Our photographers picked their favorite moments from 2023
Chuck Norris, a bearded dragon reptile owned by Grace Arrieta, gets into the holiday spirit while wearing his homemade Santa costume. He was at the downtown Anaheim holiday event on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
An out-of-place Snowy owl, a record setting amount of rain and a lost historical blimp hanger – along with the usual graduations, surfing and sports victories – were some of the highlights around Orange County in 2023.
Our photographers looked back and choose some of their favorite moment from the last 12 months to help us remember the big, and little, stories that taught us a little more about our communities. Here are some of the moments that put smiles on our faces and the images that made us say, “Wow.”
JANUARY:
Rain, rain, rain … a little sunshine, then more rain. Then the snow-capped mountains appeared. That pretty much sums up January in Orange County.
In Cypress, a snowy owl, certainly not native to Southern California, made an appearance in a residential neighborhood, drawing avid ornithologists and curious gawkers alike.
New Year’s Day revelers take a dip into the 57-degree Pacific Ocean on Sunday, January 1, 2023, a Huntington Beach tradition to welcome in the new year. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)A snowy owl that found its way from the Arctic tundra in Alaska or northern Canada, takes flight from a rooftop of a home in Cypress during its second week of living in the Southern California neighborhood, on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)The sun begins to come out over a flooded 18th Street at Olive Avenue in Huntington Beach as a winter storm brought wind, rain and flooding to Orange County on Thursday morning, January 5, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Nathan Barrett of Long Beach raises his surfboard as he gets hit by a large shorebreak wave at the Huntington Beach Pier on Friday morning, January 6, 2023 in Huntington Beach. The recent storm that brought rain, wind and snow to most of California, has also brought large, and in some areas, damaging surf. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)People cross Harbor Boulevard at the eastern entrance to the Disneyland Resort during a rain storm in Anaheim, CA, on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)High tides cause flooding on Pacific Coast Highway at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)High tides cause flooding on Pacific Coast Highway at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)People gather on the rocks at sunset seen on the beach below Heisler Park to watch the sunset in Laguna Beach on Thursday, January 12, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
FEBRUARY:
Rain, rain, rain…. and more rain. That sums up February.
In between the raindrops we celebrated spring pushing up flowers on the hills and high school sports champions. Tesoro boys basketball celebrated their win over Orange Lutheran during the CIF-SS Division 2AA boys basketball championship game but Sage Hill couldn’t hold on as they lost to Long Beach Jordan in the CIF-SS Division 4A boys basketball championship game.
The Big Game came to Anaheim as the Super Bowl LVII MVP, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, greeted fans on Main Street., U.S.A, during a cavalcade through Disneyland.
We also celebrated students as the team from Orange County School of the Arts celebrated their win in the final against El Dorado in the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
We also remembered the year anniversary of fallen Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella during an emotional dedication in Huntington Beach where a portion of PCH was renamed the “Officer Nicholas Vella Memorial Highway”.
The team from Orange County School of the Arts celebrates after winning the final against El Dorado in the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Pictured, from left, Josie Wang, Toby Izenberg, Emma Kay, and Emily Kim. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Pictures of artwork that will adorn the St. Callistus Chapel and Crypts are on display underneath Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, where the 11,500-square-foot worship space will be built. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)John and Marcella Vella, left, the parents of fallen Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella, and Vella’s brother, John Arthur Vella, attend an emotional dedication in Huntington Beach on Saturday, February 4, 2023. A portion of PCH will be named the “Officer Nicholas Vella Memorial Highway.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Hikers make their way past a colorful hillside of California poppies as they make their way along Weir Canyon Trail in Anaheim Hills on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Colleagues in the Orange County Public Defender’s Office who worked with Elliot Blair, the former Orange County deputy public defender who died recently under mysterious circumstances in Mexico, gather in front of hundreds during the memorial service for Blair at the Christ Cathedral Church in Garden Grove on Saturday, February 11, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Camp Pendleton Marine Pfc. Will Tully, left, shows off his prowess in the ring with American Professional wrestler Lucas Riley, right, after winning an arm wrestling match with another wrestler. About 500 Marines were at a Super Bowl party sponsored by Crisp Imaging, Inc., at America Legion Harbor Post 291 in Newport Beach on Sunday, February 12, 2023. The wrestling show was just one of the festivities before the game. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Super Bowl LVII MVP, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, greets fans on Main Street., U.S.A, during a cavalcade through Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Monday, February 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Four-year-old Elle Page gets high fives from her teacher Lisa Garceau during a jog-a-thon at St. Mary’s School in Aliso Viejo, CA on Friday, February 17, 2023. The event was a fundraiser for the school’s athletic department. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)The Second Baptist Church Music Ministry performs on Sunday, February 19, 2023 as the Black church celebrates its 100 years in Santa Ana. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Sandra Rivera greets her son, Juan Rivera, as he arrives from outdoor science camp at George B. Miller Elementary School in La Palma, CA, on Monday, February 27, 2023. A truck accident and the recent blizzard delayed the return of 72 sixth graders from the San Bernardino Mountains by four days. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
MARCH:
The water-logged hills slide out from under buildings in San Clemente which prompted the evacuation of apartments on the bluff due to the danger of the structures tumbling down the hillside.
