ARTS FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Mickey Mouse comes to Festival of Arts

The Disneyland Resort has partnered with the Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, for a joint celebration of the festival’s 75th anniversary of leadership in the arts and the resort’s “Year of a Million Dreams” theme.

A special exhibition will be on display throughout the festival’s anniversary season. The exhibition, “Dream, Imagine, Create: The Art of Disney Parks,” will feature work inspired by this year’s Pageant of the Masters production and the “Where Dreams Come True” spirit of Disneyland Resort’s Year of a Million Dreams celebration.

“Dream, Imagine, Create: The Art of Disney Parks” will debut Sunday with a ceremony at 10:30 a.m., repeated at 12:30 p.m.

Special guests Mickey Mouse and a Disneyland Resort Ambassador will join Festival of Arts President Anita Mangels to unveil the exhibition and a living tableau recreating “Waiting for Mom,” a featured painting by George Scribner of Walt Disney Imagineering.

All on-site exhibitions are free with Festival admission. The Festival admission prices are $7 for general admission/season pass and $4 for seniors and students. All children 12 and under are free, as are Laguna Beach residents.

For more information, call (949) 494-1145 or visit www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org.

Art-A-Fair grooves with salsa and rock

The Art-A-Fair will host DJ Inniss with salsa and merengue Latin Grooves from 5 to 8 p.m. today. There will also be margarita specials in the gazebo.

From 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Uncle Monkey will perform tropical rock; Rideshare will perform smooth jazz from 5 to 9 p.m. The Ninth Life will perform pop vocals from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, followed by Don Covel’s guitar and vocals from 4 to 7 p.m. Satin Blue will perform the blues from 2 to 5 p.m. on the Fourth of July.

The Art-A-Fair will also hold free, daily artist-hosted workshops in the tent outside the gates.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, visitors can participate in watercolor painting with Sharon Cannon.

Victor Dworak will teach how to paint Venetian Carnival masks on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Robin Altman will show how to make various crafts and gifts.

Janeen Shagman will teach the basics of jewelry making from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays.

Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Iris Adam will do face painting, followed by gourd painting with Virginia Page and Adam from 1:30 to 4 p.m.

Johann Ulrich will teach visitors how to draw six animals in 30 minutes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Clay figure making with Bob Shilling will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.

With 125 artists exhibiting, the Art-A-Fair will run from June 29 to Sept. 2. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Admission is $7 for adults, $3.50 for seniors and military, and $3.50 per person for groups of 20 or more. Children aged 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.

For more information, call (949) 415-4514 or visit www.art-a-fair.com.

Sawdust opens with music, performer

A variety of music, artistically twisted balloons and a circus performer will join exhibitors to celebrate today’s opening of the Sawdust Art Festival, 935 Laguna Canyon Rd.

Opening-day festivities begin at 10 a.m. with 200 artisans in their newly built and freshly painted booths. The original work on display includes jewelry, painting, photography, ceramics, glass, textiles, paintings, wood, metal art, scrimshaw and more.

April Strong the Balloon Diva and circus performer Eric Halverson will rove the grounds from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Kelly Fitzgerald will perform folk rock from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the tavern, and Paul McIntyre will perform eclectic violin music at the same time at the grill.

Steel drum band Pan-A-Cea will perform calypso from noon to 4:30 p.m. on the main deck.

From 5 to 9:30 p.m., singer/songwriter Michelle Mangione will perform at the tavern, while blues rock performer Dave Osti will be at the grill.

Classic rock band Best of Times will be on the main deck from 5:30 to 9:45 p.m.

The festival is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Sept. 2, except for July 4, when the show closes at 6 p.m.

General admission to the Sawdust Art Festival is $7, $6 for seniors over 65, $3 for children aged six through 12 and free for kids five and under. For additional information, visit www.SawdustArtFestival.org or call (949) 494-3030.