May
Sake San Jose
Join hundreds of sake tasters in historic Japantown San Jose (on Jackson Street, between 3rd and 7th Streets) in a fundraising event for the Yu-Ai Kai Senior Service. Thu, May 22. 5:30pm-8:30pm. $40-$60. Japantown, San Jose.
FanimeCon
Everything anime, plus a music festival, panel discussions, games and karaoke. Fri, May 23-26. $40-$75. San Jose Convention Center, San Jose.
Wings of Freedom Tour
Vintage aircraft on display. Thru May 24. Moffett Federal Airfield, Mountain View.
Night Market
Food trucks gather to re-create the night market scene in Taiwan. Every second and fourth Saturday thru August. Berryessa Flea Market. San Jose.
San Jose Taco Festival
Tacos of all varieties from a selection of taco trucks, plus live music and kids’ play areas. Sat, May 24, 12pm-8pm. $10 general admission. History Park, San Jose.
Asian American Future Roots Festival
San Jose Councilmember Ash Kalra hosts a celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, featuring live performances, art, food trucks and more. Sat, May 24, 12pm-6pm. Plaza de Cesar Chavez, San Jose.
Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras
This 35th annual festival celebrates all things fungi. Live entertainment, arts and crafts, gourmet food and mushroom education. And for kids, rides and games at Munchkinland. May 24-25. Free. Outdoor Community Center Amphitheater, downtown Morgan Hill.
Civil War Battles and Encampment
Encampments of Union and Confederate soldiers re-make history. Sat, May 24-26. Roaring Camp Railroads, Felton.
Cars & Croissants
Exotic car owners and enthusiasts display their cars on Santana Row on the last Saturday of every month until December. Sat, May 24. 9am-12pm. Santana Row, San Jose.
Mountain Winery Concert Season
For the summer the Mountain Winery opens up its amphitheater for live concerts, comedy routines, and live entertainment paired with local food and wine. This year’s season includes Jeff Dunham, The Go Go’s, Patty Smyth, Pat Benatar, Andrew Bird, Ozomatli, Elvis Costello and many more. Thru Oct. 3. Mountain Winery. Saratoga.
Greek Festival
Food, arts and crafts and live music in Greek fashion. Fri, May 30-Jun 1. $3-$5. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. 1260 Davis St., San Jose.
St. Clare Community Festiv’all
An annual three-day family festival with entertainment, carnival rides, food trucks, BBQ and games. Fri, May 30- Sun, Jun 1. $20-$30. 725 Washington St., Santa Clara.
Redwood Mountain Faire
Art, food and live music in a two-day festival. Sat, May 31-Jun 1. $15-$25. Roaring Camp Railroads, Felton.
Summer Get-Together
A large car show from the Goodguys Rod and Custom Association, celebrating its 21st year, with thousands of vehicles. Sat, May 31-Jun 1. Pleasanton Fairgrounds.
Sunset Celebration Weekend
Annual open house for the magazine, with demonstrations, food and entertainment. Sat, May 31-Jun 1. Sunset, Menlo Park.
June
Live 105 BFD
Annual music festival celebrating breaking and local music. Headliners this year are Foster The People, M.I.A., Fitz and the Tantrums, and New Politics. $35-$69.50. Sun, Jun 1. Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View.
Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival
Wine tasting from regional wineries, beer, food and art. Mon, Jun 2-3. Downtown Sunnyvale.
Music & Market
Held in conjunction with East Santa Clara Street farmer’s market with kids’ entertainment. Local bands play first Wednesday each month until September. For June indie groove/folk rock band Dogcatcher plays. Wed, Jun 4. 4-8pm. E. Santa Clara St. off N. 14th St. San Jose.
Nativity Carnival
Carnival rides, music, tiki bar, silent auction and more. Fri, Jun 6-8. Nativity Parish, Menlo Park.
St. Pius Festival
This year’s festival combines national influences for their “All Across America” theme. Fri, Jun 6-8. 1100 Woodside Rd., Redwood City.
SubZERO Festival
Artwalk held in conjunction with South First Fridays celebrating DIY, street and tech-inspired art. Live performers, bands and kids’ entertainment also featured. Jun 6-7. 6pm-midnight. SoFA District, San Jose.
LAST Festival
(Life, Art, Science and Technology) festival features a combination of interactive multimedia art installations and interactive talks on cutting-edge technology and science. Takes place concurrently with SubZERO. Jun 6, 6-11pm (interactive art); Jun 7, 1-6pm (talks); 6-11pm (interactive art). ZERO1 Garage, San Jose.
