Red Car at Balboa Pavilion, circa 1906, Photo courtesy of the Newport Beach Historical Society.
Newport Beach summer visitors grew steadily after the Pacific Electric Railway connected the city to Los Angeles on July 4th, 1906. 2026 will mark the 120th anniversary of the Red Car and Pavilion. The Red Car made it accessible for Angelenos to stay in small beach cottages, cabanas, and at the Balboa Hotel. The Newport Pier, originally McFadden Wharf, became a popular hub of summer activity with commercial fishing and swimming. Join us at Newport Beach Tiki events!
Book of the Month
“Later on, Hamilton acknowledged that the Treasury job was the logical culmination of his long campaign for the Constitution.”
―Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton
As we celebrate the 4th of July and the birth of American independence, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the lives of the Founding Fathers’ legacies. Alexander Hamilton is one of the most forward-thinking, yet complex figures in American history. Ron Chernow’s bestselling biography Alexander Hamilton brings this founding visionary to life with rich detail and a gripping narrative. Chernow describes his early years in Nevis and Hamilton’s arrival to New York. As a young, driven young man who joined the revolution against the largest superpower of the age – Great Britain; he wrote his way in The Federalist Papers. He wrote about the value of freedom. We live with the financial system to this day.
From the Archives
Jennifer Keil and Cindy Keil at the Hamilton performance at Hollywood Pantages Theatre. Alexander Hamilton is our 7th-Great Grandfather. Ask us about genealogy, memoirs, and oral history methods.
Artist of the Month
“I could never in a hundred summers get tired of this.”
-The Endless Summer
Artist: Mia Tavonatti | Endless Summer Mosaic | 2019 | Waterman’s Plaza
In 2019, award-winning painter and mosaic artist, Mia Tavonatti, was commissioned by the City of Dana Point to create a public mosaic of the iconic “Endless Summer” poster. 🎥The poster was originally created for the 1966 film by Bruce Brown.
The City of Dana Point is excited to announce that a bronze life-size statue of Walter and Philip “Flippy” Hoffman will be unveiled on July 31st at 3pm. Created by artist Bill Limebrook as part of the Watermen’s Plaza collection, these surf legends will join this tribute to our city’s heritage. The Hoffmans brothers were surfers and owners of the iconic Hoffman California Fabrics, founded by Rube Hoffman in 1924. Learn more here.
Read the interview with Diane Challis Davy, Festival of Arts Director, by Jennifer Keil.
Events
Festival of Arts & Pageant of the Masters
“Gold Coast: Treasures of California”
July 5 – August 29, 2025
The Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach, home to world-class productions of Pageant of the Masters and Fine Art Show at 650 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach, California 92651.The Pageant of the Masters will bring Dana Point’s iconic public art to life on stage this summer! See these historic statues re-created with real, living people during Act II of “Gold Coast”. Reserve your seats now at www.pageanttickets.com. Learn more about the featured sculptures by reading Jennifer Keil’s interview with the Pageant Director.
Dana Point Shakespeare Festival
William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
Fri & Sat July 11th & 12th at Sea Terrace Park, Dana Point, CA
5:00 pm Festival opens with music, kids’ activities, food trucks, and vendors
7:00 – 8:30 pm Play performance
“Love, disguise, and laughter collide in Shakespeare’s hilarious romantic comedy set in a world of pirates! Follow Viola through mistaken identities, unexpected romance, and clever pranks. Will love triumph amid the chaos?”
Sawdust Art Festival
June 27th – August 31st, 2025
Open daily at 11am at 935 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 sawdustartfestival.org
70 Degrees invites you to join us for the 59th Annual Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Beach’s most iconic summer tradition! Established in 1967, this event transcends time and is an incredible experience.
Be a part of the tradition. Watch in-person glassblowing demonstrations and en plein air artists at work. You will be able to meet and greet artists. Purchase unique, one-of-a-kind gifts. We are honored to help curate this history and tradition that has happened for 59 years.
UCI Langson IMCA presents California Kinship: Painting Homelife in the Golden State Before 1940 from June 7 – August 30, 2025
California Kinship invites visitors into the private worlds of Californians in the early 20th century, presenting portraits and scenes of everyday life that depict homelife and kinship for many in the growing state.
Don’t miss Rooted in Art: Planting and Painting in the California Garden on Saturday, July 26th.
Newport Bay Conservancy presents the Annual Back Bay Plein Air Art Festival
July 12-20, 2025
A Quick Draw will be held on July 12. There will be a Juried Show on July 12-18, Art Workshops July 15-18, and a Weekend Show and Sale on July 19th & 20th. The event will be held at the Muth Interpretive Center at 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660.
This event is in partnership with OC Parks and SOCALPAPA artists.