Between Saturday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Nov. 14, Simi Valley gets a world-premiere exhibition on the Reagan Library hilltop, the area's first Whole Foods Market on Tapo Canyon Road, two Veterans Day ceremonies and the start of the holiday season. Most of these arrive within a few days of each other. If you live here, the main thing to plan is the order. The week also ends with a detail that changes the math on the biggest ticket.
According to the Reagan Library, admission covers both its Princess Diana exhibition and An American Christmas. The Christmas exhibit opens on the last day of the week. A household that waits until Nov. 14 gets two special exhibitions in one visit. A household that goes on opening weekend gets one, and it will be sharing the galleries with what the Library expects to be large crowds.
What opens on the hilltop Saturday
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is debuting "Diana: Love Life Legacy — A Life of Giving" on Nov. 7. The foundation calls it the exhibition's first stop anywhere in the world, with more than 700 original artifacts covering every chapter of Diana's life.
The list of items is long. Some of them will draw visitors from well past the 118:
- The "Travolta" dress, on loan from Historic Royal Palaces
- Jacques Azagury's "Final Goodbye" dress, the last gown Diana tried on, shown publicly for the first time
- The invitation to the 1985 White House State Dinner
- The "Black Sheep" sweater and the "Caring" dress she wore to visit hospitalized children
- Her wedding slippers, the official royal wedding program, Lady Dior handbags, jewelry and handwritten letters
The Simi Valley stop has one piece no other city will get. The Library is pairing Diana's artifacts with items from President and Mrs. Reagan's archival collection, including dresses and personal pieces from Nancy Reagan, to tell the story of the transatlantic friendship between the two households. The exhibition runs through May 31, 2027, so opening weekend is not the only chance to see it.
The exhibit page lists hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Library is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. In its announcement, the foundation encourages advance ticket purchases because it expects large crowds. It does not mention timed entry.
Tuesday morning belongs to Tapo Canyon Road
Three days after the Diana opening, Whole Foods Market opens its first Simi Valley-area store at 2631 Tapo Canyon Road. The doors open at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10. After that, regular hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The company's Oct. 8 announcement puts the store at 35,203 square feet and counts it as the chain's 96th location in California.
If you've driven past Simi Valley Civic Center Plaza this year, you already know the building. It's the former Bed Bath & Beyond. The Simi Valley Acorn reported in January that the roughly 35,000-square-foot space was being remodeled for a grocery store, with parking, loading dock and exterior work underway. At that point the only clue to the tenant was a "Whole Foods Coming Soon" sign. By late March, the Acorn reported that Whole Foods was confirmed for the address and moving through tenant approvals. In early October, the paper described the interior work as finishing up, with an early-November target.
On opening morning, the first 300 customers in line get a limited-edition Simi Valley tote bag and a Secret Saver coupon worth up to $100 off. There will also be samples from B.T.R. Nation and Urban Remedy, plus coffee from a local supplier.
Many of the shelves will stock names from close to home. Whole Foods says the store will carry more than 1,500 products from California-based suppliers, including:
- Beer: Topa Topa Brewing Company and MadeWest Brewing Company, among 250 craft beers
- Seafood: smoked salmon from The Santa Barbara Smokehouse
- Prepared foods: sushi rolled daily by Kikka Sushi
- Produce: herbs and salads from Kenter Canyon Farms
- Cheese counter: cheese from Rumiano Cheese Company and chocolates from Chuao Chocolatier
As part of the opening, the company is donating food and money to Food Share Ventura County. That nonprofit already collects surplus food from local Whole Foods stores.
Tuesday is also the quietest stretch of the week on the hilltop. It falls between the Diana opening weekend and a Veterans Day that brings its own crowd.
Wednesday has two ceremonies and one flyover
Veterans Day lands on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and Simi Valley holds two public ceremonies.
At the Reagan Library, the 2026 commemoration starts with a flyover at 10:30 a.m., weather permitting. The program begins at 11 a.m., and the day also includes music, a Civil War encampment and military vehicles. The outdoor events and program are free. Veterans with valid ID get free museum admission that day, active-duty military are always admitted free, and regular rates apply to everyone else.
At the same hour across town, the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District holds its own Veterans Day ceremony at Rancho Tapo Community Park & Veterans Plaza, 3700 Avenida. It starts at 11 a.m. with music, guest speakers and recognition of veterans.
Both ceremonies start at 11 a.m., so you can attend only one in person. If you want unhurried time in front of the Diana gowns, you'll probably have more room on another day. A morning with a flyover and free museum entry for veterans is likely to fill the hilltop.
Saturday the 14th, when one ticket covers two exhibitions
An American Christmas opens at the Reagan Library on Saturday, Nov. 14, and runs through Jan. 3, 2027. It has 26 decorated trees, Santa appears on select dates, and hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Library's An American Christmas page covers admission for the season in one sentence.
"Admission prices to the Reagan Library include entry into both the Princess Diana and An American Christmas special exhibitions." The Library's plan-your-visit page lists base admission as follows:
- General: $16
- Seniors 62 and older: $13
- College students: $13
- Youth 11 to 17: $9
- Children 3 to 10: $6
- Children 2 and under, Foundation members and U.S. active military: free
That same page also says special temporary exhibits require an additional fee. The two pages don't match, so check the total at the ticket checkout before you buy. Either way, a visit on or after Nov. 14 puts Diana and the Christmas trees in the same afternoon at 40 Presidential Drive.
The same Saturday, Santa photos begin at Simi Valley Town Center, 1555 Simi Town Center Way. The season runs through Dec. 24, and reservations are required. The Town Center tree lighting is still listed as "Date/time TBD" on Visit Simi Valley's holiday roundup.
The full calendar, from this Sunday through Thanksgiving week
The week opens with a lead-in this weekend and continues past the 14th, so here is the whole run in order.
- Sunday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: SnowFest at Rancho Madera Community Park, 556 Lake Park Drive. Children's slides and attractions require a $20 wristband per person.
- Sunday, Nov. 1: Gary Sinise holds a conversation and book signing at the Reagan Library for Graceful Warrior.
- Saturday, Nov. 7: "Diana: Love Life Legacy — A Life of Giving" opens.
- Tuesday, Nov. 10, 9 a.m.: Whole Foods Market opens at 2631 Tapo Canyon Road.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m.: Veterans Day ceremonies at the Reagan Library, with the flyover at 10:30, and at Rancho Tapo Community Park & Veterans Plaza.
- Saturday, Nov. 14: An American Christmas opens on the hilltop, and Santa photos begin at Simi Valley Town Center.
- Thursday, Nov. 19, 6:30 p.m.: The city's "From Grass to Garden: Turf Removal Fundamentals" workshop, listed on the City of Simi Valley calendar.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 8 a.m.: A free household hazardous-waste event on the same city calendar.
- Monday, Nov. 23, 3 to 7 p.m.: Pet Photos with Santa at Simi Valley Town Center.
If you only have one free Saturday in November, Nov. 14 or any day after it gets you the most. That one hilltop visit covers both exhibitions, and Town Center's Santa season is already running.
Hosting family who want to see the Diana exhibit? We can help you plan a visit, and we're always glad to talk about the homes and land around Simi Valley that put the hilltop this close. When you're ready, The Jenna Kaye Group invites you to request a private consultation and a marketing plan built for your property.
