Have you always wanted to explore the Garden as the sun begins to set on a warm summer evening, with a cocktail in hand? Well, now you can! Our new Sunset Series at South Coast Botanic Garden will take place every Thursday starting this July. From 5:30 to 8 p.m., guests can roam our 87 acres or set up shop at our Pop-Up Refreshment Station inside the Dorothy and Allen Lay Staghorn Fern Collection, where they can sip on a cocktail or grab a bite to eat while enjoying the Garden’s natural beauty, yard games and music. For our July 7 event, Spanish guitarist Brandt Jacobus will set the mood with three 30-minute sets beginning at 6:00 p.m. 

While Members get 10% off their food and drink purchases throughout the night, non-members can take advantage of our special happy hour pricing (10% off) from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. Food for purchase includes charcuterie boxes, croissant sandwiches, bratwursts with chips and bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Drinks include sangria, magic lemonade, beer, wine and specialty cocktails. 

Kids can join Ms. Allison, from the Garden’s former Movin’ and Groovin’ class, on the Lower Meadow for some fun – think parachutes, obstacle courses, lawn bowling, bubbles and more! While we provide the entertainment, parents still provide the supervision. Parents are asked to chaperone their child at all times. Children under 3 must be accompanied inside the play area at all times.

We are still nailing down some details for each night so we’ll announce more as we have it. One thing is for sure though, this is a night EVERYONE can enjoy. Whether you come for a date, a family night out, a happy hour after work or just to experience the Garden after hours, a good time will be had by all.

The Sunset Series requires a separate ticket from General Admission and allows guests to enter the Garden after-hours only. SOAR will not be open during the Sunset Series, so if you’d like to visit that exhibit, you’ll need to visit the Garden during our regular hours. Tickets for the Sunset Series are $5 for Members and $9 for non-members, children 2 and younger are free.

Come make the night yours!  Grab your Sunset Series tickets today! 


The Garden relies on generous donations from our Members, visitors and community to keep access to our 87 acres open for all and to provide unique horticultural experiences that help people find connections with nature. Please help us continue this mission for years to come by considering a gift to the Garden. You can do so here.