Seasonal changes may be subtle here in the Golden State, but the signs are there. Autumn is coming, bringing with it a flurry of major cultural happenings. Outdoor festivals give way to indoor delights: theatrical productions, classical concerts, literary readings, operatic flights of fancy.

It’s a time to enjoy these cultural riches—but without a little thing called foresight, it’s easy to miss out. This week’s issue lists many don’t-miss events. And for those who think they’ve seen it all, think again.

This is a big year for anniversaries. The School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza is marking its 25th anniversary—a great reason to check out the Chile, Mole, Pozole Festival in September. Teatro Vision, which celebrated its 40th birthday, is working with Yosimar Reyes, Santa Clara County Poet Laureate, on a new production, with a staged reading in December. For its 54th season, TheatreWorks will be producing two world-premiere musicals and three regional premieres.

The calendar will be packed with music as well, from Symphony San Jose up at Saratoga’s Mountain Winery to Music in the Park in downtown San Jose. Folk and funk, rock and reggae, punk and pop—it’s all happening on some stage, somewhere. Get out that calendar and start planning.

Festivals

ART on the Square
Aug 30, 5–8:30pm | Courthouse Square, Redwood City | artonthesquarerwc.com
The last event in the peninsula city’s popular summer series will showcase the work of more than two dozen artists and artisans, with pop soul band Pride & Joy providing musical accompaniment.

Kings Mountain Arts Fair
Aug 31–Sep 2 | 13889 Skyline Blvd, Woodside | kingsmountainartfair.org
This volunteer-run event features original artwork by independent artists, which can be perused under the redwoods in this bucolic community on Skyline Boulevard. Parents can park their charges in Kiddie Hollow, and food is available all day, from breakfast to lunch, plus “the world’s largest cookies.” Proceeds go to the Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade and Elementary School.

Mountain View Art and Wine Festival
Sep 7, 11am–7pm; Sep 8, 10am–6pm | Downtown Mountain View | mvartwine.com
On Castro Street between El Camino Real and Evelyn Avenue,  more than 350 artists and craft-makers will show their wares. Admission is free, and includes live music, many activities, and abundant food and beverage options.

Chile, Mole, Pozole Festival
Sep 14, 12:30–5pm | Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose | CMP2024.eventbrite.com
Celebrate Mexican Independence Day with traditional food, performances and local art. What’s on the menu, aside from the three headlining dishes? Expect a salsa competition, vegetarian and seafood options, refreshing micheladas and Hennessy horchata, and paletas and churros for dessert. In addition to wrestling matches, folkloric dance from Los Lupeños and Calpulli Ocelecihuatl and staged performances by Teatro Alebrijes, there will be music from DJ Too Tall and headliner Amor Prohibido.

Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival
Sep 14, 10am–6pm; Sep 15, 10am–5pm | Central Park, Santa Clara | santaclaraca.gov
In addition to plentiful food and wine, this city festival will feature more than 160 arts and crafts booths hawking leather goods, candles, ceramics, photography, custom jewelry, paintings, glassware and more. The Pavilion Stage will be filled with local bands, playing nonstop both days.

Oktoberfest Downtown Redwood City
Sep 20–29 | Courthouse Square, Redwood City | redwoodcity.org
The peninsula city turns into an autumn wunderland for its 10th annual Oktoberfest, featuring contests, dancing, food, and scads of steins filled with frothy suds. Live music will be provided by the Internationals Band & Golden Gate Bavarian Club (Sep 20-22, 27-28) and Alpine Sound Band & Golden Gate Bavarian Club (Sep 29).

10th Annual Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival
Oct 18–27 | AMC Sunnyvale and online | svapfilmfest.org
Asian American cinema takes center screen for three days of live screenings at AMC Sunnyvale plus seven days of online events. Feature films, documentaries and shorts are screened at this festival that seeks to celebrate culture, creativity and connection.

Dia San Jose
Oct 19, 11am–7pm | Plaza de Cesar Chavez, San Jose | diasanjose.com
Celebrate early at this Dia de los Muertos event replete with calaveras, Aztec dancers, wrestling matches, arts and crafts, and a full day of dance and music that includes Mariachi México de Gilroy, Ensamble Folclórico Colibrí, Maldita Cruda, Los Dangaleros and Rasquache Liberation Front.

Avenida de Altares
Nov 2 | Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose | schoolofartsandculture.org
Every year, the School of Arts and Culture organizes Avenida de Altares (Avenue of the Altars), a free event celebrating Dia de Los Muertos. A curated altar walk runs from the intersection of Alum Rock Avenue and King Road to the Mexican Heritage Plaza, where there will be various activities, including face painting, tarot readings, artist booths and a cemetery installation.

CONCERTS

The Rumpus Room Album Release Party
Sep 13, 8pm | Art Boutiki, San Jose | artboutiki.com
A five-piece based in San Jose since 2013, the Rumpus Room has a new album and they’re ready to “share it with the world and have a badass rock n’ roll party at our favorite venue.” Matt Pickering, a founding member of TRR, is also on the bill at this all-ages show.

An Evening With Vienna Teng
Sep 13, 7:30pm | Carriage House Theatre, Saratoga | my.montalvoarts.org
This former salutatorian of Saratoga High School left the tech industry in 2002 to pursue a music career and then went back to school to get a degree from the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan. Now she juggles music and a career in renewable energy—a combination as unique as she is.

The Sinatra Show
Sep 13, 8pm | Maggiano’s Little Italy, San Jose | 408.423.8973
Entertainer David Hamilton and the band Essence duplicate Frank Sinatra’s signature sounds at the Italian eatery on Santana Row.

Las Leyendas Del Mariachi
Sep 14, 8pm | Fox Theatre, Redwood City | foxrwc.com
Celebrate Fiestas Patrias with the sounds of Mexico. The evening will include legendary members from Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, Mariachi Los Camperos, Mariachi Cobre, and Mariachi América de Jesús Rodríguez de Hijar.

AJ Rafael
Sep 18, 7pm | The Ritz, San Jose | theritzsanjose.com
Filipino-American singer-songwriter and social media superstar AJ Rafael has amassed more than a million followers on YouTube, no doubt in part from his live variety show Crazy Talented Asians. R&B singer-songwriter Nieman opens.

