Coast Film Festival, Jack Johnson bring live music back to Irvine Bowl
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Laguna Beach was rocking and rolling earlier this month as the Coast Film and Music Festival and other events in town put a spotlight on the arts and the environment.
For many months, community members have clamored for the chance to again experience live music in an outdoor setting, specifically the Irvine Bowl on the grounds of the Festival of Arts.
Festival-goers and music lovers crammed into the 2,600-seat amphitheater during the closing weekend of the festival. Jack Johnson headlined two shows that festival organizers said took less than two days to sell out. The festival showed more than 90 films in its seventh year in town.
The Laguna Beach City Council on Tuesday issued a proclamation honoring the Coast Film and Musical Festival. Mayor Alex Rounaghi contextualized the recognition by listing founding dates of community event staples, including the Festival of Arts in 1932, the Pageant of the Masters in 1933, and the Sawdust Art Festival in 1965. He suggested that future generations would come to hold the Coast Film and Music Festival in similar regard.
“We’re an arts colony, but we’re also a place with an environmental legacy of protecting the open space, having the greenbelt,” said Rounaghi, standing beside festival co-founders Ben Warner and Enich Harris at the podium. “When you really combine the arts and the environment, there’s no better way to encapsulate that than the great work that you guys have done with the Coast Film and Music Festival.”
Councilmember Sue Kempf remarked that Laguna Beach “had a lot going on,” referencing Laguna Art Museum’s 13th annual Art + Nature programming.
“The Coast Film Festival just kind of blew it out,” Kempf said. “It was fantastic. I also went to the Jack Johnson concert. There was so much energy in that facility, and there was so much energy on the grounds. It was really a fun night. It looked great. It sounded great. The noise control was good.”
In April, the City Council authorized spending up to $27,000 to have Rincon Consultants, Inc. conduct a noise study to help guide policy pertaining to noise levels and operating hours for off-season events at the Irvine Bowl. During the summer, the venue is the home of the Pageant of the Masters, a tableaux vivant show in which volunteers pose as life-sized recreations of classic artwork.
“Laguna Beach has always been a place where art, story and nature come together,” Warner said in receiving the proclamation. “This festival is born from that spirit and has grown because this community believes in creativity, connection and protecting the places we love.
“I want to thank our filmmakers, musicians, volunteers, partners and many local organizations that help make this event possible every year. Most importantly, thank you to the people of Laguna Beach for embracing this festival and inspiring us to keep raising the bar every year.”
