The SCV Insider
Posts
Free Outdoor Movie Night This Friday 🌌

Free Outdoor Movie Night This Friday 🌌

Kick off summer movie season with a free outdoor screening, food trucks, and cozy park vibes.

Kate Gullett
June 24, 2025

Good morning, SCV. This is The SCV Insider. It’s officially summer (🥳), which means it’s time for that seasonal confusion where your brain says “vacation” but your calendar says “10 meetings and 3 birthday parties.” Let this be your oasis in the chaos.

In today's SCV Insider:

Upcoming events 🥳
SCV’s busiest intersections 🚗
Apartments, townhomes & a little retail coming to Newhall 🛍️

Let’s get into it.

— Kate

🆕 New & Upcoming Events

Tuesday, June 24

💜 Walk for Alzheimer’s Kickoff | 5:30–7:30pm | BJ’s, Valencia Town Center | Free (RSVP required) | Raise a glass, meet the team, and take the first step toward ending Alzheimer’s. This kickoff mixer sets the tone for the 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer’s with inspiration, community, and plenty of purpose. Whether you're a seasoned team captain or just curious, come get fired up for a good cause. RSVP by June 20 to secure your spot!

Wednesday, June 25

🌅 River of Lights Illumination Ceremony | 7:30pm | Central Park | Free | Picnic blankets, sunset skies, and 200 lights that shimmer like water — what more could you want on a summer night? Bring the whole fam for lawn games, a live performance by the Santa Clarita Symphony Orchestra, and the grand reveal of this dreamy new public art installation. Ceremony begins at 8pm, lights up at 8:30. It’s giving peaceful, poetic, and very Instagrammable.

Thursday, June 26

💼 2025 Business Expo – SCV Chamber of Commerce | 4–8pm | Valencia Town Center | Free | Mix, mingle, and make big moves. The SCV Business Expo is back with 50+ local businesses, interactive exhibits, and endless networking ops. Whether you’re launching a startup or just want to scope out the next big thing in town, this is the place to shake hands and swap cards. Bonus: it’s free to attend and way more fun than your average Zoom call.

Friday, June 27

🧸 LEAP Children’s Museum Pop-Up: Wellness Through Play | 9:00 AM–4:15 PM | Valencia Town Center Patios | Free (registration recommended) | Little bodies, big wellness! This pop-up from LEAP Children’s Museum invites kids ages 2–6 to explore health and happiness through play. From a pretend medical station to a hands-on fitness zone, every activity is designed to teach self-care in a fun, kid-friendly way. Sessions run throughout the day, with a special low-sensory hour at noon.

👢 Boots and Barrels Country Night | 7–10pm | The Barrel Room @ Pocock Brewing | Free | Line dancing. Cold beer. A live DJ. If that doesn’t say Friday night in SCV, what does? Head to Pocock’s Barrel Room every other Friday to kick up your boots, learn some new moves, and vibe with fellow country fans. No experience required — just bring your best yeehaw energy.

🎬 City Cinemas: The Wild Robot Under the Stars | 8–10pm | Bridgeport Park | Free | Movie night, but make it magical. Kick off the City Cinemas summer series with The Wild Robot on the big screen under the stars. Pack your blankets and lawn chairs, grab dinner from the on-site food trucks (starting at 7pm), and enjoy this animated family favorite in the great outdoors. Cozy vibes guaranteed.

Saturday, June 28

🧸 LEAP Children’s Museum Pop-Up: Wellness Through Play | 9am–4:15pm | Valencia Town Center Patios | Free | Wellness, but make it fun-sized. This pop-up museum is all about healthy habits for little humans—think pretend doctor’s office, fitness zone, and a whole lot of interactive play for ages 2–8. Bonus: there’s a daily low-sensory session at noon for extra accessibility. Five sessions daily, so plan your playdate now!

🌳 Community Beautification Day | 9am–12pm | Various locations in Valencia | Free (registration required) | Roll up your sleeves and show Valencia some love. This one-day volunteer event is all about revitalizing parks, paseo bridges, and public spaces — think mulch spreading, fresh paint, and good vibes. Bonus perks: free bulky item drop-off and mulch/compost pickup for residents. Ages 8+ welcome, but make sure to register ahead!

🌲 Acorn Amphitheater Grand Reopening & Movie Night | 6–9pm | Placerita Canyon Nature Center | Free | A brand-new stage, a Harrison Ford flick, and stargazing in the canyon? Yes, please. Celebrate the grand reopening of the Acorn Amphitheater with a ribbon cutting, live entertainment, and a family-friendly screening of The Call of the Wild. Pack a picnic, bring your coziest setup, and enjoy the wild (but glass-free) vibes. Giveaways included, but no raccoons allowed.

