One of my favorite things about living in Orange County is that a weekend never has to look the same twice. You can spend Saturday tasting chili at a beach community center and Sunday morning meeting your kid's favorite author at a college campus, and still be home in time for dinner. Everything is close by. Nothing takes a full day of driving to reach. That kind of access is easy to take for granted once you live here, but it is genuinely one of the reasons people fall in love with this county and decide to stay, me included!
There's so much to do these next two weeks. I found 4 events worth putting on your calendar, spread from Huntington Beach down to San Clemente, and most of them are free or close to it. Here is what is happening, what it actually costs, and the parking and logistics details I would want a friend to tell me before I went.
Sunset Beach Chili Cook-Off, 27th Annual
📅Saturday, September 19 | 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
📍Sunset Beach Community Center, 16861 12th Street at PCH, Huntington Beach, CA 90742
🎟️$20 admission, kids 5 and under free, free parking next to the Community Center
Starting off with something you don't really see everyday! Chili teams compete for trophies and bragging rights, a panel of judges crowns the winners, and there'll be some classic rock bands like Cat Reed and the Back Alley Band. There'll be beer and wine, the Kabobaholic Mediterranean food truck, a classic VW bus display from the Kowabunga Van Klan, and a Huntington Beach Marine Safety display for the kids. At 3:00 p.m. the silent auction closes and the live auction starts. A Hilton Waterfront overnight stay, a Duffy boat rental, and a ride-along in the HB Police helicopter are up for grabs.
What I like about this event is where the money goes. It is the primary fundraiser for the Sunset Beach Woman's Club, a nonprofit that has been around since 1929 and runs on about seventy volunteer members. Last year's cook-off drew more than a thousand people and funded 23 student scholarships, up from 14 the year before. This year they are aiming for 25. Proceeds also go toward keeping the Sunset Beach Community Center running and toward a memorial fund that teaches local kids to swim and gets them into the Junior Lifeguards program.
You can buy tickets in advance on Eventbrite or just pay at the gate.
Orange County Children's Book Festival
📅Sunday, September 20 | 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
📍Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
🎟️Free admission, free parking
If you have kids anywhere in the reading-age range, this is the single best free morning in the county this month. Orange Coast College and the OCC Foundation is going all out this year. There will be read-aloud sessions, food trucks, author booths, author presentations, train rides, character encounters, and so much more kid-friendly activities.
The 2026 featured guests are Rachel Ignotofsky, the bestselling author and illustrator behind the Women in Science books, comedian and artist Melissa Villaseñor, comedian and author Jesús Trejo, and StoryTeller, YouTube's most-watched reading channel for kids. You can meet authors, browse books, and wander between 4 stages at your own pace.
Free parking on a college campus on a Sunday means this is one of the lowest-stress family outings you will find. Check out more information here!
San Clemente Car Show, 30th Annual
📅Sunday, September 20 | 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
📍Avenida Del Mar, Historic Downtown San Clemente, CA 92672
🎟️Free for spectators, dogs welcome
Thirty years in, this show has become part of San Clemente's identity. More than 250 classic cars line Avenida Del Mar, along with hot rods, muscle cars, customs, and newer vehicles from local dealerships. There is live music, slot car racing for the kids, and awards in several "Best of" categories to close out the day. The San Clemente Downtown Business Association hosts it in partnership with the City of San Clemente, which means the shops and restaurants along Del Mar are all open and part of the experience.
One practical note that will save you a lot of frustration: parking downtown is extremely limited on show day. The organizers recommend taking the free San Clemente trolley instead, and there is a large bike parking zone on site. Plan for that and the day gets a lot more pleasant! OR... you can register your car to be a part of the show and park on site... Check out more information and registration instructions here.
Redo Market at the OC Fairgrounds
📅Friday, September 25 | 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. & Saturday, September 26 | 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
📍OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa
🎟️$10-20 depending on Date and Time
Redo Market takes over three buildings at the Fairgrounds with more than 130 vendors, which is a serious amount of browsing. Expect vintage clothing, surf and surfboards, home decor, antiques, jewelry, and a long list of California makers. Live music comes from South OC musicians including Dano, the Real Big Band, Randall Winvick, Bert One Man, and Jasmine Marie, plus food trucks and hands-on experiences throughout.
A tip worth knowing: Rivian is the title partner this year, and booking one of their demo drives gets you two free market tickets when you check in at will call. Those slots go quickly.
If you have been furnishing a new place or looking for one good piece with actual character, this is the weekend for it. You can get tickets here.
Two Very Different Sundays
Sunday the 20th is the one that captures what I love about this county. You could spend the morning in Costa Mesa listening to authors read to your kids on a college lawn, or you could spend it on a coastal main street in San Clemente admiring chrome and talking to people who have spent three decades restoring their cars. Both are free. Both are walkable. You can also do both, they are about thirty-five minutes apart.
That is the version of Orange County I try to show people who are thinking about moving here. Not just the beaches and the school ratings, though those are real, but the fact that four weekends a month can look completely different depending on which direction you drive, and what you like. And that most of what makes a neighborhood worth living in is run by the community, volunteers, nonprofits, and downtown business associations who care about the place.
If you are exploring different pockets of OC and wondering which one actually fits your life, I am always happy to talk through it. Knowing the neighborhoods is my job as your realtor, but knowing what happens in them is the fun part, and can be my role as your friend...HMU?
Quick Reference for Your Convenience!
Event | Date | City | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Sunset Beach Chili Cook-Off | Sat, Sept 19, 11am to 5pm | Huntington Beach | $20 |
OC Children's Book Festival | Sun, Sept 20, 10am to 3pm | Costa Mesa | Free |
San Clemente Car Show | Sun, Sept 20, 10am to 3pm | San Clemente | Free |
Redo Market | Fri, Sept 25 & Sat, Sept 26 | Costa Mesa | $10-20 |
Event details are accurate as of publication. Always check the organizer's website before heading out.
