• Irvine Insider
  • Posts
  • Celebrate Summer in Irvine with Books, Storytimes, and Community Events

Celebrate Summer in Irvine with Books, Storytimes, and Community Events

Issue # 0416

Author

Joshua Tjia
28 May

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh Of The Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

☀️📖☀️ Celebrate Summer in Irvine with Books, Storytimes, and Community Events

🎶🌻 Live Music Nights Return to Irvine Spectrum Center This Summer

🌱🥗 Enjoy a Complimentary Meal at Sweetgreen’s Sneak Peek Event – June 6 & 7

🚦 Traffic Signal Outage at Alton & Culver on May 29 – Expect Delays

🏊🏻‍♀️💦  Irvine Offers Free Life Jackets for Kids During Water Safety Month

🩺 Understanding Type 2 Diabetes: Early Signs, Prevention, and What You Can Do

🌱🦆🌱 Join a Guided Bird Walk at San Joaquin Marsh – June 8

🩰 Southland Ballet Academy Presents Grand Defilé 2025: June 7–8 Showcase of Student Talent

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

🚜🐾 Irvine Animal Care Center Expands with New Veterinary and Admin Facilities

🏃🏽 UC Irvine Women’s Track & Field Qualifies Record 10 Athletes for NCAA West Regional

🏀🏐🎾⚾ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

⚽️ IVC’s Faith Hong Commits to Westcliff University After Stellar Soccer Career

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

⚾️ Orange County All-Star Baseball Game Returns to Great Park Stadium on June 4

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚔🚨 Irvine Police Seek Suspect in Series of Residential Burglaries

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

🌟🏪🎉Irvine’s Best Kept Secrets: Is Your Business One of Them?

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

What’s a duck’s favorite type of thing to watch?

Duck-umentaries.

We hope this joke brings some laughter to your day! 😁

Celebrate Summer in Irvine with Books, Storytimes, and Community Events


The Irvine Public Library is launching Summer with the Library, a free seasonal program promoting reading and learning for all ages through events, storytimes, teen study halls, and adult book clubs.

  • Highlights include: Pop-Up Library visits at Heritage Community Park (Sundays, June 8–July 13), an online Summer Reading Program (July 9–31), Pajama Storytimes, and community book clubs featuring titles like The Song of Achilles and Fuzz.

  • These programs support early literacy, academic success, and community connection.

  • As Irvine transitions to a new city-run library system, Heritage Park and University Park branches will reopen August 4, with Katie Wheeler Library set to reopen in early 2026.

  • Learn more at irvinepubliclibrary.org.

Live Music Nights Return to Irvine Spectrum Center This Summer

This summer, join Irvine Spectrum Center’s live music series. Performances take place on select evenings and are free to the public, making it easy to drop in and enjoy a lively evening of music and fun.

Here’s what to expect:

  • Live music from a variety of local artists across multiple dates

  • Performances near popular locations, including the area near Old Navy and the Giant Wheel Lawn

  • Regular shows from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM and special DJ sets from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Upcoming performances include:

  • Friday, May 30 – Sabrina Rose

  • Saturday, May 31 – Robert Simon

  • Sunday, June 1 – Artist TBD

  • Thursday, June 5 – Artist TBD

  • Friday, June 6 – Chloe De Moore (Near Old Navy)

Enjoy a Complimentary Meal at Sweetgreen’s Sneak Peek Event – June 6 & 7

Sweetgreen is celebrating the upcoming opening of its new Santa Clara location (officially opening June 10) with Friends + Family Preview Days on June 6 and 7 at Santa Clara Square Marketplace. Guests can RSVP for a sneak peek and enjoy a complimentary meal. Advance registration is required.

Traffic Signal Outage at Alton & Culver on May 29 – Expect Delays

On Thursday, May 29, the traffic signals at Alton Parkway and Culver Drive will be out of service. Drivers should expect delays and are encouraged to avoid the intersection and take alternate routes if possible. Please use caution and follow posted signage or the direction of traffic control personnel in the area.

Irvine Offers Free Life Jackets for Kids During Water Safety Month

May is Water Safety Month, and the City of Irvine is launching a Floatie Exchange program where families can trade in flotation devices for free U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets for children ages 6 and under.

  • Life jackets will be distributed at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center during normal hours and at City events, starting with the Studio Arts Festival on June 7 (9 a.m.–5 p.m.) at Heritage Community Park.

  • Learn more at cityofirvine.org/aquatics.

Understanding Type 2 Diabetes: Early Signs, Prevention, and What You Can Do

Type 2 diabetes is a health condition that often develops gradually, sometimes without noticeable symptoms at first. It happens when the body doesn’t use insulin properly or doesn’t make enough, leading to higher blood sugar levels over time.

  • Early signs to watch for include increased thirst, more frequent urination, tiredness, blurry vision, and slow-healing cuts.

  • The good news is that small, healthy changes—like eating balanced meals, staying active, managing stress, and getting regular check-ups—can make a big difference.

  • Monitoring your blood sugar and catching any changes early can help you stay well and avoid future complications.

Join a Guided Bird Walk at San Joaquin Marsh – June 8

Celebrate spring with a free guided bird walk at the IRWD San Joaquin Marsh, led by Sea and Sage Audubon Society experts. Enjoy learning about the local wildlife sanctuary while spotting diverse bird species. The walk takes place Sunday, June 8, from 9:30–11 a.m. at the San Joaquin Marsh Campus Learning Center, 5 Riparian Way, Irvine.

Southland Ballet Academy Presents Grand Defilé 2025: June 7–8 Showcase of Student Talent

Southland Ballet Academy presents its annual Grand Defilé 2025 on Saturday, June 7 at 5 PM and Sunday, June 8 at 12 PM and 5 PM.

