‘Gala of the Stars’ Returns to Segerstrom for 17th Year

Mark your calendar for Thursday, Aug. 6, when Festival Ballet Theatre brings its beloved "Gala of the Stars" back to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for a one-night-only celebration of ballet.

Now in its 17th year, the gala pairs international ballet stars with a select group of young protégés for an evening that's equal parts mentorship and masterclass. This year's headliner is Maria Khoreva, first soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, who joins guest artists from American Ballet Theatre, Dutch National Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, New York City Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Tulsa Ballet and Vienna State Opera. (Guest artists are subject to change.)

The evening unfolds in two parts. At 6 p.m., the program opens with an optional one act performance from the young protégés, dancers chosen for their exceptional promise who've just wrapped two weeks of intensive training under top artistic directors from the Royal Ballet School, Youth America Grand Prix and San Francisco Ballet Training Program. Then at 7 p.m., the main event takes the stage: a one act performance featuring the world renowned guest artists themselves.

It's a rare chance to watch seasoned stars and rising talent share one stage, all in celebration of the same craft.

This year's gala also marks a bigger milestone: the 38th anniversary of Festival Ballet Theatre, Orange County's premier resident ballet company. The young protégés taking part will be coached by Royal Ballet School Artistic Director Iain Mackay, along with YAGP founders Larissa Saveliev and Gennadi Saveliev, and a roster of esteemed guest faculty.

Tickets are available now at scfta.org.

600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa.

Segerstrom Center’s Y2K-Inspired Movie Mondays Return This Summer

Relive the Y2K era this summer as Segerstrom Center for the Arts brings back its popular Movie Mondays series with a nostalgic lineup of late ’90s and early 2000s favorites on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza.

Returning for its 18th year, the complimentary outdoor movie series begins July 6 with The Parent Trap, followed by Men in Black on July 13, How to Train Your Dragon on July 20, The Lizzie McGuire Movie on July 27, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl on Aug. 3.

Guests may arrive beginning at 5:30 p.m., with pre-show activities from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Movies begin at dusk, approximately 8 p.m. Seating is first come, first served, and guests are encouraged to bring blankets, low-back chairs, snacks, or a picnic. Tables, barbecues, and large food setups are not permitted.

Food trucks will be on site, and George’s Café will offer beverages and alcoholic drinks for guests 21 and older. Outside alcohol is prohibited.

All screenings will include closed captioning.

More information is available at ]https://www.scfta.org/shows-events/movie-mondays">[/url]Segerstrom Center for the Arts Movie Mondays

600 Town Center Dr. Costa Mesa. 714.556.2121

Del Mar’s 2026 Summer Racing Season Opens July 17

Summer at the track is back. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club just released details on its 2026 Summer Racing Season, and tickets are on sale now at dmtc.com/tickets. The season runs from Opening Day on Friday, July 17, through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7.

Founded more than 80 years ago by Bing Crosby, Del Mar remains the only seaside racetrack in the country, and this year's lineup includes 37 stakes races plus a packed calendar of trackside events.

Opening Day presented by Caesars Sportsbook brings back the annual Hats Contest and the Opening Day Party presented by Pacifico, with live DJs and specialty cocktails. New for 2026 is the Seabiscuit Society VIP Party, a ticketed event in the Grandstand's sixth-floor Skyroom with ocean views, hosted food and drink, and serious see-and-be-seen energy.

Fridays got a refresh too. First post time moves up to 2 p.m. (it was 4 p.m.), with closing weekend, Sept. 5-7, starting at 1:30 p.m. New Friday perks include 25% off signature drinks and select beer until 4 p.m., a ticketed Turf Club happy hour with two drinks and two appetizers, and weekly complimentary spirits tastings from brands like Bulleit Bourbon.

The trackside event calendar mixes old favorites with new additions:

• July 18: Tacos & Tequila
• July 26: Family Fun Day (new)
• Aug. 1: Uncorked: Del Mar Wine Fest
• Aug. 8: Turf & Surf Fest (new)
• Aug. 15: Taste of New Orleans
• Aug. 22: The $1 million Pacific Classic, now moved off Labor Day weekend
• Aug. 29: College Day
• Sept. 5: BBQ & Beer Fest (new)
• Sept. 6: Family Fun Day

On the food and drink front, chef Bryn McArthur of Amaya at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar is back curating Taste of the Turf Club, one of the only ways to experience the Turf Club without a membership. Sunday brunch gets a refreshed menu with bottomless beverages, and local pop-ups return to Plaza de Mexico every Sunday.

Diamond Club members should mark Free & Easy Thursdays: free admission, $5 Brandt Beef hot dogs, $5 16-ounce Michelob Ultra drafts and $5 refillable sodas at select concessions.

General admission starts at $10, with options that scale all the way up to trackside tables. Full details and tickets at dmtc.com.