The Swallows Day Parade in San Juan Capistrano is one of the nation's largest non-motorized…read moreparades, celebrating the return of the swallows with a festive, Old West-style street party held on a Saturday in March. It features extensive equestrian groups, marching bands, dancers, and floats, followed by a lively Mercado Street Faire.

The Swallow's Day Parade is a nice (free) annual event held each March to celebrate the return of…read morethe swallows to the area. It's also "one of the nation's largest non-motorized parades." That's right, you'll see plenty of horses, wagons, bands, and beautiful costumes adorning parade walkers, but no motorized vehicles. You won't see many real swallows at that time, but they are around - their nests are very distinguishable with mud pellets stuck together often in a gourd shape attached to high outer corners of buildings. Growing up, my mom always let them build their nests right above our patio door, much to the displeasure of some visitors. But I digress. You probably want to attend this event only once in your life if you don't already live in the vicinity. It's very organized with a different theme each year, but the parade drags on for quite a bit as there was too much space between each group of paraders. TRAVEL THERE We rode the Metrolink (3/23/19) from Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs. Highly recommended this method of travel because a) parking is free in this particular lot on weekends, b) you can avoid traffic & the absolute hassle of trying to find parking when you reach San Juan Capistrano because it is SUPER crowded, c) children 5 and under ride free, and d) the train depot in SJC leads you within short walking distance of the streets where the parade will be passing through. Overall, the people of SJC including all the law enforcement were very welcoming and nice. SIDE STORY There may be one or two bad apples - like this woman who sat next to my husband halfway through the parade and later let her friends sit right in front of him. Mind you, we were already sitting on the street in front of people who are in chairs or standing. She didn't like it when he told them he thought they were being disrespectful since they kept scooting in front of him more. She turned up the psychometer real quick, spoutin' out stuff like "hit me!" What the... This chick was a brand new kind of crazy! A sheriff's deputy who was standing nearby kept listening to her and my husband go back and forth, but the deputy really kept his eyes on HER. Most likely because she was trying to instigate something that wasn't going to happen. Eventually man-hating crazy town left because I wasn't moving. Lol. I wasn't about to let this mouthpiece & her inconsiderate friends ruin our day, but then our 5-year-old daughter openly declared, "That woman was really mean to Daddy." TIPS Consider bringing a... - light jacket - hat and sunglasses - blanket to sit on - cash for the Mercado Street Faire! There's plenty of food, games, & merch

Went to the Greek Festival today and it was soo much fun! Parking was free, entry $5. I have always…read morewanted to attend, and this year was the year i made it happen. I loved the live music, the dancing, the singing, the food vendors and other clothing, trinket vendors. They had a kids section with face painting. Something for everyone. It was awesome being in an environment with yaya's and pappoús, and family mixed young and old enjoying music, food, and just being happy. My parents made it there sooner than i had and already were immersing themselves with Side - Tzatziki & Pita $4.00 Spanakopita (1 piece) $7.00 Greek Salad - small $7.00 for $18.00 All while enjoying how to learn greek dancing and listening to music. When I arrived, the good times were still rolling and i had to order my chicken gyro with fries. Soo worth it. Yumm! I went for their Greek Sundae with Baghalava and they had to stop serving it for one reason or another. It was the talk of the festival about how great it was. Next year, definitely thats on my bucket list. Thats the first thing im getting. Seeing the lamb roasted on the spit reminded me of the movie "my big fat greek wedding". Same vibes, 1000%. Everything was clean and organized and loved it! It still going on until 11pm, as i was leaving at 5pm people were still arriving and the party was still getting lit! I have to pace myself next year. I purchased some cute stuff by the vendors , specifically : and Evil Eye Tote and evil eye accessories. For those who know me, know the "mati" is real and your girl here doesnt take any chances. Hehehe. Iykyk!! ;) Overall, 10/10.

Went to the San Juan Capistrano Greek Festival last night. It's always a cool charitable event…read more The vendors are nice and food is good (a bit pricey but it's for charity). The wine booth and beer tent are always fun. They always play the key college football games so the fans do not have an excuse not to go. We enjoyed a bottle of wine with some friends and strangely it paired well with a tasty gyro and some Greek fries. There is Greek music and dancers too. Fun family event.

