LAist at Segerstrom Center for the Arts' Ruby Jubilee: 40th Anniversary Celebration

Join LAist as we celebrate 40 years of arts, community, and connection at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

For 40 years, Segerstrom Center for the Arts has brought people together through extraordinary performances, educational opportunities, and shared experiences. In 2026, the Center marks this milestone with a free, campus-wide anniversary celebration honoring the artists, audiences, students, educators, volunteers, partners, and community members who have shaped its story.

This special event transforms the entire campus into a celebration filled with live performances, interactive activities, behind-the-scenes experiences, artmaking, music, movement, and opportunities to explore every corner of the Center.

Throughout the afternoon, guests can enjoy family-friendly programming designed to spark curiosity and creativity. From hands-on activities and participatory experiences to pop-up performances and open venues, there will be something for every age and interest. The celebration will also feature special participation from the Center's resident companies and campus partners, including Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Pacific Chorale, South Coast Repertory, UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art., ABT William J. Gillespie School, and Studio D: Arts School for All Abilities.

Visit the LAist booth, we’ll be sharing swag, meeting listeners, and soaking up the energy of this free, all-ages event. The event is FREE to the public. No RSVP Required.

2:00–6:00pm | A free community celebration by day

• Spend the afternoon exploring every corner of the Center through performances, workshops, behind-the-scenes experiences, and interactive activities presented by our resident companies and community partners.
• Relive the excitement of opening night in Segerstrom Hall with screenings of the 1986 red carpet broadcast, enjoy performances by OCSA ensembles, explore an interactive technology lab, and watch open ballet masterclasses from ABT William J. Gillespie School.
• Experience the beauty of live music in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, where Pacific Symphony and Philharmonic Society youth ensembles will perform alongside demonstrations of the magnificent William J. Gillespie Concert Organ by David Ball and the Christ Cathedral Organ Scholars. Families can also discover instruments firsthand through the Philharmonic Society's Music Mobile and Instrument Petting Zoo.
• In Samueli Theater, Studio D: Arts School for All Abilities will transform the space into a welcoming sensory-friendly environment featuring interactive activities and performances designed for guests of all abilities.
• Outside on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza, the celebration continues with a festive kickoff by the Mater Dei High School Band, performances by Mariachi Orgullo de UCI, participatory dance lessons inspired by Tuesday Night Dance, a community recorder choir, and Pacific Chorale's joyful Big Sing—inviting everyone to raise their voices together.
• On the lower grand staircase in front of the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art take part in a large-scale hands-on artmaking activity for all ages. Use sculpting techniques to build colorful cardboard plants and flowers to add to a collaborative growing garden installation inspired by the history of the plaza as a former lima bean field and current exhibitions at the museum. Head inside of the museum for drawing activities, delicious snacks, tours of current exhibitions, and more!

6:00–8:00pm | A birthday bash by night

• As the sun sets, the celebration shifts into an unforgettable 1980s-inspired Birthday Bash. Hosted by ABC Eyewitness News anchor David Ono, the evening will feature special anniversary moments celebrating the Center's legacy, food and drinks, a high-energy performance by The M80s, and conclude with a spectacular drone show lighting up the Orange County sky.