Cover Story : Fun in the Setting Sun : Whether you have a taste for spicy food or cool jazz, a refreshing swim or a trip to the museum, here’s what to do and where to do it.

The Beach Boys’ “Endless Summer”? A myth. It only seems endless because of the traffic on PCH and the lines at Disneyland. Truth is, ready or not, the penultimate summer of the millennium is about to go sidewalk surfin’ into history. But don’t despair. If you act fast, you can still make the most of the sliver of season that remains. Consider the following suggestions and then go have some fun, fun, fun. T-Bird is optional.

Festivals

Several events put cultural pride center stage this weekend. The Orange International Street Fair offers a mix of music, shows, crafts and eats in the streets of Old Towne surrounding the Orange Plaza. There will be booths selling American, Mexican, Arab, Asian, Italian, German and Greek foods. The event’s mission statement says the fair “is dedicated to peace and harmony and to that sense of community achieved by working together to promote appreciation and understanding of ethnic diversity.” Whew. You don’t have to understand the mission to enjoy cold beer, fried shrimp and falafel. Fair hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. (714) 532-6260.

“Tropicana Under the Stars” is the theme of the Fourth Annual Cuban Celebracion on Sunday at the Sutton Place Hotel, 4500 MacArthur Blvd. in Newport Beach. The event benefits the Cuban-American Scholarship Fund, and for $49 you get to go to a cocktail reception, a Cuban-style pig roast and dancing. (949) 476-2001.

The Fifth Annual E Hula Mau Hula & Chant Competition is set for Friday through Sunday at the Bren Events Center at UC Irvine. Competition begins at 3:30 p.m. Friday, with sessions starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Admission is $10-15. (310) 543-1259. See page 49 for the full story.

The 50th Grecian Festival by the Sea will feature music, dance and authentic Greek food noon to 9 p.m. Saturday through Monday at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of Long Beach, 5761 E. Colorado St. Admission is $2. (562) 494-8929.

Summer Sounds

The Long Beach Blues Festival takes to the athletic field at Cal State Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., with concerts from 11 a.m. to dusk Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Among the performers: Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, the Fabulous Thunderbirds with Smokey Wilson and Koko Taylor on Saturday, Bobby “Blue” Bland and Little Milton and his band with Bobby Rush on Sunday, and John Lee Hooker and Charlie Musselwhite on Monday. Tickets are $27-$30, or $70 for a three-day pass. (562) 985-5566.

The next-to-last free concert in Laguna Beach’s summer season is 5 p.m. Sunday at Bluebird Park, corner of Bluebird Canyon Drive and Cress Street. Chico will perform Latin jazz. (949) 497-0722.

Mission San Juan Capistrano will be the setting 6:30 p.m. Sunday for Sunset Serenade, an evening of music and dancing to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Capistrano Valley. Featured will be the “little big band” Close Harmony. Tickets are $10-$30; dinner is extra. (949) 206-8225.

The music will be indoors and out at the Fifth Annual West Coast Jazz Party Friday through Sunday at the Irvine Marriott. Headliners performing in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom will be Jack McDuff & Friends on Friday, three tenors (tenor saxes, that is) Harry Allen, Scott Hamilton and Ken Peplowski on Saturday, and the Terry Gibbs Dream Band on Sunday. Shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $48 to $60 or $200 to $250 for a three-day package. There’s also a concert next to the pool Saturday at noon and a brunch jazz cruise on Sunday. The hotel is at 18000 Von Karmen Ave. (949) 724-3602.

Amusement Parks

Those who live near Disneyland probably don’t share our affection for fireworks, but even the most cynical park-goer has to admit that the pyrotechnics look magical as they burst over Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. They’ve been a summer staple at the park since 1956, and the last blast for this year will be Sunday. Starting Monday, show and parade schedules will also be reduced, as will park hours. Disneyland is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to midnight Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday. $28-$38. Disneyland is at 1313 Harbor Blvd. in Anaheim. (714) 781-4560.

If you’re into giant beagles doing sit-spins, you’ll want to hit Knott’s Berry Farm over the weekend, because Monday is the last performance of Snoopy on Ice. Other shows also go dark and the park changes its hours on Tuesday. Knott’s is open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, Sunday and Monday, 9 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. $26-36. The park is at 8039 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park. (714) 220-5200.

