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On Sunday, October 13, 2024, Dana Point welcomed art lovers and history buffs for an inspiring Trolley Art & History Tour, marking National Arts & Humanities Month in style! With all tickets sold out, participants eagerly hopped aboard for an art-filled journey led by the City’s Arts & Culture Ambassadors, alongside knowledgeable docents from the Dana Point Historical Society. The tour spanned a vibrant selection of Dana Point's art and historical highlights, including the picturesque Lantern Bay Park Stairs, the colorful Doheny Village Mural, the iconic Hide Drogher Sculpture, Watermen’s Plaza, and historic Woodruff Homes, among other notable stops. Each location was brought to life through the engaging stories shared by our Art Ambassadors and Historical Society docents, making the city’s rich cultural heritage accessible and exciting for everyone on board. After the tour, guests continued their cultural journey at the Dana Point ArtFest, enjoying fine art displays, live music, delicious food, wine tastings, and beer gardens in the Lantern District. Thank you to everyone who joined us for an unforgettable day celebrating Dana Point’s unique arts and history scene!

The City of Dana Point is the most beautiful, desirable and safest coastal community in which to live, work, visit, play or conduct business. Listen to Laura Smith Hatch  share the vision of the Arts & Culture Ambassadors. The City of Dana Point encourages community involvement and is committed to: Develop and ensure the highest possible quality of life for our residents, businesses, and visitors. Provide a safe and healthy environment within a sound economic atmosphere. Provide an efficient and effective government which is open and responsive to the needs of the community and works for the benefit of all.

The City of Dana Point recognized Arts & Culture Ambassadors Laura Smith Hatch and Alicia Erlinger as Volunteers of the Quarter! 🎉Laura Smith Hatch (pictured) grew up in Florida, attended law school in New Orleans, and made Dana Point home with her family in 2018. As an Arts Ambassador, Laura’s goal is to preserve and celebrate Dana Point’s history and culture, while promoting art and creativity to inspire and bring people together. She spearheaded the non-profit symposium, gathering all local non-profit organizations in one place to network and gain new tools to better serve the community. 🎨🤝 Alicia Erlinger is a long-time Dana Point resident, educator, theatre maker, and advocate. She is a Capistrano Unified School District teacher and was awarded Theatre Arts Teacher of the Year by OC Music and Arts Administrators. Most recently, Alicia volunteered her time and efforts to create the production of The Tempest for the inaugural OC ShakesBEER Festival in June and led the Trolley Art & History Tours in October. 🎭🚌🙏 Thank you, Laura and Alicia, for your dedication and invaluable contributions to the betterment of our community through arts and culture as Dana Point Arts and Culture Ambassadors! 🌟🎉

Mayor Federico presented the Dana Point Arts and Culture Ambassadors with a Proclamation for National Arts and Humanities Month! 🏛️🎉For over 30 years, cities and states have celebrated the value and importance of culture in our lives and communities. 🌍The arts and humanities embody so much of the accumulated wisdom, intellect, and imagination of humankind, enhancing and enriching the lives of everyone in America. 📚🎭The nation’s arts and culture sector—including nonprofit, commercial, and educational entities—constitutes an $877 billion industry. It supports 4.6 million jobs, accounting for 4.2% of the national economy, and boasts a $33 billion international trade surplus. 💼💰A heartfelt thank you to all of our Dana Point Arts and Culture Ambassadors! Let’s come together to celebrate and promote the arts across our community! 🎨🌟

On October 13th, the Dana Point ArtFest once again brought together art, music, and community spirit in the heart of the Lantern District. This annual event transformed the area into a lively hub where locals and visitors gathered to celebrate creativity in all its forms. The Dana Point ArtFest featured an impressive collection of fine art displays, showcasing works from talented local and regional artists. Art enthusiasts found something to admire, making the day a visual feast for everyone who attended. Live music added a dynamic soundtrack to the festivities for visitors who explored the exhibits. Attendees also enjoyed a variety of delicious foods from local vendors, indulged in wine tastings, and relaxed in the beer gardens. The combination of art, music, and culinary experiences made the event a true celebration of culture and community. This year’s ArtFest highlighted Dana Point’s dedication to the arts and its mission to build strong community connections. Learn more at https://www.dpartfest.com .

On June 29-30, 2024, Dana Point’s Arts & Culture Ambassadors and the Dana Point Arts Alliance hosted the first-ever ShakesBEER Festival, transforming Sea Terrace Park into a vibrant weekend of family-friendly fun. Attendees enjoyed free admission to the lively event, with options to purchase tickets for delicious food and refreshing beverages. Festival-goers soaked in the summer vibes with live music, craft beer tastings, and savory food options, while the main event, a captivating outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest , delighted audiences each evening at 7:00 PM. Families and friends brought picnic blankets and low-back chairs, settling in to experience Shakespeare under the stars. Thank you to everyone who joined for an unforgettable weekend celebrating art, theater, and community! For more information on future events, visit ocshakesbeer.com . William Shakespeare’s The Tempest Twelve years have passed since Prospero, the deposed Duke of Milan, was betrayed by his family, expelled from his homeland alongside his daughter, and marooned on a remote island. Yet, this island is no ordinary place, and Prospero is no ordinary man. Possessing the powers of a magician, he orchestrates a tempest that shipwrecks his betrayers on his shores, rendering them vulnerable to his retribution. Amidst the castaways and denizens of the island, each with their own narratives, unfolds a story of metamorphosis from the old order to a new era, grappling with themes of justice, loss, redemption, injury, healing, blame, and forgiveness. Under the direction of Erik Blair, Shakespeare's family-friendly production immerses the audience with uproarious fools, enchanting spells, and mischievous spirits, delving into the depths of human experience. This maritime-themed production resonates with Dana Point's own seafaring history, intertwining Shakespearean drama with the allure of the ocean in celebration of the City’s 35th anniversary.

