Community Link Newsletter: July 3-11, 2024

Introducing The Layover

Grab a bite to eat and enjoy a refreshing beverage at The Layover — The Great Park's new eatery. 

Great Park Live, Irvine's new amphitheater, is serving as a reimagined food and beverage location for visitors to the Great Park. Conveniently located at the Terraced Lawn, within the Great Park Sports Complex, The Layover will offer more food and beverage options for those attending concerts and events at Great Park Live, a sporting event at the nearby Sports Complex, or just exploring the Great Park.

Food and beverage options include in-house food, food trucks, beer, wine, and a special Great Park Live Blonde Lager, specially crafted by Brewery X. The venue also offers free games, inflatable slides, and a bounce house that allow parents to relax while younger visitors play at the park.

The Layover is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends, beginning Saturday, July 6. 

Celebrate Independence Day with a Concert

Celebrate the Fourth of July with a concert at Great Park Live! Attend the Pacific Symphony July 4 Spectacular: Music of Chicago concert at Great Park Live.

The music of Chicago is known as the rock and roll band with horns. They will perform classic hits, plus patriotic tunes. A dazzling fireworks finale will conclude the show. 

The concert is July 4 at 8 p.m. Visit greatparklive.com for event details and to purchase tickets. 

See the Future of the Great Park 

A project area spanning nearly 1,300 acres, with more than 500 acres open today and 300 acres in the next phase of development, the Great Park is a park for all.

The Great Park is a celebration of both Irvine’s rich heritage and diverse community character — and a multifaceted investment in our collective future. It’s a place of joy, wellness, and wonder that will gracefully evolve and enrich the lives of future generations.

Learn more about the future of the Great Park by taking a tour through the current and upcoming projects in Phase One of the Great Park Framework Plan. 

Visit our Parks and Collect Your Cards

Explore the amenities of parks and facilities throughout Irvine and celebrate community through the City of Irvine's National Park and Recreation Month collectible card challenge. 

Throughout the month of July, residents are invited to collect 17 unique cards representing the City’s nationally ranked parks and facilities by visiting our parks and recreation sites. A bonus card is available to residents who ride Irvine CONNECT. Participants who collect a total of 8 cards can visit the Information Desk at Irvine City Hall to receive an exclusive enamel pin.

To learn more about the collectible card challenge, visit cityofirvine.org/parks.

Take Steps to Save Lives

In an effort to address the growing blood supply crisis in Orange County, the City of Irvine and UCI Health are partnering to host a blood drive event Thursday, July 11, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., at the Irvine Civic Center. Donations received will help provide critical care for patients at UCI Medical Center.

Donors will receive a $10 gift card to either Target, In-N-Out Burger, or Starbucks, or a newly designed blood donor tote bag, and an opportunity to enter a drawing for four passes to Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena, courtesy of UCI Health. Appointments are suggested but not required and can be made in advance online or at cityofirvine.org/blooddrive. Walk-ins will also be accepted.

This Week in DE&I

There are many cultural and religious holidays celebrated and recognized throughout our community this month. Learn about some of the significant dates being observed in Irvine below and on our DE&I calendar.

July 4: Independence Day
Independence Day, or the Fourth of July is celebrated in the United States of America and is a federal holiday that commemorates the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified on July 4, 1776. The Second Continental Congress declared that the thirteen original colonies were no longer subject to the British Monarchy, and were now united, free, and independent states. 

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