818 Day celebrates the people and culture of the San Fernando Valley
My Valley Pass, Valley Relics Museum and Family Fun Arcade hosted an 818 Day celebration to honor the San Fernando Valley.
CANOGA PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- "818 Day, how can I even explain what 818 Day means to me, it means everything," said Valley Relics volunteer Connor Sehnert.
"I love the diversity, I love the people, I love the weather," said Reseda Resident Shonda Parker.
Community members kicked off 818 Day at the Westfield Topanga & The Village in Canoga Park on Aug. 18 to honor the San Fernando Valley. From live music to arcade games and old relics, people enjoyed a variety of festivities.
"It's just a really great opportunity to hone in the community that we love," said Brandon Soriano, a manager at Norman's Rare Guitars.
Community organization My Valley Pass, the Valley Relics Museum and Family Fun Arcade hosted the event, which runs for four days through Aug. 21.
"It's a really unique place to come and see some cool stuff that we put up from the Valley Relics Museum," said Oscar Urrutia, founder of My Valley Pass. "There are different flags around the area, so you guys can check out the landmarks that have been put into the San Fernando Valley."
Urrutia founded My Valley Pass and said he started 818 Day four years ago because he wanted representation for people and businesses in the Valley.
"We saw the area code (818) and said you know we should do something special for that date. So, a few years ago we started doing small celebrations for 818. And since then, it's actually grown to become a very special event because of Westfield," Urrutia said.
For the San Fernando Valley community, 818 Day is a special day for people to celebrate its unique history and culture.
"What it means to me to be here on 818 Day is that I get to represent the area that I've lived in for so long. I also get to show a display of the games I used to run at Family Fun Arcade in Granada Hills during our 38-year run," said Ralph Sehnert, owner of Family Fun Arcade.
"818 means a lot to all of us. Norman's has been a cultural hub in the Valley. So, for us to be able to come here on 818 Day and represent our portion of the Valley is really an honor," Soriano said.
For more information on the annual event, go to westfield.com/Topanga.
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