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Casa Romantica Showcases Festival of Arts Legacy in New Summer Exhibition

05.20.26

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is partnering with the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach for a new summer exhibition celebrating the artists who helped shape Laguna Beach’s creative legacy.

“Through the Decades: Artists That Shaped the Festival of Arts” will be on view at Casa Romantica from June 12 through Sept. 6, 2026. The exhibition features select works from the Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection and traces more than a century of Southern California art history through paintings, ceramics and sculptures from some of the region’s most influential artists.

Drawn from an archive of more than 1,000 works, the exhibition highlights both historic and contemporary pieces that reflect the evolution of Laguna Beach’s art community and its lasting impact on California’s cultural landscape.

Among the featured works is “Flower Stalls” by Virginia Woolley, one of the Festival of Arts’ founding artists and a key figure in Laguna Beach’s early arts scene. The painting was the first artwork sold at the inaugural Festival of Arts in 1932 and reflects Woolley’s legacy as a California Impressionist and arts advocate.

Additional works include “The Bathers, Laguna Beach” by Festival founder John H. Hinchman, whose vision for a community art festival during the Great Depression helped establish what would become one of the nation’s most recognized arts organizations. Also featured is “Composite Sketch/Pageant Bethlehem” by Roy Ropp, remembered as the “Father of the Pageant” for helping transform the early living picture presentations into the iconic Pageant of the Masters.

The exhibition also includes works by celebrated California artists Roger Kuntz, Joane Cromwell, Edgar Payne, Elsie Palmer Payne and Frank Cuprien, along with contemporary Festival exhibitors including Fred Stodder, Mike Tauber, Pat Sparkuhl and Monica Dunham.

Founded in 1932, the Festival of Arts began as a grassroots effort by local artists seeking to support the community during the Great Depression while welcoming visitors traveling to Southern California for the Los Angeles Olympics. What started as a small outdoor exhibition evolved into a nationally recognized nonprofit arts institution and the internationally known Pageant of the Masters.

Casa Romantica will host a Members Only Preview Night on Thursday, June 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. A free public opening reception follows on Friday, June 12, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Located on the historic Ole Hanson estate overlooking the Pacific in San Clemente, Casa Romantica continues its mission of connecting the community through art, history and culture with this special exhibition honoring Laguna Beach’s artistic heritage.

Admission information, hours, and additional details can be found at Casa Romantica.

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Azure Day Party Debuts Sundays at The Bungalow Huntington Beach

05.18.26

The Bungalow Huntington Beach is launching a new weekly daytime series with Azure Day Party beginning Memorial Day weekend on Sunday, May 24. The weekly Sunday residency will bring Azure’s signature mix of house music, elevated hospitality and high-energy daytime entertainment to the Huntington Beach coast from 2 to 9 p.m.

Founded in 2022, Azure Day Party started as a rooftop gathering in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, before growing into an international lifestyle brand with events across the United States and Europe. Known for its music-driven atmosphere and curated crowd, Azure will bring a rotating lineup of house music artists to The Bungalow, including Ookay, Sunday Scaries, Night Tales and other guest performers throughout the summer residency.

Set along Pacific Coast Highway, The Bungalow’s indoor-outdoor layout and coastal design make it a natural fit for the daytime series. Guests can expect DJs, cocktails, bottle service and a social atmosphere designed around music and hospitality. Organizers anticipate approximately 500 guests each Sunday following strong demand leading into opening weekend.

The residency is part of Bungalow Hospitality Group, founded by Brent Bolthouse, and reflects the continued growth of daytime entertainment culture in Southern California.

Azure Day Party takes place every Sunday beginning May 24 at The Bungalow Huntington Beach. The event is for guests 21 and older, with general admission tickets and table reservations available online. For more information, visit Azure Day Party SoCal.

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