A time capsule has been buried at Bradford Park since 1976, and its plaque gives an opening date of December 2, 2026. That date matches the city's actual birthday. Placentia incorporated on December 2, 1926. The capsule went into the ground when the city was 50, and it comes out when the city turns 100.
The party is on a different day. The City's calendar lists the Centennial Birthday Celebration for Saturday, December 5, from 4:30 to 10 p.m. at Placentia Champions Sports Complex, 505 Jefferson St. December 2 falls on a Wednesday this year. The plaque set the opening date and the calendar set the party, which means the city celebrates its 100th twice in one week.
You'll find the party on the City's event calendar. Details about the capsule opening are harder to find, and every event left this fall leads up to it.
What the City Has Said About the Capsule
The most detailed public discussion of the capsule took place at the Centennial Steering Committee meeting on May 11, 2026. Nicolette Drulias, the City's Communications and Marketing Manager, gave an update that the minutes summarize this way:
"Staff have begun internal discussions about logistics for opening the existing capsule on the date indicated on the plaque (the second, between the Council meeting and the City's birthday celebration) and about where and how to display its contents."
Staff aren't sure what shape the capsule or its contents are in after fifty years underground. The plan, as of May, was to dig the capsule up at its current site and open it somewhere else, possibly at the Civic Center. The Placentia Library might then show the contents in its history room as a fixed or traveling display.
Fire Prevention Specialist Bruto suggested livestreaming the opening for residents who can't attend. Drulias agreed and said staff would look at options, including the City Council's existing broadcast setup. Staff may also bury a new capsule at the Civic Center. They floated the idea of a special meeting right before a Council meeting to decide what goes inside and how the ceremony and placement would work.
As of early October, every part of this is still a possibility, not a schedule. No opening time, venue or livestream link has been posted. The new capsule hasn't been confirmed. If you want to be there when the 1976 capsule opens, keep an eye on City Council agendas in late November. The minutes tie the opening to the Council meeting next to it.
The Countdown From Here
Five dates remain between today and the party. One is this Saturday.
- Saturday, October 10. The Placentia Heritage Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tri-City Park, 2301 N. Kraemer Blvd. This year's theme is "Stars, Stripes, and Stories."
- Tuesday, October 20. The Placentia Historical Committee ends its Centennial Lecture Series with "Placentia's Spooky History."
- Saturday, October 31. This is the last day to submit a family recipe to the Placentia Library District's "America's Table" project.
- Wednesday, December 2. The city turns 100, and the date on the plaque comes due.
- Saturday, December 5. The Centennial Birthday Celebration takes place at Champions Sports Complex.
Heritage Festival Saturday Has Extra Weight This Year
The Heritage Festival is a yearly event. Last year's ran October 11, 2025, with the same 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. hours. This year's festival celebrates two milestones at once, America's 250th anniversary and Placentia's centennial, according to the Placentia Heritage Festival site. The capsule's timing lines up with the theme. It was buried in 1976, the year the country turned 200, and it opens the year the festival marks 250.
Getting there takes some planning. The festival site lists free parking at Tuffree Middle School, 2101 Tuffree Blvd. Free shuttles will run continuously from Placentia Town Center and Tuffree Park. A 2026 event guide says the parade starts at Bastanchury Road and Kraemer Boulevard and heads north to Tri-City Park. The organizer's map shows the parade moving north on Kraemer in the southbound lanes.
The festival's street-closure page says roads close at 7 a.m. and should reopen around 1 p.m. on these streets:
- Kraemer Blvd. in both directions between Yorba Linda Blvd. and Saturn St.
- Golden Ave. between Kraemer Blvd. and McKinley Dr.
- Bastanchury Rd. between Tuffree Blvd. and Sarah Ave.
- Madison Ave. between Bradford Ave. and Lavender Ln.
- Eastbound Yorba Linda Blvd. at Mr. D's driveway, and westbound Yorba Linda Blvd. at Palm Dr.
That page doesn't say which year it applies to, so check it again on Friday before planning a Saturday morning drive. Neighborhood streets around those intersections will also be affected. As of today, the organizer hasn't posted a parade start time, a grand marshal or an entertainment lineup. The site says it will add schedules as they're finalized.
The Lecture Series Ends on a Lighter Note
The Placentia Historical Committee has run local history talks through the centennial year. In April, it held a practical one, "Preserving Placentia: Historic Homes, the Mills Act & How to Qualify." The final talk is lighter. On Tuesday, October 20, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., "Placentia's Spooky History" covers "all things that go bump in the night right here in Placentia." It takes place in the Community Meeting Room at the Placentia Library, 411 E. Chapman Ave. The talk is free, open to all ages and doesn't require a reservation.
This is the same committee whose 2022 meeting notes are the public record of where the capsule is and when it opens. If the Library ends up showing the capsule's contents, as staff suggested in May, they'd go into the history room in this same building.
A Recipe Drive With a Halloween Deadline
"America's Table" collects recipes from residents through October 31. The Library District will put them in a book that preserves the city's food history. The Library's fall guide lists it as an America 250 program, not an official centennial event. Its timing fits, though. Anything submitted this month becomes part of a record made in 2026, much as the 1976 capsule is a record of its own year.
What December 5 Looks Like So Far
The May minutes give the clearest picture of the birthday party. When Committee Member Davis asked how the centennial year would wrap up, Community Services Supervisor Khzouz described a carnival area for children, a drum show and the tree lighting, all at Champions.
She also explained a complication. A possible downtown project could affect whether events like the tamale festival can be held downtown if that street area is under construction. If that happens, staff might combine several experiences into the birthday event, including a spot to see Santa. The City's calendar now confirms the date, hours and venue, but it doesn't list activities yet. A carnival, a drum show and a tree lighting are the confirmed plans. Anything else depends on what happens downtown.
How the Year Got Here
The City officially launched the centennial on January 13, 2026, when the City Council proclaimed 2026 the city's centennial year. The Mayor's Centennial Gala followed on January 24 at Alta Vista Country Club. The Centennial 5K moved from its first planned date of May 2 to June 27. It started at Tri-City Park and finished at Kraemer Memorial Park. Staff worked with Santa Fe merchants on the 5K so runners would head downtown after the race. The Centennial Art Walk was set for July 18 in Old Town, with the street fully closed and all thirteen entries from the centennial art contest on display.
Old Town has also picked up some new names this year. City business records show Franco's Mexican Restaurant at 120 W. Santa Fe Ave. and Golden State Coffee Roasters at 109 W. Santa Fe Ave., both registered in January 2026. Tony's Bar & Deli, a longtime Anaheim deli, has moved to 132 S. Bradford Ave.
Each of these events was set on a calendar this year. The capsule opening is the only date on the list that was fixed back in 1976.
If you'd like to talk about your home, your street or just what's in that capsule, Kevin Kott has lived in Orange County all his life and would be glad to hear from you. When you want a clear picture of what your Placentia home is worth in its 100th year, get your free home valuation.