By Breeana Greenberg Oct 13, 2023 in the Dana Point Times Celebrating Arts and Humanities Month, community members will have the chance to tour Dana Point and learn more about the city’s public art and historic places through the inaugural Trolley Art & History Tour on Saturday, Oct. 21. City Council recognized October as the National Art and Humanities Month during the Oct. 3 meeting, as the city’s newly appointed art and culture ambassadors announced the new event and provided an update on the program’s goals for advocating for local arts and culture. The ambassador program aims to promote the arts and culture in Dana Point. The city’s ambassadors include Maria Elena Banks, Alicia Erlinger, Natalie Hribar-Kelly, Nancy Jenkins, Ashley Keene, Jennifer Keil, Karin Schnell, Anthony Small, Laura Smith Hatch, Alex Wilson, Dana Yarger, and Bob Zasa. “The people who have been appointed to these ambassador roles are all outstanding representatives who truly appreciate what makes Dana Point special. They each bring their own unique talents and abilities to this commitment and have already made a big impact. I can’t wait to see what more this team can accomplish for the city while elevating the awareness and reputation of our arts and culture community,” said Mayor Mike Frost. The City Council voted to dissolve its Arts and Culture Commission in favor of a larger Art and Culture Ambassadors program in June in an effort to engage more community members in advocating for a diverse slate of arts-related programs, events and more in Dana Point. In a press release, Hatch noted that the ambassadors “hope to achieve cross disciplinary collaboration to bring a variety of programs, events, and activities to the area, featuring local artists, performers, and celebrating our unique Dana Point history and culture.” During the council meeting, Smith Hatch shared that Art and Humanities Month offers an opportunity for communities to “get together and celebrate the arts for an entire month.” “It’s considered the largest collective annual celebration of the arts, and it’s really just meant to encourage citizens to explore arts and humanities in their local communities,” Smith Hatch said. “And that’s what we’re doing here.” The ambassadors’ first major event, the Trolley Art & History Tour, features a city tour that will stop at public art and historic landmarks throughout Dana Point. The two trolleys will depart at 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. from Prado Square.  The two trolleys will be hosted by an Art Ambassador and docent from the Dana Point Historical Society who will provide information at each tour stop, including the Lantern Bay Park Stairs, Doheny Village Mural, Hide Drogher Sculpture, Watermen’s Plaza, and Woodruff Homes. The tour will last roughly one hour and 15 minutes and will stop at a total of 14 locations throughout town. “We’re going to be sharing all of the public art within the city, and it’s going to be exciting,” Jenkins said.  Jenkins noted that Dana Point has quite a few historical landmarks still standing that will be explored on the tour, which will be an opportunity “to see art and the historical landmarks.” Schnell noted that one of the stops on the tour, Watermen’s Plaza, is set to have its next statue unveiled on Oct. 25 , just a few days after the trolley tour.  The tour, Schnell noted, is an opportunity to stop and appreciate the public art pieces that most people speed past as they drive through town. “We’re going to show you a lot of really hidden gems that we have in this town,” Schnell said. “It’ll be fun.” Station Craft will host a reception following the trolley tours with live music and featured artists.  The reception is open to the public, whether or not community members attended the trolley tour, Small said. “I hope the community looks at the reception as a ‘Meet the Ambassadors’ with some excellent artists in Ashley Keene and Ethan Espinosa and some cool music with Sidney Bowen opening for me,” Small said.  Small will also perform music from his new album, “El Viejo,” with Matt Samia of Mojave Ghost. Artwork from Keene and Espinosa will be on display throughout the restaurant.  “I think that (featuring the ambassadors) is a neat thing, because it shows that the new arts ambassadors are engaged, creating, and subject matter experts frankly in the various arts and community programs,” Small said. “I’m proud to get to share my music with the community, and I’m also very proud to share Ashley’s artwork.” Small noted that the ambassadors are subject matter experts in art, music, galleries, community programs, engaging students and more. “The community will have the opportunity to meet the new arts ambassadors and share what they might like to see in the community, art and music-wise,” Small said. “And if they’re really interested, maybe they’d like to apply to be an ambassador next time.” The ambassadors also announced that they launched a website that hosts an events calendar, information on public art pieces throughout Dana Point, as well as information about each of the 12 ambassadors.   “We have a vast amount of art in public places here in Dana Point, anything from murals, we have fountains listed, our sculptures, statues, the utility box program, the Elephant Parade, tributes–so this is a great resource for people to come right here and see what we have here in Dana Point,” Smith Hatch said.  The website also features the city’s local artist directory and a list of local art- and culture-related nonprofits.  A limited number of tickets are available for the Trolley Art and History Tour. Tickets are $15 per person and are available for purchase at Dana Point Recreation. Visit danapoint.org  or danapoint-arts.com  or contact artsandculture@danapoint.org  for more information.  The tours will depart from Prado Square located at 34201 Amber Lantern, Dana Point. The reception following the tour will be hosted at Station Craft Brewery + Kitchen, located at 34150 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point.