An Outdoor Art Wonderland Will Soon Sprout in Laguna Beach

ADVENTURESOME CALIFORNIANS, particularly those gleeful Golden Staters who always seem to be on the lookout for beauty, loveliness, and inspiration, know to keep an eye cast downward when the weather warms up. It isn't an act of bashfulness we're citing here; rather, flowers across the state, from orange-bright poppies to the lupines of the mountains, put on quite the incredible show as temperatures rise. But one of the things that many lovers of ethereal sights look forward to seeing near their feet occurs in Laguna Beach every summer: sawdust, lots and lots and lots of sawdust. For the fine matter is the well-known material that blankets the ground of the celebrated Sawdust Art Festival, a seasonal wonderland of artisans, entertainers, craftspeople, and people eager for an airy stroll around the winding aisles of the charming landmark.

THE FIND-LADEN FESTIVITY... opens its summer chapter on June 30, a Friday, and from there? It will stay open each day through Sept. 3, which is Labor Day in 2023. Tickets are now on sale, and passes, too, if you'd like to revisit the remarkable cultural event or check it out for the first time. It's not too far from the Festival of the Arts and the Pageant of the Masters, the stand-still stage show that will open just about a week after the Sawdust's seasonal debut. As for what you'll see, and potentially purchase, while wandering the quirky bastion of beautiful bespoke works? Vibrant vases, jewelry made from silverware, elegant photography, and goodies for the garden (think colorful ceramic mushrooms and such), plus plenty more. Live music, snacks, and places to watch talented makers created cool craftwork are also staples of the sun-dappled destination.