Welcome to your weekly San Fernando Valley update: July 2–8, 2026.

In this week’s NoHo Nick

Canada, Morocco, Paraguay, France, Brazil, Norway, Mexico, England, Belgium, and the USA all advanced to the Round of 16 in the World Cup.

Here’s where to watch the games this weekend:

🌊 Hansen Dam (Lake View Terrace): 4 LED screens broadcasting in English and Spanish. DJs, food trucks, beer gardens, and giveaways. $25. Thursday, July 2 through Sunday, July 5 at Hansen Dam (11798 Foothill Blvd.).

⚽️ Northridge Recreation Center (Northridge): LED screen and kids’ activities. Bring your lawn chairs. Free. Sunday, July 5 at Northridge Recreation Center (10058 Reseda Blvd.).

⚽️ Lanark Recreation Center (Canoga Park): LED screen and kids’ activities. Bring your lawn chairs. Free. Sunday, July 5 at Lanark Recreation Center (21816 Lanark St.).

This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Moby’s Coffee and Tea:

☕ Giveaway alert: I'm partnering with Moby’s Coffee & Tea (North Hollywood) to give away a $25 gift card.

Moby’s is a community coffee shop and event space that has supported the neighborhood since 2012.

Now, they’re in a new location with more space for classes, games, pop-ups, and community hangs.

Enter to win a gift card to explore their menu!

🎟️ How to enter: Enter your email address here.

I'll pick a random winner on Wednesday, July 8, and email you.

Can't wait? Mention NOHONICK and this email at the register and get 15% off your next drink.

Here’s what’s happening this week:

🎸 July 4th Fireworks (Woodland Hills): Fireworks display over Warner Park. The Valley’s biggest celebration.

Food trucks and a Steely Dan cover band. Bring blankets and chairs.

Free. Saturday, July 4, from 6 to 9:30 PM at Warner Park (5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd.).

🤠 Line Dancing Lessons (Chatsworth): Weekly line dance lessons with rotating instructors on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. $10. The Cowboy Palace Saloon (21635 Devonshire St.).

📊 Survey Slam (San Fernando): Guess the most popular survey answers Family Feud-style and compete for prizes. No team required. Free. Every Wednesday, from 7 to 9 PM at Dog Haus (1003 San Fernando Rd.).

🎤 Open Mic Night (Northridge): A community open mic welcoming music, storytelling, poetry, and comedy in a relaxed, supportive setting. Free. Friday, July 3, from 7 to 9 PM at Barclay’s (8976 Tampa Ave.).

🎷 Folk & Jazz Concert (North Hollywood): Jazz standards, originals, and covers of Fiona Apple and Paul Simon. Intimate café stage with pie and coffee. Free. Friday, July 3, from 7 to 8 PM at Republic of Pie (11118 Magnolia Blvd.).

😂 Comedy Show Ft. Kat Bird (North Hollywood): Kat Bird headlines a comedy night with a stacked lineup, a DJ, and free pupusas. $15. Friday, July 3, starting at 7:30 PM at Alexan NoHo West (11950 Erwin St.).

🥖 Mariachi Bakery Grand Opening (Reseda): Mariachi Bakery opens its first San Fernando Valley location with fresh cafecito, pan dulce, and empanadas. Free. Friday, July 3, starting at 6 AM at Mariachi Bakery (19313 Victory Blvd.).

🎲 Friday Game Night (Chatsworth): A casual weekly board game meetup where anyone can walk in, join a table, and try something new. Free. Friday, July 3, from 6 PM to midnight at Game N' Grounds (21727 Devonshire St.).

🎉 4th of July Picnic (Granada Hills): Live music, food, games, face painting, a bounce house, contests, a pup parade, and pie-eating contest. Free. Saturday, July 4, from 11 AM to 3 PM at Granada Hills Recreation Center (16730 Chatsworth St.).

🇺🇸 4th of July Celebration in Toluca Lake (Toluca Lake): A free community celebration with live entertainment, giveaways, refreshments, and local vendors. Free. Saturday, July 4, from 11 AM to 2 PM at Sweetsalt parking lot (10106 Riverside Dr.).

🎺 Sunland-Tujunga 4th of July Parade (Sunland-Tujunga): A community parade down Foothill Blvd, with floats, a barbershop quartet, and special guest Danny Trejo. Free. Saturday, July 4, starting at 10 AM at Mt Gleason Ave & Foothill Blvd.