Cuco at Music in the Park
Sep 20, 5–10pm | Plaza de Cesar Chavez | wklys.co/cuco
Singer-songwriter-guitarist Cuco brings his 4U Tour to Music in the Park. The Southern Californian self-released his first EP, Wannabewithu, in 2016. Pitchfork describes his bedroom-pop music as “up-close yet emotionally distant pop that beckoned to millions of Gen Z streamers, a restless space existing somewhere between dissociative pop and lo-fi study beats.” Also on the bill are Welsh indie pop musician Strawberry Guy, whose “Mrs. Magic” blew up on YouTube, and Thee Heart Tones, a group that—like Cuco—hails from Hawthorne.

J Boog at Music in the Park
Sep 22, 5–10pm | Plaza de Cesar Chavez | wklys.co/jboog24
For the fourth time, crowd-pleasing favorite J Boog returns to Music in the Park. Born in Long Beach and raised in Compton, the two-time Grammy winner intertwines Caribbean sounds with the music of his Polynesian sounds to create a musical mix that practically guarantees a good time.

Experience Hendrix
Sep 26, 7:30pm, | Mountain Winery, Saratoga | mountainwinery.com
This tour boasts a who’s who of guitar slingers—Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Zakk Wylde, Samantha Fish, Eric Johnson and Taj Mahal—representing multiple generations and musical genres, unified by their six-string skills and appreciation for the artistry of Jimi Hendrix.

Claudia Villela Trio
Sep 28, 8pm | SJZ Break Room, San Jose | sanjosejazz.org
The Bay Area has been home to Brazilian singer Claudia Villela since the 1980s, where her five-octave voice gliding over Portuguese lyrics has delighted locals. Her latest album, Cartas ao Vento (2023), was recorded in Rio de Janeiro—an indirect result of the pandemic.

Flying High: Big Band Jazz Canaries Who Soared
Sep 28, 7pm | Center for the Performing Arts, Mountain View | mvcpa.com
Jazz pianist and singer Champian Fulton and her trio join forces with modern “canaries” Jane Monheit and Camille Thurman to salute the music of Billie Holiday, Anita O’Day, Peggy Lee, Jo Stafford, Ella Fitzgerald, and other big band vocalists.

Fiesta Sonora: A Celebration of Community
Sep 29, 2:30pm | Bing Concert Hall | live.stanford.edu
Stanford’s 2024–25 season kicks off with a joyous, music-filled cultural experience featuring three Latin ensembles: Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles, Ballet Folklórico Nueva Antequera and Filarmónica Maqueos Music.

Levitt Fall Concert Series
Sep 29–Oct 20 | St. James Park, San Jose | levittsanjose.org
Part of the national Levitt Pavilion concerts, this series will take over St. James Park on consecutive Sundays. On Sep 29, Goodnight Texas and Madeline Hawthorne take over the stage. Polyrhythmics and SOR House Band follow on Oct 6, with Selenamos appearing Oct 13. The series wraps up Oct 20 with Lady Blackbird and Acari Music.

Jimmie Vaughan & The Tilt-A-Whirl Band
Oct 4, 8pm | Heritage Theatre, Campbell | campbellca.gov/heritagetheatre
The fabulous former Thunderbird shows off his blues chops with his current outfit. The Texas ax man’s show was rescheduled and tickets for the original date in spring 2024 will be honored.

Danny Janklow
Oct 5, 8pm | SJZ Break Room, San Jose | sanjosejazz.org
Still in his early 30s, saxophonist Danny Janklow has already shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Aloe Blacc, Burt Bacharach, Wayne Shorter, Branford Marsalis, George Benson and Herbie Hancock, among others. For this gig, he’s playing with his own band.

An Evening with Herb Alpert and Lani Hall
Oct 9, 8pm | Heritage Theatre, Campbell | campbellca.gov/heritagetheatre
In the spotlight since 1962, when he hit big with “The Lonely Bull,” trumpet maestro Herb Alpert will share the stage with his wife and their band. The music—a mix of standards, Brazilian jazz and pop—will be augmented by photos, videos and memorabilia.

Common Kings
Oct 12, 7:30pm | Mountain Winery, Saratoga | mountainwinery.com
These Kings share common backgrounds. All Pacific Islanders, they met in Orange County. Releasing music on their own label, Island Empire/Mensch House Records, 2017’s Lost in Paradise was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the GRAMMYs. The follow-up, Celebration, was released last year.

Damn Tall Buildings
Oct 16, 7:30pm | Carriage House Theatre, Saratoga | my.montalvoarts.org
Strictly bluegrass? Hardly. This Brooklyn-based indie folk trio also brings in notes of roots, old-time music and swing to the mix.

Modern English
Oct 18, 8pm | Guild Theatre, Menlo Park | guildtheatre.com
This British group helped define an era of tuneful, MTV-oriented new wave with their international hit, 1982’s “I Melt With You.” Rather than simply living off a success from 40 years ago, the band continues to make compelling new music.

Imagine Dragons
Oct 20, 7pm | Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View | mountainviewamphitheater.com
A wide array of genres are woven into the electropop sounds of Imagine Dragons.  The band’s sixth album, Loom, is just out this summer, and the Dragons are roaring across the States for a 30-date tour.

Croce Plays Croce
Oct 23, 7pm | San Jose Civic | sanjosetheaters.org
It’s been five decades since Jim Croce released back-to-back albums in 1973—Life and Times and I Got a Name (the latter released posthumously). The Croce legacy lives on in his son, singer-songwriter A.J., who is touring wih a multimedia mix of hits and deep cuts from the albums.

Porter Robinson
Oct 25, 8pm | Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View | mountainviewamphitheater.com
Electronica artist Porter Robinson’s hotly anticipated Smile! 😀 World Tour is crossing five continents, including ours. The DJ and music producer will also play numbers from his first two studio efforts, Worlds and Nurture.

Jeff Tweedy
Oct 28-30, 7:30pm | Guild Theatre, Menlo Park | guildtheatre.com
A leader in the alt-country scene with Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy went on to launch the Grammy-winning indie rock band Wilco in 1995. Tweedy maintains a concurrent and creatively rewarding solo career that spotlights his compelling songwriting.

