For the San Fernando Valley community, 818 Day is a celebration of the culture and history
The three-day event is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Sunday Aug. 20.
CANOGA PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- For many people living in the San Fernando Valley, 818 Day is a special time to celebrate the people, culture and its history.
"818 Day is celebrating the Valley and some of the unique things about it," said Family Fun Arcade President Ralph Sehnert.
"What makes it so special is the people, the community," said Woodland Hills resident Marcus Randall.
818 Day is a celebration that honors San Fernando Valley residents and cultural locations in the 818 area code.
This year, a celebration is being held at the Westfield Topanga mall in Canoga Park through Aug. 20.
"We have a really cool setup this year again. We have our free retro arcades on free play, we have a cool display of the Valley Relics Museum and we have some cool music throughout the entire weekend," said My Valley Pass founder Oscar Urrutia.
Urrutia says he started 818 Day six years ago because he wanted representation for the San Fernando Valley and businesses.
"We always noticed that people were saying, 'Happy 818 Day,' but nothing was ever really celebrated. So, the Valley Relics Museum and My Valley Pass took it upon ourselves to start making it a bigger thing for the Valley," Urrutia said.
Now, the special day has turned into an annual event at the Westfield Topanga mall. This year, community organization My Valley Pass, the Valley Relics Museum and Family Fun Arcade are hosting the celebration inside Topanga Social, a space for gathering in the mall.
"I read about it on Facebook and wanted to come here and enjoy the activities and Topanga Social," said Northridge resident Clayton Hirayama.
People can enjoy arcade games, look at Valley relics or kick back and eat at the different restaurants.
"818 is celebrating the Valley and as we are Topanga Social, new to the Valley, we want to be a hub for 818 Day for everyone to come celebrate," said Dave Gonzales, director of operations for Topanga Social.
"People still remember Family Fun Arcade and what we brought, which was great entertainment and a great community for a long time. And we're able to give that back to them at this moment," Sehnert said.
The three-day event is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Sunday, Aug. 20.
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