The 27th Newport Beach Film Festival runs October 15 through 22. StyleWeekOC, Fashion Island's fashion event, runs October 14 through 18. This is the third year the two have shared a calendar. Most of the events you can attend without a pass fall in those shared five days. They happen in Fashion Island's courtyards, on its lawns and at its main stage, a short walk from the screens at Big Newport.
After Sunday, October 18, the festival changes character. The rest of the week is ticketed screenings, late-night after-parties and a closing-night reception in Corona del Mar. If you live nearby and don't want to commit $300 or more to a pass, plan around the first five days.
Wednesday through Sunday: the open days
The festival counts more than 50,000 attendees across Orange County. The StyleWeekOC schedule is where those crowds meet the public. Most of its events need only an RSVP, an appointment or simply showing up. Here's what's open, day by day:
- Wednesday, Oct. 14. The Red Carpet Ready Beauty Event at Bloomingdale's is free and open to the public. RSVPs are required and capped at the first 500.
- Thursday, Oct. 15. The Runway Show at Neiman Marcus is already listed as sold out. The festival's Opening Night Gala follows in the courtyard between Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's.
- Friday, Oct. 16. The Coastal Collection Pop-Up Premiere fills Macy's Lawn from noon to 4 p.m. with artisan and local-brand vendors. The schedule lists no price and no RSVP. A free Guerlain Spa Experience at Neiman Marcus runs Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., by appointment only.
- Saturday, Oct. 17. This is the busiest free day. Jamie Chung gives a fashion keynote from 1 to 2 p.m., moderated by Lindzi Scharf. It's free, but you need to RSVP. Keltie Knight's author talk, moderated by Crystal Kung Minkoff, runs 6 to 7 p.m. No purchase is required, and seats go first come, first served. From noon to 4 p.m., the True Colors pop-up offers free personal color consultations if you follow Fashion Island on Instagram, weather permitting.
- Sunday, Oct. 18. The Coastal Collection Pop-Up Sequel returns to Macy's Lawn from noon to 4 p.m.
Saturday's shopping parties run from 2 to 4 p.m. They include an Alice + Olivia lip-gloss charm station, a L'Agence flower bar, a Monica Vinader claw machine, fashion illustration at Rails, perfume making at Varley and leather keychains at Vince. The same afternoon, the first 100 shoppers who bring $500 in same-day receipts from two participating stores get a $100 gift card.
Where the ticketed events start
The ticketed events at Fashion Island are cinema events, and they share the same few days. On Saturday at 4 p.m., the main stage screens Couture to the Max, followed by a live Q&A with Max Alexander and director Dori Berinstein. On Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m., Scott Feinberg hosts the Awards Chatter Live Podcast with Emmy Rossum. The festival's ticketing pages take orders for both but don't show prices.
The only StyleWeekOC event with a posted price is the $75 Guerlain fragrance masterclass on Sunday at 11:30 a.m., led by ambassador Dawn Parton. The ticket includes a seat, a welcome gift, access to the Guerlain Lounge and a $50 Neiman Marcus gift card. That brings the net cost of the session to $25 for anyone who would spend the card.
On Friday evening, In the Mix: Fashion Is the Main Dish takes over the Neiman Marcus–Bloomingdale's Courtyard from 6 to 8 p.m. It pairs a fashion presentation with a Rémy Cointreau cocktail masterclass and light bites from Telefèric Barcelona and Cucina Enoteca. Ticket sales benefit CASA OC. No ticket price has been published.
Opening night uses the same courtyard
On Thursday, October 15, opening night spans Regal Edwards Big Newport and Fashion Island. The festival promises tastings from more than two dozen of the area's restaurants. Fashion Island's schedule puts the gala in the Neiman Marcus–Bloomingdale's Courtyard, running until midnight. Reports so far name these restaurants among the participants:
- Joey Restaurant
- Sushi Roku
- True Food Kitchen
- Red O
- Cucina Enoteca
- Telefèric Barcelona
- Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
All seven are at Fashion Island, so the opening party is largely a tasting of the center's own restaurants. Published start times differ, so check the start time on your ticket before you go.
The cheapest way into opening night is the $300 Party Pass. It covers the Opening Night Gala plus the Latin, European and Pacific Rim showcase after-parties, which works out to $75 a night across four nights. It doesn't include International Spotlight films.
After Sunday, the festival moves indoors and later
Once StyleWeekOC ends on October 18, Fashion Island's free stage and lawn events are over. What's left of the festival happens in theaters or late at night. The Latin Showcase after-party is October 19, the European on October 20 and the Pacific Rim on October 21. Published start times differ between 9:30 and 10 p.m., so check the ticket. Venues for all three haven't been announced yet.
The other option is the $950 Premier Insider pass, which costs $650 more than the Party Pass. It lets you reserve four films a day for seven days. It also includes the opening-night screening and gala, the after-parties, Fashion Island main stage events, Sunset Series receptions, and Centerpiece and Spotlight reservations. It doesn't guarantee entry to sold-out events, and every screening still needs its own reservation. The festival hasn't published single-film ticket prices or Sunset Series locations yet.
Screenings run at Big Newport, at 300 Newport Center Drive, with additional screenings at THE LOT. On Sunday, October 18, StyleWeekOC's last night, Armani and the Birth of Italian Fashion premieres at THE LOT from 6 to 8 p.m. The 2026 schedule also lists screenings at Regal UTC in Irvine and the Triangle in Costa Mesa, so check the venue on each listing before planning a short drive.
That same Sunday, the NBFF Honors and Variety's "10 Actors to Watch" event takes place at Balboa Bay Resort. It's invite-only. As of October 4, the festival said honorees would be announced at a later date.
Closing night starts in Corona del Mar
On Thursday, October 22, closing night begins at Sherman Library & Gardens, where the festival hosts a reception with cocktails, filmmakers, industry guests and festival supporters. From there, the evening moves to Big Newport, Screen 1, for the 8 p.m. premiere of Tony Gilroy's Behemoth!, starring Pedro Pascal.
Pascal plays Alex Serian, a cellist who comes home to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road. The film draws on nine composers. Before the screening, Gilroy and production designer Jade Healy will tape a live episode of the Los Angeles Times "In Conversation" podcast. They'll talk about their collaboration and about filming at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. That makes the closing film a story partly shot a few miles from the screen where it premieres.
"This film has a deeply personal story about what music demands of the people who live inside it — and having Tony and Jade here in person for Q&A is exactly the kind of up-close experience that makes Newport unlike any other festival in the country."
Gregg Schwenk, CEO and Executive Director, Newport Beach Film Festival
The festival's other lineup highlights include A Talent for Murder, Ink, Josephine, La Bola Negra, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, Paper Tiger and Wild Horse Nine. The full schedule and ticket orders are on the Newport Beach Film Festival site. The free and RSVP fashion events are listed on the StyleWeekOC schedule.
At Golding Realty Inc., we follow weeks like this one because they shape how Newport Center and the harbor feel to the people who live closest to them. If you're thinking about how a home near Fashion Island, Balboa Bay or Sherman Library & Gardens fits the way you want to spend your evenings, Mary Golding would be glad to talk it through. Schedule a Private Consultation.
