HELLO MOTHERS!!! It’s almost your day!!! And if you aren’t a mother, hopefully you have something dope planned for the mothers or mother figures in your life. Also reminder, tomorrow is the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week, so pick up something caffeine fueled and/or have your kid write a card.
What’s going on here:
🥞 Annual pancake sheet pan reminder hack
📅 Events this weekend
🥞 No Pancake. AKA brunch spots.
🔧 Tired Mom Hack
Annual reminder that you can make a whole sheet pan of pancakes in the oven so even the kids can help.
📅 Stuff to do: May 9-10
North-ish OC
Saturday
🥾 Eco Fun-Faire | Anaheim
🛍️ Makers Hive Market | Anaheim
🌵 Mother's Day Bust Planter Workshop| Anaheim
🛍️ Anaheim Mother's Day Celebration Market | Anaheim
🛍️ Mother's Day Saturday | Brea
🚗 La Casita de la Familia Market & Car Show | Buena Park
✈️ 36th Annual All Pontiac Car Show | Fullerton
🌳 Healthy Living Day | Fullerton
🌸 Mother's Day Concert in the Park | Garden Grove
🛍️ Mother's Day Market | Long Beach
🌸 Petals & Play — Mother's Day Family Event | Long Beach
🧘 Yoga at the Library | Placentia
Sunday
🎵 Mother's Day Music: Sunny Sidesteppers | Anaheim
🛍️ Anaheim Mother's Day Celebration Market | Anaheim
✈️ Antique Aircraft Display Day | Fullerton
Central-ish OC
Saturday
🌹 Roses Hands-On Workshop | Corona del Mar
🌃 Night Nation Run OC at OC Fair | Costa Mesa
🏁 Costa Mesa Speedway — Harley Night Blowout | Costa Mesa
🎭 Forever K-Pop | Costa Mesa
🌸 Mother's Day Tea Party Market | Huntington Beach
🏃 lululemon Mother's Day Movement | Huntington Beach
🍻 Old World HB Spring Fest | Huntington Beach
🏖️ Surf City Artisan Street Fair | Huntington Beach
🛍️ Mother's Day Marketplace | Newport Beach
🎪 Caballero Circus | Santa Ana
🌷 Open Garden Day | Santa Ana
🍵 Mommy & Me Tea Party | Tustin
Sunday
🌹 Roses & Mimosas Mother's Day Crepe Paper Class | Corona del Mar
🎵 Live Music: Katie and the Rev | Garden Grove
🛒 Hive Mother's Day Market | Huntington Beach
🛍️ Mother's Day Market | Huntington Beach
🍻 Old World HB Spring Fest | Huntington Beach
🎨 Sunset Beach Art Festival | Huntington Beach
🏛️ Bowers Museum — A Day for Mom | Santa Ana
🌷 Open Garden Day | Santa Ana
🎪 Caballero Circus (Sunday $10 kids special) | Santa Ana
South-ish OC
Saturday
🛍️ Modern Makers Mart Mother's Day Pop-Up | Irvine
🎵 Swift Nation 2026 (Taylor Swift Tribute) | Irvine
⛪ Mother's Day at Mariners Church | Irvine
🏊 Pool Movie Night (The Parent Trap) | Irvine
🎶 Music Playdates in the Park | Ladera Ranch
🚴 Bike-X and Helmets | Lake Forest
🚼 Bundle Bank 13 — Mile Walk + Baby/Kid Clothing Swap | Rancho Santa Margarita
🤰 Celebration of Moms (FIT4MOM South OC) | San Clemente
🚗 South OC Cars and Coffee | San Clemente
🎪 Circus Vargas — "Masquerade" 2026 | San Clemente
🛍️ Modern Makers Mart "Berry Best" Mother's Day Market | Dana Point
🎬 Rivian Presents: Butterfly in the Blizzard | Laguna Beach
Sunday
🛍️ Modern Makers Mart Mother's Day Pop-Up | Irvine
🍓 Tanaka Farms Mother's Day Hilltop Luncheon | Irvine
🛒 Our Mom's Day Market | Laguna Hills
🌽 Farmers Market & Crafts | Mission Viejo
🏛️ Mother's Day | San Juan Capistrano
🌊 Toes on the Nose Mother's Day Sip + Shop | San Juan Capistrano
🎪 Circus Vargas — "Masquerade" 2026 (Day 2) | San Clemente
Happening All Month
What does it mean?