Legacy of Wayne Shorter
Oct 30, 7:30pm | Bing Concert Hall | live.stanford.edu
Jazz lovers mourned the loss of the saxophone great last spring, but his longtime partners in the Wayne Shorter Quartet—Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci and Brian Blade—keep the music alive, assisted by saxophonist Mark Turner.

Caitlin Butts
Nov 8, 8pm | The Ritz, San Jose | theritzsanjose.com
Expect an evening of quirky country from “proud Okie” Caitlin Butts, who’s touring in the wake of new album Roadrunner! and its music video, “Other Girls (Ain’t Having Any Fun).” There to add to the fun will be opener Fancy Hapgood, adding another touch of “Southern Sound.”

Sunami, Ingrown & Torena
Nov 10, 5pm | San Jose Civic | sanjosetheaters.org
Together since 2019, singer Josef Alonso, guitarist Mike Durt and bassist Theo Domingues, Sunami takes a playful approach to hardcore punk. They’ll be joined for this “Monster Energy Outbreak Tour” by Idaho band Ingrown and Torena, an outfit from Oxnard.

Caifanes
Nov 13, 8pm | San Jose Civic | sanjosetheaters.org
Bringing together progressive rock textures, new wave and moody Latin rock, popular Mexico City-based Caifanes has been making compelling music since 1988. In recent years the group has focused on live performance rather than studio recordings.

Nobuntu
Nov 13, 7:30pm | Bing Concert Hall | live.stanford.edu
Accompanied by minimalistic percussion from traditional African instruments such as the mbira (thumb piano), the members of Nobuntu dance as they sing traditional Zimbabwean songs, Afro jazz, and gospel.

Marc Broussard
Nov 16, 7:30pm | Carriage House Theatre, Saratoga | my.montalvoarts.org
The Louisiana guitarist is hitting the road to mark the 20th anniversary of Canrenco, his debut album. Named after his hometown, it featured the song “Home,” which brought him into the national spotlight.

Nick Carter
Nov 22, 8pm | Heritage Theatre, Campbell | campbellca.gov/heritagetheatre
The youngest member of the Backstreet Boys has been on his own since 2002, and most recently found success with the 2023 single “Hurts to Love You.”

Franc D’Ambrosio
Nov 23, 7pm | Sunnyvale Theatre | sunnyvale.ca.gov
The city of Sunnyvale’s fall arts offerings include an evening with the Broadway performer who’s known as the “Iron Man of the Mask” for his 2,100 performances in of the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera.

Shovels and Ropes
Dec 7, 8pm | Guild Theatre, Menlo Park | guildtheatre.com
The Charleston-based husband-and-wife duo have brought fresh energy to the folk genre, earning a reputation as an Americana power couple. The opening act is up-and-coming folkie Al Olender, based in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Meow Meow Feline Festive Holiday
Dec 13, 7:30pm | Bing Concert Hall | live.stanford.edu
If life is a cabaret, who better to live it than Meow Meow? This Australian singer is part performance artist, part sultry chanteuse and all high-energy fireball.

Jessica Audiffred
Dec 13, 8pm | San Jose Civic | sanjosetheaters.org
Mexico City’s queen of bass and dubstep, Jessica Audiffred has performed at major EMD shindigs, including EDC Las Vegas, Lost Lands and Beyond Wonderland SoCal. She’ll hit San Jose toward the end of her Rave New World tour.

Theater

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Sep 6–22 | Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto | paplayers.org
Palo Alto Players offer a golden ticket to fans of the music and lyrics of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who incorporated beloved songs from the 1971 film, including “Pure Imagination,” “Oompa Loompa Song” and “Candy Man.”

Waiting for Godot
Sep 6–29 | Bus Barn Theater, Los Altos | losaltosstage.org
Vladimir and Estragon set up their vigil, as they have since 1953, when this Samuel Beckett play debuted. Gary Landis directs the Los Altos Stage Company rendition of this play, which creates a conversation that cuts to the heart of the human condition. The run begins with a Pay-What-You-Can Preview Night on Sep 5.

In the Heights
Sep 7–29 | Sunnyvale Theatre | sunnyvaleplayers.org
The community theater company opens its 56th season with a production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first big success, pre-Hamilton, set in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood.

Vrindavan
Sep 7–29 | Naatak House, Santa Clara | naatak.org
Producing plays for, by and usually about South Asians since 1995, Naatak kicks its 29th season off with a musical about a dozen widows who live happily in their home in Vrindavan until a Bollywood actress arrives to disrupt their make-believe world.

Once on This Island
Sep 13–Oct 13 | Pear Theatre, Mountain View | thepear.org
The Pear offers a one-act musical set in the Caribbean, with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. The story of a peasant girl who falls in love with a grand homme (a light-skinned descendant of French planters) is a retelling of The Little Mermaid—and will itself get the Disney treatment in an upcoming movie.

National Theatre Live: Nye
Sep 19–22 | Hammer Theatre, San Jose | hammertheatre.com
A filmed production by British National Theatre of Tim Price’s play, starring Michael Sheen as Nye Bevan, the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the National Health Service.

NOTE: Event canceled after Fall Arts Guide went to press.
Mughal-E-Azam: The Musical
Sep 20–29 | Center for the Performing Arts, San Jose | sanjosetheaters.org
Produced by Shapoorji Pallonji and helmed by director Feroz Abbas Khan, this Bollywood-on-stage production (with English subtitles) portrays the love story of Prince Salim and courtesan Anarkali during India’s Mughal era.

National Theatre Live: Present Laughter
Sep 25–29 | Hammer Theatre, San Jose | hammertheatre.com
A filmed production by British National Theatre of Noël Coward’s comedy, starring Andrew Scott (Vanya, Fleabag). Filmed live from The Old Vic in London during a sold-out run in 2019.

An Inspector Calls
Sep 26–Oct 20 | City Lights Theater Company, San Jose | cltc.org
City Lights Theater Company kicks off its 2024-25 season with J.B. Priestley’s drama about a wealthy family in the midst of celebrating an engagement, but the festivities are interrupted by the titular inspector, who is investigating the death of a young woman.

