MAY 22 THROUGH 25
GARDEN GROVE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend while enjoying strawberries in every form, from shortcake and lemonade to shaved ice and more. For 66 years, the festival has brought the community together to enjoy carnival rides, live performances, contests, celebrity autograph signings, games, and a parade, all in the name of strawberries. The weekend-long event is full of entertainment and excitement with various activities as well as a full-scale carnival and vendor booths open every day. Village Green Park, 12732 Main St., Garden Grove, 714-638-0981, strawberryfestival.org
MAY 20
LIZZY & THE TRIGGERMEN
Laguna Beach Live! is celebrating 25 years with a soulful and lively evening of jazz and swing music. Hailing from Los Angeles, Lizzy & the Triggermen deliver a powerful performance packed with danceable hits. The 10-piece band is led by vocalist Lizzy and includes horns, piano, guitar, drums, and bass. Their set features jazz spins on modern hits like “…Baby One More Time,” as well as jazz standards such as “La Vie en Rose” and “When I Get Low I Get High.” Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949-497-2787, lagunaplayhouse.com
MAY 23
DEFYING GRAVITY: AN EVENING WITH STEPHEN SCHWARTZ & FRIENDS
Broadway legend Stephen Schwartz takes a trip down memory lane through all of his incredible musicals, including “Wicked,” “Godspell,” and “Pippin,” in his live performance. The Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer and lyricist has written many beloved and popular songs over the course of his long career. In this rare live performance, Schwartz will lead three vocalists through a musical journey that includes songs such as “Defying Gravity” and “Day by Day.” Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine, 949-854-4646, thebarclay.org
THROUGH MAY 24
“SANCTUARY CITY”
Following the events of 9/11, two teenagers living in Newark, N.J., are faced with navigating their adolescence with the threat of a potential deportation weighing on them. Their bond is tested by the complexities of love and identity. The play was developed by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok and offers a look into the lives of undocumented youth and the daily struggles they face. Chance Theater, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, 714-777-3033, chancetheater.com
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