Hello Back Bay Brews, happy Halloween!

What a treat that Halloween lands on a Friday. The perfect way to usher in the holiday season and usher out Sober October is a night of spooky revelry and a full weekend to recover. Many venues are hosting ghostly events all weekend (i.e. The Camp) so if you choose to forego the festivities tonight there are still lots of chances to get your tricks, treats, and eats all around town. Don’t get comfortable, the Christmas lights go up Monday.

To our new readers—welcome! The Back Bay Buzz delivers just the right amount of news and events for locals in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. No crime, no politics, no spam—just the good stuff. We scan newspapers, blogs, social media, business journals, and Google alerts so you don’t have to.

In today’s Buzz:

• Newport Council Approves Wave Pool

• Halloween activities are in full swing

• Also: Merry Christmas

— Jon Dougher, Publisher, Back Bay Buzz

Council Signs Off on Back Bay Surf Resort

Newport Beach’s long-simmering golf-course-vs-wave-pool debate finally broke through this week. After nearly two hours of public comment and roughly 2,000 letters for and against, the City Council approved Snug Harbor, a surf resort that will take over the driving range, putting green, restaurant, and holes 1, 2, and 9 of the Newport Beach Golf Course. The remaining 15 holes stay.

Supporters (including a Newport Harbor High surf/golf coach) said the wave pool gives local surfers and lifeguards a safe, consistent place to train when the ocean’s flat or blown out. Opponents said the course is the last affordable place to learn and play—about $40 a round vs. $200+ at the resort courses—and that it’s a true neighborhood spot for seniors, vets, families, and school programs. Environmental voices also pushed back, saying the swap from grass/open space to a surf park hurts Back Bay habitat and adds noise/water use.

In the end, a council majority said the property is privately owned, the owner can reinvest, and this project brings a “world-class amenity.” As Mayor Joe Stapleton put it, Newport’s “problem” right now is deciding between golf and a wave park—very Newport.

• Halloweekend - The Camp
  Info

  • BOOzey Bar Crawl - The Camp
    Info

• Crash Into Earth Halloween All Ages Music Fest 🎃 👽️ ($100) - OC Fairgrounds
  Fri Oct 31st
  3-10PM
  Tickets

• Last Call to Visit the Midnight Market - Roger’s Gardens
  Every day until Oct 31st
  9am-6pm
  Info

• Taittinger Halloween Costume Party - Hi-Time Wine Cellars
  Friday Oct 31st
  2pm-8pm (first seating at the wine bar is 4:30pm, next is 6:45pm)
  Info

• Halloween Party - Semi Tropic Wines
  Fri Oct 31st
  Info

• Newport Beach Halloween Bar Crawl
  Fri Oct 31st
  5-11pm
  Tickets

• Blackie’s Halloween Night - Blackie’s Bar
  Fri Oct 31st
  All Day
  Info

UPCOMING:

• Let’s Save Lives Gala - Balboa Bay Resort
  Sat Nov 8
  5pm
  Info

• OC Singles Mixer - Westwood Coast
  Thurs Nov 13th
  6-9pm
  Info

• Vintage Crawl - Various Locations
  Hosted by Silver Wings Vintage and Edgewater Rose Regalia
  Sat Nov 15th
  9am-4pm
  Info
  

• Artisan Marketplace - Environmental Nature Center (Newport)
  eco-friendly, handmade, one-of-a-kind creations
  Sun Dec 7
  11am-4pm
  Info

• Awakened Lifestyle Expo - Norma Hertzog Community Center
  Sun Dec 7th
  9:30am-9pm
  Info

• All CHOC Guilds Holiday Tree Luncheon - The Westin South Coast Plaza
  Sun Dec 7th
  10am
  Info

• Newport Beach Boat Parade Guide
  Click Here for the Guide
  Register your boat here

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH OC?

Check out our great partner newsletter:

🌊 Water temp = 65º
Suit Rec: Spring suit

THIS WEEKEND:

• Wild Tales Storytime, Hike, and Craft in Newport Beach (RSVP!)

  Friday, 31 October

  10:00 am - 11:00 am
  Info

• Halloween Treats & Fun at Press & Moka Coffee Shop + Langson Art Museum in Irvine

  Friday, 31 October

  7:30 am - 4:00 pm
  Info

• Boo Fest at Woodbridge Village Center

  Friday, 31 October

  4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
  Info

• Crash Into Earth Halloween All Ages Music Fest ($100) - OC Fairgrounds
  Fri Oct 31st
  3-10PM
  Tickets

• Dia De Los Muertos Fest - Hana Field
  Sat Nov 1 - Sun Nov 2
  10am-5pm
  Info
  

• Santa's Arrival at Bass Pro Shops Irvine
  We know, we know…

  Saturday, 01 November

  5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  Directions

• Free Public Tours of Segerstrom Center for the Arts (Register!)

  Saturday, 01 November

  10:00 am - 11:00 am
  Info

• Wild Animal Exploration at the Sherman Library and Gardens ($0-30)

  Sunday, 02 November

  3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
  Info

FAMILY PLAN AHEAD:

• Nature Scavenger Hunt at Muth Interpretive Center in Newport Beach

  Saturday, 08 November

  9:30 am - 12:30 pm
  Info

• Dream Glow Fest at Wild Rivers Waterpark ($25-$36)

  Nov 14th - Dec 31st

  4:30 pm - 9:00 pm
  Info

Thanks! Please ignore any typos, our editor went down a rabbit hole trying to figure out the linguistic significance of why “41” is better than “67”.

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!