Irvine's Own Destination Oasis That's Reinventing the Grand Public Park for the 21st Century

The Orange County Great Park (OCGP) is becoming a popular year-round destination for enjoying FREE family entertainment, sports, recreation, arts and culture.

Visitors can get a birds' eye view of Orange County aboard the iconic Great Park Balloon as it rises 400 feet above ground; take a ride on the hand-painted Carousel, play on Kids Rock, and stroll a Walkable Timeline that highlights 31 of the most significant events of the 1940s. In addition, the Palm Court Arts Complex features an art gallery and artists' studios.

The Flights & Sounds Summer Festival (August-September) offers world beat dance parties on Fridays and Saturdays feature main stage concert performances.

Additional events at the Park include Sundays Farmers Market; the Farm + Food Lab, a hands-on gardening experience; Movies on the Lawn; a Pumpkin Harvest; the annual "Growing the Park" anniversary celebration; a Family New Year's Eve Party, and numerous recreational and sports programs. Soccer fields will be added later this year.

The OCGP is a park for people of every generation, culture and interest. Nearly a million people have visited the Great Park and that number is growing daily.

The park is open seven days a week. All activities are free, with some requiring a parking fee.

About the Great Park
The Orange County Great Park, with its more than 1,300-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park features an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. Other features include the Carousel, Farm + Food Lab, Kids Rock Playground, Walkable Timeline, Palm Court Arts Complex, North Lawn recreation area and historic Hangar 244. The South Lawn lighted soccer fields and Community Garden will be added in 2012. For more information go to www.ocgp.org

About Destination Irvine
Under the Irvine Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit 501(c)6, Destination Irvine, funded by a self-imposed assessment through a Hotel Improvement District (H.I.D.) positions Irvine as a destination for visitors, meetings and groups. Destination Irvine through direct sales efforts including database marketing, lead generation, trade show participation, and familiarization tours, sells the destination. In addition, Destination Irvine promotes Irvine through marketing, advertising and public relations efforts. 

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