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Lunar New Year Parade & Festival Coming to Irvine’s Great Park Feb. 7

Issue # 0556

Author

Joshua Tjia
27 Jan

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

🎺🎶 Fiery Rhythms & Virtuoso Trumpet: Minería Symphony Lights Up Segerstrom, Jan. 29

🌼🐎 🌼 Lunar New Year Parade & Festival Coming to Irvine’s Great Park Feb. 7

🚓 Irvine Police to Conduct DUI Checkpoint Saturday Night

💐🥗 Celebrate Valentine’s Day Under the Stars at Tanaka Farms' Farm-to-Table Valentine’s Day Dinner

👚👧🏻 Hide & Squeak Children’s Boutique Celebrates 6 Years

❄️🤸🏻 Winter Wellness: Simple Ways to Stay Active and Support Your Health

🚶🌕 Explore Crystal Cove After Dark on a Guided Full Moon Hike, Jan. 30

🧵🪡 Cozy Meets Creative: Teen Pajama Pants Sewing Workshop in Irvine

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

🐈🐕 16 Pets Find Loving Homes at Irvine Animal Care Center

🏀UC Irvine Men's Basketball Holds Off UC San Diego, 61–59, to Stay Atop Big West

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

⚾️ IVC Baseball Opens 2026 Season With 6–0 Shutout at Long Beach City

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚔👛 Irvine Police Arrest Suspect in Linked Luxury Handbag Robberies

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

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

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

Why did the banana go to the doctor?

Because it wasn’t peeling well

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

Fiery Rhythms & Virtuoso Trumpet: Minería Symphony Lights Up Segerstrom, Jan. 29

The Minería Symphony Orchestra of Mexico makes its Orange County debut on January 29, at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, led by Artistic Director Carlos Miguel Prieto with acclaimed trumpeter Pacho Flores as soloist. The evening celebrates Latin American music with works by Silvestre Revueltas, Joseph Haydn, and Paquito D’Rivera, culminating in The Night of the Mayas.

Lunar New Year Parade & Festival Coming to Irvine’s Great Park Feb. 7

The Lunar New Year Parade & Festival comes to Irvine’s Great Park on Saturday, February 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Celebrate the Year of the Horse with a lively parade, cultural performances, interactive booths, family-friendly activities, and a variety of food options. Festival entry is $2 per person (free for children 3 and under), while parade viewing and parking are free. A fun, welcoming event for the whole community.

Irvine Police to Conduct DUI Checkpoint Saturday Night

The Irvine Police Department will hold a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint on Saturday, January 31, from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. as part of its ongoing effort to reduce injuries and deaths caused by impaired driving. Drivers are urged to plan ahead, drive sober, and follow traffic laws to help keep Irvine roads safe.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day Under the Stars at Tanaka Farms' Farm-to-Table Valentine’s Day Dinner

Tanaka Farms is hosting a farm-to-table Valentine’s Day dinner on February 14, from 6–9 p.m. in Irvine. Guests will enjoy a curated meal made with farm-fresh ingredients, dessert, live music by Hikari Trio, a tractor ride, and time with barnyard animals, all under the stars.

Hide & Squeak Children’s Boutique Celebrates 6 Years

Hide & Squeak will celebrate its 6th Anniversary on Friday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Woodbridge Village Center. The children’s boutique is marking six years of offering designer kids’ clothing, unique toys, and storytelling displays, and invites the community to stop by for a daytime celebration focused on creativity, style, and play.

Winter Wellness: Simple Ways to Stay Active and Support Your Health

Cold weather can make exercise feel more challenging, but staying active during winter is still essential for both physical and mental well-being. The key is choosing simple, comfortable ways to keep moving and focusing on consistency rather than intensity.

Winter Fitness Tips:

  • 🏠 Indoor workouts count — at-home routines, yoga, or online classes are effective

  • 🤸 Stretch regularly to support flexibility and reduce stiffness

  • 🚶 Short walks still help — even brief movement adds up

  • 🧠 Movement boosts mental health by reducing stress and improving mood

  • ⏱️ Consistency matters more than intensity — small, regular efforts go a long way

Explore Crystal Cove After Dark on a Guided Full Moon Hike, Jan. 30

Join a guided Full Moon Hike at Crystal Cove State Park on Friday, Jan. 30, from 5:15–7:15 p.m. This 4-mile, moderate to difficult evening hike includes uneven terrain and a 600-foot climb, led by a park naturalist—perfect for adventurous hikers looking to experience Crystal Cove under the moonlight.

