CALENDAR

TILL SUNDAY

OCC THEATRE

Orange Coast College will open its 22nd anniversary season this fall with the dark comedy “Dreaming of Norton.” The play follows two insurance claims adjusters on the heels of a Kansas hailstorm. Curtain time is 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2:30 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Advance tickets are available for $6 by calling (714) 432-5640 ext. 1. Tickets are $7 at the door. Contact Jim Carnett at (714) 432-5725 for more information.

TASTE OF NEWPORT

Come experience the flavor of Newport Beach at the 28th annual Taste of Newport, combining food, wine and music in a three-day festival at Newport Center Drive in Fashion Island. More than 30 local restaurants will have menu items to sample, and more than 15 California wineries will be represented. This year’s entertainment schedule includes Smashmouth, the Go-Go’s and Kenny Loggins. Tickets are $22 if purchased in advance, $25 at the gate. Children are admitted free. Event times are 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Parking is free in designated areas, or valet service is available.

Call (949) 729-4400 or go to www.tasteofnewport.com.

TODAY

CUPCAKES FOR CHOC

Sprinkles Cupcakes in Corona del Mar will celebrate its grand opening in Corona del Mar Plaza from 12 to 4 p.m. by donating 25% of the day’s sales to The Glass Slipper Guild of Children’s Hospital of Orange County. A balloon artist will be on hand for the kids, so bring your sweet tooth and help support a good cause. Corona del Mar Plaza is at MacArthur and Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. Call: (949) 760-0003.

NATIONAL SPEEDWAY CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2006 United States National Speedway Championship takes place in Costa Mesa tonight at the Orange County Fair and Expo Center. Gates open at 6 p.m., and race time is 7:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for juniors 13-17 and 60 or over, $5 for children 6-12; children under 5 are free. For information or to order tickets, call (949) 492-9933.

AUDITIONS

Newport Beach Repertory Theater has openings available for children, teens and adults interested in performing in the 12th annual Christmas production of “It’s A Wonderful Life”. Auditions will be held at the Carrol Beek Community Center on Balboa Island from 10 a.m. until noon. Callbacks will be held on Sunday at the Center. Auditions will be a cold reading from the script, and if possible, bring a head shot or snapshot with you. The Carrol Beek Community Center is located at 115 Agate Ave., Balboa Island. Call (949) 633-1580 or go to www.geocities.com/ newportbeachrepertorytheater /index.html.

HERITAGE FAIR

The Costa Mesa Historical Society will be celebrating its 40th anniversary at Estancia Park, 1900 Adams Ave. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day’s activities include games, face painting for children, exhibits, entertainment and tours of the Diego Sepulveda Adobe. There will be a special presentation honoring the Segerstrom family at 1:30 p.m. Parking and admission are free. Bring your own picnic lunch, or food is available for sale; bottled water will be available for free while supplies last.

Call: (949) 631-5918 or go to www.costamesahistory.org.

FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN

The Festival of Children Foundation celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, and its signature event, the Festival of Children, will take place throughout the month of September at South Coast Plaza, where more than 50 children’s charities will be showcased. Actress Jane Seymour will be at Carousel Court at noon today to lead a children’s painting session, meet and greet guests and sign her books. All activities take place at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. For a festival events calendar go to www.festivalofchildren.org.

SUNDAY

THE MAGIC OF MOZART

The Philharmonic Society presents The Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg in a special opening night celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The concert begins at 7 p.m. in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The program will feature pianists Louis Lortie, Angela Hewitt and the North American debut of German soprano Mojca Erdmann, as well as an exhibition of some of Mozart’s original manuscripts and letters. Tickets are $100-$175. The Orange County Performing Arts Center is located at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. For more information, call (714) 556-2787 or go to www.ocpac.org.

ANNUAL OCEAN SWIM

The Swim for Life Foundation invites the public to participate in its fourth annual ocean swim at 10 a.m. at Corona del Mar’s main beach. Participation is free, and open to swimmers of all ages. Donations are appreciated, and will help fund water safety education through the joint efforts of the Swim for Life Foundation and the Orange County Fire Authority. Children under 15 must swim with a parent or adult “buddy”. Signups are requested prior to Sept. 10. Four former Olympians including Erich Fischer and Bruce Furniss, 11 year-old Chad Hundeby, the world record holder for the English channel swim, and Buddy Belshe, 72, current Newport Beach lifeguard and open water master, will be participating in the 1.5-mile swim. The swim will be followed by a family beach party for participants and their guests. To participate, call Cindy Johnson at (714) 227-6000 or Johnny Johnson at (714) 225-7680 by Sept. 10.

NEWPORT’S GOT TALENT

“Celtic Spring”, the eight-member family band that placed in the final top three position on the NBC show, “America’s Got Talent”, will perform a free courtyard concert at 2 p.m. at Muldoon’s Pub, 202 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach. Call (949) 640-4110 or go to www.muldoonspub.com

TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY

Stop by the Balboa Branch Library for a fun-filled day of pirate crafts-just be sure to “talk like a pirate!” The library is located at 100 E. Balboa Blvd. Call (949) 644-3076 or visit www.newportbeachlibrary.org.