Each week, Arts Orange County and Culture OC deliver you this look at the stories and events happening in our arts and cultural community.

Newport Beach Film Festival

The biggest and glitziest celebration of cinema in Orange County returns with 300+ films from over 50 countries along-with star-studded red carpet events and parties MORE

Cooking with Class; or Sur La Table Goes Downton (Abbey)

With the holiday season swiftly approaching, gifters once again struggle with locating an ideal present to someone special. In 2019, four locations throughout South Coast Plaza conducted in-person cooking classes. As of this writing, that number has been reduced to one: Sur La Table in the home store wing off Bear Street. If tangible gift ideas are few and far between, I’m suggesting an experience as something not only memorable, but an offering that can be shared. For aspiring home cooks and curious diners this is an opportunity to practice cooking in a group setting - similar to the way a restaurant operates.

All Aboard! Join Us in Rediscovering Orange County, One Station at a Time

As Metrolink pivots from commuter service to cultural connector, its Orange County Line offers a new way to experience the region – not just as a way through it, but as a way into it. Over the next several weeks, Culture OC will explore what makes each stop along this historic route worth visiting, from lively downtowns to hidden corners rich in character.

Behind the Screams: What It Takes to Create a New Maze for Knott’s Scary Farm

Guests entering the new Knott’s Scary Farm maze, The Zoo, will encounter a unique array of hybrid creatures, military experimentation, vibrantly painted walls and a whole lot of poop.

It’s the fruition of Knott’s Berry Farm art director Daniel Miller’s design plans, which were completed on Jan. 1, 2024. That kind of timeline is typical for the maze design planning process at the Buena Park theme park.

“We get a lot of time to plan and put more and more perfection in and that’s probably one of our secrets,” Miller said during a recent daytime walk-through of his latest creation.

The theme park that launched its original three-day “Halloween Haunt” in 1973, spurring the haunted attraction industry, continues to push itself every year with inventive maze design and creative storytelling.

This year’s Knott’s Scary Farm, which runs select nights through Nov. 1, includes two new mazes, The Zoo and Mary – The Haunting of Worth Home.

Each week, we recommend a variety of events and experiences from the listings at SparkOC.com, our free website for Orange County's arts and cultural community.

Tour de Farce

For 33 years, the local comedy troupe Lagunatics has mercilessly spoofed and skewered the quirks of life in Laguna Beach in this award-winning musical revue MORE

Pow Wow San Juan Capistrano

Celebrate 250 years of life in what's now known as San Juan Capistrano with a festival of art, dance, and traditions from the land's original culture, presented by the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation and Nathan Banda MORE

Fall-O-Ween

Bring the whole family to Heritage Hill Historic Park in Lake Forest for OC Parks' Halloween festival complete with photo opportunities, straw maze, and scavenger hunt MORE

Haunted Fullerton Walking Tour

The Fullerton Museum Center's annual spooky walking tour of downtown Fullerton shares stories and legends from the darker side of local history at locations like Villa del Sol and the Fox Theatre MORE