by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | Apr 25, 2023 | Events, Art and Entertainment, Los Gatos
Looking forward to those fabulous free summer concerts? So am I! This year we’ve combined the schedules of different Los Gatos music festivals: Music in the Park, Jazz on the Plazz, and Fiesta de Artes, as well as some single-day events in a post on my Live in Los Gatos blog. Not all schedules are published, and remember to check the festival web sites for rules, schedule changes, and directions.
Follow this link to get to the schedule on the Live in Los Gatos Blog!
by Mary Pope-Handy | Nov 22, 2022 | Events, Art and Entertainment, Los Gatos, Saratoga
The Thanksgiving Interfaith Service in Saratoga often takes place on Thanksgiving morning. There’s also an annual service in Los Gatos, and that one is anywhere from 2 – 7 days in advance of the holiday.
Both of these welcome everyone to join them in gratitude and prayer. Also in both of these areas, the venue rotates from one house of worship to another each year. In Los Gatos, the interfaith prayer event took place a week before Thanksgiving (you can read about the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service in Los Gatos here).
It was harder to find information online for the similar service in Saratoga this year. I just found this small blurb on the Saratoga Federated Church website:
Saratoga’s Thanksgiving Interfaith Service – November 24, 2022
Thursday, November 24 at 10:00 am at LDS Church at 19100 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga.
And this from the Congregation Beth-David site:
INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING SERVICE IN SARATOGA (OFFSITE/ZOOM)
Thursday, November 24, 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
19100 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga
Join with others for an uplifting service of thanksgiving and community. Rabbi Roller will be delivering the sermon. For those preferring to attend the service on Zoom, please follow this link: https://zoom.us/j/3211896714?pwd=MDB5elUxZlpBNTljOVU2bTVObTl3dz09
Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Below is an OLD graphic from 2018 – helpful mainly because it shows which faith communities have been involved in the past.
by Clair Handy | Oct 20, 2022 | Events, Art and Entertainment
Happy Halloween! Looking for frights, food, or family friendly fun? This year there are more in-person events across Silicon Valley! Remember to check ahead and read all instructions before you attend any of these events.
Pumpkin Patches
Schools and churches often have patches. Grocery stores and hardware stores are open and regularly have pumpkins for sale, and you might spot a pumpkin or two among the other squash at a farmers market. ABC Tree Farm’s Pick of the Patch Pumpkins is operating per county and state ordinances and have patches throughout the Bay Area. This year, they’re once again offering a pumpkin delivery service within the San Francisco Bay Area, so you can remain home and still participate.
We’re keeping this list strictly Halloween (and pumpkins), however there are plenty of wonderful Octoberfest, Dia De Los Muertos, Diwali, Harvest Festival, and many more seasonal celebrations and activities happening in the Silicon Valley throughout October in addition to these Halloween events.
Halloween events by area in Santa Clara County & Silicon Valley
LOS GATOS
Magical Glass Pumpkin Patch – Sunday, Oct 23rd 10am – 5pm at Los Gatos High School
Los Gatos Halloween Pet & Kid Parade – Sunday, Oct 30th 3pm – 5pm in Downtown Los Gatos
CAMPBELL
Succulents and Pumpkins Workshop – Saturday, Oct 22nd 10am
Cloud City’s 2nd Annual Pet Howl-oween Costume Contest – Friday, Oct 28th 6pm
Creepy Crawly Halloween Trick-or-Treat – Sunday, Oct 30th 4pm – 6pm in Downtown Campbell
Westmont High School’s Super-Scary Fright Nights – Friday, Oct 28th & Saturday, Oct 29th every 30 min from 7pm – 9pm
CUPERTINO
Monster Mash – Friday, Oct 28th 7pm – 8:30pm at the Quinlan Community Center, a party for families with children ages 12 and under
Halloween Lego Workshop by inPlay – Saturday, Oct 29 2pm – 4pm Portal Park Building
SARATOGA
Queen’s Pumpkin Patch – Open every day in October
Doggy Halloween Parade and Costume Contest – Friday, Oct 28th 4pm – 6:30pm at the Chamber of Commerce
Witchy Walk-A-Bout – Saturday, Oct 29th 2pm – 4pm in Saratoga Village
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by Mary Pope-Handy | Dec 3, 2019 | Downtown San Jose, Events, Art and Entertainment
Mark your calendars – December 12th begins the annual “Season of Hope” free concert series at the St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica in San Jose. Performances are at 7:30 pm nightly from Dec 12 – 23 and last one hour. All are welcome!
Find the complete list of who’s performing on which night on the website page for the Cathedral Basilica of San Jose’s Season of Hope Concert Series. A variety of musical styles and performers, many from schools, will perform. The final night features harp music. The Cathedral is located at 80 S Market Street, San Jose, CA 95112.
Happy holidays, one and all!
by Mary Pope-Handy | Aug 12, 2019 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Events, Art and Entertainment
A San Jose tradition since 1976, the Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival is a very enjoyable non-profit fundraiser that appeals to just about everyone in Silicon Valley!