Sunday, June 29

🧸 LEAP Children’s Museum Pop-Up: Wellness Through Play | Sunday, June 15 | 9:00 AM – 4:15 PM | Valencia Town Center Patios | Free | Wellness, but make it fun-sized. This pop-up museum is all about healthy habits for little humans—think pretend doctor’s office, fitness zone, and a whole lot of interactive play for ages 2–8. Bonus: there’s a daily low-sensory session at noon for extra accessibility. Five sessions daily, so plan your playdate now!

🔄 Recurring Events

🎭️ Local Theater & Performing Arts

🌙 A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Olive Branch at Valencia Town Center | Runs: June 13–29 | Fri & Sat at 7pm, Sun at 2pm | Shakespeare meets queer magic in this fresh, LGBTQ interpretation of the enchanted forest classic.

🚋 A Streetcar Named Desire | Santa Paula Theater Center | Runs: June 20–July 20 | Fri & Sat at 8pm, Sun at 2:30pm | Tennessee Williams’ haunting Southern drama returns with all its heat, tension, and unraveling dreams.

📖 The Angel Next Door | Canyon Theatre Guild, Newhall | Runs: May 24–June 28 | Select nights at 8pm, some 2pm matinees | A sweet, smart comedy about a young author, a surprise adaptation, and the woman who inspired it all.

💌 The Last Romance | Canyon Theatre Guild, Newhall | Runs: May 23–June 29 | Select matinees and evenings | A charming story of unexpected love later in life — because a second chance can show up when you least expect it.

Local Stories

Community

🚗 Traffic grades, turning lanes, and a whole lotta data—oh my! The City of Santa Clarita recently shared updates on its busiest intersections, revealing that traffic volumes actually dipped slightly last year at some hotspots, including the mega-busy Newhall Ranch and Bouquet Canyon roads. Engineers grade intersections based on congestion (Bouquet gets an “E”) and continue to add turning lanes to ease backups. Meanwhile, the most collisions in the past year happened at—you guessed it—Newhall Ranch and Bouquet, clocking 11 crashes. With 10,000+ new homes in the pipeline, the city says it's planning ahead to keep your daily drive moving. (The Signal)

Business

🏘️ Newhall Avenue to get 100+ new homes (plus a little retail)! The Santa Clarita Planning Commission just approved the Newhall Avenue Mixed Use Project, bringing 106 new rental units—70 apartments and 36 townhomes—plus a 4,000-square-foot retail building to a 9.7-acre hillside lot at 23755 Newhall Ave (see rendering HERE!) While some commissioners and residents voiced concern about the project’s reduced commercial footprint, the developer offered a $325,000 donation to support Hart Park in exchange. With housing demand high and terrain tricky, the city is weighing how zoning aligns with real-world development challenges. (The Signal)

Education

🏗️ COC board debates priorities for campus upgrades. At last week’s Santa Clarita Community College District board meeting, members voiced concerns about moving full-speed ahead on College of the Canyons’ proposed Advanced Technology Center at the Valencia campus. While interim president David Andrus championed the ATC as the top priority for remaining Measure E bond funds—citing its potential to attract full-time students—board members pushed back, asking for clearer cost breakdowns, contingencies, and a campus-wide modernization plan. Some advocated for reviving student union renovation plans before committing to the ATC. More discussion (and decisions) are expected soon. (The Signal)

Entertainment

🎤 Canyon grad Lil Lu is making waves in the music world! Fresh off his 2025 graduation from Canyon High, 18-year-old Luis Edward Olascoaga—aka Lil Lu—is leveling up his music career with a new single, “What It Do,” and a fresh record deal with Lobel Music Group. The mellow, summer-ready track was co-produced with rapper Mann and builds on years of performing, including gigs with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia. With an album in the works and a possible stage name change ahead, this SCV-raised artist is just getting started. (The Signal)

Mystery Link

👀 Pssst… Curiosity called. It said to click this.

Headline Hunt

New day, new word. Can you guess the 5-letter mystery word from today’s stories? Let’s see what you’ve got!

Thanks for reading today.

If you’ve made it this far, reply to this email and tell me what your favorite summer cocktial is 🍸️

Cheers,

P.S. If you were forwarded this email and loved what you read, subscribe below and get The SCV Insider delivered straight to your inbox! ✉️