Since its incorporation into Orange County in 1953, Costa Mesa, a city that was once known as Harper, has grown into the leader of the arts in OC. Although the City of the Arts is celebrating its 60th Anniversary June 28-30, the name change took place in 1920 when a local teacher won a contest to officially change the name of the city. Meaning “coastal tableland” in Spanish, Costa Mesa’s name refers to the city’s geographical features as a plateau near the ocean.
While there certainly aren’t many who remember the rural farming town of Harper, modern Costa Mesa has gained a reputation as the place to go to celebrate the art of the stage, dining and shopping.
The celebration, “60 and Fabulous” will highlight the best of Costa Mesa with concerts, an artwalk, food events like a ‘tastefest’ and ‘chef of the fest’, historical information, kids activities, a classic car show and more. All of the events will be located at City Hall and on Fair Drive. Fair Drive will be pedestrian-only during the weekend celebration.
The concert lineup has something for everyone. Whether you’re into up and coming indie rock, classic rock, local music or DJs, be sure to check out the complete set list here. Tickets are on sale now. Click here for tickets to all of the concerts.
The city of Costa Mesa has commissioned a local musician, Dan Krikorian, to create a special song, “Costa Mesa My Sweet Home” to celebrate the anniversary. Get a free download of the commemorative tune here.
Residents and other celebration attendees can even purchase special 60th Anniversary t-shirts and hats from costamesais60.com, the official website of the event.
Costa Mesa has always celebrated artistic creativity, so show yours and share what makes Costa Mesa fabulous by submitting a video to the video contest. Create a 30-90 second video for your chance to win $2,500! See the complete contest rules here.
Be sure to come out and celebrate 60 years of Costa Mesa. It’s going to be a great community event that you won’t want to miss! For all the summer events, check the Travel Costa Mesa calendar.
