News from the City of Carlsbad | July 9, 2026 | | |
It was a moment years in the making: the sound of Reveille, the presentation of our nation’s colors and our City Council joining state and federal elected officials and military veterans to break ground on Veterans Memorial Park. If you missed the moving ceremony, you can catch up by watching this highlight video.
In today’s update, I’ll share what’s next for Veterans Memorial Park, along with details about this week’s TGIF concert.
Here’s the full lineup:
- Breaking ground on Veterans Memorial Park
- Dance the night away at this Friday’s TGIF concert
- Local groups help keep libraries and arts thriving
- Species spotlight: Cliff swallow
- Trail volunteer event next Wednesday
- Community events and activities
- Upcoming city meetings
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Breaking ground on Veterans Memorial Park
On the heels of celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary, and just in time to kick off National Park and Recreation Month, our City Council joined military veterans, community members, and state and federal elected officials July 6 to officially break ground on Veterans Memorial Park. The new 93.7-acre park will be located near the intersection of Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road. It will offer a wide range of amenities and a Veterans Memorial Plaza, while preserving nearly half the park site as open space.
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Veterans Memorial Park features and amenities
The park will serve as a dedicated place to recognize and honor the nation’s veterans, the first of its kind in Carlsbad. Designed based on years of community input, it will include spaces for quiet contemplation as well as active uses such as the city’s first bike park and a nature-inspired playground.
Here’s a look at what’s planned:
- Veterans Memorial Plaza with six descriptive panels honoring each branch of the U.S. military, bronze inlaid mottos, a flagpole, a small platform and perimeter seating
- Public art located separately on the upper plateau with panoramic views of the coastline and Agua Hedionda Lagoon
- An inclusive playground and open recreational areas
- Picnic areas and family gathering spaces
- A bike park with a nearby shaded plaza and spectator seating
- Outdoor fitness areas and a fitness climb to the upper plateau
- Buildings with restrooms and support space for community events
- Two parking lots with drop-off areas and electric vehicle charging stations
- Connections to the citywide trail network
The north and south portions of the park will be connected by passive open space.
Construction timeline
Construction on Veterans Memorial Park is expected to start in the next few weeks and take approximately two years to complete. You can sign up to receive construction updates via email or text the keyword VeteransPark (one word) to 760-302-5500 to sign up for text updates.
I’ll also continue to share construction progress in these weekly updates.
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Dance the night away at this Friday’s TGIF concert
Dance Dance Evolution, a full-scale, live dance band, will perform some of the biggest hits from the 1970s to today, including disco, funk, pop, rock, R&B and modern dance music, at Friday night’s TGIF concert.
Friday, July 10
Field opens at 4 p.m.
Concert starts at 6 p.m.
Stagecoach Community Park
3420 Camino de los Coches
Family-friendly activities
- Decorate your own upcycled CD to show off your musical tastes (4:30 to 7:30 p.m.)
- Disco pop dance lessons from Bella Lux Entertainment (5 to 5:45 p.m.)
Parking
Limited parking is available across the street at La Costa Canyon High School. If you can, consider carpooling or using a ride-share service. Another option is to ride your bike and use our free bike valet service, offered at each TGIF concert.
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Local groups help keep libraries and arts thriving
The TGIF summer concert series is just one example of year-round programming offered by the city’s Library & Cultural Arts Department, thanks in part to the generosity of community organizations.
Recently, the City Council accepted nearly $350,000 in donations from three local non-profit organizations:
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Carlsbad Library & Arts Foundation donated $224,877 to support programs at the Schulman Auditorium, library materials and services at the Library Learning Center, exhibits and education programs at the Cannon Art Gallery, and pop-up art activities at the TGIF Concerts in the Parks.
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Friends of the Carlsbad Library contributed $100,000 to provide supplies for children and teens, support technology programming, and help fund programs, performances, presentations and lecture series, including the annual Carlsbad Reads Together author visit.
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Carlsbad Friends of the Arts donated $25,000 to support TGIF Concerts in the Parks and other cultural arts programs.
These contributions are made possible through community fundraising, family endowments, bookstore sales and memberships. They help keep Carlsbad a place where residents can enjoy arts, culture and lifelong learning.
Visit the Carlsbad City Library and Cultural Arts websites to learn about the latest programming.
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Species spotlight: Cliff swallow
Summer travel is a popular pastime and that’s also true for some of our feathered friends. This time of year, Carlsbad is a busy stop along the Pacific Flyway, one of four bird migration routes in North America. The flyway spans from Alaska to the tip of South America.
An iconic traveler on the Pacific Flyway is the cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota). Each spring, this species migrates from South America to its breeding grounds in southern California, where it establishes large, social colonies in natural and manmade structures that have a vertical wall and horizontal overhang.
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Adult cliff swallows have dark blue-black backs and light buff-colored rumps. They eat insects all year round and forage in groups near water sources. Keep an eye out for their distinctive mud nest colonies.
The city’s more than 6,000 acres of protected open space, managed through our Habitat Management Plan, provide a welcome stopover for cliff swallows and other migratory birds. Preserving Carlsbad’s natural open space is one of the top goals in the City Council’s 5-Year Strategic Plan.
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Trail volunteer event next Wednesday
Speaking of Carlsbad’s beautiful open spaces, our next trail volunteer event is Wednesday, July 15, at the Village H North Trail in the Calavera Hills area.
Trail volunteer event
Wednesday, July 15
8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Village H North Trailhead
Carlsbad Village Drive at Victoria Avenue
- The city provides all the tools you need, plus training.
- Wear closed-toe shoes and long pants to protect against bugs and branches.
- Bring water, sunscreen and gloves. (If you don’t have gloves, we can provide them.)
Public parking is available along the street on Victoria Avenue, off Carlsbad Village Drive just south of the trailhead. You can also park along Tamarack Avenue near Hope Elementary. If you park on Tamarack, you’ll have to walk the trail to get to the meeting location.
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Community events and activities
Here are some other activities and events happening soon at our city libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center:
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Summer Games – Friday, July 10, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Carlsbad Senior Center
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Cinema Club Friday: “1776” – Friday, July 10, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
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Open Studios – portrait – Saturday, July 11, 1 to 2 p.m., Carlsbad Library Learning Center, Room 14
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Front Row Saturday: "Black Music: The Rhythm That Moves America" – Saturday, July 11, 5 to 6 p.m., Schulman Auditorium at Dove Library
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Reel Wednesday: "Storm Boy" – Wednesday, July 15, 4 p.m., Dove Library
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Open Studios – youth – Friday, July 17, 11 a.m. to noon, Cole Library
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Aloha Plunge – Saturday, July 18, 5 to 8 p.m., Alga Norte Aquatic Center
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