Updated October 29, 2026
The 25th Irvine Global Village Festival took place on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Orange County Great Park, with free admission. As of October 29, the City of Irvine hasn't announced a date for 2027. Recent festivals have been held on a Saturday in early to mid-October at the Great Park, so watch the City's festival page for the 2027 date.
We'll update this post when the City posts the 2027 details.
What the 2026 festival offered
The City's 2026 program and schedule page laid out the day:
Area | What was there |
|---|---|
UC Irvine & UCI Health stage | Great Park Live, the main amphitheater |
Troutman Amin stage | Palm Court Arts Complex |
Concordia University Irvine stage | Balloon Lawn |
Cultural Corner | Hangar 244 |
Food | About 35 food vendors, with tasting items at $5 or less |
Global Marketplace | 11 vendors along the Promenade |
Junior Makers | 15 young sellers near the Carousel |
Cultural exhibits | 30 booths on the Terraced Lawn |
Kids Village | 29 booths of free activities |
The City's schedule listed 46 sets across the three stages and the Cultural Corner. Hangar 244 held two special exhibitions, one for the festival's 25th anniversary and one for the City of Irvine's 55th.
The City hasn't published an attendance figure for 2026.
Getting there: how 2026 worked
The City's parking and directions page told drivers to take the Jeffrey Road exit to Trabuco Road and follow the signs to the Great Park (8000 Great Park Blvd.):
- Admission and general parking: Free. The City listed the festival among three free fall festivals at the Great Park.
- Premier parking: Lot Green P2, $10 per vehicle.
- Disabled parking: Free, in Green P2.
- Shuttles: Ran continuously from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. between the overflow lot and Green P2.
- Rideshare and drop-off: Enter at Ridge Valley and Corsair and follow signs to Lot 1.
These arrangements can change from year to year, so check the City page again before the 2027 festival.
How the festival got to the Great Park
Irvine residents started the City's first multicultural festival in 1998; the 2026 program credits the Irvine Multicultural Association with creating it. The City's history page says a second festival followed in 2000, and in 2002 the event took the Irvine Global Village Festival name and moved to the Irvine Civic Center, drawing about 4,000 visitors. The anniversary count starts from that 2002 festival, which is why 2026 was the 25th.
Year | Where | Source |
|---|---|---|
1998 | First multicultural festival, started by residents | |
2002 | Renamed Irvine Global Village Festival; Irvine Civic Center, about 4,000 visitors | |
2017 | 16th festival, Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, more than 100 performances | |
2018 | 17th festival moved to the Orange County Great Park | |
2019 | Expanded to two days, October 12 and 13 | |
2020 | Held virtually | |
2021 | 20th festival, back in person at the Great Park, October 9 | |
2024 | October 5, at Great Park Live | |
2025 | 24th festival, October 11 | |
2026 | 25th festival, October 10 |
At the Great Park, the 2026 festival spread across Great Park Live, Palm Court, the Balloon Lawn, Hangar 244 and the Terraced Lawn.
The rest of the Great Park's October
The festival shares the park with a busy fall calendar. PSQ Productions, which runs Great Park Live for the City, listed the Mehregan Persian Festival on October 3 and 4 and an Asian food, music and cultural festival on October 17 and 18 in its October 2026 announcement. PSQ says it's building the 2027 calendar with the City now. For the bigger changes coming to the park itself, including the permanent amphitheater, see what's opening at the Great Park.
What it means if you live near the park
On festival day, the City sends drivers in by way of Jeffrey Road and Trabuco Road, and in 2026 the City ran shuttles all day from an overflow lot. If you're in the Great Park Neighborhoods and plan an open house or a move on an October weekend, check the Great Park's event schedule first. For what daily life and home prices there look like, see what it's like to live in the Great Park Neighborhoods.
FAQ
When is the 2027 Irvine Global Village Festival?
The City hasn't announced it yet. The 2026 festival was on Saturday, October 10, and the 2025 festival on Saturday, October 11, both at the Great Park.
Is the Irvine Global Village Festival free?
Yes. Admission and general parking were free in 2026. Premier parking in Lot Green P2 cost $10.
Where is the Irvine Global Village Festival held?
At the Orange County Great Park, 8000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine, where it has been held since 2018.
How many years has the Global Village Festival run?
2026 was the 25th Irvine Global Village Festival, counting from 2002, when it took that name. Its roots go back to a residents' multicultural festival in 1998.
Own a home near the Great Park and curious what it would sell for? Get a home value report.
About Irene and Ricky Zhang: RealTrends Verified ranks Irene and Ricky Zhang the #1 small team in Irvine by both sales volume and transaction sides (2026 City Rankings, based on 2025 production). Festival details are from the City of Irvine's 2026 festival program, schedule and parking pages, as of October 2026.
