Newport Dunes Celebrates Labor Day Weekend With Live Music, Beach Movies and Waterfront Fun

Summer isn't over yet. Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina is keeping the season going with a full lineup of live music, beach movies, food trucks and water adventures from Friday, Sept. 4, through Monday, Sept. 7.

Families looking to spend the day can head straight for the resort's Inflatable Water Park, open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Labor Day. The floating obstacle course includes more than 25 inflatables, from slides and bounce platforms to icebergs and a jungle gym. For a calmer pace, the Upper Newport Back Bay is ideal for kayaking, pedal boating, paddleboarding or cruising in a rented electric Duffy boat.

Music lovers won't want to miss Tunes at the Dunes, three nights of free live performances on the sand from 5 to 8 p.m.:

• Friday, Sept. 4: Kelly Boyz Band (country rock)
• Saturday, Sept. 5: Family Style (soul and rock)
• Sunday, Sept. 6: Flashback Heart Attack ('80s hits)

Grab a chair or a blanket, stake out a spot on the beach and settle in. Food trucks and a full bar with beer, wine and cocktails will be on hand throughout the concerts. Admission is free, though parking is not.

Friday and Saturday evenings bring Movies on the Beach at dusk, with family-friendly films playing under the stars. Bring your own seating and enjoy the show right on the sand.

For something more casual, Moe B's Munchies, the resort's walk-up beachfront bar and grill, will be serving burgers, pizza, sandwiches, salads and snacks all weekend, along with beer, wine, cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks. Grab a table on the patio or spread out a picnic by the water.

The rest of the resort is open for exploring too. Rent a beach cruiser, float in the waveless swimming lagoon, let the kids loose on the pirate-themed playground or book a private beachfront cabana for a shaded escape between dips in the bay. Overnight guests also have access to the resort's heated pools and spas.

Want to make it a full getaway? Newport Dunes offers RV and tent camping, and visitors without their own RV can have one delivered and set up by a local rental company. The resort's beach cottages are already sold out for the holiday weekend, and RV and camping spots tend to go fast, so early booking is recommended.

Not ready to let go of summer? Newport Dunes' Endless Summer Offer takes 40% off RV sites for Sunday-through-Thursday stays from Aug. 16 through Sept. 17, excluding Labor Day weekend. Use promo code ENDLESSSUMMER26 online or mention it when booking by phone.

Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina is at 1131 Back Bay Drive in Newport Beach.

Marriott Irvine Spectrum Offers Shuttle Pass for Daisy Chain Fields Festival

If you're headed to the Daisy Chain Fields Festival at Great Park on Saturday, Aug. 29, here's a way to skip the parking headache.

Marriott Irvine Spectrum is selling a Festival Shuttle Pass through Eventbrite that lets guests park at the hotel and ride a shuttle straight to the festival grounds, no navigating event lots required.

The pass includes:

• Round-trip shuttle service between the hotel and Great Park
• Hotel valet parking for the day (no overnight parking)
• Shuttle service running until about 90 minutes after the festival wraps
• One drink ticket to use at the hotel
• A welcome goody bag with festival-day surprises

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

Marriott Irvine Spectrum is located at 7905 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine.

VOX Kitchen Brings Modern Chifa Flavor to Aliso Viejo

Kei Concepts is opening a third VOX Kitchen location in Aliso Viejo on Wednesday, Sept. 2. The new restaurant brings the brand's Modern Chifa cuisine to South Orange County for the first time.

VOX Kitchen opened in Fountain Valley in 2017 as one of Kei Concepts' first restaurants. It has since grown into one of the group's best-known names, with locations in Fountain Valley and South Coast Plaza. The concept is built on Chifa, the culinary tradition blending Chinese and Peruvian influences, with a menu known for bold flavor and multicultural roots.

The 3,298-square-foot Aliso Viejo location will seat close to 80 guests, with an interior inspired by VOX Kitchen & Bar at South Coast Plaza. The new restaurant carries forward the same lively, welcoming dining experience that has defined VOX for nearly 10 years.

The menu will include the dishes VOX is known for: Filet Mignon Lomo Saltado, served over thick-cut fries wok-tossed with red onion and tomato alongside rice and aji sauce; Filet Garlic Noodles finished with Parmesan and scallions; and the VOX Pear Salad, layered with arugula, burrata, candied nuts and fig balsamic. Crispy Garlic Chicken Wings and Chifa-style fried rice round out the menu.

The Aliso Viejo opening follows several recent debuts for Kei Concepts, including QUA Contemporary Chinese Cuisine, Kei Coffee House, ROL Hand Roll Bar in Irvine and La Habra, and VOX Kitchen & Bar at South Coast Plaza. Founder Viet Nguyen was also named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: California this year, and he and co-CEO Ivy Ha have received several honors for their leadership.

VOX Kitchen Aliso Viejo, located at 26511 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, will open with soft-opening hours Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Starting Sept. 7, hours expand to Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit Kei Concepts online.

Founded by Viet Nguyen, Kei Concepts is an Orange County-based hospitality group behind chef-driven restaurant concepts rooted in culture, craftsmanship and innovation. With nearly 1,000 employees across its portfolio, the company is one of the largest Vietnamese-founded restaurant groups in the country. Its restaurants include VOX Kitchen, VOX Kitchen & Bar, NEP Cafe, SUP Noodle Bar, INI Ristorante, Kei Coffee House, KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya, QUA Contemporary Chinese Cuisine and ROL Hand Roll Bar.