Summer Fashion Show
This year Santana Row shows off the hottest Summer fashions and features Vernon Davis on the catwalk. Sat, Jun 7, 1 and 4pm. $40. Santana Row, San Jose.
Dia de San Juan Festival
Western Regional Puerto Rican Council presents a day of cultural events, food and live music. Sat, Jun 7. 11am-7pm. $20-$30. History Park, San Jose.
Food & Wine Classic
Meet with top chefs and vintners while sampling dishes and savoring fine wines. Proceeds benefit education programs. Sun, Jun 8, 5:30pm. $225. Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga.
Capitola Car Show
Hot rod displays with live entertainment. Sun, Jun 7-8. Capitola.
San Mateo County Fair
Exhibits, entertainment and lots of rides. Sun, Jun 7-15. $8-$25. San Mateo Expo Center. San Mateo.
Afternoon Tea & Vintage Fashion Show
Tea, fruit, pastries and a vintage hat and fashion show. Sun, Jun 8. 1-4pm. $30. Harris-Lass Museum, Santa Clara.
Art on the Square
Series of art shows featuring paintings, photography, jewelry, glass, ceramics and more. Fri, Jun 13. 5pm-8:30pm. Courthouse Square, Redwood Square.
Dia de Portugal Festival
The Portuguese Heritage Society of California hosts a day of music, food and dance. Sat, Jun 14. 10am-6pm. History Park, San Jose.
Starlight Cinemas
Watch classic blockbusters in the evenings at outdoor setups throughout downtown San Jose each week. This year watch ’80s movie hits Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Pretty in Pink, Gremlins and Airplane!. The series kicks off with Bend It Like Beckham after the World Cup. Sat, Jun 14-Aug 20. Various locations, downtown San Jose. (check sjdowntown.com/starlight for showtimes)
Juneteenth in the Park
A celebration commemorating the emancipation of slaves in the U.S. with food, arts and crafts and performances. Sat, Jun 14-15. St James Park, San Jose.
Palo Alto World Music Day
Free music will be performed in King Plaza and the surrounding streets. The event is held in celebration of Fete de la Musique, a worldwide musical event that takes place near the summer solstice. Jun 15, 3-7:30pm. University Avenue, downtown Palo Alto.
Great Train Robberies
Shootouts, duels and other reenactments will demonstrate why the West was wild. Sun, Jun 15. Sat, Jul 5-6. Sat, Aug 30-31. Mon, Sep 1. Roaring Railroad Camp. Felton.
Hats off to Dad
Train rides, railroad exhibits and barbecue for Father’s Day. Sun, Jun 15. $19-$28 admission in adv. Roaring Railroad Camp, Felton.
Alameda County Fair
Rides, art displays and carnival games, this year’s event features horse racing and live music. Fireworks show on July 4. Wed, Jun 18-Jul 6. 11am-10pm, Tue-Sun.
Dine Downtown
Downtown restaurants will present prix-fixe three-course menus. Fri, Jun 20-29. San Jose.
Vans Warped Tour
National tour of punk and metal bands. Sun, Jun 21. 11am. $49.50 for General Admission. $59.50 for 20th anniversary special admission. Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View.
San Mateo SummerFest
The second annual summerfest features cooking demos, bands and kids’ activities. Sun, Jun 21-22. 10am-6pm. B Street between Baldwin and Sixth Ave. San Mateo.
Santa Cruz Starlight Evening Train
See the nighttime forest from Pullman-like coaches and open-air excursion cars for a two-hour ride. Train departs in Santa Cruz Boardwalk at 8pm. Sun, Jun 21, Jul 19, Aug 16. Roaring Railroad Camp. Felton.
Summer Solstice Wine Stroll
Wine and food tastings and exclusive shopping discounts. Sun, Jun 21. 5pm-7pm. $35. Santana Row, San Jose.
Woodies on the Wharf
Restored classic woodies will be shown in all their glory. Sun, Jun 21. 10am-4pm. Santa Cruz Wharf.
Willow Glen’s Dancin’ on the Avenue
Dance the day away at a community event featuring live music from local bands. Sun, Jun 22. 2-8pm. Lincoln Ave and Willow St. Willow Glen.
Silicon Valley BBQ Championships
A cooking competition, carnival games, car show and live music. Fri, Jun 27-28. 4pm-9pm, 11am-8pm. Central Park. 909 Kiely Blvd. Santa Clara.
