Welcome to your weekly San Fernando Valley update: December 4–10, 2025.

In this week’s NoHo Nick:

So, I’m sitting in the Burbank AMC 8 watching Hamnet.

The movie is intense. I’m crying. I’m engulfed.

From time to time, I hear an odd slurping sound behind me—like someone licking the last drops of butter off the sides of a popcorn bucket.

It’s distracting.

“Really? Right now? In the middle of this powerful scene?” I think to myself.

The sound stops and starts.

When the movie finishes, I finally turn my head around to get a good look at the culprit.

It’s a dog.

And as the credits roll, a woman tucks it underneath her jacket to sneak it out.

Do you think the dog has its own Letterboxd?

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Here’s what’s happening:

🏃‍♂ Record Turnout for “Turkey Trot” Run in DTLA. 7,000+ runners raised $85,000 for homeless services on Thanksgiving morning. The Turkey Trot, now in its 13th year, has raised over $500k since its inception. (KTLA)

🐻 500-Pound Bear Hiding Under Altadena Home. Ken Johnson discovered his uninvited "roommate" on security cameras. Johnson is hoping California Fish and Wildlife can evict the bear by Christmas. (NBC)

These are my favorite upcoming events:

🎅 Volunteers Needed for Holiday Parade (North Hollywood, Burbank, Toluca Lake): The Magical Holiday Parade has been bringing Christmas cheer to the Valley for 40+ years. The parade needs volunteers: singers, dancers, walkers, costume designers, A/V techs.

🎁 Toy Drive for LA Foster Kids (Sherman Oaks): The Help Group needs new toys for foster kids in LA (ages 7-13)—drop-off at the Sherman Oaks Campus West Gate on Burbank Blvd by Friday, December 5.

🧶 “Fiber Art” Demonstration (Sherman Oaks): Hands-on demos (pom pom making, latch hooking, weaving, needle felting). Food trucks on site. Tuft House LA leads a tufting demo where you can try the tufting gun on a collaborative piece. Free. Thursday, December 4, 2025, from 4 PM to 9 PM at StitchStop LA.

🎄 Toluca Lake Holiday Open House (Toluca Lake): Neighborhood holiday open house. Live entertainment, local shopping, food, and plenty of cheer. Meet Santa, let kids play in the kid zone, and check out a car show. Plus, a vendor village. Free. Friday, December 5, from 5 PM to 9 PM in Toluca Lake.

🎤 Comedy Night at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (Van Nuys): The Valley's historic Anheuser-Busch brewery opens its doors for a rare comedy fundraiser benefiting the San Fernando Valley Rose Parade Organization. Five stand-up comedians. Tickets include drinks. 21+. $45. Friday, December 5, from 7 PM to 10 PM at Anheuser-Busch Brewery.

📚 Van Nuys Library Book Sale (Van Nuys): Stock your shelves with bargain books, CDs, and DVDs. Most items are priced at just $0.50 or less. Bring exact change and your book bag to support library programming. Saturday, December 6, from 9:30 AM to 12 PM at Van Nuys Library Branch.

🌳 Tree Planting Volunteer Day (Winnetka): Pitch in on the West Valley Greening Project to plant 20 trees along neighborhood blocks. Hosted by TreePeople. Sign up to volunteer. Free. Saturday, December 6, from 8:45 AM to 12 PM.

✨ Holiday Choral Concert (Studio City): The West Coast Singers LGBTQ+ Chorus of Los Angeles presents their annual winter concert. Reimagined classics and songs about pride. Plus, light refreshments. $35. Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 7 PM at First Christian Church of North Hollywood.

🎄 Moby’s Christmas (North Hollywood): Crafts, a makers market, tea tasting, and a DIY wrapping station. Plus, live music. Browse gifts from local artists. Free. Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7, from 9 AM to 3 PM at Moby’s Coffee & Tea Co.

🎅 “The Village” Holiday Market (Valley Glen): Meet Santa, Frosty, and Rudolph while browsing 150+ vendors selling holiday gifts and handmade goods. DJ, food trucks, community performances, kids' crafts, carolers, and raffles. Free. Saturday, December 6, from 11 AM to 6 PM at Los Angeles Valley College.

🛍 “Tujunga Village” Holiday Market (Studio City): Tujunga Avenue between Moorpark and Woodbridge will be closed to cars. Festive street fair. Shops open late, Santa, DJ, and kids activities. Free. Saturday, December 6, from 5 PM to 9 PM.

🎭 The Winter's Tale (North Hollywood): Bardfly Theatre Co. brings an immersive staging of Shakespeare to the beer garden. Bar-friendly vibe, more like live music than traditional theatre, while the story leaps 16 years and across Europe. $15. Sunday, December 7, at 6 PM, at Lawless Brewing.

🏋 Booty + Brews (Canoga Park) 45-minute outdoor BÜNDA workout followed by a no-shower happy hour. Beer, protein drinks, prizes, and post-sweat hangouts. Mats and resistance bands provided, bring water and your crew. Free. Saturday, December 7, at 10:45 AM, at 818 Brewing.

🎄 Sherman Oaks: Tree lighting, holiday market, and Santa. 6 PM, at Sherman Oaks Galleria.

🎄 Sylmar: Kids activities, tree lighting, and Santa photos. 6 PM, at Sylmar Recreation Center.

🎄 Sunland/Tujunga: Kids activities, tree lighting, and Santa photos. 5 PM, at Sunland Recreation Center.

🎄 Granada Hills: Holiday caroling. Light refreshments. 6 PM, at Veterans Memorial Park.

🎄 Toluca Lake: Holiday market, live music, photos with Santa, and tree lighting. 5 PM to 9 PM, on Riverside Drive in Toluca Lake.

🎄 San Fernando: Tree lighting, music, holiday market, and Santa. 5 PM to 9 PM, at Lopez Adobe.

🎄 Burbank: Mayor’s tree lighting at City Hall. 6 PM, at Burbank City Hall.

🍚 BBQ + Rice (New—Studio City) Korean BBQ and rice bowls. Bulgogi, spicy pork, tofu and eggplant, and short ribs. Multiple locations in LA. First restaurant in the Valley.

A computer-controlled Christmas light show created by Mike Ziemkowski is now live in Sherman Oaks.

A decades-long tradition.

Previous winner of ABC’s ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight.’

Running continuously until Christmas. Wednesday through Sunday, from 6 PM to 9 PM.

Donations accepted on behalf of The American Lung Association.

🐸 Frogtown Holiday Hop (Frogtown): 15+ venues packed with local art, crafts, live music, food pop-ups, photo booths, and animal adoptions—plus a "Find the Frog" treasure hunt with prizes from neighborhood businesses. Free. Friday, December 6, 12–5 PM throughout the Frogtown neighborhood.

🐕 LA Chargers Pet Adoption Event (South LA): The LA Chargers and LA Animal Services are waiving adoption fees for dogs and cats. Free pet food, free collars, and microchipping for adopted pets. Free. Saturday, December 6, from 10 AM to 2 PM, at 850 W. 60th St., Los Angeles.

⚽ Women’s World Cup could come to LA in 2031. (LAist)

📢 ChatGPT will soon have ads. (Bleeping Computer)

🕺 An LA man is charged with stopping traffic on the 110 freeway to film a music video. (NY Times)

❓ California shares a border with Arizona and Oregon. Which border is longer?

Last week’s question: What year did the gold rush start in California?

Answer: 1848

Thank you for reading. See you next week!

PS I’m making a guide to Christmas Events in the Valley—parades, lights, toy drives, etc.

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