Costa Mesa’s Concerts in the Park series returns to Fairview Tuesday evenings in July

Locals converged this week upon Costa Mesa’s Fairview Park for an evening of summertime fun and a live musical performance set against the backdrop of a setting sun — hallmarks of the annual Concerts in the Park Series.

Presented by the nonprofit Costa Mesa Foundation, and with help from the city’s Parks and Community Services department, the series runs Tuesday evenings throughout this month, with festivities beginning at 5 p.m. and concerts going live at 6 p.m.

Teens enjoy ice cream during Costa Mesa’s annual Concerts in the Park series at Fairview Park Tuesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

In addition to the tunes, participants can enjoy food trucks, activity stations for kids and a no-host beer and wine garden curated by Hi-Time Wine Cellars of Costa Mesa featuring beers from Irvine’s Left Coast Brewing and Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

“It’s kind of grassroots, somewhere between a festival and an outdoor concert,” said Lisa Schultz, a foundation board member and one organizer of the event, which faithfully draws legions of fans together in a giant backyard party vibe.

“Our appeal is we are on a weeknight that the [county] fair isn’t open, so it’s something to do during the summer. It’s a park party for sure and just really fun.”

Tuesday’s first installment of the series featured the musical talents of South Orange County-based blues, soul and rock band Family Style, which had attendees at Fairview Park on their feet and dancing.

Sax player Richard “Tyzzy” Tyznick of the Family Style band plays at Costa Mesa’s Concerts in the Park series Tuesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

The series continues on July 15 with a performance by 1980s-era cover band Flashback Heart Attack, followed by high-energy Huntington Beach-based group Tijuana Dogs on July 22. Following on the heels of the series, the Pacific Symphony will hold a free “Symphony in the Cities” concert on July 29.

Although the turnout is large, the annual series is organized by the Costa Mesa Foundation board, which currently comprises eight members, to raise funds for a grant program that serves local schools and community organizations, according to Schultz.

Kids dance to the Family Style band during Costa Mesa’s annual Concerts in the Park series, which opened for the summer at Fairview Park on Tuesday night.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

School groups, such as the Estancia High School football team, and nonprofits like Huntington Beach’s Robyne’s Nest, apply throughout the year for grants to supplement trips or programming that helps keep them going.

The Foundation raises funds through a beer and wine garden at each concert and by partnering with sponsors KASE Real Estate and the Stirdivant Group, C.J. Segerstrom and Sons, Mesa Water District, Cla-Val, the office of Supervisor Katrina Foley, the Toll Roads OC and more.

“We’re a volunteer board, not a big swanky nonprofit,” said Schultz. “We’re just a little board made of volunteers that love Costa Mesa, and this is what we do.”

Members of the Costa Mesa Foundation gather for a picture in the beer and wine garden of Costa Mesa’s Concerts in the Park series, which kicked off Tuesday and runs weekly through July.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)