Riding the Currents of the Wilding Wind
Sep 27–29, 7:30pm | MACLA Castellano Playhouse, San Jose | maclaarte.org
MACLA presents Riding the Currents of the Wilding Wind, created by musical director Martha Gonzalez with artist Virginia Grise and directed by Kendra Ware. An immersive theatrical concert, it blends storytelling and live music, drawing from the novel Their Dogs Came with Them, by Helena María Viramontes.

No, No, Nanette
Sep 28–Oct 19 | Civic Theater, Saratoga | SouthBayMT.com
First produced in 1919, this story about three couples sharing a cottage in Atlantic City in the midst of a blackmail scheme offers romantic mishaps, comical misunderstandings and some delightful tunes, including “Tea for Two.”

Macario
Oct 10-20 | Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose | teatrovision.org
Teatro Visión’s annual Día de los Muertos production—adapted by Evelina Fernández and Teatro Visión for the stage from a 1960 film, with original music by Russell Rodríguez—Macario tells the story of a poor woodcutter who dreams of a day without hunger. When his wife makes that dream come true, he is given a healing power that could change his family and his community’s lives forever.

The Hound of the Baskervilles
Oct 11–26 | Triton Museum, Santa Clara | scplayers.org
The Santa Clara Players present one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s signature Sherlock Holmes mysteries, updated by playwright Tim Miller.

King James
Oct 12–Nov 3 | Center for the Performing Arts, Mountain View | theatreworks.org
Playwright Rajiv Joseph’s comedy about a friendship between two Cleveland Cavaliers super fans spans a dozen years, from star player LeBron James’ 2004 rookie season to the 2016 NBA championship, creating what The New York Times described as “a touching examination of male friendship and the powerful social currents beneath it.” Artistic Director Giovanna Sardelli helms the TheatreWorks production, continuing a fruitful collaboration with Joseph in productions of Archduke, The Lake Effect and The North Pool. Previews are Oct 9–11.

National Theatre Live: Frankenstein
Oct 17, 7pm & Oct 20, 2pm | Hammer Theatre | hammertheatre.com
Directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire), this filmed stage production of Frankenstein features Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating between the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his “creature.”

Emojiland
Oct 17–Nov 24 | 3Below Theaters, San Jose | 3belowtheaters.com
This musical by Keith Harrison and Laura Schein hit it big off-Broadway, garnering good reviews and packed theaters. The New York Times described it as “part rom-com, part battle for the soul of a society whose every inhabitant is an emoji.”

National Theatre Live: Prima Facie
Oct 24, 7pm & Oct 26, 2pm | Hammer Theatre | hammertheatre.com
Justin Martin directs this filmed version of Suzie Miller’s one-woman play starring Jodie Comer, captured live from the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End.

The Sound of Music
Oct 26–Nov 4 | Sunnyvale Theatre | sunnyvaleplayers.org
The sounds of this beloved Rodgers & Hammerstein will fill the Sunnyvale Theatre with the scent of “Edelweiss” and visions of raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

Fiddler on the Roof
Nov 8-24 | Lucie Stern Theater, Palo Alto | paplayers.org
Revisit the shtetl of Anatevka and commiserate with Tevye, a poor milkman who works from “Sunrise, Sunset’ to protect his daughters and teach them “Tradition.”

Dial M for Murder
Nov 15–24 | Naatak House, Santa Clara | naatak.org
Frederick Knott’s play, adapted for the screen by Alfred Hitchcock in 1954, will be performed in Hindi with English supertitles.

Truce: A Christmas Wish from the Great War
Nov 21–Dec 22 | City Lights Theater, San Jose | cltc.org
In 2014, City Lights marked the 100-year anniversary of the World War I “Christmas Truce” with a world premiere by Kit Wilder and Jeffrey Bracco. The production was such a success that the company is bringing it back with a mix of returning and new artists.

The Agitators
Nov 22–Dec 15 | Pear Theatre, Mountain View | thepear.org
The agitators in question whose stories are told by playwright Mat Smart are Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, who shared a long but tempestuous friendship as both fought for voting rights.

A Christmas Story
Nov 29–Dec 22 | Bus Barn Theater, Los Altos | losaltosstage.org
Humorist Jean Shepherd’s writings inspired a beloved 1983 movie that is now a musical, which Los Altos Stage Company brings to the stage this holiday season.

Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
Dec 4–29 | Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto | theatreworks.org
Jeffrey Lo directs this play by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, which creates a romantic sequel to Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice.

No llegamos aquí solos
Dec 7, 6pm | Location TBA | teatrovision.org
Teatro Vision puts on a staged reading of a new play by Yosimar Reyes, Santa Clara County Poet Laureate.

The MeshugaNutcracker!
Dec 12–29 | 3Below Theaters, San Jose | 3belowtheaters.com
3Below’s own Scott, Shannon and Stephen Guggenheim premiered The MeshugaNutcracker! in 2003, setting a story of Chanukah to the music of Tchaikovsky. The dancing dreidels and Klezmer-ized “Nutcracker Suite” are back again, marking the production’s 20th anniversary.

Broadway San Jose Presents Shrek
Dec 17–22 | Center for Performing Arts, San José | broadwaysanjose.com
Tony Award-winning duo Jeanine Tesori (music) and David Lindsay-Abaire (book) have reworked their play based on William Steig’s 1990 book and its movie adaptation, incorporating original direction and choreography by Danny Mefford.

Dance

Dance Series 1
Sep 13–15 | Center for the Performing Arts, Mountain View | mvcpa.com
Smuin Contemporary Ballet introduces two choreographers to its audiences. Jennifer Archibald has created a world premiere for Smuin, and Matthew Neenan makes his company debut with “The Last Glass,” set to music by the indie-rock band Beirut. Also on the program is Amy Seiwert’s “Renaissance.”

New Ballet Season Preview
Oct 4, 6–9pm | San Jose Museum of Art | newballet.com
New Ballet dancers give a formal preview of the 2024/2025 season, introduced by Director Dalia Rawson. Dancers will present excerpts from Swan Lake and The San Jose Nutcracker as well as new works being created for Fast Forward. 

Elevate
Oct 11–12, 8pm | California Theatre, San Jose | sjdanceco.org/home
Dance company sjDANCEco continues to celebrate the power of dance in its 22nd season, with live music performed by the San Jose Chamber Orchestra.

