On July 5, the iconic Pageant of the Masters reopened its curtains in Laguna Beach, marking the 92nd installment of this beloved summer tradition. Hosted by the Festival of Arts and running nightly through August 29, the production continues to draw crowds of over 250,000 visitors each year, reaffirming its place as a cultural touchstone in the Southern California arts scene.
The 2025 theme, Gold Coast: Treasures of California, guides audiences on a visual journey through the state’s storied artistic heritage. With tableaux vivants—dramatic “living pictures” featuring performers meticulously posed to mirror famous artworks—the production showcases pieces from institutions like Getty, LACMA, Laguna Art Museum, De Young, Norton Simon, and the Hilbert Museum. Audiences have already been captivated by stunning recreations such as Edgar Degas’s bronze “Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen” and Claude Monet’s “In the Woods at Giverny.”
The Pageant’s spellbinding realism stems from more than visual accuracy—it’s a complex blend of artistry, production design, and theatrical flair. Over 60,000 volunteer hours go into casting, makeup, costuming, staging, and lighting, with around 1,200 auditioning annually and approximately 500 ultimately selected for onstage and backstage roles. Audiences also enjoy the added depth of professional narration, original orchestral compositions, and vocal performances, all set against a scenic 2,600-seat outdoor Irvine Bowl amphitheater.
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A ticket to the Pageant doubles as a golden pass to the Festival of Arts, one of California’s longest-running outdoor fine art shows. The festival, active since 1932, brings together over 100 juried local artists and features an array of mediums: painting, sculpture, ceramics, glass, jewelry, photography, and more. Festival grounds buzz nightly with live concerts, dessert pairing events, “paint & sip” workshops, docent-led tours, and interactive family programs, including school tours and youth art camps led by the Laguna Art Museum.
More than an entertainment highlight, the Festival and Pageant of the Masters play a critical role in sustaining Laguna Beach’s vibrant arts economy. With over a quarter-million attendees, the events inject considerable tourism revenue into the region, benefiting local hotels, restaurants, galleries, and retail establishments. Meanwhile, the volunteer engine that powers the Pageant fosters deep community engagement—featuring participants aged 4 to over 80, underscoring the Festival’s multigenerational appeal.
Opening night triggered a wave of praise from both critics and patrons. Bleacher outlets like NBC Los Angeles highlighted the “palpable sense of agog‑ness” as viewers watched costumed actors freeze in stunning replicas of masterpieces. BroadwayWorld lauded this season’s theme for its immersive portrayal of California’s artistic identity, noting impressive staging and storytelling elements. A review in LATheatrix foregrounded how the Gold Coast theme brought Degas’s and Monet’s works vividly to life.
Alongside nightly performances, the Festival rosters a lineup of special events to deepen engagement. Events like the July 20 “Battle of the Arts” live competition, the August 10 “Festival Runway Fashion Show” featuring recycled couture, and the August 23 “California Dreamin’” gala finale—hosted by actor Jason Ritter and headlined by Jack Mack & the Heart Attack—further enrich the summer schedule while supporting arts education initiatives.
In an age where art can feel remote or digital, Pageant of the Masters delivers tactile, humanized engagement with visual masterpieces—making high-caliber art accessible under the expansive Southern California sky. The Festival of Arts sustains this mission with its robust educational outreach—offering programs for thousands of K-12 students and adult learners alike—and by underwriting scholarships for emerging local talent.
Economically, the combined festival and Pageant serve as a magnet, drawing cultural tourism and sustaining a creative ecosystem in Laguna Beach. They affirm that in-person, community-rooted art experiences still carry powerful emotional and social cachet—fostering public interest in preserving a vibrant cultural landscape.
The 2025 season of the Pageant of the Masters runs through August 29, with nightly shows beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets include access to the Festival grounds, offering a full evening of art, performance, and community celebration in the heart of Laguna Beach.