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Dan O'Brien Newsletter — June 21, 2026
📬 Councilmember Dan O'Brien | Culver City | June 22, 2026
Hello, friends,
There was a moment in the stands at last week's New Zealand versus Iran World Cup match when I looked around and realized the scoreboard was the least interesting thing in the building. Two sets of fans, a hard-fought 2-2 draw on the pitch, and everything happening in the world right now sitting just outside the gates, and from where I was sitting it was nothing but love. Love of country, and love of one another, no matter which team you came to cheer for. That is exactly how sport brings people together, and the best part is that you do not need a ticket to feel it. Below you will find where to catch the action right here in town this week, a look back at Saturday's Juneteenth celebration, and a look ahead to Pride.
⚽ Around Town: The World Cup Comes Home to Culver City
🔹 Kick It With Culver City turns our parks and plazas into the best seats in town. After taking in a match in person last week, here is what I keep coming back to: you do not need a ticket, or even a car, to feel that energy. The City is screening tournament games for free on its high-definition LED screen, with eight World Cup matches being played just up the road at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Three of those watch parties land this very week.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: A global event playing a few miles away could easily feel like something happening to us instead of with us. Kick It flips that. It drops the world's biggest sporting moment right into our own neighborhoods, where local restaurants, longtime fans, and first-time watchers all share one screen. That is the whole point.
→ 🎯 My take: I will own a small bias here. If you spotted me in my "All Whites" cap last week, you already know which side I was pulling for, and New Zealand is back on the pitch Friday, June 26 at Ivy Station. Wherever your loyalties land, grab a blanket and come cheer alongside your neighbors.
👉 See the full Kick It With Culver City schedule
✊🏾 Juneteenth: Reflection and Celebration at Veterans Memorial Park
🔹 Culver City marked Juneteenth on Saturday with a free community celebration. Veterans Memorial Park filled with music, dance, and gathering on June 20, opening with "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and welcome remarks from local and regional leaders, then carrying into a family-friendly afternoon with live performances, food, a kids area, and community resource booths.
→ 💡 What this means: Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved Americans in Texas finally learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Setting aside an afternoon to remember that, together and out in the open, is how a community keeps that history close instead of letting it fade into a date on a calendar.
→ 🎯 A personal note: Veterans Memorial Park is where my own civic life in Culver City began years ago, so having that park host a day like this is its own kind of full-circle, and it means a lot to me. My thanks to the organizers, the performers, and every neighbor who came out to celebrate.
👉 Learn about Culver City's Juneteenth celebration
🌈 Coming Up: Culver City PRIDE Returns June 27
🔹 Culver City PRIDE celebrates its sixth year at The Culver Steps on Saturday, June 27. The volunteer-led festival takes over Town Plaza from 5 to 10 PM with live performances, DJs, local artists, community booths, and an expanded layout built for more room to dance, relax, and connect. Last year drew more than 1,000 people, and organizers are planning for an even bigger turnout this time.
→ 🌈 What makes ours different: What makes our Pride distinct is that it is unmistakably ours, small enough to feel like a neighborhood gathering and rooted in the local culture, mobility, and businesses that define Culver City. Admission is free, so grab a quick RSVP, bring your crew, and help the organizers plan.
📅 Dates & What's Ahead
🔹 Wednesday, June 24 at 6 PM. Kick It With Culver City at Tellefson Park, Mexico vs. Czechia. Park activities open at 5 PM with performances, food vendors, kids crafts, and bike valet. Parking is limited, so walking, biking, or Culver CityBus Line 1 is the move.
🔹 Thursday, June 25 at 7 PM. Kick It With Culver City at Ivy Station, USA vs. Türkiye.
🔹 Friday, June 26 at 8 PM. Kick It With Culver City at Ivy Station, New Zealand vs. Belgium.
🔹 Saturday, June 27, 5 to 10 PM. Culver City PRIDE Festival at Town Plaza, The Culver Steps. See above.
🔹 Looking further out. Kick It returns for semifinal viewing and a Family Field Day at Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday, July 11, and the World Cup Final screening comes to Town Plaza on Sunday, July 19.
🔹 Every Tuesday, 2-7 PM. Downtown Farmers Market. Main Street. Grab produce, support local growers, and say hello to neighbors.
👉 Visit the Farmers Market page
🔹 How to watch and participate in meetings. Agendas post Wednesdays before Monday meetings. You can attend in person or virtually.
🙏 Closing Thought
Three very different gatherings sit inside this one newsletter: a World Cup watch party, a Juneteenth celebration, and a Pride festival. On paper they share almost nothing. In practice they are the same idea wearing different colors, neighbors choosing to show up in a shared space and walking away glad they did. The feeling I had in the stands last week, the one that had nothing to do with the final score, turns out to be available all summer long, usually within walking distance and almost always for free.
So pick a Saturday, or a Wednesday night under a giant screen, and bring someone along. A city this size is at its best when the plaza is full and the lawn is crowded. I would love to see you out there, and if something around town needs this office's attention, you know where to find me.
