Santa Ana Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Santa Ana, California - CA, USA)

Being located within such close proximity to Anaheim does mean that the festivals on offer in Santa Ana are a little overshadowed by the Disney capital. However, that said, there are more than enough things to do and enjoy within this city to fill your time, and if you need to pay a visit to Anaheim, it is no more than a 20-minute drive away to the northwest.

There are a several popular theaters and performing arts centers spread around Santa Ana, meaning that you can often catch a show or concert of an evening. As one of the oldest concert and events venues in Orange County, complete with an intriguing Vaudeville heritage, the Yost Theater on North Spurgeon Street is worth looking out for, with its concerts, fashion shows, burlesque dancing, DJ club nights and cage fighting events all drawing good-sized crowds.

Live music is very much the order of the day at the Orange County Observatory on the South Harbor Boulevard, where gigs take place in the Constellation Room. And at the Ebell Theater on French Street, on the northern side of the downtown core, the Broadway on Tour company regularly stages its elaborate productions.

Santa Ana Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

When it comes to actual annual festivals, Santa Ana has a few events worth penciling in. Being situated so close to the Californian border with Mexico (just over 180 miles / 290 km away) does mean that many of these events have a noticeable Mexican vibe. The most popular both in and around the city include the following:

• Annual Easter Seals Invitational Golf Tournament - mid-March, held at the Black Gold Golf Club in nearby Yobra Linda, some 20 minutes to the north
• Toshiba Golf Classic - mid-March, at the nearby Newport Beach Country Club, approximately 20 minutes to the south
• Walk MS - early April, hosted by the University of California, Irvine
• Tustin Lobsterfest - mid-April, with lots of tasty seafood dishes and entertainment, held at Peppertree Park in the neighboring suburb of Tustin, less than ten minutes to the east of downtown Santa Ana
• Floral Park Home and Garden Tour - late April, based around the streets of the historic Floral Park neighborhood
• Pet Expo - late April, at the OC Fair and Event Center on Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, just 15 minutes to the south
• UCI Annual Open House - late April, including a car show, held at the University of California, Irvine
• Green Scene Plant and Garden Show - late April, at the nearby Fullerton Arboretum
• Cinco de Mayo Festival - early May, first held in 1999 and drawing more than 150,000 visitors to the streets of the city center
• Reaching for the Cure Half Marathon - early May, fundraising races based at the nearby Irvine Spectrum Center
• Annual Street Painting / Arts Alive Festival - early May, at the Norman P. Murray Community Center in neighboring Mission Viejo, some 20 minutes to the southeast
• Rancho Days Fiesta - early May, at the Heritage Hill Historical Park in Lake Forest, around 20 minutes to the southeast
• Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival - mid-May, at the Orange County Fairground in Costa Mesa
• Annual Muckenthaler Motorcar Festival - mid-May, at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in nearby Fullerton
• Strawberry Festival - late May, with festivities to be found along Main Street in the westerly suburb of Garden Grove
• Lions Club Fish Fry and Carnival - late May / early June, at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa
• Independence Day - held around July 4th, in the grounds of the Centennial Regional Park on West Edinger Avenue, including concerts, children's activities, food stalls and fireworks at 21:00
• Fiestas Patrias - mid-September, with Mexican-themed music, food, entertainment and celebrations within the historic downtown core, with approximately 200,000 people celebrating Mexican Independence Day
• Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - early November, an event aimed at local families, including the Noche de Altares (Night of Altars)
• Patchwork Show / Handmade Festival - early December, with more than 100 local vendors selling their handicraft wares at the Grand Central Art Center on North Broadway
• Noches de Posada - December 16th to 24th, this is a Mexican Christmas tradition with ceremonies at the St. Joseph Catholic Church on North Minter Street, being held over the nine nights (noches) leading up to the 25th