Hundreds Celebrate Final Pageant Of The Masters For The Season In Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Fall is fast approaching, and the well-loved Pageant of the Masters closed out the summer in a big way in Laguna Beach Friday evening.

The celebration, dubbed "The Greatest Party of All Time," marked the annual end to the storied event which attracts thousands to Laguna Beach every summer.

The evening kicked off with a very special Red Carpet event, which featured notable actor Esai Morales, magician Ryan Manno, Pageant artists and more.

During "The Greatest Party of All Time," attendees heard from notable actor Esai Morales, who hosted the event for the one-night-only finale, who introduced Beatles tribute band “Hard Day’s Night” to the stage.

Introduced amid a burst of applause from a packed audience, the "La Bamba" star welcomed the crowd to the final night of the Pageant.

"We're very excited to have you all for 'The Greatest Party of All Time,'" Morales said to the crowd. "I want to introduce you to a band that you might know...I think they're going to make it big here."

From there, Hard Day's Night Beatles Tribute Band, entered the stage and wowed the crowd with an intimate walk through the Fab Four’s acclaimed discography.

Party-goers danced, sang and reminisced while the tribute band performed renditions of "I Saw Her Standing There," "Imagine," "Get Back" and more.

Once the performance came to a close, hundreds of attendees would wait in anticipation for the final summer performance of this year's Pageant of the Masters, titled "The Greatest of All Time."

While waiting, festival-goers sipped wine and strode through the 100+ local art exhibitions on display, spoke with artists, and even enjoyed stamp-making and watercolor workshops.

By 8:30 p.m., hundreds of attendees were making their way into the Irvine Bowl to enjoy the night's finale.

Once the lights dimmed, a rush of silence fell over the crowd as the pageant began.

This year's pageant theme was "The Greatest of All Time" and saw recreations of iconic works of art from artists spanning history.

"This year's production celebrates the artists and artworks that have stood the test of time and continue to inspire generations," Director of the Pageant of the Masters Diane Challis Davy said. "Whether you're an art lover, a first-time visitor, or someone who has attended for decades, 'The Greatest of All Time' offers a chance to experience these masterpieces in an entirely new way."

The show featured the pageant's well-known still "living pictures" with an extra twist — during the performance, pageant actors broke out of their portraits and sprang into action.

The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters will return to Laguna Beach next summer.

For more up-to-date information about pageant news, visit the Festival of Arts Pageant of the Masters's website.