decor, botanicals, textile art, and more. Visitors can expect to find many of their favorite artists, as well as some new faces.
San Clemente Library, 242 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente
949.218.5378
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TWO-STEPPING UNDER THE STARS
Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, 30753 La Pata Road, San Juan Capistrano
6 p.m.
The San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition is holding an annual fundraiser that’s become a community favorite. There will be live music, an outdoor dance floor, food trucks, saloon, silent auction, and play zone for kids. Parking passes can be purchased online.
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GEEKS WHO DRINK TRIVIA NIGHT
Left Coast Tasting Room, 1251 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente
7-9 p.m.
Left Coast Brewing presents trivia modeled after pub quizzes in Ireland and the United Kingdom, covering everything from Hungary to the Hunger Games. Teams can include up to six people. Winning teams earn bar cash and other prizes.
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LIVE MUSIC AT STILLWATER
StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point
9 p.m.
Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue. The ’80s cover band FlashBack Heart Attack will perform.
949.661.6003
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Sunday, August 6
SAN CLEMENTE FARMERS MARKET
Avenida Del Mar
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables and artisanal goods from organic growers. 949.361.8200.
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CONCERTS IN THE PARK
Sea Terrace Park, 33501 Niguel Road, Dana Point
3-6 p.m.
These free family-friendly concerts feature two bands and are held at Sea Terrace Park behind the Dana Point Library area. SouthBound and Company’s “Skynyard & Frynds Tribute” and Fortunate Son—A Tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival will perform. Spirits for those 21 and older and food are available for purchase.
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D. YODER FAMILY SUNDAYS AT CASA ROMANTICA
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Celebrate International Friendship Day by creating friendship bracelets.
949.498.2139
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Weekend Spotlight
Dana Bay Gallery Celebrating World Elephant Day
The herd of Asian Elephant statues in front of the Gallery Dana Bay has grown in anticipation of next weekend’s World Elephant Day—a day, founded in 2012 by Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand, that looks to bring awareness to elephant conservation efforts.
Since 2006, after father and son Marc and Mike Spits saw a baby elephant in Thailand that had lost part of its leg after stepping on a landmine, the art exhibition of elephant statues, called the Elephant Parade, has looked to spread education and awareness of the crisis the endangered species of Asian elephant faces
“These guys saw the horrible situation and decided to raise funds for veterinary research and care to get her a prosthetic leg,” Gallery Dana Bay owner Dana Yarger said. “It took four years, and she kept growing and growing and growing. She’s 16 now, maybe almost 17, fully grown, successful with a prosthetic leg, and she should live to her normal age of 55 or so.”
The elephants on display in front of the gallery are considered “life-size” because they are the same size as the two-year-old elephant that sparked the Elephant Parade organization.
In celebration of the upcoming World Elephant Day, Gallery Dana Bay will display an elephant statue painted by singer Katy Perry.
Gallery Dana Bay
24682 Del Prado #100
Dana Point
949.276.7597
