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MDW in Costa Mesa & Newport Beach
And just like that, it was Summer...


Hello Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, and Happy Memorial Day Weekend! If you are new here, The Back Bay Buzz is dedicated to bringing you just the right amount of news and events for locals of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. No crime, politics, spam or boring stuff.
We are pleased to announce that we hit 1000 readers over the week, we are so glad to have you here 🥳
Hopefully you are surviving the ‘heatwave’, we are hard launching the summer season withe a bevy of events, festivals and shows. Read on for the best that the sister cities have to offer on Memorial Day Weekend.
In today’s Buzz:
Crystal Cove Named Best Beach
Pushups for a Cause in Costa Mesa
Like a million things to do for MDW
— Jon Dougher, Publisher, Back Bay Buzz

Crystal Cove Named Best California State Beach

“I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100% THAT beach…”
The people have spoken — and they love Crystal Cove. In a new statewide poll by the California State Parks Foundation, Crystal Cove State Park earned the top honor as Best California State Beach.
More than 1,300 voters shared their favorite spots for hiking, camping, wildflower viewing, and kid-friendly adventures in the Foundation’s first-ever “Best of California’s State Parks” poll. Participants also submitted stories and snapshots capturing the magic of these parks.
“We launched this poll to celebrate the deep connection people have with our state parks,” said Executive Director Rachel Norton. With 280 parks, 340 miles of coastline, and 5,200 miles of trails, California’s park system is a natural treasure trove — and Crystal Cove just climbed to the top.
Costa Mesa Gym Raises Over $25K for Veterans with Push-Up Challenge

Bo Wind, left, and Stevie Fetters totaled 117 pushups between them.
In the spirit of National Military Appreciation Month, Recoup Personal Training in Costa Mesa hosted its 14th annual Push Ups for Charity event on Saturday, raising more than $25,000 for the Boot Campaign—a nonprofit supporting veterans and military families through holistic health and wellness programs.
Owner Matt Fetters, whose family has deep military ties, launched the event over a decade ago and has since helped raise over $250,000. This year, about 45 participants took on the 90-second push-up challenge while a crowd of 125 cheered them on. Fetters himself capped it off with an intense 90 push-ups on three stacked medicine balls, raising $2,500 in pledges.
Among those in attendance was retired U.S. Army veteran Cassandra Cantin, an ambassador for the Boot Campaign, who credits the program with helping her recover from combat-related insomnia. “It helped me greatly, immensely,” she said.
“Get fit, have fun, and make a difference,” said Fetters, summing up the spirit of the day.
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Our editor leaving the office today…
📺️ WHAT TO WATCH 📺️
Listen, its going to be mostly sunny all Memorial Day weekend, you really should be outside enjoying the coastal breezes and not inside watching TV. However, should you choose to indulge in a little post barbeque wind-down, below is what we recommend:
Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning - Like, FINAL final? (Theaters)
Fountain of Youth -John Krasinski is Harrison Ford (kind of) (AppleTV+)
Sara Silverman: PostMortem. (Netflix)
Pee-wee as Himself - “I’m going to leave out the part where we did enormous amounts of drugs…” (HBO Max)
Earnhardt. Do it for Dale! Prime Video)
Tucci in Italy - Where else would he be? (National Geographic)
French Open. (TNT, TruTV, HBO Max)
—WHAT TO DO—
Tour the Fields of Honor 🦅 - Castaways Park - Info
Fourth Fridays Vintage Market on the Lido Deck - Lido Village - Fri 12-5pm - Info
Newport Dunes Waterpark Opens for the Season
The Inflatable Aquatic Park opens on Friday, May 23! You can reserve your time on the aquatic park or water sports rentals in advance to guarantee your fun during the busy weekend. InfoTake an art class 🖼️ - Liv Saether Art School (17th St, CM) - Mon-Fri 10-1pm - Info
Newport Beach Wine & Spirits Festival - Balboa Bay Resort - Fri 5/23 - Sun 5/25 - 1-5pm - Info
Silent Disco at Irvine Spectrum
Saturday, 24 May6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
InfoScottish Fest - OC Fairgrounds - Sat 5/24-5/25 9am-5:30pm - Tickets
Spring Social Luncheon hosted by the Costa Mesa Historical Society - Costa Mesa Women’s Club - Sat 5/24 11am-1pm - Tickets
Beach Cleanup - Tower 71, Newport Beach - Sat 5/24 - 8am-12pm - Info
Farmers Market @ Newport Beach Pier 🧺 - Sun 5/25 - 9am-1pm
Comedy Night @ The Harp Inn - Monday 5/26 - 8-10pm - Info
Memorial Day Live Music - The Lab - Mon 5/26 - 12-2pm - Info

