Hello Back Bay Boos, happy Friday!
“False Fall? Never heard of her. “
- Locals’ Summer
We hard launched into October and the air didn't get the memo. Cable knits back in the drawer, sweated-through athleisure back in rotation, week 500 of the same outfit. Consolation prize: a pod of orcas cruised past Newport.
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:
Sand Castle Competition Winners
Casa Libre Opens
Vinyl Nite
— Jon Dougher, Publisher, Back Bay Buzz
CDM Sandcastle Competition Gets Fierce
The 64th annual Corona del Mar Sandcastle Contest brought 16 teams to the beach this past Sunday for four hours of intense, creative competition. Armed with buckets, gardening tools, and natural beach materials, builders ranging from local seventh-graders to master-class architects brought ambitious sand sculptures to life. Top honors went to veteran builder Chris Crosson and Team Sandcastle Kit, who clinched the Overall Best Creation award with their towering 14-foot “Welcome to Castle Newport.” Other notable crowd favorites included B.C. & Friends, who took home the People’s Choice award, and the Sycamore Creek Sand Shifters, who won first place in the Junior Division.
Casa Libre Opens Doors to Serve Mexico’s Top Java
Costa Mesa’s Mercado González has a brand-new addition: Casa Libre, a roastery and cafe dedicated exclusively to single-origin Mexican coffee. A collaboration between the González family of Northgate Market and the founders of Freelance Coffee Project, the shop roasts its beans right on-site, currently spotlighting coffee from a women-led farm in Chiapas. Visitors can pick up freshly roasted beans for home brewing or enjoy a specialty cafe menu featuring house-made syrups—like the mole-inspired El Jaguar latte—paired with exclusive pastries such as their signature colibrí (hummingbird) gingerbread cookies.
PSAs:
🏖️ Free sandbags for the big surf Newport Beach residents can pick up free sandbags at the City Corporation Yard, 592 Superior Ave.
🎨 Calling all kid Picassos Students from Pre-K through 12th grade can submit art for Newport Beach's 120th-birthday Student Art Exhibition from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30.
🌳 Free trees, Costa Mesa! Residents without a parkway tree out front may qualify for a free 15-gallon tree. Call 714.754.5123 to check.
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“There’s no crying on the Duffy”
🛍️ Treasure hunt alert: OASIS Rummage Sale (CDM)
Friday, Oct. 2 ($5 entry) and Saturday, Oct. 3 (free entry)
9 am - 2pm
InfoSEGA Genecide: '90s & Y2K Night - The Wayfarer
Friday, October 2nd
10:00pm-1:00am
Info🎧 Vinyl Nite - Neat Coffee
Friday October 2nd
7pm-10pm
InfoEndless Summer Soirée - Crystal Cove State Park Historic District
Saturday, October 3rd
5:00pm-10:00pm
InfoLive Music on the Lido Deck: Lauren Black - Lido Marina Village
Saturday, October 3rd
12:00pm-3:00pm
InfoMod Ref Sample Sale - The LAB Anti-Mall
Saturday, October 3rd
11:00am-6:00pm
Info27th Annual King Shocks Off-Road Expo - OC Fair & Event Center
Sunday, October 4th
9:00am-5:00pm
InfoFall Wreath Making Workshop on the Lido Deck - Lido Marina Village
Sunday October 4th
11:00am-1:00pm
Info
Are we serious right now…
🌊 Water temp = 73º
Suit Rec: Shorty
THIS WEEKEND:
Friday:
Songs & Stories - Newport Beach Central Library
Friday, October 2nd
10:30am-11am
InfoLittle Seedlings Storytime - Sherman Library and Gardens
Friday, October 2nd
10am-10:30am
InfoWild Tales (Register!) - Newport Beach
Friday, October 2nd
10am-11am
InfoPottery Barn Kids Storytime
Friday, October 2nd
11am-11:30am
InfoBeetlejuice ($12.50/ticket) - The Lido Theater Newport Beach
Friday, October 2nd
6pm-8pm
Info
Saturday:
Family Storytime - Corona Del Mar Library
Saturday, October 3rd
10:30am-11:30am
InfoBaila Baila - Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library
Saturday, October 3rd
10:30am-11am
InfoOpen House - Diego Sepulveda Adobe
Saturday, October 3rd
12pm-4pm
InfoBrick Builders Block Party - Newport Beach Central Library
Saturday, October 3rd
1pm-3pm
InfoIntergenerational Collaborative Painting - Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library
Saturday, October 3rd
1pm-3pm
InfoTouch Tank Open Hours ($5) - OCC Aquarium
Saturday, October 3rd
2pm-3pm
InfoFree Movie with Purchase of a Concession Item - Lido Theater Newport Beach
Saturday, October 3rd
7am-2pm
InfoSaturday Afternoon Public Planetarium Shows - Orange Coast College Planetarium
Saturday, October 3rd
1:00pm-4:30pm
Info
Sunday:
Fire Service Day - Fire Station 7, Newport Beach
Sunday, October 4th
11-2pm
InfoMahjong at the Library - Costa Mesa Mesa Verde Library
Sunday, October 4th
1:30pm-4:30pm
InfoAdult & Teen Book Bedazzling - Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library
Sunday, October 4th
10am-11:30am
InfoAquatic Community Day - Back Bay Science Center
Sunday, October 4th
10am-2pm
InfoLego Club - Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library
Sunday, October 4th
2pm-3pm
InfoFree Movie with Purchase of a Concession Item - Lido Theater Newport Beach
Sunday, October 4th
7am-2pm
InfoDiscover the Back Bay - Newport Beach
Sunday, October 4th
9:30am-11:30am
Info$6 Movie Day - Triangle Square Starlight Cinemas
Sunday, October 4th
9am-6pm
Info
Plan Ahead
Bluey’s Big Play - Segerstrom Center for the Arts
November 4th-5th
Info
Farmers Markets 🥬🥕:
Newport Pier Farmer’s Market
Costa Mesa - SOCO (Saturdays 9-2)
Corona Del Mar - PCH & Marguerite (Saturdays 9-1)
Newport Beach - Newport Pier (Sundays 9-1)
Newport Harbor - Dover Dr & 16th St (Saturdays 9am-1pm)
Mesa Verde - 1525 Mesa Verde Dr E, Costa Mesa (Sundays 10-2pm)
OC Fairgrounds Farmers Market - OC Fairgrounds (Thursdays 9am-1pm)
🌴 Costa Mesa
Thanks! Please ignore any typos, our editor said “Beetlejuice” three times and hasn’t come back…
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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