Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the city of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, horticulture, and literature and is a premier Southern California cultural center. 

Casa Romantica’s mission has not diminished despite disruption to our community and our nonprofit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, respite in art, history, and nature has become more valuable than ever as our community weathers this unprecedented time. Although our doors were closed to the public from March 18-May 21, and cultural and private gatherings have still not yet resumed, we fulfilled our mission by being one of the first cultural organizations in Orange County to launch a virtual destination for art, history, and educational resources.

Some of the things we have offered this spring include a virtual film festival, livestream concerts, livestream conversations with artists and thought leaders, virtual art classes, a Shakespeare in Quarantine virtual theater series, a poetry contest, a book club, weekly yoga sessions for adults, and music & movement classes for children, as well as our full curriculum of STEAM-focused field trip lessons for 3rd and 4th graders in order to continuously and safely engage our community.

The funds raised at our annual gala, Toast to the Casa are largely responsible for these enriching programs. Our 2020 theme, Toast to the Casa: in Metropolis invites guests through Casa Romantica’s keyhole door to rewind back to the iconic age of film noir, staged in Metropolis. This year’s gala will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2020 from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

Experiential entertainment will include:

• Film noir pop-up theater
• LED flappers and aerialists
• Classic car display
• Speakeasy
• Performance by Lizzy and the Triggermen
• Debut of “His and Hers,” an art installation by Lisa Jonas Taylor
• Gourmet food and beverages from local vendors
• Premier live and silent auctions