The art season in Laguna Beach flourishes year round with First Thursdays Art Walk. This educational monthly art event, held on the first Thursday of every month from 6 – 9pm, celebrates the diverse cultural art scene of Laguna Beach and is free to the public.

There. That’s the official line from Laguna Beach … now, for the real scoop:

The Laguna Beach Art Walk is a great bit of strolling and trolley-ing fun throughout Laguna Beach, all packed into just a few hours on the first Thursday of each month.
August’s event on Aug. 2nd promises to be a biggie as it’s the last official Art Walk of summer. Expect many, many galleries to be open throughout the City, and expect hundreds and hundreds of milling throngs as people drop in on their favorite galleries to chat with artists in person, grab great art at sometimes-special pricing, sip wine and gnosh on free goodies.

You can also expect to see restaurants and other retail shops in on the game of it, too, keeping their doors open well past their usual closing hours.

I usually head out with a few friends and we make a night of it with both walking and trolley rides.

TROLLEY SERVICE

Free trolley service for art walk starts at 6:30 pm and ends at 9:30 pm. Trolleys begin at the Laguna Art Museum (north) and Bluebird Canyon Road (south). The trolley route runs as far north as Viejo Street, up Laguna Canyon Road as far as Canyon Acres, and south to Bluebird Canyon Road. Map

PARKING

Metered parking is available along Coast Hwy. and a few blocks inland on either side of the street and is free after 7:00 pm. If you prefer, you may park in the residential area located 2-3 blocks inland from Coast Hwy.