As Orange County's largest city, with more than 300,000 residents, Santa Ana is a community rich in Hispanic and American heritage.  Santa Ana is a unique city to Orange County, we are one of the countys only true urban area.  The folks who live in Santa Ana enjoy its ethnic and cultural diversity, which is evident in our great community events and top-notch local museums and galleries.  We are definitely a city on the move.  Santa Ana is experiencing a great revitalization, with a burgeoning Artists Village, a new federal building, named for former President Ronald Reagan.  Major redevelopment projects keep the city vibrant, with recent successes such as the Main Place Mall which has become one of Orange Countys premier malls featuring top department stores, fine dining, and a comfortable atmosphere as well as the Fiesta Marketplace a thriving, Hispanic retail area.  Santa Ana is also a great place for art and culture with great spots like the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, which attracts over 200,000 people a year.  If you take a look at the historic Santa Ana water tower and youll see the words "Education 1st" and "Arts and Culture."  Schools, the arts and culture are all major themes as the Santa Ana charts its course into the coming century.  In Santa Ana, we are excited about our past, present and future.

If youre looking to experience nature in an urban setting, or to learn more about science, Santa Ana is the place to go.  You wont want to miss out on the citys passion for the arts and culture.  The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art is Orange Countys largest museum with permanent exhibitions including African, Native American, Asian, Pre-Columbian and Oceanic art.  The museums collection includes paintings by California artists and historic artifacts of the Old West and also hosts an array of world-class traveling exhibitions.  The Discovery Museum of Orange County is a hands-on, community-based re-vegetation and education project designed to reconnect humans with nature in an urban environment.  The 11-acre center includes numerous native-plant communities, a re-created indigenous village and outdoor laboratory/classroom.  Also included is the 101-year-old house that is home to the Kellogg Museum, filled with lots of historical memorabilia.  Nearly one mile of trails winds through the site and is highlighted by interpretive signs and exhibits.  Coastal sage scrub and wetlands cover about half of this unique site.  The Discovery Science Center is another great educational opportunity in Santa Ana.  This nonprofit organization is dedicated to educating children, assisting teachers and increasing understanding and appreciation of science, math and technology.   Divided into eight exhibit areas including human perception, dynamic earth, quake zone, great scientists, exploration station, human performance, space exploration and a kid station, the center is an amazing resource.  Other features include a science store, computer room, a demonstration theater and a 3-D laser theater.  For animal lovers, the Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park offers the perfect opportunity to get in touch with nature and see plenty of wild animals.  The zoo also boasts a great monkey collection and a restored Zoofari Express miniature train.  At Kidseum, children can have fun while learning about people and places, past and present.  Interactive displays, touchable artifacts, costumes, masks, storytelling and art labs provide young visitors with avenues for creativity, communication and understanding.  Santa Ana is a proud of its arts community.  A great time to check out the citys growing Artists Village is during the monthly open house.  Its a chance to meet artists, visit galleries and watch musical performances.  You can tour more than 100 studios and galleries that are located in historic buildings.  Other great art events include Arts Week, the Jazz Festival, and the Sights of Santa Ana.  For other interesting places, check out the Empire Arts Building or the Grand Central Art Center, which opened earlier this year after a $7 million renovation. This 45,000 square-foot building houses a California State University, Fullerton arts extension campus including the Grand Central Gallery, the Project room, the Grand Central Theater, Watermark Press, the Gypsy Den Caf, a Rental and Sales gallery, classrooms and computer lab, Community room and computer lab, and a studio and living space dedicated to the centers international artist-in-residence program.  The landmark Old Orange County Courthouse is Southern California's oldest court building The Old Orange County Courthouse and Museum offers one of the best deals in town.  The landmark Old Orange County Courthouse is Southern California's oldest court building The Old Orange County Courthouse and Museum offers one of the best deals in town.  This three-story building, with a red-sandstone exterior, has a permanent exhibit of artifacts of Native American culture.  The building also contains the Orange County History Center, which includes the Old Courthouse Museum, the Orange County Archives, and the library of the Pacific Coast Archaeological Society, which is on the National Register of Historic places and is a State of California Historic Landmark.  Santa Ana, which prides itself on its arts and culture, also has a variety of community theater, music and dance groups, performing both traditional and non-traditional works.  If its a return to childhood fun youre after, look no further than Broadway on Tour.  With two Broadway musicals offered each year, including favorites like "The Wizard of Oz," "Annie," "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Grease," as well as other musicals designed for young audiences.  Its a great way to experience theater.  The St. Joseph Ballet just opened a new $3.8 million building in the citys museum district.  The organization was established to nurture youth development through training and performance.  For local alternative bands The Galaxy Theater is a hot spot.  Los Actores de Santa Ana is our local bilingual acting troupe and is also one of the countys oldest.   In Santa Ana there are countless opportunities for new cultural experiences and for the art and culture lover as well as those just looking for something new.  If your favorite past time involves fashion, try the Main Place Mall with major stores like Macys, Nordstrom and Robinsons-May.  Santa Ana truly has something unique for everyone. 

Santa Ana is also in the perfect spot to get to other great art and cultural destinations in neighboring cities.  At the Orange County Performing Arts Center you can catch the likes of Bob Hope, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Johnny Cash, Jay Leno and Julio Iglesias.  We are a hop, skip and a jump from the nearby Orange County Museum of Art, and the Laguna Art Museum, as well as great music at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and the Bren Center at UC Irvine.  We are only a stones throw from the South Coast Repertory Theater, which is Orange Countys Tony award winning theater, the Orange Coast College Moore Theater, the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse the Trilogy Playhouse.  For family fun and excitement, Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm are popular favorites. 