The atmospheric rivers that gave us all the rain also provided a beautiful backdrop of snow-capped mountains, but, up at the high elevations all that snow caused Crestline to lose its only grocery store and people to be trapped in their homes for days.
Over in Costa Mesa, the American Ballet Theatre’s “Like Water for Chocolate,” based on the best selling novel and film, thrilled audiences at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Along the county’s beaches, Laylan Connelly, the Register’s long-time beach reporter got the news she will be inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame later this year.
Samreen Khan has organized the LA Muslimah Ramadan Market ’23 in Yorba Linda on March 5th. The event will feature Muslim-women vendors who run small businesses. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)The view looking north at the snow-covered San Gabriel Mountains from the E. La Veta Avenue overpass of the 55 freeway in Orange on Thursday morning, March 2, 2023. After days of rain, wind, and snow, the clouds cleared away, leaving snow-covered mountains for motorists and those getting outside to view from all over Southern California. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Prison workers clear snow from abandoned cars along Highway 138 in the San Bernardino Mountains on Friday, March 3, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Despite a collapsed roof, people stand in line for food at Goodwin and Sons Market in Crestline, CA, on Friday, March 3, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Angela Hill, navigates up a steep, snow-covered hill towards her home in Blue Jay near Lake Arrowhead after getting food for her four cats on Sunday, March 5, 2023. The 70-year-old says she is disabled with a back injury but was able to make her way down to a food distribution center nearby. Her car is buried under where she walks on what used to be a pave street. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Sean Devine works to get up the path to Sherrill Waton’s home as he delivers food in Cedar Glen, CA, on Monday, March 6, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Laylan Connelly, the Register’s long-time columnist and beach reporter reporter, picured at San Onofre State Beach in San Clemente on Thursday, March 9, 2023 will be inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame later this year. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)An umbrella and a sycamore tree are reflected in a bubble in a puddle at Irvine Regional Park in Orange as another winter storm brought more rain to Orange County and Southern California on Friday, March 10, 2023.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Two acorn woodpeckers place acorns in an old sycamore tree in the rain at Irvine Regional Park in Orange as another winter storm brought more rain to Orange County and Southern California on Friday, March 10, 2023.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Three buildings along the 1500 block of Buena Vista in San Clemente, CA, on Thursday, March 16, 2023, after being red-tagged during a landslide on Wednesday. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Dancer Zhong-Jing Fang (Mama Elena), top, is lifted up during a tech rehearsal for the American Ballet Theatre’s “Like Water for Chocolate,” at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. “Like Water for Chocolate,” based on the best selling novel and film will be at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, now through April 2.” (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
APRIL:
Hall of Famer and former Angel Vladimir Guerrero joined the Halos during their opening day against Toronto Blue Jays. The Angels lost that game 4 to 3, but did end the month one game out of first place.
The OC Register released it’s annual picks for high school artist of the year, including; Magdalena Aparicio, a senior at Yorba Linda High School, for film and TV, Zachary Cramer, a senior at Fountain Valley High School, for media arts, Alexandra Hernandez, a senior at Costa Mesa High School, for in fine arts, and Jonah Smith, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts, for dance.
