The natural beauty of Laguna Beach has attracted artists since the late 1800s and by the early 20^th century, the town had already become known as an artists’ village. The Laguna Art Association was founded in 1918 and hosted the first Festival of the Arts in 1932. Scheduled to attract tourists from the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, the first Festival was a huge success and marked the beginning of what has since become an annual tradition. The original festival featured the debut of the “Living Pictures” performance, later named The Pageant of the Masters, in which costumed actors recreated still paintings in real life.

The Festival of the Arts is located at 650 Laguna Canyon Road and is open daily from 10:30am until 11:30pm. General admission is $7, or $4 for seniors and students, and allows unlimited access to the Festival throughout the season, which runs from July 5 to August 31. Children under 12 and Laguna Beach residents may attend free of charge. The Pageant of the Masters shows nightly at 8:30pm and tickets range from $15 to $350. The theme of this year’s Pageant is “The Muse,” an exploration of creative inspiration. For more information about the Festival and the Pageant, visit www.foapom.com.

The 42^nd Annual Sawdust Festival: Summer Arts Show runs from June 26 until August 30 and is open from 10am to 10pm daily. Located at 935 Laguna Canyon Road, the Sawdust Festival features fine arts and crafts from over 200 Laguna Beach local artists. In addition to viewing exhibitions and purchasing art works, visitors may attend art workshops and witness live art demonstrations. All variety of media can be found at the Sawdust. General tickets cost $7.50 for adults, with discounts available for children and seniors, as well as season passes. Free admission is available to Laguna Beach residents on selected days. Visit www.sawdustartfestival.org for further details.

The Art A Fair festival runs from June 26 until August 30 and is open from 10am until 9pm (10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.) Located at 777 Laguna Canyon Road, Art A Fair is the city’s only international arts festival and is known for showcasing both established and emerging talent. Boasting a garden setting complete with waterfall, Art A Fair features artist demonstrations and lectures, free workshops and children’s activities. General adult admission costs $7, with discounts available for children, senior, military members and large groups. Tickets allow admission throughout the year’s show. Visit www.art-a-fair.com for more information.

Check out all three of the above festivals and save nearly 50% with the Laguna Beach Passport to the Arts. This three-in-one pass allows unlimited access to all three festivals for the entire summer, and also includes a one-time free parking pass and free shuttle service. Go to www.lagunabeachpassport.com to order yours.

You may also want to participate in the Laguna Beach Art Walk, held the first Thursday of every month from July through December. Tour the many fine art galleries in Laguna from 6pm-9pm and also enjoy special events and free shuttle service. Visit www.firstthursdaysartwalk.com for more details.

The so-called “Dog Days” of summer take their name from the star Sirius, also known as the Dog Star due to its inclusion in the constellation Canis Major (that is, Big Dog.) This period, generally characterized by sweltering summer heat in many parts of the world, is historically when the star could be seen rising before or with the sun in the Northern Hemisphere. Although this is no longer true due to the slow precession of the equinoxes, the name remains. We in Southern California are fortunate enough to enjoy a rather moderate summer temperature compared to other parts of the country, but nonetheless, we’ve tracked down some dog friendly fun events to help you beat the heat this weekend.

The City of La Habra is hosting its 2^nd Annual Dog Days of Summer festival on Saturday, August 1, from 9am to 4pm. Held at La Habra Heights Park (1885 N. Hacienda Road,) the event features canine demonstrations including dog agility, flyball, Frisbee, freestyle dancing and police dogs. Bring your dog and enter to win prizes in competitions including dog tricks, dog costumes, and dog look-a-like. Admission is free and offers fun for the whole family.

If you are looking to enjoy some more canine competition, stop by the Anaheim Petco (430 North Euclid Street) at 9am on Saturday morning. The 5^th Annual Petco National Chihuahua Races are touring across the country to find the fastest Chihuahua in America. Arrive at 8am to register your own dog to participate. Prizes include Petco gift cards and, for regional winners, airfare and accommodations to attend the national championship races in New York. Find more details on the Petco website.

If you want to get in on the action rather than just watch, check out the Paws for Cause 5K Dog Run/Walk. The event also includes a 1K Kids Fun Run, dog costume contest, and dog demonstrations. Held on Sunday, August 2 at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, the event kicks off with opening ceremonies at 7:45am and the 5K beginning at 8am. Registration opens at 6:30am, so show up early if you want to participate. Paws for Cause is a nonprofit organization supporting Chaplain Ministries who provide emotional and spiritual support for those enduring hardship or life crises, whether due to abuse, addiction, separation, sickness, disaster or even death. Visit pawsforcauseoc.org for more information.