The Lido Theater's online calendar for November looks very different from one half of the month to the other. In the first two weeks, tribute-band concerts and a few films sit between dates marked "closed for private event." After the 15th the gaps close. Something public is scheduled on 12 of the next 15 nights, and seven of those are films, most of them holiday titles.
The theater on Via Lido opened on Oct. 27, 1939, in an Art Deco building designed by Clifford A. Balch, according to the theater's own history page. It was closed for more than four years after fall 2019, and the Daily Pilot reported that it would reopen for the October 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival. The Newport Beach Independent named the Fritz Duda Company as the owner and restorer. If you live on the Peninsula, that means a night out in Lido Village this month is planned around a screening and its start time.
The First Half Is Short on Open Nights
Between Nov. 6 and Nov. 14 the public calendar has five events. The calendar marks Nov. 11, 12 and 14 as closed for private events, and Nov. 2, 4 and 5 carry the same label earlier in the month. Nov. 18 is also marked private, in the middle of the busier second half. If you're planning a casual walk-over evening, check the date before you check the menu.
The public shows in this stretch mix three tribute concerts with two films:
- Nov. 6: Elton The Early Years, marking 55 years of Madman Across the Water, at 8 p.m.
- Nov. 7: Devotional, The Depeche Mode Experience, at 8 p.m.
- Nov. 8: Frozen at 4 p.m., the month's first family matinee.
- Nov. 9: Knives Out at 7 p.m.
- Nov. 13: DSB, billed as The World's Greatest Journey Tribute Band, with doors at 7 p.m. and the show at 8 p.m.
Jordan Otterbein of River Jetty Restaurant Group runs the theater with Hollywood producer Joseph "McG" Nichol. He described the program to Stu News Newport in October:
"From nationally recognized comedians to acclaimed musicians, we've curated a lineup that offers something for every kind of fan while showcasing the unique atmosphere that makes The Lido Theater unlike any other venue in Orange County."
From the 15th On, Something Is Playing on 12 of 15 Nights
From Nov. 15 through Nov. 29 the calendar has a public event on 12 of the 15 nights. The only open dates are Nov. 17, Nov. 18, which is held for a private event, and Thanksgiving Day itself. The table lists everything in that stretch, with times as the theater posts them.
| Date | Program | Listed time |
|---|---|---|
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Candlelight Newport Beach | 5:30 p.m. |
| Mon., Nov. 16 | You've Got Mail | 7 p.m. |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Big Bad Voodoo Daddy | Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Warren Miller's Days Off | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Candlelight Newport Beach | 5:30 p.m. |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | The Family Stone | 7 p.m. |
| Mon., Nov. 23 | Little Women, the 1994 version | 7 p.m. |
| Tue., Nov. 24 | Planes, Trains and Automobiles | 7 p.m. |
| Wed., Nov. 25 | Frozen 2 | 4 p.m. |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Little Women, the 2019 version | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Candlelight Newport Beach | 7:45 p.m. |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Andy Grammer, Greater Than Pt. II | Doors 6:30 p.m., show 7:30 p.m. |
Seven of those twelve are films. The two live headliners, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Nov. 19 and Andy Grammer on Nov. 29, were on the fall schedule Stu News published on Oct. 6.
Thanksgiving Week Runs Like a Repertory House
From Sunday, Nov. 22 through Friday, Nov. 27, the theater shows five films in six days, and the only gap is Thanksgiving itself. The theater describes The Family Stone as a Christmas classic where "holiday chaos and family drama collide." It calls Planes, Trains and Automobiles "a hilarious and heartfelt Thanksgiving classic about friendship, family, and the journey home." The week brackets the holiday with both versions of Little Women. Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon and Claire Danes star in the 1994 film on Monday, and Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation plays the night after Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, Nov. 25 is the one daytime slot of the week. Frozen 2 starts at 4 p.m., and the theater's listing says Anna and Elsa will appear in person before the screening. The calendar has it ending at 5:45 p.m., so there's still time for an early dinner nearby.
These run times matter for dinner. The listed end times for this week fall between 8:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. A 7 p.m. film can mean dinner before the show or a late meal afterward, and on a Monday or Tuesday that choice limits where you can eat.
Matching Dinner to the Show Time
Lido Marina Village's current directory lists Circle Hook, La La Land Kind Café, Lido Bottle Works, Malibu Farm, Nobu, Skål Pizza and Zinqué, all a short walk from 3459 Via Lido. Posted closing times vary widely, so the right table depends on when your show starts and ends.
Before a 7 p.m. film. Circle Hook at 3432 Via Oporto posts hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday. On You've Got Mail or the 1994 Little Women, both Monday screenings, plan an early dinner there. Across Via Lido, Bear Flag Fish Co. at 3421 Via Lido lists 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Fable & Spirit at 3441 Via Lido, Suite A, serves dinner daily and brunch on weekends.
After a film that ends around 9. Zinqué at 3446 Via Oporto has the latest posted hours in the village, with closing times listed at midnight or 2 a.m. It calls itself all-day dining with a wine bar. Malibu Farm, on Via Oporto, posts 9 p.m. closings Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. That gives you a little more time after the Nov. 27 Little Women, which the theater lists as ending at 9:15 p.m. Skål Pizza at 3400 Via Oporto, Suite 104, and Lido Bottle Works at 3408 Via Oporto, Suite 103, post evening closing times on most days, but Lido Bottle Works lists Monday hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., so plan elsewhere on a Monday film night.
For the 8 p.m. concerts. Nights with 7 p.m. doors, such as DSB on Nov. 13 and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Nov. 19, leave room for a sit-down dinner first. Nobu at 3450 Via Oporto serves dinner every day and lunch Friday through Monday.
For the 4 p.m. matinees. La La Land Kind Café at 3418 Via Lido opened in March 2026, the Daily Pilot reported. Its hours run from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. It works for both Frozen screenings, before or after.
The theater's operator also runs restaurants a few blocks away. River Jetty Restaurant Group lists A Restaurant at 3334 W. Coast Highway and A Market at 3400 W. Coast Highway in its portfolio. The Newport Beach Independent noted in September that Lido Marina Village is marking 10 years. Posted hours change with the seasons, so call ahead on a holiday week.
Parking for a Lido Night
The theater sends guests to the lot on Finley Avenue next to Lido House. Coming from Newport Boulevard or Pacific Coast Highway, turn east onto Finley and the lot is on your left. From there, walk down Lido Walk and the theater entrance is on your right. Parking there is free for theater guests. The directions page says rates may change during large local events and names the Holiday Boat Parade as one of the times the lot charges a fee. It also says the theater does not control or validate parking in the Lido Marina Village lot. So if you're eating on Via Oporto before a film, park on Finley and walk to dinner rather than parking at the village and walking to the theater.
Doors for the Candlelight concert on Nov. 28 open 45 minutes before the 7:45 p.m. start and close five minutes before showtime. For the other Candlelight dates and the film nights, check the event page for each date.
At West Life Realty, we keep track of how places like The Lido Theater shape everyday life on the Peninsula, from a weeknight film to dinner on Via Oporto. If you own near Lido Village and want to know what that walkability is worth in today's market, start with our Instant Home Valuation, and we'll follow up with the local detail behind the number.