🥞 4th of July Pancake Breakfast (Valley Village): A long-running community tradition. Free pancake breakfast with live ukulele music. Bring non-perishable food donations for people and pets. Saturday, July 4, from 8 to 9:30 AM at Faith Presbyterian Church (5000 Colfax Ave.).

🔫 Water Gun Fight (Canoga Park): An outdoor water fight with squirt guns, water balloons, and ice cream and lemonade for sale at Lazy J Ranch Park. Free. Saturday, July 4, from 12 to 4 PM at Lazy J Ranch Park (Valley Circle Blvd & Ingomar St.).

🏃‍♀️ CSUN Campus Walk (Northridge): SFV Girls Who Walk hosts a casual morning walk on the CSUN campus. Low-key pace, good for meeting fellow walkers. Free. Sunday, July 5, from 8 to 9 AM at CSUN (9556 Lindley Ave.).

🍻 Locals Night at Lawless Brewery (North Hollywood): A monthly community meetup where neighbors gather over a beer to talk about what's working and what's not in the neighborhood. Free. Monday, July 6, from 7 to 9 PM at Lawless Brewing (5275 Craner Ave.).

🌈 Gays N' Grounds (Chatsworth): A relaxed queer community night with board games, coffee, snacks, and conversation. Welcoming space for anyone looking for a low-pressure hangout. Free. Monday, July 6, from 5 to 8 PM at Game N' Grounds (21727 Devonshire St.).

🕺 50's Sock Hop Social (Burbank): A retro 1950s sock hop with live music, classic oldies, and a free intro dance lesson. Dancing and a food and beverage voucher. $15 + $5 food/beverage voucher. Tuesday, July 7, from 6 to 10 PM at Brews Brothers (3000 W Olive Ave.).

🎬 Outdoor Summer Movie Night (Glendale): An outdoor movie night for kids and families with an hour of free play before the film, BYOB, pop-up food vendors. $25. Thursday, July 9, from 6 to 10 PM at Live Love Play LA (744 S Glendale Ave.).

🧱 LEGO at the Library (Granada Hills): LEGO building session where kids can create whatever they want. Library provides the bricks; kids bring the ideas. Free. Tuesday, July 7, from 3 to 4 PM at Granada Hills Branch Library (10640 Petit Ave.).

I recently visited the Yoko Ono exhibit at The Broad museum in DTLA.

It showcases 70+ years of Ono’s artwork, films, and anti-war activism with John Lennon.

My favorite exhibit was called ‘Add Colour.‘ Write and draw on the walls with blue paint.

Ono conceived of the exhibit in 1966 after feeling trapped in her small New York apartment.

Free every Thursday from 5–8 PM and all day Saturday, July 4. On view through October 11 at The Broad (221 S. Grand Ave.).

🍜 Weekly Trivia & Ramen (Van Nuys)

Every Wednesday this summer, Ramen Izakaya (Van Nuys) is serving up tasty ramen and live trivia.

Free to play. Two-drink minimum.

Wednesdays, July 1 through August 26. Ramen Izakaya (13727 Victory Blvd.).

These are new job postings in the Valley:

💎 Tooth Gem Tech — Rosebuds Body Art in North Hollywood is looking for a licensed tooth gem technician to join their team. Must have BBP certification and 1+ year of experience. Manage your own bookings & social media.

🔦 LA property owners vote down street light fee increase. (LAist)

🏀 LeBron James is leaving the Lakers. (ESPN)

🎆 Deep-dive into the illegal fireworks business in Los Angeles. (L.A. Material)

🎤 Musician Jack Johnson thinks the water in Saratoga Springs tastes like farts.

❓️ Which highway that runs through the San Fernando Valley is celebrating its 100th birthday this year?

Last week’s question: The exterior of the home featured in The Brady Bunch is in Studio City. However, this is not where the show was filmed. Where was The Brady Bunch filmed?

Answer: Paramount Studios (Stage 5) in Hollywood.

Thanks for reading! See you next week.

PS I added a map view to the SFV event calendar. Let me know what you think!

PPS Have a safe and fun long weekend.

📣 Want your event featured? Submit it to the calendar.

📈 Own a business? Submit it to the directory.

🛍️ Give your business a boost. Advertise in NoHo Nick.