Have you been to Vista’s Moonlight Amphitheatre? In my opinion, it is one of the top 10 hidden gems in North County. Despite it’s vast size in a well known park, I find that many people in North County have not yet been to see a Moonlight Stage Productions show. When I hear this, it literally breaks my heart. I want to take some time to acquaint you more with this special and unique place and tell you that if you have not been, or if it’s been a while since you have been, you absolutely must attend one of the remaining shows this season which include Shrek The Musical and Big Fish. Both promise to be fantastic fun for all ages.
Moonlight has been delighting the community for over 30 years and started with the vision of the talented and recently retired Kathy Brombacher. It sits in a corner of the beautiful Brengle Terrace Park in Vista and in recent years underwent a major and impressive makeover. It can hold as many as 2,000 people with 908 reserved seats, and has room for 1,092 more patrons on the lawn. Comfy low-back lawn chairs are provided for the people who choose the latter seating option. The venue produces grand Broadway-style and quality shows under the leadership of the accomplished Steven Glaudini and Daniel Kays. The orchestra pit accommodates up to 30 fabulously gifted musicians, a true compliment to each and every show.
One of the many joys of seeing a production at Moonlight Amphitheatre is being out in the fresh, open air and coming early with picnic in hand. Some go to quite elaborate lengths with their dinners bringing portable rollup tables, place settings, cloths, etc. as though they were setting up for a formal dinner party at home. If you want to keep things simple, food is available at the Artisan Cafe. Wine, beer and snacks are available for purchase as well on-site as you can no longer bring in your own alcoholic beverages. This is a friendly venue where you are sure to see neighbors and friends. You never know who you are going to run into and that is all part of the Moonlight fun!
Barb’s tips for a perfect Moonlight evening: If you choose lawn seats, get there early to get the best spot and don’t forget to take advantage of the complimentary shuttles that run you from your parking space to the front gate. I always recommend a blanket to snuggle under as well as a jacket. My secret weapon is to ditch my flip flops and change into fuzzy socks pre-show. I know, I probably look silly, but no matter. Comfort is king.
After the sun has gone down and I look around at the packed venue and the beautiful show before my eyes, I am truly grateful that we have the Moonlight Amphitheatre at our disposal. It really is a magical experience to be a part of. I hope to see you at one of the remaining shows this season, and if you check in with Around The Town’s Facebook page, you will see that I give away 10 sets of tickets to all Moonlight shows. I hope you will enter my Around The Town giveaways, and who knows, maybe you will be one of the lucky winners! For more on North County happenings, check out my web page BarbAroundTheTown.com. For more on Moonlight Amphitheatre, go to www.moonlightstage.com. See you at Shrek The Musical which starts it’s run on Wednesday, August 12th.
Thank you so much, Barb!