Our Mission

To build and engage community through transformative arts experiences by providing philanthropic support for Moonlight Stage Productions and Moonlight Youth Theatre’s arts education programs.

Our History 

The Vista Foundation was founded as a non-profit organization in 1974 under the leadership of Frank Tiesen and Carl Pinamonti. The Foundation's mission was to raise money for the construction of an amphitheatre as a bicentennial gift to the residents of Vista. Efforts were successful, and the amphitheatre was formally dedicated on July 4, 1976, in Brengle Terrace Park. With Moonlight's founding in 1981, the Foundation's role in supporting the amphitheatre's programs grew. It realigned itself to become the Moonlight Cultural Foundation. 

The Foundation has partnered with the City of Vista to support the Moonlight Amphitheatre through fundraising campaigns and events. These efforts have allowed capital improvements to the amphitheatre to be made. As a result, production values have increased, and the overall Moonlight experience has been enhanced.

In 1992, the Foundation welcomed the Moonlight Angels Auxiliary as an affiliated group. The Auxiliary aims to aid, sponsor, promote and assist the Foundation and The Moonlight in its fundraising activities and provide a volunteer workforce for both organizations.

In 1993, Encore Youth Theatre became an affiliated group of the Foundation. Encore provides education in theatre arts, encourages teamwork, and develops leadership skills through fully-staged productions at The Moonlight and the AVO Playhouse. Today, the program is known as Moonlight Youth Theatre, and it serves more than 400 youth from San Diego, Orange, and Riverside counties.

In Moonlight Stage Productions' 30th Anniversary year, the Foundation created its first Signature Gala on the Amphitheatre stage, becoming the summer's highlight event. The same year, the Foundation held its first golf tournament. Both events served as fundraising vehicles in support of The Moonlight. The Foundation's most extensive campaign to date raised $675,000 to pay for the state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment used at The Moonlight. Other fundraising campaigns have provided stage lighting, pay for the new stage house's feasibility study, and plans for the entryway and the north box office structure. Recently, the Foundation paid for the lawn chairs that are used by patrons at The Moonlight.

In addition to these campaigns, the Foundation has raised funds to support actor and orchestra salaries and pay for The Moonlight's marketing programs. Between the Foundation and the City of Vista's support, the Moonlight Amphitheatre has become the region's premier outdoor venue attracting audiences locally, regionally, and from across the country.

The Foundation's support of the City of Vista includes sponsoring Jingle Terrace Park. This holiday event premiered in 2020 and had a partnership with the San Diego Food Bank. This drive-thru holiday light experience in Brengle Terrace Park will be held annually in the park each December.

The Foundation is proud to support the City of Vista and its cultural and community service programs.

2023 Annual Report 

As we wrap up 2023, we look back on the year with pride and gratitude. Moonlight Cultural Foundation has had the great privilege of supporting the cultural arts programming of Moonlight Stage Productions (MSP), as well as arts education through Moonlight Youth Theatre (MYT). MSP and MYT grew in 2023, with more shows, more concerts, more classes, and more community outreach than ever before. Serving over 120,000 patrons and 1,100 students this year, we have seen firsthand the positive impact that The Moonlight is having in our community.

To learn more about our impact in 2023, download the full report: Annual Report 2023