Author: ICNV Staff

Throughout the summer, there will be a variety of free outdoor community events for families, friends, and neighbors to gather and enjoy summer fun at the City of Irvine’s award-winning parks.

On select Saturday evenings, enjoy live outdoor concerts at Mike Ward Community Park. And make plans now to attend the Homecoming-themed dance party on August 8th at the Great Park!

On June 11th, the City of Irvine celebrated 52 new additions to the Wall of Recognition at Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park.

The 2026 honorees join a distinguished group of more than 500 individuals and organizations whose legacy is woven into Irvine’s history and ongoing success.

On June 8th, the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team was greeted by thousands of cheering fans as they arrived at the Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium! The Great Park will serve as the team’s official Base Camp Training Site for the duration of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Tickets to the June 8th community event were required and awarded through a free lottery system, which resulted in 33,000 submissions. The stadium was packed to capacity with 5,500 lucky ticket holders.

Since taking office, Mayor Agran has made it a point to publicly thank and spotlight Irvine-based non-profits, community programs, and the City’s churches, synagogues, and mosques for the work they do to promote kindness in our community.

The Mayor recently connected volunteerism to kindness: “One of the things I value most about Irvine is our shared commitment to helping our neighbors and our community through volunteerism — whether it’s making deliveries for the Meals on Wheels program, leading hikes in the Irvine Open Space Preserve, caring for pets at the Irvine Animal Care Center, or joining the City’s Community Emergency Response Team.”

In 1971, Irvine officially became a city. Three years later, Irvine’s first residents passed a major park bond issue to begin building community parks, a crucial step in establishing the Irvine Master Plan.

An impressive 28% of Irvine’s land is dedicated to parks and green spaces — nearly double the national average. And 96% of Irvine residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.