{"id":478845,"date":"2026-09-29T01:40:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T01:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/478845\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T01:40:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T01:40:08","slug":"building-unity-by-gathering-oc-around-the-table-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/478845\/","title":{"rendered":"Building unity by gathering OC Around the Table \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Skylar Kwok, Gemma Kwok, and Ava Nu\u00c3\u00b1ez smile while looking...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-18.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Skylar Kwok, Gemma Kwok, and Ava Nu\u00f1ez smile while looking at Gemma and Skylar\u2019s family copy of \u201cThe Lorax\u201d beside their Lorax-themed table at the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Traditional Kyrgyz dishes line the table recognized as the \u00e2\u0080\u009cmost...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-13.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Traditional Kyrgyz dishes line the table recognized as the \u201cmost beautiful,\u201d during the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Potluckgoers walk around the OC Around the Table community potluck...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-08.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Potluckgoers walk around the OC Around the Table community potluck held at Mile Square Regional Park, Shelter 1, in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Skylar Kwok, Gemma Kwok, and Ava Nu\u00c3\u00b1ez laugh while looking...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-11.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Skylar Kwok, Gemma Kwok, and Ava Nu\u00f1ez laugh while looking through Gemma and Skylar\u2019s family copy of \u201cThe Lorax\u201d beside their Lorax-themed table at the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. When she was younger, Gemma Kwok had disliked the eyes of the Bar-ba-loots, and had enlarged their pupils with a pen. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fried spring rolls fill a plate at a table celebrating...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-17.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Fried spring rolls fill a plate at a table celebrating southern Vietnamese culture at the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Augusto Esquvel poses for a portrait while taking cookies and...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-15.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Augusto Esquvel poses for a portrait while taking cookies and pastries home with him following the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fresh spring rolls rest together at a table celebrating southern...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-12.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Fresh spring rolls rest together at a table celebrating southern Vietnamese culture at the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Munarq Turdubaeva, right, looks around the potluck as Salim Akbany...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-01.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Munarq Turdubaeva, right, looks around the potluck as Salim Akbany speaks with Jaz Abdraimova and Beyza Bedik as they run their potluck table at the OC Around the Table community potluck event, held at Mile Square Regional Park, Shelter 1, in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. The potluck set a national record with an attendance of at least 2,300 people. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Emir and Levent Akgul enjoy their meals with family during...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-14.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Emir and Levent Akgul enjoy their meals with family during the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Debby Nguyen, Nguyet Vo, Amy Hoang, Thy Mai, and Hanh...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-16.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Debby Nguyen, Nguyet Vo, Amy Hoang, Thy Mai, and Hanh Le prepare their table for the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A table inviting attendees to \u00e2\u0080\u009csign [their] name!\u00e2\u0080\u009d was decorated...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OCR-L-OCTABLE-0928-EB-09.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>A table inviting attendees to \u201csign [their] name!\u201d was decorated with names and drawings in marker during the OC Around the Table community potluck, held at Mile Square Regional Park, Shelter 1, in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p>Show Caption<\/p>\n<p>1 of 11<\/p>\n<p>Skylar Kwok, Gemma Kwok, and Ava Nu\u00f1ez smile while looking at Gemma and Skylar\u2019s family copy of \u201cThe Lorax\u201d beside their Lorax-themed table at the OC Around the Table community potluck in Fountain Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-enlarge mng-gallery-fullscreen-expand\" aria-label=\"Expand fullscreen slideshow\">Expand<\/a><\/p>\n<p>They arrived with trays of food; they left with a bigger community.<\/p>\n<p>OC Around the Table held its second community potluck at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley on Sunday, with residents from all over Orange County bringing dishes to share as they gathered around tables, turning strangers into friends.<\/p>\n<p>It was an attempt at another Guinness World Record for the largest potluck held in the United States \u2014 the first event in 2025 broke the record with 2,166 people \u2014 but it was really about creating unity in diverse Orange County. An update on Sunday\u2019s record attempt had not been posted yet Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>OC Around the Table is led by the Pacifica Institute, with the City of Fountain Valley, the county of Orange, the Orange County Interfaith Network, the\u00a0 Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce and Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council also partnering on its organization. Sponsors and table hosts also help make the day happen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Skylar Kwok, Gemma Kwok, and Ava Nu\u00f1ez smile while looking at Gemma and Skylar\u2019s family copy of \u201cThe&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":478846,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,7,179,6735,23,611,77],"class_list":["post-478845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-california","tag-community","tag-fountain-valley","tag-local-news","tag-orange-county","tag-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/478845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=478845"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/478845\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/478846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=478845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=478845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=478845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}