THE HIGH AND MIGHTY Concert Saturday and Sunday in Garden Grove’s Village Green Park attracted a large crowd (Photo by Ric Lerma/Maureen Blackmun).

Downtowns were the place to be over the weekend, as big throngs turned up for special events in Garden Grove and Huntington Beach.

The High and Mighty Concert in the Village Green park at Main and Euclid streets in Garden Grove was packed Saturday and Sunday with fans of headliner Sublime with Rome and other bands in the punk, ska and reggae traditions. Staged by LFA (Large Format Attractions), the event could herald the beginning of a new series of popular music events in the city’s original central business district.

In Huntington Beach around the city’s pier at Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway, a week of competitions in skateboarding, BMX bike riding, and – most prominently – surfriding – came to a conclusion on Sunday at Vans’ U.S. Open of Surfing.

Especially satisfying for locals was the outcome of the men’s finals, which saw Kanoa Igarashi of Huntington Beach take the top honors in that category. Winner of the women’s final was Sage Erickson.

Both events were well attended, and no major incidents were reported.

SAGE ERICKSON and Kanoa Igarashi won the women’s and men’s titles at the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach (WSL photo).