A man stands at the curb at a rally for Donald Trump at the intersection of El Toro Road and Avenida de Carlota in Laguna Hills on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 in reaction to 34 felony criminal charges against the former president. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A member of the TNT Dunk Squad flies through the air as children and members of the community joined officials with the city of Santa Ana to celebrate a refurbished basketball court at Portola Park in Santa Ana on Tuesday afternoon, April 4, 2023. The city teamed up with a non-profit, Project Blackboard, and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, which funded the $75,000 basketball court project. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)A western bluebird is perched on a tree at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Due to the large number of trees Fairhaven Memorial Park is home to a wide range of birds including the western bluebird. The park collaborates with the Southern California Bluebird Club, and the club’s volunteers monitor the western bluebird boxes that are placed throughout the park. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Hall of Famer and former Angel Vladimir Guerrero, right, embraces Angels’ Mike Trout after throwing ceremonial first pitch at the Angels’ home opener game against the Blue Jays at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Active duty local military personnel unfurl a 150-foot by 300-foot American flag before the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” On Opening Day at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Students from Kappa Alpha Theta sorority at Chapman University in Orange have their graduation photos taken as they uncork bottles of champagne on Sunday, April 16, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Jonah Smith, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts, is the 2023 Artist of the Year in dance. Jonah is shown in the Attallah Piazza fountain at Chapman University in Orange on Sunday, April 16, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Crime victims gather at the closing of the Crime Victims’ Rights Ceremony in Santa Ana on Monday, April 24, 2023.Don Wagner, chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, is in back. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)A Snowy egret takes care of lunch at Crystal Cove State Beach in Newport Beach, CA on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Red Hill Elementary School teacher Vivian Chang gets high-fives from students after she was named one of the Orange County Teachers of the Year in Santa Ana, CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Chang was one of six named Orange County Teacher or the Year by the Orange County Department of Education. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Denny and Monica Asbury of Huntington Beach have their photo taken on a surfboard inside a wave at the International Surfing Museum booth at SURFscape on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in Huntington Beach. Surf and outdoor companies show off their products at booths during the event which took place in a beach-side parking lot along Pacific Coast Highway a few blocks south of the Huntington Beach Pier. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
MAY:
The OC Marathon races through Huntington Beach – among the runners were Marine veteran Collin McSpirit, his brother Sean McSpirit and Mats Bjurman. McSpirit, who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident, walked the last few feet of the run.
During the Artist of the Year 2023 awards ceremony Jonah Smith, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts was named the Artist of the Year at Chapman University.
High School seniors around the county were jumping for joy, including Western High School graduate Anas Mohamed, who got tossed in the air by his family and friends, as commencement ceremonies continued.
And, big waves hit the coast at the Wedge in Newport Beach as a large swell moved onshore through Orange County.
Marine veteran Collin McSpirit with his brother Sean McSpirit, behind, and Mats Bjurman, left, both 1st Lts. in the Marine Corps, approach the OC Marathon finish in Costa Mesa on Sunday, May 7, 2023. McSpirit, who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident, walked the last few feet of the run. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Raffaele Velazquez (24), center, of Huntington Beach reacts after hitting a home run against Villa Park in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs at Villa Park High School in Villa Park on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A woman looks at some of the ‘Thank You’ cards displayed at City of Hope Orange County in Irvine, CA on Friday, May 12, 2023. Nurses were surprised on International Nurses Day with the display of cards made by local school kids and the community. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Dut Lual, right, an 18-year-old native of war-torn Sudan, gives the thumbs-up to his IB chemistry teacher Carly Gordon, left, after they finished their secret handshake before class at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. The 7-foot Lual will study science and math and play basketball at Oberlin College in Ohio in the fall. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Teresa Taylor gives some of her 20 dogs and one pig treats as her husband Russell Taylor watches. Their nonprofit Modjeska Ranch Animal Rescue has morphed into more of a hospice and sanctuary for sick and unwanted animals. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)A surfer flies off his board while riding a wave at the Wedge in Newport Beach on Thursday morning, May 18, 2023, as a large swell moved on shore throughout Orange County. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Aie Wakasugi, left, and Meghan Fischer dance together during a workshop by Infinite Flow, an inclusive group that pairs standing and wheelchair bound dancers for therapeutic fun. The group rotates partners throughout the two-hour class in Irvine on Saturday, May 20, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Kelly Cheng, left, and Sara Hughes Hughes fall into the sand as they celebrate after winning the AVP Pro Series Huntington Beach Open in Huntington Beach on Sunday, May 21, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Joseph Borgese, center, pulls back his gown to reveal a photo of his dog Siegfried during the commencement ceremonies for the College of Education at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton on Monday, May 22, 2023. Over 13,000 CSFU graduates will participate in commencement ceremonies May 22-25. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)George W. Parker IV looks up during the hooding ceremony as he receives his doctorate during the commencement ceremonies for the College of Education at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton on Monday, May 22, 2023. Over 13,000 CSFU graduates will participate in commencement ceremonies May 22-25. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Western High School graduate Anas Mohamed gets tossed in the air as he celebrates graduation with his family and friends in Anaheim on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Tiffany Tran, left, a counselor at Irvine Valley College, places the cap on Tycho Elling, 11, of San Juan Capistrano, just prior to commencement at Irvine Valley College in Irvine on Thursday, May 25, 2023. Elling is the youngest 2023 graduate and the youngest student to graduate in IVC’s 38 years. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Matt Lawrence and his daughter Jacqueline take a fun selfie following the Beckman High School graduation ceremonies at Northrup Stadium on the Tustin High School campus in Tustin on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
JUNE:
People gathered in Santa Ana for the annual OC Pride parade and festival.
