Newport Beach residents will get their first look inside Witte Hall, the city's new 299-seat auditorium on the Central Library campus, when Mayor Lauren Kleiman hosts a grand opening ceremony on Thursday, July 9, at 4 p.m.

The $23.4 million hall at 980 Avocado Avenue replaces a flat-floored, 180-seat room that hosted the library's lecture series for decades. The new building features tiered seating, a permanent stage, professional audiovisual technology, and the adjacent Stahr Courtyard for receptions and gatherings.

Kleiman said in her June column for Newport Beach Living Magazine that she sees the hall becoming part of everyday life in Newport Beach. The celebration extends through the weekend with three free public events:

Saturday, July 11, 2–4 p.m. — Community Open House & Family Summer Celebration in Stahr Courtyard and Witte Hall. Activities include face painting, magic shows, self-guided tours, a butterfly garden experience, Summer Reading sign-ups, a Newport Beach Theatre Arts performance, and Councilmember Robyn Grant reading with Officer Bubbles.

Saturday, July 11, 7 p.m. — Surf legend and author Shaun Tomson speaks at Witte Hall. Free, but registration is required via Eventbrite. Lido Village Books will have copies of his books available for purchase and signing.

Sunday, July 12, 3 p.m. — Sunday Musicale featuring a cello quartet (Wonsun Keem, In Hee Na, Crystal Soo-Jung, and Andy Su). Free, first come first served. Capacity is 294. Funded by the Friends of the Newport Beach Public Library.

The 9,814-square-foot building is the product of an effort first proposed around 2016 and a cost-sharing agreement between the city and the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation. It is named for a $4 million lead gift from Bill Witte and Keiko Sakamoto, whose family created the Witte Distinguished Speaker Series more than 26 years ago.

"This is not just four walls and some seats, it's a place to be bold and for mighty forces to come to our city," Councilmember Grant said at a beam-signing ceremony in November 2024.

AMG & Associates Inc. of Santa Clarita built the hall under a $19 million construction contract. Robert Coffee + Associates designed it to complement the existing library and City Hall architecture.

Community rentals open in August 2026 through the city's Recreation and Senior Services Department. The hall operates daily, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Rental inquiries: 949-644-3167.

Parking is available in the Central Library lot and the Civic Center parking structure.