📚 = library event
🍊 = recurring event
🍻/🍷 = get your drink on
🎵 = live music (for adults)
👯Meet Other Exhausted Parents
it's ✨family time✨
🥞 Mother's Day Brunch Spots
So if you're not gonna do the pancake thing at home, here's a bunch of spots to look at but PLEASE VERIFY YOUR SHIT in advance. These look like places that would require reservations 💁🏻♀️
Newport Coast / Pelican Hill:
Pelican Grill at The Resort at Pelican Hill | 11am-9pm | $115 / $55 kids
Mar Vista Ballroom Brunch at Pelican Hill | 10am-3pm | $132 / $60 kids
Andrea Festive Brunch Buffet (Pelican Hill) | 10:30am-3:30pm
Coliseum Pool & Grill at Pelican Hill | 11am-2pm — à la carte, family-friendly poolside
The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove | $60/pp
Newport Beach:
Balboa Bay Resort (Lighthouse) | 9:30am-3pm | $73-$184 prepaid
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach (SHOR) | 10am-3:30pm
Newport Dunes Back Bay Bistro | 11am-3pm — family-friendly waterfront
SET at Pendry Newport Beach | 11am-2:30pm — bottomless mimosas, free floral crowns
Bayside Restaurant | 10am-3pm | ☎️
Mother's Day Premier Brunch Cruise (City Cruises) | 10:30am-12:30pm | $131-$155
Mother's Day Premier Champagne Brunch Cruise (City Cruises) | 10am-1:30pm | from $155
Mother's Day Premier Dinner Cruise (City Cruises) | 5-7:30pm | $138-$155
THE LOT at Fashion Island | 9am-1pm | $75 / $35 kids — family-friendly
Corona del Mar:
Laguna Cliffs Marriott — Brunch & Blooms | $149+ / $74+ kids ☎️
Huntington Beach:
Lōrea at Paséa Hotel — Sat + Sun
Brunch Above the Blue at Offshore 9 Rooftop | 10am-1pm | from $59
Roses & Rosé Brunch at Paséa | 9am-3pm — most family-friendly resort brunch
Long Beach:
Brunch on the Veranda at Aquarium of the Pacific | 11am-3pm — family-friendly
Irvine:
Bistango — Mother's Day Lunch & Dinner | Lunch 11am-3pm + Dinner 4pm-8pm (not brunch — two separate services)
San Juan Capistrano:
Tea House on Los Rios — Sat + Sun, two separate ticketed events
Orange:
Orange County Mining Co | Sat 10am-2pm + Sun 10am-6:30pm | $51 / $21 kids 2-12
Santa Ana:
Bowers Museum — Ada's Table Buffet Brunch | 10am-2:30pm last seating | $85 / $35 kids
Darkroom | from $117 — Tock-only, sells out fast
Anaheim:
Anaheim Hills Golf Club | 9:30am-12pm
✌🏻 See you next week!
As always, if you have anything you want to submit (events, news, hacks, recipes), feedback or hate mail, feel free to hit reply.
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Much love and caffeine,
Frances
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Shitty Mom Guide is not liable for errors, omissions, or changes to events. Always double check your shit before you leave the house. We can’t include every event, but we do our best to curate the most interesting one-off events happening every weekend. This newsletter sometimes includes affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase (at no additional cost to you). Gotta find a way to keep this thing going!