Dogs were hangin’ 20 as they hit the waves south of the pier in Huntington Beach during the Incredible Dog Challenge western regional competition. The event also included agility, diving dogs, the Fetch It event and Jack Russell races.
Down in south Orange County, seniors held their annual Laguna Woodstock music festival. People dressed in their best 1960s and ’70s attire, danced to the live music and picnicked on the lawn during the annual event.
Rory Murray takes a picture of the Prado Dam Bicentennial Mural during a dedication ceremony in Corona, CA, on Friday, June 2, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Santa Margarita’s Blake Wilson does a flip as teammates celebrate their win over La Costa Canyon in the championship game of the CIF Southern California Division I Regional playoffs at Santa Margarita High School in Rancho Santa Margarita on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Santa Margarita won the game 3-2. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)About 4,500 Marines and sailors deployed with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Group and the USS Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, started returning to Southern California. On Tuesday, more than 1200 Marines got off Navy ships and came ashore Navy hovercrafts sea Camp Pendleton. Equipment and vehicles were also offloaded. Sailors will leave the three-ship group later this week in San Diego. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Kathryn Zahm jumps into the arms of her husband, Maj. Andrew Do, after he returns to Camp Pendleton on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 after a seven-month deployment. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Workers replace the iconic red roof at the end of the pier in Huntington Beach, CA, on Monday, June 12, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Mac Hinsch checks out the tidepools during an event at Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. The ranger-led program was part of California State Parks Week, June 14 to 18. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Sydney, a pug with deformed paws as a result of over breeding, wears prosthetic braces so that she can still be mobile. Debbie Pearl has taken in, so far, six dogs with disabilities caused by abuse. Sydney frolics in a Huntington Beach park on Sunday, June 18, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)San Clemente Junior Lifeguard Rooney Beatty, 11, jumps off the San Clemente Pier in San Clemente on Monday, June 19, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A camper tries to avoid getting roped by cowboy Deedge Laster at Cow Camp at Rancho Mission Viejo in south Orange County, CA on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. The visit to Cow Camp was part of Ranch Camp through the YMCA of Orange County. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Lyndsey Kuehn George, right, dances with her daughters, Davey, 4, left, and Bryce , 3, center, to the music of the Kelly Boyz Band during the Tustin’s Concert in the Park series at Peppertree Park in Tustin on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Derby, owned by Kentucky Gallahue of San Diego, relaxes as he rides his surfboard during the Surf Dog event of the Incredible Dog Challenge western regional competition held at Huntington State Beach in Huntington Beach on Friday, June 23, 2023. The competition continues with the finals on Saturday, June 24th. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)As owner Tammy Strassenberg of Camp Verde, Arizona, right, watches, Buckshot flies through the air as he prepares to grab a hanging bumper after running and leaping off a 40-foot long stage only to land in a large pool of water during the Fetch It! event of the Incredible Dog Challenge western regional competition held at Huntington State Beach in Huntington Beach on Friday, June 23, 2023. The competition continues with the finals on Saturday, June 24th. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)The OC Pride parade cruises down 3rd Street in Santa Ana on Saturday, June 24, 2023 with groups, including employees from Kohl’s, waving their colorful flags. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
JULY:
Fourth of July lit up the sky, but not before Huntington Beach held its 119th Independence Day Parade, the self-proclaimed, “biggest Fourth of July Parade west of the Mississippi River.
In Costa Mesa, the OC Fair opened its doors for the 133rd time and has already seen several sold-out days.
Both Los Angeles football teams, The Rams and The Chargers, opened their traditional training camps, welcoming fans to see their favorite players.
And, down in Laguna Beach, an almost century-old tradition continued as enthusiasts turned out in droves to celebrate the Pageant of the Masters’ 90th season by taking part in a lively and colorful parade through the downtown. The parade, which welcomed festival revelers to dress up as their favorite artists or works of art, was a nod to the pageant’s very first living pictures parade in 1933, which took place during the Festival of Arts’ second year.