International Performing Arts Festival 2024
Oct 19, 7:30pm | California Theatre, San Jose | sanjosetheaters.org
Local dancers and artists contribute time and talent to produce this event under the direction of International Performing Arts Festival Executive Director Yang Yang and producer Dennis Nahat. The event marks the seventh anniversary of the “newest theater company in the Bay Area.”

New Ballet Halloween Dance Party
Oct 26, 7–10pm | Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose | newballet.com
Enjoy treats for kids and adults, a season preview from New Ballet’s professional company, a silent auction, DJ dancing, a costume contest and more at this event geared toward families and dance fans. Costumes are encouraged but not required.

Carnival of the Animals
Oct 27, 2:30pm | Bing Concert Hall | live.stanford.edu
Wendy Whelan, Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Francesca Harper reframe Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, using dance, poetry and music to shape the musical composition into a response to the January 6 insurrection.

Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet
Dec 5–8 | Center for the Performing Arts, Mountain View | mvcpa.com
It wouldn’t be the holidays without Smuin’s annual production aimed at making spirits bright. New additions keep the show evergreen.

Rite of Spring
Dec 6–7, 7:30pm | Memorial Auditorium | live.stanford.edu
Chinese choreographer Yang Liping’s take on Stravinsky’s famed composition makes its US premiere at Stanford, performed by Liping and Peacock Contemporary Dance. The piece explores the path of salvation embodied by the sacrificial peacock.

The Original San Jose Nutcracker
Dec 6–8 and 13–15 | Center for the Performing Arts, San Jose | sjdt.org
For almost six decades, San Jose Dance Theatre has heralded the holiday season with its take on the Nutcracker Suite, bringing to life toy soldiers, snowflakes, waltzing flowers, mischievous mice and a 60-foot Christmas tree. Musical accompaniment will be provided by the Cambrian Symphony.

Once Upon A Nutcracker
Dec 6, 10:30am | Center for Performing Arts, San Jose | sjdt.org
San Jose Dance Theatre will perform an abbreviated production of its full-length Nutcracker production, designed for toddlers, preschoolers and young children.

New Ballet’s ‘The San Jose Nutcracker’
Dec 14–23 | California Theatre | newballet.com
New Ballet’s localized Nutcracker returns to the California Theatre, presented with Symphony San Jose. The company’s San Jose Nutcracker transports the beloved story to turn-of-the-century San Jose, with historical references. The production features New Ballet’s professional dancers and students, the Ragazzi Boys Chorus, and dancers from Los Lupenos Juvenil.

Classical & Opera

Arturo Sandoval and Symphony San Jose
Sep 14, 7:30pm | Mountain Winery, Saratoga | symphonysanjose.org
Cuban-born multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer Arturo Sandoval, known for blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with elements of bebop and modern jazz, mixes it up with Symphony San Jose for an evening of music under the night sky.

The Magic Flute
Sep 14–29 | California Theatre, San Jose | operasj.org
Opera San Jose’s 41st season opens with The Magic Flute, Mozart’s fairy tale about a handsome young prince (WooYoung Yoon) who aims to free a princess (Melissa Sindhi) from the formidable Queen of the Night (Emily Misch).

Herald, Holler and Hallelujah
Sep 21, 8pm | Cañada College Main Theater, Redwood City | redwoodsymphony.org
After a pre-concert talk at 7pm, Redwood Symphony launches into Wynton Marsalis’ Herald, Holler and Hallelujah, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Natalya Lundtvedt on piano, and Symphony No. 5 by Sibelius.

Beijing Guitar Duo: Mid-Autumn Melodies
Sep 21, 2pm | Center for Performing Arts, Mountain View | mvcpa.com
The Bay Area Chinese Musician Association presents guitarists Meng Su and Yameng Wang, who will perform a diverse program showcasing their mastery of classical guitar compositions.

Jon Nakamatsu and the Jazz Age
Oct 5, 7:30pm & Oct 6, 2:30pm | California Theatre, San Jose | symphonysanjose.org
Elinor Rufeizen conducts Symphony San Jose in a program tailor-made for the South Bay’s own Jon Nakamatsu, with Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Rhapsody in Blue, Aaron Copland’s Piano Concerto and Ravel’s Boléro.

Anna Fedorova
Oct 5, 7:30pm | Visual and Performing Arts Center, De Anza College, Cupertino | steinwaysociety.com
To mark its 30th anniversary, Steinway Society presents a program with the Ukrainian piano star, who will perform works by Ravel, Scriabin, Falla and Mussorgsky’s beloved Pictures at an Exhibition.

Peninsula Symphony: Spirited Away
Oct 5, 7:30pm | Heritage Theatre, Campbell | peninsulasymphony.org
Enjoy melodies from Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, composed by the legendary Joe Hisaishi, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Plus, Grammy-winning jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti and his ensemble perform new Eigsti hits. Second performance Oct 6 at 2:30pm at San Mateo Performing Arts Center.

Romantic Mastery
Oct 12, 7:30pm | De Anza College Visual and Performing Arts Center, Cupertino | novavista.org
Nova Vista Symphony gets Romantic with Borodin’s Overture to Prince Igor, Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 and Schumann’s Cello Concerto, featuring soloist Fiona Huang.

A Journey Toward Redemption
Oct 19, 7:30pm | Cubberley Theatre, Palo Alto | paphil.org
The Palo Alto Philharmonic performs Farrenc’s Overture No. 1, Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suites and Strauss’ Four Last Songs with soprano Heidi Moss Erickson.

Another Opening—Another Show
Oct 20, 7pm | St Francis Episcopal Church, San Jose | sjco.org
Under the baton of Barbara Day Turner, San Jose Chamber Orchestra and soloists Arx Duo perform Percussion Concerto by Michael Gilbertson, a world premiere commissioned by SJCO.

Symphonic Spooktacular
Oct 26, 7:30pm & Oct 27, 2:30pm | California Theatre, San Jose | symphonysanjose.org
Peter Jaffe conducts Symphony San Jose and its chorale in a program packed with many spooky delights, including Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain and Bernard Herrmann’s music from Psycho.

