KCRW Summer Nights with Bowers Museum
About the Event
Spend a summer night with the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana for a free, all-ages KCRW Summer Nights party. Enjoy live sets from KCRW DJs Chris Douridas & John Tejada, then step inside for after-hours access to the galleries. Experience The American Quilt: Cloth & Commerce, an exhibition exploring the artistry and innovation woven through centuries of American life—on view through August 30 and presented in time for America’s 250th anniversary. Don’t miss this chance to experience Bowers like never before!
Member Perks
KCRW members get special perks all season long — think exclusive members-only events, food & drink discounts, dedicated lines, merch deals, and special surprises at events. Check back for more details soon!
Schedule
- 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
KCRW DJ Chris Douridas
- 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm
KCRW DJ John Tejada
About Bowers Museum
Bowers Museum is a nonprofit cultural institution in the historic heart of Orange County, California. Now in its 90th year, it presents art and artifacts from around the world through nine permanent galleries and dynamic rotating exhibitions. The county’s largest museum, Bowers has been voted “Best Museum” by OC Register readers for 32 consecutive years (2025) and is known for world-class exhibitions including Terracotta Warriors, Mummies: Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt, Treasures of the British Museum, and Guo Pei: Art of Couture.
The American Quilt: Cloth & Commerce
From the Revolutionary Era to the present day, quilts have served as both cherished heirlooms and silent witnesses to the evolution of American industry, politics, and global trade. The American Quilt: Cloth and Commerce explores how the materials, dyes, and techniques used in quiltmaking reflect centuries of economic shifts and technological innovation. Featuring over 40 quilts and coverlets from Bowers Museum’s permanent collection, as well as loans from the family of famed quilter Jean Ray Laury and others, this exhibition traces the journey of fibers like cotton, silk, wool, rayon, and polyester through two and a half centuries of American quilting.
Lineup
KCRW DJ Chris Douridas
Chris Douridas is among the premier musical tastemakers in the world. He began his career as the music director and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic, at the Los Angeles NPR station, KCRW-FM, one of the most progressive radio stations in the US. Additionally, Douridas has served in A&R at Geffen and Dreamworks Records, curated & hosted the PBS series Sessions at West 54th, and created the pioneering online live performance series Sessions at AOL. Douridas also worked closely with Steve Jobs as Creative Programming Consultant for the first four years of iTunes, creating iTunes Originals and iTunes Essentials. In film circles, Douridas is a three-time Grammy-nominated music supervisor for feature films, including American Beauty, the Shrek series, Heat, As Good as It Gets, Austin Powers, Captain Fantastic, and The Addams Family, among many others. He continues to champion the best new artists from around the world on his weekly KCRW radio show, and at School Night, his new artist live showcase series in Los Angeles, Toronto, London and Sydney.
KCRW DJ John Tejada
John Tejada is a Vienna-born, Los Angeles-based electronic music composer, DJ, and professor at CalArts. Active since 1994, Tejada has released a vast catalog including five albums for the revered label Kompakt, as well as work on Pokerflat, Cocoon, Plug Research, Seventh City, Playhouse, Defected, and his own long-running imprint Palette Recordings. Alongside more than 100 remixes for artists such as Orbital, The Postal Service, Télépopmusik, The Field, Bomb the Bass, Way Out West, Kevin Saunderson, Plaid, Psychic TV, Gui Boratto, and Simian Mobile Disco, Tejada has collaborated with Plaid, Arian Leviste, Justin Maxwell, Baths, Diamond Day, Mason Bee, Nosaj Thing, Reggie Watts (as Wajatta) and others. He is currently involved in Optometry, his duo with March Adstrum.
Special Thanks to Our Programming Partner
With Support from Our Sponsors
FAQs
- What can I expect at this event?
A night of culture with room to dance. Explore the galleries, then follow the music outside.
- How do I get to the venue?
Arrival information coming soon! RSVP to get arrival details sent to your email ahead of the event.
- Are pets allowed?
Animals are not permitted at the Bowers. The only exception is for service animals on a leash and under their owners’ control as authorized by applicable law.
- Will there be food and drink available?
Coming soon!
- What items are allowed and prohibited at this event?
Check out Bower’s Visitor Guidelines.
- Still have questions?
We can answer them! Please email events@kcrw.org.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
