Orange County knows how to do summer, and the OC’s warm-weather event calendar is as diverse as the county itself with strawberry and music festivals, gem shows, foodie events, and more on the roster. Check out 10 summer festivals and events that are actually worth leaving your house for this season.
May 8 to May 10: Gem Faire
Costa Mesa
May 15 to May 17: OC Greek Festival
Anaheim
May 16: OC Eid Festival
Costa Mesa
The biggest Eid celebration in Southern California returns to OC Fair & Event Center from 1 to 10 p.m., hosted by the Islamic Center of Yorba Linda. More than 15,000 attendees are expected across the full fairgrounds for a day packed with 40-plus carnival rides and games, 400-plus vendors, live entertainment, food, and family-friendly activities spanning culture, community, and celebration.Cost: General admission is $15; free for children, ages 5 and under. Tickets:icyl.org/oceidfest.
May 22 to May 25: Garden Grove Strawberry Festival
Garden Grove
May 23 and May 24: Scottish Fest
Costa Mesa
Southern California’s largest Scottish and Celtic festival takes over OC Fair & Event Center for a full weekend of world-class Celtic music, pipe band competitions, Highland dancing contests, Scottish heavy athletics, clan genealogy, and a children’s glen. Saturday’s event runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday takes place from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Whether you’re tracing your roots or just looking for an extraordinary weekend, Scottish Fest is one of the OC’s most spirited annual events. Cost: General admission is $30; $26 for seniors, ages 62 and older; $6 per child ages 5 to 16. Military and first responders with valid ID get in free.Tickets:scottishfest.com.
June 13: FuelFest SoCal
Costa Mesa
FuelFest brings its ultimate immersive car show experience back to where it all started, taking over OC Fair & Event Center from 2 to 9 p.m. for a full-day fusion of automotive culture, live music, and motorsport. More than 700 performance-built, exotic, and rare cars from across the West Coast fill themed indoor and outdoor show zones, while a custom-built drift course puts top local and professional drivers into action with fan thrill ride alongs available. The festival stage hosts live performances, special guest speakers, car reveals, and the People’s Choice Car Show competition, where fans crown the winner. A portion of all proceeds benefits Reach Out Worldwide, the nonprofit founded by Paul Walker. Cost: General admission starts at $41.19. Children, ages 12 and under, are free with a ticket-holding adult.Tickets:eventbrite.com.
June 19 to June 21: OC MENA Festival
Costa Mesa…