Concerts in the Park return to Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa residents will once again get the chance to groove and rock out at Costa Mesa Foundation’s free Concerts in the Park series starting Tuesday.

The Foundation has hosted the summer series, which will run through July 28 at Fairview Park, for five years. Before that it was funding by the city for about a decade.

“It’s a time where the community can come together and show how enthused they are about living in Costa Mesa,” foundation board President Lea Lowe said. “Sometimes, people come here with their neighbors and other times people can come here to make new friends.”

Chain Reaction, an ‘80s cover band, will be the first to perform on Tuesday. Next in the series will be the smooth sounds of SoCal Jazz All Stars, featuring jazz musicians Rob Mullins, Brandon Fields, Steve Billman and Evan Stone on July 14. Pop-funk band Undecided Future will take the stage on July 21 and The Fenians will close out the series with their fusion of Irish folk and rock music on July 28.

While planning the performances, the foundation wanted to reach out to musicians who had ties to the local community.

“All bands that will be performing in the concerts have some type of strong Orange County connection,” Lowe said. “Some formed their bands in Orange County and others used to live in Costa Mesa.”

Over 1,500 guests typically attend each show. Concert-goers can also expect food trucks, a beer and wine garden, face-painting and balloon artists during the park concerts.

Costa Mesa organizations Save Our Youth, the Costa Mesa High School Foundation, Orange Coast College’s honor society Phi Theta Kappa and the Mika Community Development Corporation will hold raffles at the event.

Proceeds from the event will go toward the Foundation’s Community Grants Program that benefits areas of Costa Mesa that are dedicated to youth education, community pride, public safety and park development and maintenance.

This year the foundation has created a crowd-funding website to make donations to the Costa Mesa nonprofit that will be made available at the concerts.

If You Go

What: Costa Mesa Foundation’s Concerts in the Park

Where: Fairview Park, 2525 Placentia Ave.

When: 6 p.m. Tuesdays from July 7 to July 28

Cost: Free

Schedule:

Tuesday: Chain Reaction (classic dance hits)

July 14: SoCal Jazz All Stars (jazz)

July 21: Undecided Future (pop-funk)

July 28: The Fenians (Irish folk, rock)