Halloween Highlights and Guest Chef Sessions to 50 Days of Festive Fun
With mild temperatures perfect for outdoor adventures, fewer crowds on iconic beaches like Crystal Cove, and exclusive restaurant reservations with seasonal menus, an off-season trip to Newport Beach, California, offers travelers the chance to unwind and explore at their own pace.
Here are the top activities and experiences on offer during Q4 in this luxurious coastal city.
HALLOWEEN HIGHLIGHTS
It may not be sweater weather in Newport Beach, but visitors can still embrace fall and get into the spooky spirit come October 31.
Roger’s Gardens, the premier shopping destination in Southern California, has become famous for creating a mesmerizing Halloween experience for its guests – and this year is no exception, with a theme of ‘The Witching Hour’. Deep within the mist-enshrouded gardens stands a timeworn manor, with massive iron gates warding off the faint-hearted. The feeble glow of candles unveils walls lined with potions and mysterious, books filled with incantations, and scattered relics.
A year-long labor of passion and precision that draws over 100,000 visitors from September through October, the theatrical retail experience showcases a selection of finely curated Halloween decor, including custom, one-of-a-kind collectible pieces. The wickedly talented Visual Merchandisers at Roger’s Gardens produce hand-crafted props to help shape the boutique, across five distinct areas – potion pantry; boneyard conservatory; spellcasters study; haunted hallway; and bewitched boudoir.
THE LIDO THEATRE
After closing for renovation five years ago, the landmark Lido Theatre is now back open. One of Orange County’s earliest movie houses when it opened in 1939, the stunning single-screen theater brought the Golden Age of Hollywood to Newport Beach and is an iconic landmark in the city.
Featuring a new, state-of-the-art projection and sound system, the theatre also features elegant lobby chandeliers, vintage poster cases, and the original box office, as well as magnificent art deco architectural details.
The renovation project was prolonged, partly due to the pandemic, but has seen the theatre meticulously restored to its original Art Deco design by owner Fritz Duda Company. Excitingly, the space hosted the closing night film of the annual Newport Beach Film Festival this year, held from October 17 through 24; “A Real Pain,” starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin.
CHEFSGIVING
On November 16, some of Orange County’s most exciting chefs will come together at Pendry Newport Beach for an interactive feast. Inspired by their culinary background, each Chef will prepare a classic Thanksgiving dish, which will be showcased to diners at chef-attended action stations.
The talent attending includes Chef Carroll Kyung of Pelican Hill; Chef Rodrigo Ceja of Driftwood Kitchen and The Deck; Executive Chef David Serus of Montage Laguna Beach; and Chef William Pentacost of SET Steak & Sushi, the much-loved restaurant at Pendry Newport Beach. Meanwhile, there will be live entertainment out on the hotel’s Garden Lawn.
Each $150 ticket includes a $30 donation to Second Harvest Food Bank in Orange County, a local nonprofit providing dignified, equitable and consistent access to nutritious food, creating a foundation for community health.
50 DAYS OF FESTIVE FUN
Home to the nation’s longest-running holiday extravaganza, Newport Beach’s ‘50 Days of Festive Fun’ campaign will run November 15 to January 3, with events ranging from dazzling light displays and craft markets to the famous Christmas Boat Parade.
Over at VEA Newport Beach, the hotel’s annual tree lighting celebration takes place on November 21, where families can enjoy an evening of festive fun, from hot cocoa and sweet treats, to live entertainment and even Santa sightings. The new ‘Holiday Hideout Bar’ will be open from the same date too; every Thursday to Saturday, until the end of December. Guests can expect a winter wonderland lounge, decked out with holiday-themed decorations, plus seasonal small plates, festive cocktails, and plenty of photo opps.
For more Christmas spirit, the 34th Annual Lighting of the Bay also takes place on November 29, at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina – and this becomes a nightly event during the festive period, until January 6th. Visitors from all over head to Newport Beach to witness one of Orange County’s most cherished holiday traditions, which sees 50 illuminated Christmas trees and enchanting festive decorations leave a serene glow over the bay glow.
BOAT PARADE
At the forefront of the ‘50 Days of Festive Fun’ campaign, the 116th Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade will take place from Wednesday, December 18 to Sunday, December 22, with the theme this year being “Christmas Across the Decades.”
Spectators and participants will travel through time for the beloved event, which dazzles with pyrotechnics, synchronized light shows, moving displays, singers, and dancers. Parade-goers can choose from nearly 50 locations along a 14-mile route to view the holiday event, which sees beautifully decorated yachts, boats, kayaks and canoes sail along Newport Harbor.
The celebrated route sees parade participants start from the east end of Lido Island, with the first public viewing destination at the 10.5-acre community Marina Park. There are 177 parking spaces at the park, plus a nautical-themed playground, picnic area and sailing center, and it’s the largest public viewing area for visitors to gather and enjoy the festivities.
PLUS… SET JETTING FOR OC. NOSTALGIA
Two decades after the premiere of iconic series The OC, fans are riding another wave of nostalgia with Adam Brody’s return to the screen, in the new hit Netflix romcom series, Nobody Wants This. Hailed as the year’s best romantic comedy, the timing couldn’t be more perfect to revisit the sun-soaked coastal city of Newport Beach, where his career began. Travelers can step into Seth Cohen’s old haunts and live the lavish lifestyle of The O.C’s iconic characters, from brunch at organic hotspot Malibu Farm and browsing through charming boutiques in Lido Marina Village, to relaxing surf-side on the Corona Del Mar Beach.
For more information, visit www.visitnewportbeach.com
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ABOUT NEWPORT BEACH & COMPANY/VISIT NEWPORT BEACH:
Founded in January 2013, Newport Beach & Company is a non-profit organization established to serve as the official marketing agency for the city of Newport Beach. The agency brings together all of the marketing entities connected to the Newport Beach brand and is designed to oversee separate business units that include Visit Newport Beach, Celebrate Newport Beach, Enterprise Newport Beach and Newport Beach TV.
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