The Great Gilbert & Sullivan Bake-Off
Oct 27 | 3pm| Taube Atrium Theater, San Francisco | lamplighters.org
Lamplighters Musical Theatre, which draws lovers of light opera to its shows at the Mountain View Performing Arts Center, will host its 60th gala production with a  tribute to former Lamplighters Music Director Baker Peeples. The group’s largest fundraiser of the year will include Gilbert & Sullivan parodies, a silent auction and a VIP champagne reception.

Vivaldi, Venice and the Four Seasons
Nov 8, 7:30pm | Bing Concert Hall | live.stanford.edu
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale puts Vivaldi’s music in context with traditional music from Venice, featuring Grammy Award-winning soprano Estelí Gomez and mandolin player Avi Avital.

La Bohème
Nov 16–Dec 1 | California Theatre, San Jose | operasj.org
La Bohème returns to Opera San José, but this time the story is set in Paris following the Great War. Poet Rodolfo falls in love with alluring but ailing Mimi, surrounded by bustling cafés, raucous parties and spirited debates. OSJ Stage Director in Residence Michelle Ainna Cuizon makes her mainstage debut helming this Puccini classic; OSJ Music Director Joseph Marcheso conducts.

Rachmaninoff Meets High-Tech
Nov 16, 7:30pm | Visual and Performing Arts Center, De Anza College, Cupertino | steinwaysociety.com
Pianist, arranger and composer Vyacheslav Gryaznov will seduce listeners with an all-Rachmaninoff with this program. Using GPhil—technology he developed himself—Gryaznov will perform two of the Romantic composer’s piano concertos and his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

A Trip to the Southern Hemisphere
Nov 17, 7pm | St Francis Episcopal Church, San Jose | sjco.org
Barbara Day Turner conducts the San Jose Chamber Orchestra and solo violinist Liana Bérubé as they explore Astor Piazzolla’s The Seasons and Pablo Furman’s Paso del Fuego.

An Evening of Cabaret
Nov 23, 7pm | First Congregational Church of Palo Alto | peninsulacantare.org
Peninsula Cantare presents a gala fundraiser featuring music from all genres, including musical theater, jazz, pop, and more, plus the group’s annual silent auction.

Shostakovich’s Fourth Symphony
Nov 23, 8pm | Cañada College Main Theater, Redwood City | redwoodsymphony.org
Kyle Baldwin conducts the Redwood Symphony in a program that opens with Shostakovich’s Waltz from Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 2, followed by Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4. A pre-concert talk begins at 7pm.

Holiday Spectacular
Dec 7–8 | California Theatre, San Jose | symphonysanjose.org
Symphony San Jose’s orchestra and chorale are joined by the Cantabile Youth Singers and performers from New Ballet for a program of Bach and Handel plus holiday chestnuts like Mel Torme’s “Christmas Song” and “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”

Winter Wonderland
Dec 8, 7:30pm | Church of the Ascension, Saratoga | novavista.org
Nova Vista Symphony performs a mix of classical and contemporary holiday music with guest artists Vivace Children Chorus and Resounding Accord Choir.

Chanticleer
Dec 12, 7:30pm | Memorial Church | live.stanford.edu
The San Francisco men’s vocal ensemble creates a new Christmas program each year, exploiting Memorial Church’s stellar acoustics.

Holidays with Cantabile
Dec 14, 6pm | St. Joseph’s Cathedral, San Jose | cantabile.org
Cantabile’s annual winter production features the Aria, Vocalise, Bravi, Avanti and Intermezzo choirs celebrating holiday traditions from around the world.

Winter Concert
Dec 14, 2pm | Westminster Presbyterian Church | vivaceyouthchorus.org
Vivace Youth Chorus singers will “discover their spirit of creativity through the beauty of song.”

Transcending Fate
Dec 14, 7:30pm | Cubberley Theatre, Palo Alto | paphil.org
Palo Alto Philharmonic performs Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5; soloist Ráyo Furuta joins in on Frank’s Illapa and Uebayashi’s Flute Concerto.

Winter’s Gifts: WISH
Dec 22, 7:30pm | Mission Santa Clara, Santa Clara | sjco.org
San Jose Chamber Orchestra and the Choral Project come together for a 20th annual holiday concert. The group also performs Dec 21 at 7:30pm at Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley.

Art

Naomi Mindelzun
Sep 3–29 | Gallery 9, Los Altos | gallery9losaltos.com
The natural world has served as a central inspiration for Palo Alto artist Naomi Mindelzun—and her art has taken on a new urgency as threats to biodiversity increase. A percentage of proceeds from the show will be donated to environmental causes. Opening reception on First Friday, Sep 6, 5–8pm.

Spirit House
Sep 4–Jan 26 | Cantor Arts Center, Stanford | museum.stanford.edu
In this group exhibit inspired by spirit houses—devotional structures found in Thailand—33 Asian American and Asian diasporic artists explore what it means to speak to ghosts and explore different dimensions.

Calder: at home, among friends
Sep 6, 2024–Aug 3, 2025 | San Jose Museum of Art | sjmusart.org
Sculptor Alexander Calder’s rigorous inventiveness is reflected in the unique household items and jewelry that he made throughout his life. Drawing on SJMA’s collection, this installation highlights the intimate side of the artist through personal objects created for and given to friends and family. The show kicks off Sep 6 at 6pm with an evening of live music by Mild Monk & somm.ok described as “a unique soundscape of improvised electronic music” that pays homage to Calder.

Still in Motion
Sep 6, 2024–Aug 3, 2025 | San Jose Museum of Art | sjmusart.org
This exhibit celebrates the unfolding legacy of Alexander Calder through the work of Calder Prize awardees, whose groundbreaking contributions push the limits of sculpture to propel it into the 21st century.

In the Glow: Stephanie Metz
Sep 14–Dec 29 | Triton Museum, Santa Clara | tritonmuseum.org
This new body of work by Bay Area artist Stephanie Metz, whose work is fueled by her affinity for the natural world, combines smaller works with a large-scale, immersive installation created for the Cowell Room gallery.

Anatomica
Sep 14–Jan 5 | Triton Museum, Santa Clara | tritonmuseum.org
Hana Lock, the Best of Show winner for the Triton’s 2023 Salon, creates work that contrasts human anatomy alongside or combined with other creatures, plants and flowers.

