Campus-wide Day of Performances and Activities for Local Families
For four decades, Segerstrom Center for the Arts has served as a gathering place for extraordinary artistry, meaningful connection, and unforgettable experiences in Orange County. On Sunday, September 13thfrom 2 – 8 pm, the Center invited members of the local community to come celebrate its 40th anniversary with a free, campus-wide celebration for one unforgettable afternoon.
From live performances and interactive activities to behind-the-scenes experiences, artmaking, music, movement, and family-friendly programming, the anniversary celebration offered guests an opportunity to explore the Center and experience the many people, artists, organizations, and communities that helped shape it over the past 40 years.
The celebration also featured special participation from the Center’s resident companies and campus partners, including Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Pacific Chorale, South Coast Repertory, and UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art. Also included were the Center’s onsite ABT William J. Gillespie School, and Studio D: Arts School for All Abilities.
2:00–6:00pm | Free Community Celebration
- Audiences spent the afternoon exploring every corner of the Center through performances, workshops, behind-the-scenes experiences, and interactive activities presented by our resident companies and community partners.
- Attendees could relive the excitement of opening night in Segerstrom Hall with screenings of the 1986 red carpet broadcast, A Night to Remember, courtesy of PBS SoCal; they also enjoyed performances by OCSA ensembles, explored an interactive technology lab, and watched open ballet masterclasses from ABT William J. Gillespie School.
- They experienced the beauty of live music in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, where Pacific Symphony and Philharmonic Society youth ensembles performed alongside demonstrations of the magnificent William J. Gillespie Concert Organ by David Ball and the Christ Cathedral Organ Scholars. Families also discovered instruments firsthand through the Philharmonic Society’s Music Mobile and Instrument Petting Zoo.
- In Samueli Theater, Studio D: Arts School for All Abilities transformed the space into a welcoming sensory-friendly environment featuring interactive activities and performances designed for guests of all abilities.
- Outside on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza, the celebration continued with a festive kickoff by the Mater Dei High School Band, performances by Mariachi Orgullo de UCI, participatory dance lessons inspired by Tuesday Night Dance, a community recorder choir, and Pacific Chorale’s joyful Big Sing—inviting everyone to raise their voices together.
On the lower grand staircase in front of the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art families took part in a large-scale hands-on artmaking activity for all ages. They used sculpting techniques to build colorful cardboard plants and flowers to add to a collaborative growing garden installation, inspired by the history of the plaza as a former lima bean field and current exhibitions at the museum. They also headed inside of the museum for drawing activities, delicious snacks, tours of current exhibitions, and more!
Hosted by ABC Eyewitness News anchor David Ono, the evening featured special anniversary moments celebrating the Center’s legacy, presentations of proclamations and honors for the anniversary from local politicians, a high-energy performance by The M80s, and concluded with a spectacular drone show lighting up the sky above the Center.
Local Elected Officials in attendance included City of Costa Mesa Mayor John Stephens, Council Member Buley, Council Member Gameros, Council Member Reynolds, City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly, Assistant City Manager Alma Reyes, Orange County Board of Supervisors, Fifth District, Supervisor, Katrina Foley, Assemblywoman, District 73, Cottie Petrie-Norris, Representative Ryan Dack for Office of Congressman David Min.
