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News from the City of Carlsbad | Aug. 20, 2026

It was great to see so many of you enjoying last week’s '80s TGIF concert. What a blast from the past!

Hard to believe, but this Friday will be the last concert of the year. I’ll share the concert details below, along with back-to-school safety tips, another way we know summer is winding down.

Before that, I wanted to share a video highlighting one of our staff members who plays a key role in helping our older community members access key services at the Senior Center and beyond.

Here’s the full lineup:

• Last chance to enjoy a TGIF concert this summer
• Back-to-school safety tips
• Celebrating Carlsbad’s older residents
• Coffee with a Cop on Aug. 26
• Last weekend for ‘alchemy + light’ exhibition; more events and activities
• Upcoming city meetings

Last chance to enjoy a TGIF concert this summer  

It’s almost a wrap on the 2026 TGIF summer concert series. Here’s a look at the great crowd we had last week!

Head to Alga Norte Community Park this Friday for the last concert of the season and hear the rock and soul stylings of Daring Greatly. Blending classic '70s rock with modern soul, folk and country influences, the band is known for their powerful three-part vocal harmonies, heartfelt songwriting and energetic live shows.

Friday, Aug. 21

Field opens at 4 p.m.

Concert starts at 6 p.m.

Alga Norte Community Park

6565 Alicante Road

Family-friendly activities

• Design your own cassette tape with the soundtrack of your summer from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. 
• Radiant rhythm dance lessons with Bella Lux from 5 to 5:45 p.m.

Free shuttle and bike valet

• Parking is available at Dove Library. Free, continuous shuttles will take you to and from the concert from 4 to 9 p.m.
• Remember to take advantage of our complimentary bike valet service. 

Back-to-school traffic safety tips

It’s peak back-to-school season, with students across Carlsbad getting ready to settle into the school-year routine. If you’re getting kids ready to ride bikes or e-bikes to school, here are a few steps you can take to help make sure they’re ready to ride.



• Make sure your students know the importance of always wearing helmets, which are legally required for those under 18. This video shows you how to make sure their helmet fits properly.
• Traffic lights, signs and signals apply to everyone, including people riding bikes and e-bikes.
• Consider taking a “test ride” with your student from home to school to help them get familiar with the route.
• There are several online courses available with more in-depth information to help your family stay safe on two wheels, including this one endorsed by the California Highway Patrol.

The start of the school year is also a good time to review the new e-bike safety laws adopted by the City Council earlier this year: 

• Anyone operating an e-bike must be at least 12 years old. 
• When a minor breaks the rules and creates an immediate or substantial public safety risk, their e-bike may be impounded. The rider must complete a safety course online and pass the associated test in person to retrieve the e-bike. A parent or guardian must be present when the e-bike is released.  
• The Police Department can also impound e-motorcycles that are not legal to ride in public.
• While they are sometimes marketed as e-bikes, e-motorcycles are not street legal and are subject to different laws. The California Attorney General recently published a consumer alert about e-bikes and e-motorcycle safety and legality.
• E-bikes are prohibited at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue Community Parks.  

Also, if you’ll be picking up or dropping off kids at school and arrive early, please turn off your engine while you wait for the line to start moving. Avoiding idling reduces air pollution, saves fuel and keeps the air cleaner for students and staff. Restarting uses less fuel than idling for long periods. 

Celebrating Carlsbad’s older residents

Friday is National Senior Citizens Day, created in 1988 to honor the contributions of older Americans and highlight the issues that matter most to them.

The City of Carlsbad supports older adults through a variety of programs, activities and services at our Senior Center, open to anyone 50 and older.

One of those services helps make it easier for older residents to stay connected. In this video, meet one of the Senior Center bus drivers who helps residents get to the center for lunch, activities and time with friends. Nutrition and transportation services are for adults 60 and up. 

Our monthly Seaside Insider newsletter has more information about programs and activities. You can also sign up for emails to stay up to date on what’s happening at the Senior Center.

Coffee with a Cop on Aug. 26

Join us for a special edition of Coffee with a Cop on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in the Bressi Ranch neighborhood.

We hold these informal meetups at different locations throughout Carlsbad so you can get to know local officers, ask questions and share your thoughts. This one’s special because you’ll meet our new Community Policing & Problem Solving (COPPS) Team.

Stop by, grab a cup of coffee, ask questions and get to know the officers serving our community.

Coffee with a Cop

Wednesday, Aug. 26

9 to 10 a.m.

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters

2656 Gateway Road

Last weekend for ‘alchemy + light’ exhibition; more events and activities

If you haven’t had a chance to see the “alchemy + light” exhibition at the William D. Cannon Art Gallery, you’ve got just three more days.

The exhibition, which is ending this Sunday, features more than 90 works by seven contemporary female photographers from North County, along with large-scale installations exploring connections with nature and one another. Hear Curator of Exhibitions Alyson Benford share more about the exhibition in this video.

Here are more of the events and activities happening soon at our city libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center:

• Alchemy + light exhibition (last day is Sunday, Aug. 23) – Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m., William D. Cannon Art Gallery 
• Cinema Club Friday: “Marcello Mio” – Friday, Aug. 21, 4 and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Front Row Saturday: Elizabeth Bowersox – Saturday, Aug. 22, 5 p.m., Dove Library
• Art of Belonging – Monday, Aug. 24, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Carlsbad Senior Center
• Reel Wednesday: “My Best Friend's Wedding” – Wednesday, Aug. 26, 4 and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• End of Summer Bash – Friday, Aug. 28, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Carlsbad Senior Center
• Author event: Tess Gerritsen – Monday, Aug. 31, noon to 1:30 p.m., Dove Library

Upcoming city meetings

The next City Council meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 1, but the Library Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet next week. Board and commission meetings are livestreamed on the city’s website and available to watch afterward. See the full meeting schedule on our city calendar.

We’re expecting another warm week in Carlsbad. If you need a place to cool off, you can visit the air-conditioned Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane during regular business hours.

Have a great weekend!

Geoff Patnoe

City Manager