Deanne Niedziela reacts as she is gets a “clap out” while leaving Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, CA, on Monday, July 3, 2023. Niedziela, executive director of nursing at the hospital, suffered extensive spinal injuries in May after a tree fell on her in Costa Rica. She is leaving the hospital and heading to a specialty facility in Colorado. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Orange County Boy Scouts carrying a large American flag make the turn from Pacific Coast Highway on to Main Street in Huntington Beach during the 119th Independence Day Parade on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Hundreds of participants in the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard program run down the beach and into the water at the start of a buoy swim near the Balboa Pier on Ben Carlson Day in Newport Beach on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Carlson, a Newport Beach lifeguard, died saving a swimmer during a big swell in 2014. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Heidi Knight, a staff member at the Shea Center in San Juan Capistrano, gives Choco, a therapy horse, a kiss during a retirement farewell gathering at the Shea Center in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, July 7, 2023. Choco was rescued in July 2021 by members of Orange County Fire Authority from Station 56 in Rancho Mission Viejo, after he fell into a ravine and is being retired and leaving to a ranch in Fallbrook. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Competitors start the rescue relay at the CSLSA Regional Junior Lifeguard Championships in Newport Beach, CA on Friday, July 21, 2023. The two-day event features junior lifeguards the first day and the Regional Lifeguard Championships on the second. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Waldo gets naughty while awaiting auction at the OC Fair’s annual Junior Livestock event in Costa Mesa on Saturday, July 22, 2023. Gwen Delgado, 17, a La Habra High School student who raised the black Angus cow says the animal is like “a big loving dog.” ( Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Parade participants Sophie Higuchi, left, dressed as Mona Lisa and Sue Ziehmer, right, dressed as Vincent van Gogh, chat in Heisler Park in Laguna Beach before the start of the parade as the Pageant of the Masters celebrated the 90 years of Living Pictures with a sidewalk parade of costumes on Saturday, July 22, 2023. The event made its way to Main Beach, through downtown, and ended at the Pageant of the Masters at the Festival of Arts grounds on Laguna Canyon Road. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)A diver executes a dive off the platform as other divers watch and wait their turn to dive during the USA Diving Junior National Championships at the Marguerite Aquatic Complex in Mission Viejo on Sunday, July 23, 2023. Over 600 of the top junior divers from across the country will be competing in in four events and three age groups July 23-August 1. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Keenan Allen, right, a wide receiver with the Los Angeles Chargers, signs autographs for fans following the first practice of training camp at the Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa on July 26, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Fair goers ride the Raptor Coaster beneath the rising moon as night falls over the OC Fair at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Sunday, July 30, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
AUGUST:
The Register’s beach reporter, Laylan Connelly, who has written about surfing over the past two decades, earned a place in the 2023 Surfers’ Hall of Fame, placing her hands in cement on the corner of PCH and Main Street in Huntington Beach.
Connelly wasn’t the only excitement in Huntington Beach – the US Open of Surfing drew big crowds for the week-long competition.
Over in Anaheim, Disneyland employees took to the Rivers of America before sunrise to compete in the annual Disneyland Resort Canoe Races. Team “DC Gorilla Warfare” won the Fastest on the River award.
A few miles from Disneyland, bull riders from across the country came to the Honda Center to compete during a stop on the Professional Bull Riders tour. The PBR is the largest bull riding league in the world, sanctioning hundreds of events every year in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Australia.
At the end of the month, tragedy struck in Trabuco Canyon when three people were killed and six more injured in a mass shooting at the family-friendly biker bar Cook’s Corner. Longtime patrons of Cook’s Corner held a prayer service for the victims of the shooting at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest a few days later.
The golden glow of the sunset fills the air as beach goers play in the waves while the high tide pushes onshore just north of the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Laylan Connelly, writer for The Orange County Register, who has written about surfing over the past two decades, laughs as she places her hands in concrete during her induction into the 2023 Surfers’ Hall of Fame on Friday, August 4, 2023, in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Supporters raise up an exuberant Eli Hanneman after he won the Men’s US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Sunday, August 6, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Sawyer Lindblad celebrates after winning the Womenxe2x80x99s US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Student Aryana Nathan greets her first grade teacher Julie Smith on the first day of class at Roosevelt Elementary School in Anaheim, CA on Thursday, August 10, 2023. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)The team “DC Gorilla Oarfare” joins other divisional winners as they take a victory lap during the Disneyland Resort Canoe Races in the Rivers of America inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, August 10, 2023. They won the Fastest on the River award. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Kalani Robb, left, and Harvey Nelson cross paths and collide during the Red Bull Foam Wreckers light-hearted surfing competition in San Clemente on Saturday, August 12, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)A boy reacts as he watches the finals of the Professional Bull Riders team event at Honda Center in Anaheim on Sunday, August 13, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Jose Vitor Leme of the Austin Gamblers rides the bull Brusta in extra outs to win the event title against the Oklahoma Freedom in the finals of the Professional Bull Riders team event at Honda Center in Anaheim on Sunday, August 13, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A surfer rides a wave at the Wedge in Newport Beach, CA on Friday, August 18, 2023. Cities along the coast were preparing for potential high surf as the effects of Hurricane Hilary moved north. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Workers built a sand berm to protect homes from the approaching tropical storm Hilary in Seal Beach, CA, on Friday, August 18, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Baron Myers waves good-bye to his mom with the help of his transitional kindergarten teacher Kristyn Day on the first day of class at Andersen Elementary School in Newport Beach, CA on Monday, August 21, 2023. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Police investigate a shooting at Cook’s Corner in Trabuco Canyon, CA, on Thursday, August 24, 2023. Gunfire at the popular Southern California biker bar killed three people Wednesday evening., The gunman — believed to be retired former Ventura police officer John Snowling — was fatally shot by deputies, authorities said. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Nancy Hughes talks about her friend, Marie Snowling, a regular at Cook’s Corner, two days after Snowling was shot by her estranged husband, John Snowling, at the bar in Trabuco Canyon, CA, on Friday, August 25, 2023. John Snowling injured his estranged wife, Marie Snowling, but killed three other people in the mass shooting. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Longtime patrons of Cook’s Corner, Shelley Pagliarulo, left, and Payten Futch share an emotional embrace before a prayer service for the victims of the Cook’s Corner shooting at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Violet Lee, 9, concentrates as she paddles her boat across the pool as the city of Mission Viejo hosts the Cardboard Boat Derby at the Marguerite Aquatics Complex in Mission Viejo on Saturday, August 26, 2023. The teams had one hour to build a boat of cardboard and duct tape and then one person paddled the boat the length of a pool in a race with the fastest time winning. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
SEPTEMBER:
The month started with Cook’s Corner patrons and employees gathering with community members and first responders in a field at sunset next to the Library of the Canyons for a vigil in honor of victims of the mass shooting two weeks prior at the popular biker bar.
