Irvine residents have a variety of events to choose from throughout August, including outdoor theater, musical performances, sports, and community gatherings. These happenings are scheduled across various city venues.
The New Swan Shakespeare Festival continues its season at UC Irvine with evening performances throughout the month. This year's festival features two distinct productions: “Romeo & Juliet,” presented in a Dust Bowl era setting, and “The Merry Wives of Windsor Cove,” a musical adaptation of the original comedy set in a 1950s surf town. Performances begin at 8 p.m.
Live music options include the Pacific Symphony, scheduled to perform at Mike Ward Community Park on August 15. This outdoor summer tradition will feature popular classics, pop tunes, and patriotic songs. Pre-concert family activities start at 5:30 p.m., with the main performance at 7 p.m. Irvine Spectrum Center will also host its “Soundtrack of Summer” series on Friday nights. Jazz night on August 7 will feature Laurence Juber and Christena Rich near H&M, while the folk-pop duo Faultlines will perform near Old Navy on August 21. Both Spectrum Center performances run from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Sports fans can attend Orange County Soccer Club matches at Championship Soccer Stadium. The club will play the Tampa Bay Rowdies on August 8 for a “Christmas in August” theme night. On August 15, they host Louisville City FC for “AAPI Heritage Night.” The final August home game is against FC Tulsa on August 22, designated as “Family Night” and including a “Touch-A-Truck” event.
Community festivals and celebrations are also planned. Chimac-Fest, a three-day event, will take place at Great Park Live from August 14 to 16. This festival is set to showcase Korean culture through K-food, K-music, K-beauty, and K-entertainment. The city's 55th anniversary will be celebrated with a homecoming-themed dance party at Great Park Live on August 8, starting at 5:30 p.m. The evening promises food, drinks, and a kickoff happy hour.
Outdoor movie screenings are scheduled across Irvine. Sunset Cinema at Irvine Regional Park will show “Kung Fu Panda 4” on August 14 and “Jumanji” on August 21. Pre-show entertainment begins at 6 p.m. Hicks Canyon Community Park will host “Movies on the Lawn” on August 14, screening “Zootopia 2” after sunset; gourmet food trucks will be available from 6:30 p.m. The William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center will host a “Splash-In Movie” on August 29 at 6:30 p.m., inviting the community for a recreational swim with a poolside movie.
Finally, the Irvine Spectrum Center will feature “Endless Summer Snapshots,” a roaming photo booth, on August 15 and August 29.