"One's options in this world are as vast as the horizon, which is technically a circle and thus…read moreinfinitely broad. Yet we must choose each step we take with utmost caution, for the footprints we leave behind are as important as the path we will follow. They're part of the same journey -- our story." ― Lori R. Lopez, Dance Of The Chupacabras What an amazing event this was! OC Meets Napa and Baja, presented by Community Health Center AltaMed, brought primarily Latino-centric restaurants and chefs in Orange County and Latino-owned wineries in Napa and Baja together in a celebration of culture. Proceeds from all the ticket sales went toward supporting the Orange County health services and programs that AltaMed spearheads in underserved communities. When I was Housing Manager for the City of Huntington Beach, I funded Alta Med through the City's CDBG program and am very knowledgable about the great services they provide especially in a country that still has an imperfect and expensive healthcare system. What was cool about this event was actually seeing, meeting and talking to the chefs/winemakers. These are the people who chose their path, who chose their own story. The passion from chefs such as Beto Ygei from 930 Sushi (excellent spicy yellowtail), Carlos Selgado of Taco Maria (wonderful scallop here), Gabbi Patrick (I think they did a scallop dish too), Rogelio Martinez of Casa Oaxaca (so excited was he about his sorbets and ice cream), and winemakers such as Alex, Oscar and Lola Llamas (best wines at event and great people too who invited us to hang out afterwards). This is the type of event that I love to attend and is only second to the San Jose Jazz Festival as favorite yelp events of this kind that I was lucky enough to get tickets from Yelp. Was disappointed in the Baja wines as there was little balance or flavor with those wines, and a lot of rustic smells and astrigent finishes. However given that when traveling the local wines always taste better when you are visiting their area (Cinque Terre was an example of this where the wines are fabulous only when you are outdoors on a patio with a great view eating a sublime pesto dish in Italy), I will visit Baja soon and visit the better wineries on their home turf ;-) Thanks again Yelp for this event! Sidney

I was a lucky winner of VIP tickets ($125 pp) to OC Meets Napa and Baja sponsored by AltaMed. I…read morewas worried about rain but it cleared up right before the event started which led to the vendors scrambling to set up their tents. It was warm and muggy but there was plenty of food and drink for all the guests to enjoy. There were plenty of Napa and Baja wine vendors pouring wine throughout the event along with restaurants from LA, OC, and Baja. Some of my favorite food vendors were Anepalco's Cafe, Taco Maria, Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen, and Deckman's en el Mogor. Wine was definitely plentiful as was the food. There was a wine wheel that you could spin for $20, which went to the Women in Action charity and in turn you won a wine bottle valued anywhere from $40 to $80. I won an $80 bottle of wine. It was pretty awesome. There were tables for all the guests to lounge and mingle at. The event was held at Mission San Juan Capistrano which I had never visited before. We were allowed to walk around the exhibits while the Mission was closed to the public. Pretty cool. Thanks to Yelp OC for the tickets. My +1 and I had a great time.

So freaking crowded in the Ritz ballroom. Oversold. No way to sample anything as the lines were…read moreridiculous. Not enough outside seating. People rushing for open seats. Food selection was very disappointing and sparse. Will not return to this event. More hype than substance. The dribbles of wine given as samples were ridiculous as well. Had to "negotiate" for a real sample size. No Covid protocols and extremely packed ballroom with total chaos. Very poorly run event.

Awesome event! My first time here and I can't wait to return next year. Great selection of beers…read moreand wines. I would like to see more food, but the choices that were available were delicious. The booths were generously spaced out giving plenty of room for walking or standing. The Spazmatics and Nutty were very entertaining to watch. It was great to see a diverse crowd... from young to old... from wild young and free to happily married with kids in tow! Despite all the drinking... this was a very family friendly event. Very positive and fun atmosphere.

What a great music venue! Three years and running strong. The only disappointment is getting…read morethere early, securing great seats in front, and the Driftwood security folks allowing people standing IN FRONT OF those who established a front row seat in chairs. Standing should be behind chairs! Common sense 101...

Purchased two day pass, first day was like an indoor Comic Con convention, packed and long lines…read morefor everything. Day two outdoors, pretty location but having purchased VIP tickets expected more than what we got! The only difference was being able to sit, if you could find a spot. Long lines for everything and a lot of stalls closed early having run out of stuff. One would assume the following math, how many VIP tickets sold and multiply portions by that number plus 1 or 2 at minimum. Also, VIP expectation was a larger pour per serving. Due to long lines two 2oz pours did not equate to cost of ticket. I wasn't only one voicing disappointment. All that being said the people watching was enjoyable. So much Botox and lip filler

The festival was so much fun! I wasn't planning on going, but I just happened to see a flyer with a…read moreSublime cover band. The bands name is "40 Ounces to freedom". They played a lot of great songs and band seemed to enjoy the crowd. There was a Foo Fighters cover band that played a tribute song to "Soundgarden". I did get some nachos that were very surprisingly tasty. I didn't have enough time to enjoy the event since I got there late. I will be sure to be there next year!