Allegedly the worst is behind us
Sep 14, 2024–Feb 23, 2025 | ICA San José | icasanjose.org
Twelve contemporary artists, working in various media—installation, painting, video—affirm the importance of art in keeping and questioning history, pursuing personal and collective acts of rebuilding fractured memories and stolen histories.

The Future Democracies Laboratory
Sep 14, 2024–Feb 23, 2025 | ICA San José | icasanjose.org
Jonathon Keats’ immersive exhibition is the first public showcase of the Future Democracies Laboratory’s experiments, undertaken initially with San Jose State University’s student body under the guidance of Digital Media Arts adjunct professor Steve Durie.

25 Million Stitches 
Sep 20–Dec 30 | San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles | sj-mqt.org
Jennifer Kim Sohn, a multimedia artist and activist, began work on 25 Million Stitches in May 2019 to visually document the enormity of the number of refugees in the world and to raise awareness of refugees in the minds of global citizens.

Grow
Sep 21–Dec 15 | Palo Alto Art Center | cityofpaloalto.org
Guest curator Marianne K. McGrath assembles pieces from 21 artists working in various media to explore gardens and green spaces and how they intersect with history, sustainability, labor equity and climate change, as well as how they build connections to the natural world.

Great Glass Pumpkin Patch
Sep 28–29 | Palo Alto Art Center | greatglasspumpkinpatch.org
More than 25 artists have created 10,000 glass pumpkins of all colors, shapes and sizes. A percentage of the sales will benefit Bay Area Glass Institute and the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation.

You Can Never Go Home Again
Sep 28–Jan 12 | Triton Museum, Santa Clara | tritonmuseum.org
Closely acquainted with Silicon Valley’s ever-changing landscape, South Bay native Phillip Hua visualizes these shifts using processes that combine creative digital and traditional techniques.

Shigemi Sanders & Kiyoko Michot
Oct 1–27 | Gallery 9, Los Altos | gallery9losaltos.com
The artists show their crafty creations, including kimonos, and raku ceramic platters and vases. Opening reception on First Friday, Oct 4, 5–8pm.

Julia Haft-Candell: The Infinite Library
Oct 2–Dec 8 | de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara | scu.edu/desaisset
Los Angeles-based artist Julia Haft-Candell’s large-scale ceramic sculptures, drawings, paintings, and animations create an alternative universe with its own values, ideology and visual language, which the artist documents in “The Infinite: Glossary of Terms and Symbols.”

The Place Where The Sun Touches the Sky
Oct 2–Dec 8 | de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara | scu.edu/desaisset
The museum debuts a new initiative, Project Room, which will highlight the work of marginalized artists. The first exhibit focuses on a project by New Mexico artist Joanna Keane Lopez that explores the historical and contemporary impact of colonial powers upon land in the Southwestern United States.

Annual Glass Pumpkin Patch
Oct 4–5 | Santana Row, San Jose | bagi.org
Get a pumpkin that will outlast the season. Hours: Oct 4, 3–9pm; Oct 5, 10–9pm; Oct 6, 10am–5pm.

Made of Memory
Oct 25, 2024–Mar 16, 2025| NUMU, Los Gatos | numulosgatos.org
Five women artists explore concepts of memory in relationship to generational and cultural experience, immigration and migration. Using different media, the works examine the vicarious nature of memory, and present implicit meanings carried in ancestral artifacts that are passed from one generation to the next.

Joyce Savre
Oct 29–Dec 1 | Gallery 9, Los Altos | gallery9losaltos.com
Featured artist Joyce Savre, showing paintings and mixed media, says she came to painting by way of poetry: “I felt I needed to ground myself and picked up the brush.” Opening reception on First Friday, Nov 1, 5–8pm.

More the Merrier
Nov 1–Dec 6 | Art Ark Gallery, San Jose | artarkgallery.com
Art Ark Gallery’s annual group show brings together some 50 artists to exhibit and sell their work. The opening reception is Nov 1, 6–9pm. The gallery is also open on First Fridays and by appointment, with a closing reception Dec 6, 6–9pm.

Kambui Olujimi: North Star
Nov 1, 2024–June 1, 2025 | San Jose Museum of Art | sjmusart.org
In this exhibit, Kambui Olujimi uses multimedia to explore the possibilities of weightlessness, inviting the audience to imagine new relationships to our bodies, the self, the planet and the universe.

Beta Space: Patty Chang and David Kelley
Nov 1, 2024–June 1, 2025 | San Jose Museum of Art | sjmusart.org
A multimedia exploration of entanglements between humans, animals, minerals and machines, this project encourages viewers to think expansively and critically about what connects us to places uninhabited by humans.

Holiday Group Show
Dec 3–29 | Gallery 9, Los Altos | gallery9losaltos.com
All members of Gallery 9 will have their art on display, including painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry, and more. The opening reception will be held on First Friday, Dec 3, from 5 to 8pm.

Comedy

48th Annual San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition
Aug 31 & Sep 7 | Guild Theatre, Menlo Park | guildtheatre.com
Round 1

48th San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition Semifinals
Sep 10–11 | Carriage House Theatre, Saratoga | my.montalvoarts.org

Brian Regan
Sep 22, 8pm | Mountain Winery, Saratoga | mountainwinery.com
During his three-decade career, Brian Regan has built a reputation for clean comedy that’s still smart, topical and totally hilarious.

Roy Wood Jr.
Oct 3, 7pm | Memorial Auditorium, Stanford | live.stanford.edu
Stanford’s Comedy Live series features five shows, beginning with a night featuring Roy Wood Jr. Count on Wood to comment smartly on the headlines, drawing on his past experience, from The Daily Show to the White House Correspondents Dinner to his upcoming gig on the CNN/Max show Have I Got News for You. Following later in the season, Comedy Live will feature Mike E. Winfield on Nov 9.

Carlos Mencia
Oct 4–5 | Improv San Jose | improv.com
Listen in on what’s going on inside the “Mind of Mencia” when the Los Angeles comedian does four shows in downtown San Jose.