Wherever you live in Orange County, you are always close to a great career.  Orange County is flourishing, ranking 3rd nationally in median household income, 14th nationally in retail sales and buying power, and Orange County enjoys one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.  Business is healthy in Orange County, and Santa Ana is no exception.  Within Santa Ana we have top employers like Ingram Micro Inc., The Orange County Register, Western Medical Center Santa Ana, ITT Industries, Cannon, and ONESOURCE.  Santa Ana is working on new projects to maintain the citys vitality, which is great news for business.  One new addition is the PacifiCenter, a 126-acre master planned development, developed as an upscale business and industrial park showcasing the corporate headquarters of Ingram Micro, Fabcon, Powerwave and Orange County Federal Credit Union.  Also incorporated into the complex are a Home Depot, Staples and three restaurants.  And, with Irvine as our next-door neighbor, we also reap the benefits of great business parks with opportunities in every field close to home.  Irvine is the headquarters of major companies like St. John Knits Inc, Billabong USA, Langdon Wilson Architecture, Mazda North America, South Coast Commercial Bank, Ford Motor Company, Premiere Automotive Group, and Allergan Inc.

For fun in the sun, Santa Anas 39 parks, 5 swimming pools, 11 bicycle trails and 17 recreation buildings will definitely keep you busy.  The Santa Ana Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department offers a variety of youth and adult sports programs, including baseball, basketball and soccer.  If tennis is your game, Santa Ana has two great spots, the Cabrillo Tennis Center and Neal Machander Tennis Center, with opportunities for kids and adults.  To keep cool and stay fit all year-round, swimming is offered at the Santa Ana College Pool, the Santa Anita Pool and at the Salgado Pool, which also features lessons for swimmers at any level.  Summer swimming is also offered at El Salvador Pool and Memorial Pool.  For other great ways to get moving, try any of the excellent classes offered including youth boxing, aerobics, gymnastics and karate.  Other specialized recreation programs include the archery and lawn bowling.  Family is the foundation of community, and besides our fantastic community events, Santa Ana has other great ways to get the family together.  With several family clubs helping to bring families together through recreation activities, Santa Ana has provided local folks with an invaluable resource.  Teenagers can take part in after-school activities offered through the citys Teen Programs Center, including dances, homework clubs and more.  The Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana, offers recreational and after-school programs for children of all ages.  Santa Ana is also served by the Central Orange Coast YMCA in Newport Beach, which offers youth and adult fitness and wellness programs, youth and adult recreational sports leagues, child-care, aquatics, teen clubs, parent and child programs, camp, and a full fitness facility with pool.  For other nature adventures, check out the Talbert Nature Reserve, with plenty of beautiful plants youve never heard of and great walking trails.

Whether it's the traditional grito to herald Mexican Independence Day, or fireworks on the Fourth of July, Santa Ana has its share of annual celebrations to quench anyone's thirst for fun.  Our big city is rich in Hispanic and American heritage and our community events reflect those great legacies.  Our predominately Latino city is home to a growing population of Mexican immigrants, and some of Santa Ana's most colorful events are rooted in Hispanic traditions.  African and Asian Americans have long been part of the city's fabric as well.  Cinco de Mayo is a big day in Santa Ana, commemorating a victory by Mexican troops over an invading French force in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla.  The festivities are held in early May at Centennial Regional Park.  The fiesta features a carnival, top Latin musical acts, food booths and an array of informational booths sponsored by nonprofit organizations.  Black History Month is filled with fun at the annual Orange County Black History Parade and Cultural Faire with food, entertainment, ethnic displays, arts and crafts, clowns and more.  Celebrate Santa Ana is a celebration of civic involvement showcasing community leaders from a wide range of service organizations.  Held in the Artist's Village, the event awards successes from innovative community programs, offers networking opportunities for those wanting to get involved in civic organizations, and features an array of guest speakers.  The Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza is fun for everyone, with food booths, carnival rides, arts workshops and a great fireworks display, youll be glad you came.  The Imagination Celebration is part of a countywide festival for families, celebrating theater, music, dance, story telling, and features hands-on classes in the arts.  Fiestas Patrias is one of the largest annual celebrations in Orange County.  With three days of festivities and attracting more than 200,000 people, this festival is more than popular.  Fiesta Patrias commemorates the declaration by a patriotic priest of Mexico's independence from Spain in 1810.  Participants in the fiesta, give the traditional grito, or yell, of " Viva Mexico!" echoing the shout that heralded the country's independence.  The Day of the Dead is a remembering of those passed before with a procession and outdoor Masses held at various parishes throughout Santa Ana.  The event falls on the Catholic feast days of All Saints and All Souls.  Many people of Mexican origin visit cemeteries in the city, leaving flowers and small gifts for departed loved ones. It's also a day when bakeries in town make sweet breads in the shape of skulls and skeletons, when some families create little altars in their homes with mementos of dead, beloved relatives.

For a great urban setting with plenty of art, culture and lively events, Santa Ana is the place to be.  We are on the move, making progress towards the future and revitalizing our dynamic city.  Get it while the getting is good.