Cozy Meets Creative: Teen Pajama Pants Sewing Workshop in Irvine

Arts in Irvine is hosting a Teen Art Workshop: Sew Your Own Pajama Pants starting Wednesday, February 4, from 4–6 p.m. at the Irvine Fine Arts Center. This four-day workshop introduces teens to sewing basics, including using a sewing machine and simple pattern making.

  • Participants will bring and use three yards of cotton flannel fabric in their favorite print!

  • Space is limited, so advance registration is encouraged at cityofirvine.org/yourirvine 

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

  1. February 11-14: Musical -Mean Girls, NHS Theater

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School's Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

  1. February 26-28, TBD: Cinderella, WHS Performing Arts Center

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

Upcoming Irvine High Choral’s Music Calendar

  1. February 21: CSUF SSAA Festival, CSU-Fullerton

  2. February 25-28, 7:00 PM: Seussical, IHS PAC

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.ihschoralmusic.org/calendar.html 

Upcoming Portola High School Music’s Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.phsmusicbooster.org/buy-ticket

16 Pets Find Loving Homes at Irvine Animal Care Center

Between January 19–25, the Irvine Animal Care Center celebrated successful adoptions of 16 pets

  • 3 dogs (Falcor, Kumo, Zero)

  • 12 cats (Arco, Astrid, Cedar, Coco, Ginger, Gunner, Ingrid, Macy, Noble, Pine, Tofu, Wicket)

  • 1 hamster (Chewie)

  • During the same week, 3 dogs and 2 cats were also happily reunited with their owners.

Learn more about adoptions and hours at cityofirvine.org/animals.

UC Irvine Men's Basketball Holds Off UC San Diego, 61–59, to Stay Atop Big West

UC Irvine edged UC San Diego 61–59 on the road as Jurian Dixon scored with 28 seconds left. The win keeps UCI atop the Big West at 7–2 (14–7 overall) as it returns home to host Hawai‘i on Thursday.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Men’s Basketball

  • Thurs, Jan 29 – vs Hawai'i , 8:00 PM

Men’s Volleyball

  • Fri, Jan 30 – vs Stanford , 6:00 PM

  • Sat, Jan 31 – vs Stanford , 6:00 PM

Men’s Tennis

  • Sat, Jan 31 – vs Grand Canyon , 1:00 PM

IVC Baseball Opens 2026 Season With 6–0 Shutout at Long Beach City

Irvine Valley College baseball opened the 2026 season with a dominant 6–0 shutout win over Long Beach City, powered by strong pitching from sophomore Jackson Chastain and reliever Andres Hernandez.

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Men's Basketball

  • Wed, Jan 28 - vs Fullerton, 5:00 PM

Women’s Basketball

  • Wed, Jan 28 - vs Fullerton, 7:00 PM

Men's Volleyball

  • Fri, Jan 30 - vs Antelope Valley, 6:00 PM

Baseball

  • Sat, Jan 31 - vs West LA, 12:00 PM

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With January Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

January 2026

Wednesday, January 28

  • Basketball, Girls - 5:30 PM vs Woodbridge

Thursday, January 29

  • Soccer, Boys - 5:00 PM vs Sage Hill

Irvine Police Arrest Suspect in Linked Luxury Handbag Robberies

Irvine Police arrested a suspect connected to two luxury handbag robberies involving online sales. In separate incidents at Woodbury Town Center and near Campus and Carlson, the suspect met victims through OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace, took a Louis Vuitton and a Dior bag, and fled. Detectives linked the cases, tracked the suspect, and—with help from CHP—made an arrest on the 110 freeway. The stolen Dior bag was recovered and returned, and Tralin Nhjheym Newman, 22, of Arizona, was booked into Orange County Jail for robbery.

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

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