  • A tradition spanning over 40 years, this showcase honors the progress and artistry of SBA’s dedicated students trained in the classical Vaganova ballet method.

  • Founded by Salwa Rizkalla, SBA fosters excellence and confidence in young dancers. The event celebrates their achievements in front of family and friends.

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

  1. May 30th, 7:00 PM: POPS Gala, NHS Theater

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://timbmusic.org/events/

Upcoming University High School's Choirs Calendar

No upcoming events

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.uhschoirs.org/2024-25-season.html

Upcoming Woodbridge High School's Music Calendar

  1. May 31, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM: 2025 Awards Banquet

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.whs-music.org/

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

  1. May 30, 7:00 PM: Broadway Rocks Concert, WHS Performing Arts Center

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://woodbridgechoirs.weebly.com/calendar.html

Upcoming Irvine High School's Music Calendar

No upcoming events

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.vimb.info/calendar

Upcoming Portola High School’s Music Calendar

  1. May 30, 7:00 PM: Vocal Concert

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.phsmusic.org/events

Irvine Animal Care Center Expands with New Veterinary and Admin Facilities

The Irvine Animal Care Center is making major progress on its new Administration and Veterinary Clinic buildings, with crews installing essential systems like plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and storm drains. A sitewide stormwater biofiltration system is also in place to support sustainability. Despite construction, the center remains open — licensing and adoptions are continuing as usual.

Visit cityofirvine.org/animals to meet adoptable pets and learn more.

UC Irvine Women’s Track & Field Qualifies Record 10 Athletes for NCAA West Regional

UC Irvine Women’s Track & Field is sending a record 10 student-athletes to the NCAA West First Round at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station, Texas, from May 28–31, with women's events held Thursday and Saturday.

  • The Anteaters are coming off their first-ever Big West Championship, winning by just 1.5 points over Cal Poly.

  • Standouts include Jazzmine Davis, named Big West Track Athlete of the Meet, and multiple qualifiers in both the high jump and long jump.

  • Notable entrants: Nyla Baker (shot put), DeAna Davis (hammer), Malia Gay and Luz Mercado (800m), Reyna Johnson, Kailah McKenzie, and Jolie Robinson (long jump), Esmeray Demirbas and Zharia Taylor (high jump), with several ranking among UCI’s all-time top marks.

  • Top 12 finishers will advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 11–14.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

No upcoming events

IVC’s Faith Hong Commits to Westcliff University After Stellar Soccer Career

Faith Hong, a standout defender for Irvine Valley College women’s soccer, is transferring to NAIA’s Westcliff University in Irvine. A University High alum, Hong earned second-team All-Orange Empire Conference honors and played a key role in IVC’s strong season, which included 10 shutouts and just 16 goals allowed. Over two seasons, she appeared in 41 games, starting 35. Westcliff, her new team, finished last season 12-1-3 and advanced to the second round of the NAIA national tournament.

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

No upcoming events

Orange County All-Star Baseball Game Returns to Great Park Stadium on June 4

The 57th annual Orange County North vs. South High School All-Star Baseball Game returns to Great Park Stadium in Irvine on Wednesday, June 4, with gates opening at 3:45 p.m. and the game starting at 6:30 p.m. 

  • Hosted by the Ryan Lemmon Foundation, the showcase features top senior players from 80 high schools across Orange County.

  • This marks the second year the game is held at Great Park and organized by the foundation.

  • The North and South rosters include standout players such as Miles Scott (Servite) and Drake Brito (Irvine), with Mike Caira (Pacifica) and Paul Grossman (Northwood) among the coaches and players, respectively.

  • Last year’s game ended in a dramatic 3-2 South victory.

High School Athletics Calendar

** Updated With May Schedule

Northwood High School Monthly Athletics Calendar (All Level)

No upcoming events

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

No upcoming events

Irvine Police Seek Suspect in Series of Residential Burglaries

Irvine Police are seeking the public’s help in locating Yonatan Angel Loaeza, 34, of Anaheim, who is wanted in connection with at least four residential burglaries in Irvine. If you have any information about his whereabouts, please contact Detective Guzman at [email protected].

Irvine’s Best Kept Secrets: Is Your Business One of Them?

We know our community is brimming with businesses that have fascinating stories and big hearts. If you’re a local business owner making waves, crafting unique experiences, or simply putting a smile on our faces, we want to chat with you! “Irvine Insider” is eager to shine a light on the unsung heroes of our city. Let’s collaborate and let the community know what makes your business special.

Click the link below and fill out the Local Business Spotlight Application Form to be featured and let’s celebrate the spirit of Irvine together!

Irvine Insider is sent to a local audience of Irvine residence Monday through Friday with 50% - 60% open rate. Our newsletter is a great way to reach Irvine residents.

  • Kaiser Permanente Irvine Farmers Market

  • Saturday Farmers Market at Mariners Church Irvine

    • When: Saturday, 8 AM - 12 PM

    • Where: 5428 Bonita Canyon Dr, Irvine, CA 92603

  • Great Park Certified Farmers Market

  • Manassero Farmers

    • When: Daily, 9 AM - 4:30 PM

    • Where: 33 Irvine Valley, Irvine, CA 92604

  • Tanaka Farms

    • When: Daily, 9 AM - 5 PM

    • Where: 5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine, CA 92612

    • More Info:Tanaka Farms

We could use your help

We’ve got big plans as we get up to speed! But we need your help!

One huge way that you can help us is to spread the word for us.

Know somebody who lives in the Irvine and surrounding areas and would benefit from being kept in the know?

Please share Irvine Insider with them! It’s simple!