The new roller coaster the Tree Top Racers has been the big thing this summer at the little park, Adventure City. And Sept. 12 will be the last day to ride before the park goes to a limited schedule. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. For unlimited use of rides, admission is $11.95 for children and adults, $8.95 for seniors 55 and older. 1238 S. Beach Blvd., Anaheim. (714) 236-9300.

Wild Rivers Waterpark trims its hours on Tuesday and closes for the year Sept. 26. If you have a big family or lots of friends, try the Monday night carload special: admission for as many people as you can seat safely in a vehicle, up to eight, for $40. That starts at 4 p.m. Park hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Monday, and regular admission is $10-$23. The park is at 8770 Irvine Center Drive in Irvine. (949) 768-9453.

Coolness

If you haven’t yet felt the brain freeze of a Popsicle or enjoyed the melting goodness of a Drumstick this summer, there’s still time to listen for the music and flag down the truck. If you live in Orange, the ice cream truck touring your neighborhood might be painted like a comic book or fashioned after a NASCAR racer. The music it plays also veers from tradition. But the kids still come running, said Cheila Keuilian, who handles scheduling for Archie’s Ice Cream, the company her husband, Shant, and his two brothers started three years ago. Business has been so good that Archie’s trucks will continue their daily routes through October and perhaps beyond. The old favorites, snow cones and Big Sticks, continue to sell well, but Keuilian’s weakness is the Big Kahuna. That’s vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two huge chocolate chip cookies. Now, about that music. “It’s sort of a hip-hop meets swing,” Keuilian said. “People say it really sticks with them. Kind of like ‘It’s a Small World.’ ” Hey, there’s a selling point.

Dive, Dive, Dive

It’s last call for a dip in Orange County’s municipal pools. Most will close or severely cut back hours after this weekend. Check with your local pool to find out its open-swim schedule. Some city pools are closed on Labor Day, but all five of Santa Ana’s are open. See swim listings on page 46.

On Display

The summer festival season is over, but art remains a draw in Laguna Beach. Forty galleries, the Art Institute of Southern California and the Laguna Art Museum will participate in a free Art Walk from 6 to 9 p.m. today. The event features a shuttle between galleries and a post-Art Walk party at Studio Gallery, 2135 Laguna Canyon Road. (949) 497-0722.

Now that the controversy has subsided, it’s a good time to take in the “Winding River” exhibit of contemporary art from Vietnam at the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana. A painting that depicts a young girl in the uniform of a North Vietnamese soldier offended some in Southern California’s Vietnamese community, and the exhibit has drawn protests. But museum officials say it has been popular with the public. The exhibit closes Oct. 3. The museum is at 2002 N. Main St. and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except Monday. $4-$8. (714) 567-3600.

Different Strokes

Looking for an active outdoor experience? Try kayaking along the coast. Those in the know say September and October are the best months for beginners, because crowds are down and so are the tides, and the water and air temperatures are still up. The Newport Aquatic Center, 1 Whitecliffs Drive in Newport Beach, rents kayaks for $10 an hour 6 a.m. to dusk daily. It’s next to the Back Bay, a serene place to enjoy a late-summer sunset. (949) 646-7725. Southwind Kayak Center also has rentals, in Newport under the PCH bridge near Bayside and in Dana Point at the Baby Beach. Singles go for $10 to $12 an hour, doubles for $15. (949) 261-0200.

On Stage

The fruitful relationship between South Coast Repertory and George Bernard Shaw resumes Friday with a preview performance of “The Philanderer” on the Main Stage. Previews continue through Sept. 9; the run is Sept. 10 through Oct. 10. Performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $18-$47. 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. (714) 708-5555.

“Miss Saigon” opens in O.C. today, with performances at 2 and 8 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center. Weekend performances are 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $16-$66. Students can buy $20 tickets one hour before curtain time for all remaining performances (except Saturday evenings) and are limited to two per student, cash only. Student ID required. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. (714) 740-7878 or (714) 556-2787.