San Clemente transplants Caroline Marks and Filipe Toledo won the Rip Curl World Surf League Finals at Lower Trestles. Later, the World Surf League announced the world champions would be decided again in 2024 at the famed surf spot just south of San Clemente. The last three finals have been held there, bringing the world’s best surfers and a big buzz to the region.
The last weekend of September was busy as former President Donald Trump, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy visited Anaheim during the state’s GOP convention. On this way to the event, Trump’s plane made a detour and flew through the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach.
Customers arrive at Cook’s Corner bar and restaurant in Trabuco Canyon as it opens for business on Friday, September 1, 2023, following a shooting on August 23, 2023, killing three people and injuring six others. A memorial to the three persons killed stands out front with photographs, notes and flowers.in Trabuco Canyon, CA on Friday, September 1, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Cook’s Corner Patrons and workers join a candlelight vigil in honor of the victims of the Cook’s Corner Shooting at the Library of the Canyons in Silverado on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Pictured, from left, Ann Marie Jensen, Kevin Kallay, Kimo Delgado, bar back at Cook’s Corner, Christina Spengler and her boyfriend Kelly Stellhorn the bartender at Cooks Corner. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Ben Richards, center, founder of SoCal Parents Advocates uses a megaphone to lead protesters in favor of the transgender notification policy outside the Orange Unified School District where the board is meeting to decide if the OUSD will implement a transgender notification policy in Orange on Thursday, September 7, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Filipe Toledo of Brazil is the Rip Curl WSL champion for the second year in a row after beating Ethan Ewing of Australia at Lower Trestles in San Clemente on Saturday, September 9, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Students and union members protest outside the California State University chancellor’s office in Long Beach, CA on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. The CSU Board of Trustees is considering a 6% tuition increase beginning in fall of 2024. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)A Snowy Egret picks up lunch from the lake at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, CA on Monday, September 18, 2023. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)A worker cleans around the sculpture “Peace Be Still” at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA on Thursday, September 21, 2023. The sculpture is by Dallas Anderson and was installed in 1999. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman, left, speaks with Irving Djeng, of New Jersey, back center, as his wife, Angela Djeng embraces her daughter, incoming freshman Sophia Djeng, right, as they near her dorm room while moving into campus housing at UC Irvine on Friday, September 22, 2023 in Irvine. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Five-year-old Jocelyn Tyner of Irvine, celebrates with supporters as she finishes the 2023 Orange County MORE THAN PINK Walk in Newport Beach on Sunday, September 24, 2023S. She was with her mother, Latoya and a group with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Dan Hedigan, CEO of Five Point, Annette Walker, President of City of Hope Orange County and Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, from left, take a selfie in the balloon at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. The three were part of an event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Great Park Neighborhoods. The first Great Park Neighborhood opened in September 2013 with Pavilion Park. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds prepare to leave Los Alamitos Army Airfield in Los Alamitos, CA, for practice over Huntington Beach for the Pacific Airshow on Thursday, September 28, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)John F. Kennedy High School band director Joshua Parsons, leads the band standing on a ladder as the moon rises above the field before an Empire League football game between Kennedy and Tustin at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, September 28, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Sammy Mason, flying the Edge 540, left, Mike Goulian, flying an Extra 330, center, and Jarrod Lindeman, in the Jet Waco biplane, fly over Huntington Beach, CA, in preparation for the Pacific Airshow on Thursday, September 28, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A woman holds a pro-Trump poster as she passes a rally at Harbor Blvd. and Katella Ave. in Anaheim, CA on Friday, September 29,2023. Trump, along with other Republican candidates, were speaking at the California GOP convention at the Anaheim Marriott. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)People for and against Donald Trump clash in the plaza at a Democratic Party of Orange County event in front of the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, CA on Friday, September 29,2023. Trump, along with other Republican candidates, were speaking at the California GOP convention at the hotel. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds practice before the start of the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach on Friday, September 29, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
OCTOBER:
People at the OC Parks at the nature center in Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano joined the rest of Orange County as they looked to the sky early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023, during the annular ring of fire solar eclipse. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. It was the most coverage of the solar surface in an eclipse visible in Southern California until 2045.
