Mayor's Welcome

Ghosts, goblins, and ghouls are not the only things that go bump in the night on Halloween! Fasten your seatbelts as the Garden Grove Police Department is issuing a fang-tastic reminder encouraging drivers to be extra careful as more children are out walking the neighborhood haunting for treats.

“Driving under the influence can turn a spooktacular night into a real-life nightmare,” Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra said. “If your night involves boos at a Halloween party, make sure you plan for a sober ride home. Even one drink can impair judgment.”

On Saturday, October 28, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Garden Grove Police Department will participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event gives the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to the Garden Grove Police Department, located at 11301 Acacia Parkway, Garden Grove 92840.

The Garden Grove Sanitary District, in collaboration with Republic Services, invites residents living in multi-family properties, such as apartments and condominiums, to attend a presentation on the state-mandated Organics Recycling program focused on residential food waste recycling. Meetings will be held in October and November in various locations throughout the city.

Presentations will be available in multi-languages. The in-person meetings are scheduled for:

The community is invited to attend the City of Garden Grove’s Halloween-themed community event, Jack O’ Lantern Jamboree on Saturday, October 28, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., at Atlantis Play Center, located in Garden Grove Park, at 13630 Atlantis Way.

Activities include train rides, inflatable obstacle courses, a magic show, balloon twister, a pumpkin patch, carnival games, a reptile booth with educational shows, and more. Costumes are encouraged.

On Sunday, October 8, 2023, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Historic Main Street will close for the 23rd Annual Elvis Festival. Parking on Historic Main Street will be restricted during that time. Historic Main Street will be accessible to pedestrians and businesses will remain open.

The Elvis Festival will take place on Sunday, October 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The event will feature a classic car show, Elvis tribute artists, fan clubs, vendors, and more.

For more information on the street closure, contact the Garden Grove Police Department at (714) 741-5704.

The community is encouraged to attend a public hearing during the regular meeting of the Garden Grove City Council on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. to adopt the updated 2021-2029 Housing Element. The public hearing will be held at the Garden Grove Community Meeting Center, located at 11300 Stanford Avenue.

Beginning Thursday, October 12 through Sunday, October 15, the 2023 Asian Pacific Festival will take place in Garden Grove Park, located at 9301 Westminster Avenue. During the four-day festival, limited road access and additional pedestrian and car traffic are anticipated in the immediate area. Motorists are asked to plan accordingly to avoid delays.

On Sunday, October 1, 2023, from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Historic Main Street will close for the Mooncake Festival. Parking on Historic Main Street will be restricted during that time. Historic Main Street will be accessible to pedestrians and businesses will remain open.

The Mooncake Festival will take place on Sunday, October 1, from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Activities at the event include folk games, lion dancers, a costume contest, a lantern parade, and more.

For more information on the street closure, contact the Garden Grove Police Department at (714) 741-5704.

As part of the City of Garden Grove’s commitment to better connect residents and business owners to City services, news, and more, the City has launched a new version of its mobile app, now available for download on iOS and Android devices. Find the new app on the Apple Store or Google Play by searching for ‘Garden Grove.’ From all new downloads made through October 31, 2023, three users will be selected at random to receive $100 Costco gift cards. To enter, download and upon opening the app for the first time, allow to receive notifications.

On Thursday, September 21, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., all Garden Grove residents and businesses with an active landline will receive a call to test the County’s regional mass notification system known as AlertOC.

The exercise on September 21 will test AlertOC’s ability to deliver emergency notifications to Garden Grove residents and businesses during a disaster. The phone message will also encourage residents and businesses to register to receive notifications by visiting www.alertoc.org.