With the caveat of needing more blues acts than any other type of music, it is a fun event and you…read morecan't beat the location.

I have been to the Doheny Blues Festival several years and every year I have enjoyed it completely!…read more It's basically just a chill day/weekend to sit on a chair, lay on a blanket or walk around. There are 2 stages of music, food booths, vendor booths and a great view of the beach and surrounding Dana Point. Seems the weather has always cooperated each year that I've attended (and if it didn't, I enjoyed the day so much that I've forgotten!) I love that you've got an event card to just keep on yourself and so not worry about money. Parking is awful if you come late, thank goodness for taxis ($5/person to drop you off closer to the main entrance... and $5/person to drop you off at your car door). A few years I've stayed at a motel/hotel during the event... THAT is the way to do it! Whether headliners are big names or not, the music never fails. Because of this festival I've become fans of some musicians and bands that I may never have heard of otherwise. Blues is amazing when heard live!! I'll always go back the the Blues Festival... made great friends, heard great music and had a great time every time! CHEERS!!!

Unlike its Long Beach counterpart, the Dana Point Taste of Brews was a bit disappointing. With less…read morebreweries represented, there were pours from well known breweries as well as small local ones, but several left after just an hour or so. Parking was awful and required quite a hike. The parking lot down the street that had a shuttle to the festival was full and the streets were very crowded. I don't mind a walk or hike, but would prefer not to have to walk uphill on a hot, sunny day after drinking beer. There were tables with umbrellas, but they provided minimal shade and were occupied the whole time. The event wasn't crowded and the lines for beer were very short, but I would have preferred longer lines, more shade and better variety. Some cool things were the Yelp booth with giant Jenga (more fun to watch as people get more drunk), little bottles of water to keep hydrated, and the cute tasting mugs. Next year, I'll stick to the LB event.

I love beer. Period. I love slow smoked BBQ. Exclaimation…read moreMark. Taste of Brews had both. Yelp! Orgasm?! Not quite. More like a just a teast. Damn it. First of all, I have to say, the same event from last year was way better, like 1000% percent better. This year, it was at Sea Terrace Community Park. It never said anything on the website in regards to parking. But as soon as I got there, it was difficult to find parking unless you know the area well. Or unless you were lucky enough to just park at the library next door. (which you weren't supposed to) I just checked the website today, I see updated parking info. This is what it states: "Parking available at Salt Creek Beach (across the street from the park) or at Dana Hills High School (33333 Golden Lantern Dana Point) with free shuttle buses to the park." I never noticed this the day before the event. Now, a few words on the beers. There also wasn't nearly as much as beer as last year. A few of my favorites were there to make my day bearable. Left Coast.-Hop juice, love it. Sierra Nevada-Summer brew, refreshing. Hanger 24 Firestone-Black Rye IPA, what the heck was that? But it was one of my favorite. Craft Brewing-Warlock Stout, that's tasted like coffee, chocolate together! North Coast Lagunitas -I wasn't able to get some of it. Most everyone had two beers to try. When it was 4pm, the whistle blew and that was it. It was kind of sad for me because I got there a little after 3pm. I wasted some time because I didn't really have breakfast nor lunch and I had to get tickets to buy the BBQ that was outside the drinking area. BTW, the BBQ people all operated under one license so they all had to serve the food the same way. In that CHILD size cup for $2. A little rediculous but I've had some of the best BBQ there west of the Mississippi. No joke. I also got to meet Andrea and Caronline who were my drinking buddies for 10 minutes. I got to meet Dean from Glisten and these sound guys were really cool. I chilled with them a bit but I had to go. It had been a long day for me. Trying to drinking 30 plus ounces in less than 30 minutes is usually not a problem for me but since I don't live by and I had to drive, I had to make sure I was okay. A word to Mike the event coordinator, I like your event. I always have, but I did wish the parking situation was better, more craft beer selection was available, and perhaps more snack vendors were available inclusive for the price. Please help make it happen for next year. Note: I did meet a Yelp guy here and his girlfriend? Thanks again for the E.T.