Location: Laguna Beach, CA
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Hey AV explorers, Thomas here – Laguna Beach is one of Southern California’s most beautiful coastal towns, and this week it becomes something even more special. Three world-class art festivals run simultaneously all summer, and two of them – the Festival of Arts and the Pageant of the Masters – open their doors for the very first time this season right during the week of July 7th. About 2 hours from Lancaster, it’s one of those rare day trips where the timing couldn’t be better.
The crown jewel is the Pageant of the Masters (July 9–September 4), a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience where real people pose as living recreations of famous works of art in an outdoor amphitheater, accompanied by a live orchestra and narration. It’s genuinely unlike anything else in SoCal – people travel from across the country to see it. The Festival of Arts Fine Art Show (July 7–September 3) runs alongside it at the same grounds on Laguna Canyon Road, featuring 120+ award-winning Orange County artists with painting, sculpture, photography, and ceramics.
Just down the road, the Sawdust Art Festival (through September 6) celebrates its 60th anniversary this summer – 180+ Laguna Beach artists selling original handcrafted work along eucalyptus-shaded, sawdust-covered paths with live music, glass-blowing demos, and free daily art classes. A $29 Passport to the Arts gets you one-time entry to all three festivals plus free parking.
Making it a Full Day:
Get to Laguna by mid-morning and start with the Sawdust Art Festival at 935 Laguna Canyon Road – arrive when it opens at 11 AM to beat the crowds and catch artists mid-process, especially the glass-blowers and ceramicists working in their booths. Grab lunch at one of the festival’s outdoor cafés (don’t miss the churro bao bun from The Cove by Starfish).
After the Sawdust, head down to Main Beach to walk the boardwalk, take in the tide pools, and cool off near the water before making your way to the Festival of Arts grounds for the afternoon. If you’re staying into the evening on Thursday, July 9th or later in the week, the Pageant of the Masters begins at 8:30 PM and runs 90 minutes – tickets start at $42 and sell out, so book in advance at foapom.com.
The free city trolley loops between the festival grounds, parking areas, and downtown Laguna Beach all day and into the evening, making it easy to park once and hit everything on foot.
Thomas’s Local Tips:
- 🎭 Book Pageant of the Masters tickets now – The Pageant begins July 9th and tickets sell out well in advance, especially on opening week. Don’t wait until the day of. Grab them at foapom.com and a Pageant ticket gets you free unlimited re-entry to the Festival of Arts grounds all summer long.
- 🎟️ The $29 Passport is the best deal in Laguna – One $29 Passport to the Arts gets you single-entry to all three festivals (Sawdust, Festival of Arts, and Laguna Art-A-Fair) plus free parking at the Act V lot on Laguna Canyon Road and free trolley access. Buy it on-site at any of the three festivals.
- 🚌 Use the free city trolley – Parking in Laguna on summer weekends is a genuine challenge. Park at one of the designated lots on Laguna Canyon Road and let the free trolley do the work – it loops between all three festival grounds, downtown, and the beach all day.
- 🌊 Build in beach time – Main Beach and Thousand Steps Beach (a secluded gem with tide pools and a walk-in sea cave) are both within easy walking distance of the festival grounds. Laguna’s coastline is stunning – don’t spend the whole day inland.
Nature’s calling, it’s time to pick up… See you out there!
