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Whats up, Garden Grove!

Need weekend plans? Let's see whats going on in Garden Grove and surrounding areas!

If you have events or stories that should be added to a future edition, let me know! hello@whatsupgardengrove.com

Or just reply to this email.

Did You Know?

The annual Strawberry Festival has been held every Memorial Day weekend since 1958?

Garden Grove is also the location of the second-largest Vietnamese American population in the United States, behind only San Jose, California.

The city was named after the Garden Grove Ranch, a 543-acre property that was established in 1874.

Downtown Garden Grove

Live Music + Food Hall Nights
Where: SteelCraft Garden Grove
When: Friday & Saturday nights
Casual outdoor hang with live music and multiple food options. Easy group plan.

View the Steel Craft Calendar

DIY Night Out: Main Street Crawl
Where: Historic Main Street Garden Grove
When: Anytime this weekend
Make it a loop: coffee, dinner, then dessert. No planning needed.

🎶 Live music at the Garden Amp 🎶

Pastrami Pizza? Trust Me on This One.

This might be the most unexpected pizza combo in Garden Grove—and somehow, it works.

👉 Pastrami pizza.

We’re talking:

• stacked pastrami
• dill pickle chips
• a mustard swirl
• melty mozzarella

It sounds wild—but it all comes together in the best way.

Founder tip: try it without the pizza sauce 👀

 

Not into pastrami? Their BBQ chicken, supreme, and deluxe pizzas are all solid too—you really can’t go wrong.

If you’re looking to switch up your usual pizza order, this is one of those “you’ve gotta try it” spots.

Easily one of the better local options around.

Affordable, filling, and really good—this spot checks all three.

Find out more

Pineapple Lagoon: Tiki Soft Serve Spot You Need to Try

Pineapple Lagoon is one of those spots that just feels like summer.

This family-owned, tiki-inspired soft serve shop is known for its fun, tropical flavors—think pineapple, mango, watermelon, orange, lime, strawberry—and yes, you can swirl them together. You can get up to two swirls, for a total of 4 flavors in one cup!

And don’t skip the toppings…
👉 coconut is a must (trust me)

What to Know

• Tons of flavor combos + swirl options
• Fully customizable with toppings
• The pineapple Dole Whip is dairy-free

Insider Tip

Check the freezer—sometimes they have leftover pints from the night before (buy one, get one free). Perfect if you want to take some home.

Also, it can get busy (because it’s that good), but honestly… it just gives you time to figure out your perfect combo.

Check it out

Deadline Extended to Enter "Garden Grove Gems"

The City’s Garden Grove Gems program is all about celebrating homes that go the extra mile—whether it’s landscaping, curb appeal, or just overall pride of ownership.

👉 You now have until May 4 to nominate your home (or someone else’s)

And it’s not just for fun—
💰 You could win a $100 Home Depot gift card (4 winners picked)

This program has been around in different forms for over 40 years, highlighting some of the best-kept homes in Garden Grove—and it’s a great way to show off the work you’ve put into your space.

👉 If you’ve been putting in the effort, this is your moment.

More information

🍓 Strawberry Festival is almost here 🍓

Looking to declutter or get rid of bulky items?

Garden Grove’s Community Cleanup Day is coming up—and it’s one of the easiest ways to clear things out responsibly.

Residents can drop off unwanted items (including larger stuff that won’t fit in your regular trash), all in one place.

👉 A good excuse to finally clean out the garage before summer.

📅 When: May 16
📍 Where: Garden Grove Park

Residents may bring unwanted and unused items, such as non-refrigerant appliances, furniture, mattresses, and carpets. Electronic waste, including printers and computers are also accepted. This will be a self-service event in which residents will be unloading their own items on a first-come, first-served basis until bins are full.

Items not accepted include hazardous waste, batteries, LED lights, refrigerators, freezers, AC units, concrete, dirt, and tires.

More information

"Camp Grove" Summer Camp for Kids

Camp Grove is back this summer, and registration is now open.

This city-run program is designed for kids ages 6–12 and runs throughout the summer with weekly sessions packed with activities like:

• Arts & crafts
• Games & outdoor fun
• Weekly themed activities

📅 Dates: June through early August (weekly sessions available)

It’s a solid local option for keeping kids active, social, and busy while school’s out.

Spots tend to fill up quickly, so it’s worth locking something in sooner rather than later.

More Information

Have a story idea?

We want to hear from you 👀

Got a favorite weekend spot?
A place you always recommend?
Know someone in the community we should feature?
Or have a tip, deal, or life hack worth sharing?

👉 Send it our way: hello@whatsupgardengrove.com

Or just reply to this email.

Own a local business?

Want to be featured in What’s Up Garden Grove?

Let’s chat!