September brings a diverse array of events to Irvine, offering residents opportunities to engage with arts, culture, sports, and community gatherings throughout the month. From live music and dance performances to professional sports matches and a new hospital campus grand opening, the city hosts various activities.
The Great Park will be a hub for two significant cultural celebrations. The Fiesta Latina en Irvine celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month on September 13, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free festival will feature lotería games, calavera makeup demonstrations, traditional dance, and live music. Attendees can also explore art displays, educational exhibits, and craft stations. Later in the month, the city's sixth annual Mid-Autumn Festival takes place on September 25, from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This free evening event honors East and Southeast Asian harvest traditions with live cultural performances, intricate lantern displays, and hands-on craft stations for the community. The Great Park Live venue will also host a 2000s R&B festival, Total Vibez Live, on September 12. This event, from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., features performances by Keyshia Cole, Mario, and Pretty Ricky, along with throwback culture elements and food vendors.
Irvine Barclay Theatre will present several notable performances. On September 16 at 8 p.m., The Barclay Jazz & Beyond Orchestra will stage a “Battle of the Bands,” drawing inspiration from Swing Era competitions of the 1930s and ’40s as rival ensembles go head-to-head. Ballets Jazz Montréal will bring "Dance Me," an homage to Leonard Cohen, to the stage on September 24 at 8 p.m., featuring original choreography set to his classic works. Additionally, the theatre will host “Behind the Lines” on September 27 at 5 p.m. This production, created by jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci and combat veteran Jaymes Poling, combines music, theater, and storytelling to explore the human impact of the 9/11 attacks, including firsthand accounts from Poling and FDNY firefighter Bill Spade.
For sports enthusiasts, the Orange County Soccer Club has three late-season home matches scheduled at Championship Stadium. The team will play Sacramento Republic FC on September 5, Las Vegas Lights FC on September 12, and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on September 26. All matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. and will feature specific theme nights, including a Labor Day Beer Fest, California Classic Night, and Owners Night + Uncorked.
Residents seeking comedy can find Ryan Hamilton performing at the Irvine Improv from September 10-12. Hamilton, recognized by Rolling Stone as one of its "Five Comics to Watch," is known for his observational humor and has appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and in his Netflix special "This Just Hit Me."
Irvine Valley College’s new art gallery will host "E Hele Mai, Grounded Elsewhere, Rooted Here," its inaugural curated exhibition. This display explores contemporary Hawaiian art through ceramics, paintings, photography, and mixed-media installations, remaining open through October 1.
Hoag Hospital Irvine will mark the grand opening of its new Sun Family Campus with a free event called World of Wonder. On September 19-20, residents can visit the campus at 16200 Sand Canyon Avenue for hospital tours, immersive glowing tunnels, light sculptures, and hands-on discovery stations.
These September events provide a wide range of opportunities for Irvine residents to participate in local culture, enjoy entertainment, and engage with community developments.