October ended with Halloween, as it always does – there was a dog parade in Huntington Beach, folks in Laguna Woods held their annual decorated golf cart parade, Orange County School of the Arts had a costume contest and flash mob dance, and Fountain Valley Regional Hospital Pediatric Halloween Parade with rescued dog Hazel the Hobbler.
Tustin residents and others enjoy the first day of the 66th Annual Tustin Tiller Days at Columbus Tustin Park in Tustin on Friday, October 6, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Artist Jennifer Guidi’s eye-catching art, “And so it is,” is the newest exhibit at Orange County Museum of Art in Costa Mesa on Sunday, October 8, 2023. The museum celebrates its one-year anniversary with a week of activities for the public.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Seven-year-old Lydia Berube of Irvine thinks artist Alice Neel’s painting, “Sunset, Riverside Drive,” is best viewed upside down while on an outing to Orange County Museum of Art with her parents on Sunday, October 8, 2023. The museum celebrates its one-year anniversary with a week of activities for the public. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Looking through a solar viewer, Linda Akins of Laguna Woods watches the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)A composite of images taken during the annular solar eclipse as seen from Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023, At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)The San Diego Gulls mascot, Gulliver, flirts with a fan during a game between the Ducks and the Stars at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Thursday, October 19, 2023. Mascots from several teams attended the game to celebrate the 30th birthday of the Ducks’ mascot, Wild Wing. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Lulu wears a matching outfit with owner Cynthia “Dog Lady” Lopez at Buena Park’s Silverado Days on Saturday, October 21, 2023. Lopez, who custom sews the clothing, says “We do it to make people smile.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)David Saldana is embraced by his grandma, Martha Lara, after not seeing her for ten years. Twenty-five families from Mexico were reunited with relatives in Fountain Valley on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. Curacao and Fundacion Jalisco USA sponsored the event. Some family members had not seen their loved ones for more than two decades. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Helal Kaoud, left, stands with her cousins, Dooneya Kaoud, and sister Shamiss Kaoud, as Shamiss speaks emotionally of family members trapped in Gaza, during a press conference at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, CAIR-LA, offices in Anaheim on Thursday, October 26, 2023. Dina Chehata, civil rights managing attorney for CAIR-LA stands at right. CAIR-LA and the family want the U.S. government to get the Palestinian Americans currently trapped in Gaza, out of the country and back to the U.S. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Julia Heiman of Irvine is overcome with emotion as she holds posters of two girls being held hostage by Hamas during a vigil at the corner of Alton Parkway and Culver Drive in Irvine on Thursday, October 26, 2023 in support of the more than 200 people who were kidnapped in Israel earlier this month. “Its so painful to me that Israel has to defend its right to defend itself and to think of the brutality of what the children have endured,” said Heiman. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Bernie Budzyn of Orange dances to the music as approximately 150 seniors gather for the Halloween costume party put on by Meals on Wheels Orange County and the Orange Senior Center on Friday, October 27, 2023 at the Orange Senior Center in Orange. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Debby Falese, left, and Jennifer Calonico, both of Huntington Beach, make their way along the beach just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Mourners watch as the casket of Bishop Tod D. Brown is carried out of Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove on Monday, October 30, 2023. Brown led the Diocese of Orange for 14 years. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Students dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” during a Halloween costume contest and flash mob at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, CA on Tuesday, October 31, 2023. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
NOVEMBER:
The weather turned cool this month as people prepared to get into the holiday spirit, but the mood was dampened when an early-morning blaze started a two-week long fire that destroyed the north hangar at the former Tustin Marine Air Base.
While veterans mourned the loss of their historic blimp hangar, they also celebrated Veterans Day in Lake Forest. Decorated WWII Army pilot, Capt. Leland Spencer, 101, and his son Bruce Spencer, visited the spot he will be buried with his wife who died in 2021. They were at the El Toro Memorial Park Veterans Day event in Lake Forest on Saturday, November 11, 2023.