Patton Oswalt
Oct 11, 8pm | Mountain Winery, Saratoga | mountainwinery.com
Patton Oswalt has done it all—movies, TV, comedy specials—but, as he told Revue, doing live stand-up is “the one creative endeavor left where there are no network notes.” He hits Mountain Winery on his “Effervescent” tour.

Ronny Chieng
Oct 18, 7pm | Center for the Performing Arts, San Jose | sanjosetheaters.org
A deadpan Daily Show correspondent since 2015, Ronny Chieg has expanded into acting and voiceover work. This overeducated stand-up comedian (a dual degree in law and commerce), who got his break at Montreal’s Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, is bringing his “Love to Hate It Tour” to downtown San Jose.

D.L. Hughley
Oct 25–27 | Improv San Jose | improv.com
Native Californian D.L. Hughley has done it all—stand-up, television series and movies. Plus, he was one of four icons in director Spike Lee’s The Original Kings of Comedy.

Ismo
Nov 1–3 | Improv San Jose | improv.com
A funnyman from Finland who has been active since 2002, Ismo has starred in his own sitcom, filmed four comedy specials, and is now on his “Watch Your Language” tour.

Leanne Morgan
Nov 2, 7pm | San Jose Civic | sanjosetheaters.org
Leanne Morgan found success with her first Netflix special, I’m Every Woman. She’s developing a scripted television series next—but first she’s on her “Just Getting Started” tour.

Vir Das
Nov 14, 7:30pm | Center for the Performing Arts | sanjosetheaters.org
India’s biggest stand-up comedian and a Bollywood star, Vir Das is taking his act on the road. His “Mind Fool” tour has made stops all around the world.

Dulcé Sloan
Nov 14–17 | Rooster T. Feathers | roostertfeathers.com
Whip-smart Dulcé Sloan has shined as a Daily Show correspondent, as the voice of Honeybee Shaw on The Great North TV series, and in the movie Chick Fight. And this year she became a published author with Hello, Friends!: Stories of Dating, Destiny, and Day Jobs.

Andrew Schulz
Nov 16, 7 and 9:30pm | San Jose Civic | sanjosetheaters.org
Stand-up comic and podcaster Andrew Schulz rules on social media, with his stand-up and podcast content receiving 12 million views across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok every week. Watch him work the crowd at this live show.

Literary Events

Tai-Chi Inspired Poetry Workshop
Sep 7 | 565 N 5th St, San Jose | tinyurl.com/taichipoetry
Artist and poet Flo Oy Wong and Tai Chi master Nelson Ng will draw the connections between the practice of tai chi and the art of poetry.

Randy Rainbow
Oct 14, 7pm | Haymarket Theater, Palo Alto | keplers.org
According to Kepler’s, comedian, singer and political satirist Randy Rainbow has a “bold manifesto for a nation desperately in need of a makeover” in the form of a new collection, Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda.

Tommy Orange
Oct 17, 6:30pm | Hammer Theatre, San Jose | clasanjose.org
Tommy Orange, a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma who grew up in Oakland, will give a reading from his new novel. A follow-up to his 2018 novel There There, Wandering Stars confronts the legacies of Colorado’s Sand Creek Massacre of 1864.

Jaime Cortez and Dino Enrique Piacentini
Nov 7, 6:30pm | Hammer Theatre, San Jose | clasanjose.org
Two emerging authors split the bill at the Center for Literary Arts event. Dino Enrique Piacentini’s Invasion of the Daffodils, a novel set during the Korean War on a small island off the California coast, follows the adventures of 11-year-old Chico Flores, who finds a crate of daffodil bulbs with mysterious properties. The short stories of Jaime Cortez are collected in Gordo, a semi-autobiographical collection set in a migrant workers camp near Watsonville in the 1970s.

Family Fun

Lick Observatory Evening Tours
Sep 6–29 | Lick Observatory, San Jose | lickobservatory.org
Enjoy September under the stars at one of six public tours offerings by this astronomical outpost on Mount Hamilton.

Lowrider Takeover
Sep 14 | Children’s Discovery Museum | cdm.org
Cars, motorcycles, and bicycles from local group Boulevard Bombs will cruise inside and out of the CDM during Hispanic Heritage Month month. Car owners and their vehicles will be at the museum every weekend through Oct 13. For the kickoff event, musician Phillip Retamoza will perform and show off his purple 1952 Mercury Lowrider bomb and ABCs of Lowriding author Ricardo Cortez will host a Q&A and art activity beginning at 11am.

Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Sep 21, 9:30am-4:30pm | Children’s Discovery Museum, San Jose | cdm.org
A traditional Chinese and Vietnamese celebration, the event will feature a Lion Dance by Yun Yee Tong, traditional music and an opportunity for kids to make Play-Doh moon cakes.

Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice
Opens Sep 21 | Children’s Discovery Museum, San Jose | cdm.org
Creatures from the Cretaceous Period will walk the earth again—or at least the halls of the Children’s Discovery Museum. Youths can play with dinosaur eggs, encounter a volcano, commune with a  T-Rex, dig for fossils and more in this visiting exhibit created by Minnesota Children’s Museum.

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
Oct 19–20, 9am–5pm | Main Street, between Mill and Spruce streets, Half Moon Bay | pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com
In addition to “Volkswagen-sized heavyweight champion pumpkins,” there will be four stages of live music, the Great Pumpkin Parade, art and fine crafts, pumpkin carving, pie-eating and costume contests, and a plethora of food and drink. Fans of big gourds won’t want to miss the Pumpkin Weigh-Off, taking place 7–11am on Oct 14.

Disney On Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party
Oct 24–26 | SAP Center, San Jose | sapcenter.com
Expect the famous mouse to encounter Coco, Moana, Belle, Elsa and other animated faves.

Zoppé Italian Family Circus
Nov 1–Dec 1 | Main Library Parking Lot, Redwood City | redwoodcity.org
This charming “Old World family circus” with a long history (180 years) returns to Redwood City for the 18th time. Acrobats, trapeze artists, jugglers, equestrian acts and more are on the menu.

Downtown Ice
Nov 17–Jan 15 | Circle of Palms Plaza, San Jose | sjdowntown.com
Expect a warm welcome for this icy holiday treat.