This year’s event runs Sunday September 15th from 10am – 6pm at Almaden Lake Park (located at Almaden Expressway and Coleman Road, near the base of Almaden Valley and nearly touching the Blossom Valley area of San Jose).
This one day event is sponsored by the Almaden valley Women’s Club and the proceeds all go to charitable causes. The website states that “All proceeds of the festival are donated to non-profit organizations and schools in our community and also support merit-based scholarships to deserving students.”
To get all the details, please visit the Almaden Valley Women’s Club website. I hope to see you there!
by Mary Pope-Handy | Mar 27, 2019 | Events, Art and Entertainment
There are several outdoor wine events that take place each spring here in the Valley of Heart’s Delight (and more in summer and in autumn!). Here are a few which are coming up:
And of course there are many places throughout Santa Clara County where you can wine taste without any kind of festival or big event. These wine walks tend to be a lot of fun as there are plenty of vendors there, making for great shopping and browsing.
by Mary Pope-Handy | Mar 11, 2019 | Events, Art and Entertainment
In April, travel back in time to the early- to mid-20th century and celebrate Santa Clara Valley’s heritage with the Saratoga Historical Foundation and the City of Saratoga’s Blossom Festival.
When the hills of Los Gatos, Saratoga, and the surrounding regions were covered with fruit blossoms every year, a Blossom Festival was held with parades, food, games, and theatrical performances. These massive celebrations saw visitors come from miles around to enjoy the beauty of the valley and the festivities.
When is the Saratoga Blosssom Festival?
This year, the Saratoga Blossom Festival will take place on April 13 from 10am-4pm in the Saratoga Heritage Orchard & Civic Center area. from 10am-4pm, the Saratoga Heritage Orchard and Civic Center area will be host to a new Blossom Festival. The event is free and family friendly. Children may enjoy kids craft and activity tables and a petting zoo. History buffs can rub elbows with costumed characters from Saratoga’s by-gone-days, see vintage vehicles, motors, and tractors, and swing to a live band playing tunes from the 1930s-40s. Foodies might enjoy gourmet food trucks, prune and apricot tasting (the prize crops of the Valley of Heart’s Delight), and docent-led orchard tours. There will also be artists, craftspeople, entertainment, and more!
Join us in the orchard under a snowfall of pink and white flower petals and celebrate the beauty of the changing season at the Saratoga Blossom Festival!
Saratoga Heritage Orchard and Civic Center area
13777 Fruitvale Avenue in Saratoga, CA
April 13th from 10am-4pm, free to all!
http://www.saratogahistory.com/blossomfestival/
by Mary Pope-Handy | Feb 5, 2019 | Events, Art and Entertainment
Happy Lunar New Year, Happy Chinese New Year to All!
by Mary Pope-Handy | Jul 21, 2018 | Events, Art and Entertainment, Gilroy, Kids, Local History, Santa Clara County (all)
Greet the morning with the sweet smell of fresh Garlic in the air – the Gilroy Garlic Festival is back!
If you’ve ever caught the vivid aroma of the stinking rose early in the day it’s likely a breeze coming over the southern Santa Clara County city of Gilroy, the Garlic capital of the world. Whether you love or hate the pungent allium, this herb is a favorite for many foodies in Silicon Valley and around the world.
Gilroy celebrates their favorite bulb one weekend of the year during the Gilroy Garlic Festival, the last weekend in July. This year it’s back for the 38th annual event held on July 29, 30, and 31, 2016. So what to should you expect from “summer’s ultimate food fair?” Food, food, food, fun, shopping, music, and more!
Gourmet Alley is “all about the food” – classics like garlic bread, garlic fries, calamari, scampi, and sausage are available at the booths, and at the end aisle, watch the Pyro-Chefs stoke up five foot tall blazes from their frying pans. Weird food lovers will enjoy a plenitude of flavors from other booths around the festival, including free samples of garlic ice-cream, alligator and buffalo meat, or ice cream in a half cantaloupe. There’s also the range of standard festival food stalls, beer, wine, coolers, and non-alcoholic chilled drinks.
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by Mary Pope-Handy | Jul 1, 2018 | Events, Art and Entertainment
Mark your calendars! Please join us for the Almaden Music in the Park series every Thursday in July! The evening hours are 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at Graystone Park.
Here’s the 2018 lineup:
7/5- Rock the Heat
7/12- The Houserockers
7/19- Old Scholl Rock n Roll
7/26 Long Train Runnin’
Many people bring picnic suppers to enjoy. Layered clothing is often a good idea as sometimes our summer evenings can become breezy or cool.
A few other Realtors at Sereno Group and I are sponsoring the month long event. At our table, under the green awning, we give away water bottles and red vines. Please stop by and say hello! (And if you are one of my blog readers, I really would love to meet you, too!)
Almaden Music in the Park crowd July 7 2016
These musical evenings are open to everyone, without cost to the general public. In the few years in which I’ve been a co-sponsor, I’ve noticed that the first week is nicely attended, but the audience grows each time and by the last night, it’s a large crowd with loads of dancing. So don’t wait – go to the first Almaden Music in the Park concert and make as many of them as you can!
Graystone Park address: Camden Ave & Mt Carmel Dr, San Jose, CA 95120. Street parking.