Some high school sports seasons came to an end, including water polo, as JSerra celebrated their victory over Newport Harbor in the championship game of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs.
Aaron Ritter, M.D., program director for memory and cognitive disorders at Hoag’s Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, and philanthropist Richard Pickup in Newport Beach on Wednesday, November 1, 2023. Pickup is donating $50 million to create a center for brain health.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Visitors cheer during opening ceremonies at BlizzCon 2023 in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, November 3, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Sean Reyngoudt of Puerto Rico holds his country’s flag during the ISA World Adaptive Games parade in Huntington Beach on Sunday, November 5, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)A piece of burning building falls as Orange County firefighters battle a fire affecting the north hangar at the Tustin Air Base in Tustin on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)The south blimp hangar stands as the north hangar burns at the former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin in Tustin, CA, on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Officials investigate the rubble of the historic Tustin Marine Corps Air Station blimp hangar on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 after a fire destroyed the WWII-era structure. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)A family watches the sunset at the San Clemente Pier in San Clemente on Thursday, November 9, 2023 (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A southbound Metrolink train passes by Parque del Mar at sunset in San Clemente on Thursday, November 9, 2023 (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Decorated WWII Army pilot, Capt. Leland Spencer, 101, with his son Bruce Spencer, looks at the spot he will be buried with his wife who died in 2021. They were at the El Toro Memorial Park Veterans Day event in Lake Forest on Saturday, November 11, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)JSerra celebrates their victory over Newport Harbor in the championship game of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut on Saturday, November 11, 2023. JSerra won the match 16-10. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)A cyclist rides the trails at Gypsum Canyon Wilderness in Anaheim, CA on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. The 500-acre park has 6 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Easton Dennis gets a hug from his grandpa Roger Dennis during Grandparents and Special Friend’s Day at St. Mary’s School in Aliso Viejo, CA on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. Grandparents were shown around the school and the students’ latest work. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Early kindergarten students prepare to sing a song during Grandparents and Special Friend’s Day at St. Mary’s School in Aliso Viejo, CA on Friday, November 17, 2023. Grandparents were shown around the school and the students’ latest work. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Mike Mitrowski, right, of Laguna Niguel talks with young surfing fans on the beach before competing in the 12th annual Surfing Santa and Stand Up Paddle Board Contest held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 18, 2023. The event benefits Surfers Healing, a surf camp for children with autism. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)San Clemente Pier is lit for the holidays in San Clemente, CA, on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Lance Cpl. Steven Craft has a laugh with fellow Marines at a Thanksgiving celebration at Camp Pendleton in San Clemente, CA on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. Marines from the 5th Marine Regiment were treated by the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Children find the joy of snow during Winter Fest OC at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa on Sunday, November 26, 2023. The festival is open Nov. 24 through Jan. 1. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
DECEMBER:
The year closed out with darken skies and much-needed rain.
With the dark skies came holiday lights – San Clemente Pier got new lights to add to their annual tree and hundreds of people gathered around as the Christmas tree on the beach at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach as the Crystal Cove Conservancy hosts its annual holiday bazaar and tree lighting ceremony.
Ships lit up harbors along the Orange County coast during boat parades, including the 115th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade.
The Mission Viejo football team takes to field before their game against Granite Hills in the CIF Southern California Regional Division 1-AA championship game at Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo on Friday, December 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A family has their photo taken by Santa’s helper as the Crystal Cove Conservancy hosts its annual tree lighting ceremony and holiday bazaar at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach on Saturday, December 2, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Tara Iwata, right, of Costa Mesa takes a photo of Axel Simmons, 9, left, and her two sons, Cru, 4, center, and Slater, 3, as the sun sets at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach on Saturday, December 2, 2023. The group attended Crystal Cove Conservancy’s annual tree lighting ceremony and holiday bazaar on the beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)As the tree lights are turned on, hundreds of people gather around as the Christmas tree on the beach at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach as the Crystal Cove Conservancy hosts its annual holiday bazaar and tree lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 2, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Workers in protective gear take part in hazardous waste clean up on Sunday, December 3, 2023 at the historic Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin. The hangar was destroyed in a fire last month. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Honey struts her stuff during the Candy Canine Costume Contest in downtown Anaheim during the annual tree lighting and holiday village community event on Sunday, December 3, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Families visiting Fashion Island in Newport Beach enjoy the 50 Nights of Coastal Lights which includes snowfall, music and a choreographed light display and take photos by the 90-foot Christmas tree on Friday, December 8, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Decorated boats cruise the harbor during the 115th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)The rollerblading Santa Mark Podolak, models for the Christmas Day photo shoot on a Southern California beach, on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