UPCOMING:
Trivia Night @ Wild Goose Tavern - Every Wednesday 7pm - Directions
Community Dinner - The Camp - Thu 5/29 6-9pm - Tickets
Newport Beach Jazz Festival - Hyatt Regency NB - May 30th -Jun 1st 11am-11pm - Tickets
626 Night Market - OC Fairgrounds - May 30-Jun 1 4pm-11pm - Tickets
Balboa Island Parade - Balboa Island - Sun 6/1 11am - Info
Newport Beach TV Fest - Jun 5-8 - Info
Wooden Boat Festival - Balboa Yacht Club - Jun 13-14th - Info
Fun Run 5k 🏃 - OC Fairgrounds - Aug 10th 8am - Register
🍕 Half-Off Pizzas - Stag Bar - Every Tuesday - Dine-in Only - Info

Friday
61🌡️ 67 I ⛅️ I 14% Rain I 🌬️ ⬆️ S 12mph
Saturday
60🌡️ 67 I ☀️ I 5% Rain I 🌬️ ⬆️ S 12mph
Sunday
60🌡️ 68 I ☀️ I 6% Rain I 🌬️ ↗️SSW 9mph
Monday
61🌡️ 68 I ⛅️ I 5% Rain I 🌬️ ↗️SSW 10mph
🌊 Water temp = 62º

✨ Featured Family Friendly Event ✨
Free Movie with Purchase of a Concession Item
at Lido Theater Newport Beach
📅 Saturday, 24 May
🕛️ 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
🗺️ 3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach, CA 92663, USA
From a local parent who works at this theater:
From 7am - 2pm, the Lido Theater has a pop-up cafe where you can buy sandwiches and pastries, and ANY purchase (even a cup of coffee) gets you and your family into the movie for free. Each day they pick a movie and loop it from 7am-2pm.
This Weekend:
Live Music, Food Trucks, and Waveless Beach at Newport Dunes
Friday, 23 May5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
InfoFree Movie with Purchase of a Concession Item at Lido Theater Newport Beach
Reading in the Redwoods in Newport Beach ($5-$7 - Registration Required)
Saturday, 24 May10:00 am - 11:30 am
InfoFamily Storytime at Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library
Saturday, 24 May10:30 am - 11am
InfoKids Cooking at Northgate Market (Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa)
Saturday, 24 May11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Aquatic Community Day at Back Bay Science Center in Newport Beach 🐟️
Sunday, 25 May10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Info
PLAN AHEAD:

Friday
Live at Lunch: Joseph Yashar, Classical Guitar - The Camp - 12-2pm - Info
Audio Bomb - Tiki Bar - Fri 5/23 7pm - Tickets
Dig with Devon Thompson and Bloody Love Affair - Wayfarer - Fri 5/23 6:45 - Tickets
Joe Cocker Tribute Mad Dogs + the Englishman - Campus JAX - 6:30pm - Tickets
Flashback Heart Attack - The Harp Inn - 9pm-12:30pm - Info
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Memorial Day Live Music - The Lab - Monday, 5/26 - 12PM-2PM - Info
🎵 PLAN AHEAD:
Mater Dei Choir Spring Concert - Seagerstrom - Tues 5/27 6:30 PM - Tickets
Grateful Dead tribute band - Tiki Bar - Fri 5/30 7pm - Tickets
Jimmys Buffet - The Hangar (OC FAIR) - July 20th 7:15 - Tickets
Fitz and The Tantrums + Aloe Blacc - Pacific Ampitheater - July 25th - 6:30pm - Tickets
Ellis Bullard - Wayfarer Fri 7/18 7pm - Info
BECK - Pacific Ampitheatre - Wed 7/30 7:30pm - Tickets
Thanks! Please ignore any typos, our editor tried to to a pushup.
PS: Feel free to let me know any feedback or inside scoops you have for the newsletter. Just reply to this email, I read every one. Thanks!

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