Top Comics and Latin Music Sensation to Headline ‘Flights and Sounds of Summer’ this Weekend

August 6, 2009 – IRVINE, California - This weekend, the Orange County Great Park’s “Flights and Sounds of Summer” is guaranteed to make you smile with the all new “Great Park Comedy Corner” and the opening night of the Great Park’s Friday night dance party. Comedienne Cher Ofstedahl, star of Comedian X and a regular at the Ontario Improv, and Frances Dilorinzo, star of the Secret Life of a Soccer Mom on TLC TV, are guaranteed to put a grin on your face on Friday, August 7th, at 7:00 p.m. The “Great Park Comedy Corner” is hosted by Tim Shaw, winner of Orange County’s Funniest Person Contest. Next, Latin music sensation Nachito Herrera will get you up on your feet and on to the dance floor doing the cha-cha-cha for the opening of the Friday night dance party with free dance lessons at 7:30 p.m. and Nachito at 8:00 p.m.

Get ready for more side-splitting laughs and great music Saturday, August 8th starting at 7:00 p.m., with comic Marc Kravitz, who regularly appears at the Improv and Second City, an improvisational comedy troupe, and Jeff Capri, from Comics Unleashed and Last Comic Standing. Then, find out why “New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz,” with Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders at 8:00 p.m. Admission is free, and parking is just $8.00.

“The Orange County Great Park features a full schedule of fun entertainment for the whole family, from comedy to dance to concerts,” said Larry Agran, Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation. “You can also pack a picnic to enjoy on the Preview Park Lawn or have a light dinner in the Avanti Café inside historic Hangar 244.”

Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera stunned Cuban audiences at the age of twelve, performing Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 with the Havana Symphony Orchestra. According to All About Jazz, “Herrera’s inventive arrangements and the expertise of his musicians produce a program that exudes an organic quality from start to finish.”

Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders is New Orleans’ premier classic jazz orchestra. This group has acquired a unique following of music lovers that spans the generations. Young and old, are among the eager when the band takes the stage.

Beginning Friday, August 14th, visitors can dance to the sultry Motown style music of Derek Bordeaux. On Saturday, August 15th Toto La Momposina and her 10 piece band will croon infectious lush romantic style songs with a Caribbean style.

Hangar Café will feature a fresh selection of organic food available for purchase inside historic Hangar 244 to enjoy at the Café or on the picnic lawn.

The Orange County Great Park is located off the 5 Freeway and Sand Canyon in Irvine. For more information, go to www.ocgp.org.

Press Contact:
Jenn Starnes
Public Information Officer
Orange County Great Park Corporation
(949) 724-6574