Cars & Croissants
Exotic car owners and enthusiasts display their cars on Santana Row on the last Saturday of every month until December. Sat, Jun 28. 9am-12pm. Santana Row, San Jose.
Valley of Heart’s Delight
Dinner and live music to honor the individuals who contribute to Santa Clara Valley. This year’s recipient is Frank Fiscalini. Sat, Jun 28. 6-10pm. $175. History Park, San Jose.
July
Music & Market
Held in conjunction East Santa Clara Street farmer’s market with kids’ entertainment. Local bands play first Wednesday each month until September. For July surf rock band Piranha Party plays. Wed, Jul 2. 4-8pm. E. Santa Clara St. off N. 14th. San Jose.
Family Fourth
A Fourth of July parade and festival. This year’s theme is “Through The Eyes of a Child,” Fri, Jul 4. 10am. Middlefield Rd and Bradford St. Redwood City.
San Jose Bacon Festival of America
This festival presented by Moveable Feast expands to two days and features more than 30 food trucks serving bacon-focused dishes, along with bacon cooking competitions, bacon-themed games, live music and fireworks. Fri-Sat, Jul, 4-5. Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park, San Jose.
Fireworks Return to Downtown San Jose
Fourth of July fireworks follow up the Bacon Festival of America. July 4. Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park, San Jose.
Freedom Fest “Destination America”
Honoring Independence Day with a 5K run and walk, car and cruise show, and parade, ending with fireworks. Fri, Jul 4. Various locations. Morgan Hill.
Rose, White, & Blue Parade
A Fourth of July traditional parade with floats, dance groups, and antique autos, followed by a picnic on The Alameda. Fri, Jul 4. 7am-2pm. The Alameda, San Jose.
Summer Festival and Chili Cook-off
A spicy Independence Day fest with teams competing in the chili championship, plus activities for kids and live music. Fri, Jul 4. 12-5pm. 600 East Meadow Dr. Palo Alto.
Rockstar Mayhem Festival
Touring metal music festival bringing classic and upcoming metal bands. Headliners include Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Asking Alexandria, Trivium, Cannibal Corpse and more. Sun, Jul 6. 1pm. $30-$190. Shoreline Amphitheater. Mountain View.
Jewelry on the Square
Jewelry show accompanying Art on the Square series. Fri, Jul 11, 5pm-8:30pm. Courthouse Square, Redwood City.
Los Altos Art & Wine Festival
Local artists, food & wine and live entertainment. Sat, Jul 12-13. 10am-6pm. Between San Antonio Rd. and Foothill Expressway. Los Altos.
Obon Matsuri
A Japantown celebration with games, food and live performances by San Jose Taiko and additional Taiko groups. Sat, Jul 12-13. San Jose Buddhist Church. Japantown, San Jose.
Moonlight Steam Train Dinner Party
Enjoy a barbecue steak dinner followed by a leisurely train ride aboard vintage railway cars. Sat, Jul 12. Sat, Aug 9. Sat, Sep 6. 5-10pm. Roaring Railroad Camp. Felton.
Strangers Car Show & BBQ
Hot rods and custom cars on display with BBQ, art and more. Sun, Jul 13. 12-4pm. $3 day of. History Park, San Jose.
Connoisseur’s Marketplace
A fine-crafts festival, plus live music and food, cooking demos and kids’ activities. Sat, Jul 19-20. 10am-6pm. Santa Cruz Ave. between El Camino and Johnson St., Menlo Park.
“Then and Now” Block Party
A summer block party with The English Beat and two buzzworthy bands TBA, hosted by Live 105. Thu, Jul 17. 5:30pm. $10. St. James Park. San Jose.
Art on the Square
Series of art shows featuring paintings, photography, jewelry, glass, ceramics and more. Fri, Jul 25-26. 5pm-8:30pm, 11am-8pm. Courthouse Square, Redwood Square.
Gilroy Garlic Festival
A salute to all things garlic; with food, music, cook-offs and more. Fri, Jul 25-27. 10am-7pm. $10-$20. Christmas Hill Park. Gilroy.
Silicon Valley Beer Week
This inaugural event brings together local brew enthusiasts for a series of beer-related events, including tastings, talks and tap takeovers. Fri, Jul 25-Aug 2. The week closes with the KraftBrew Summerfest in Japantown. Various locations. San Jose. (See svbeerwalk.com for more details)
Cars & Croissants
Exotic car owners and enthusiasts display their cars on Santana Row on the last Saturday of every month until December. Sat, Jul 26. 9am-12pm. Santana Row, San Jose.
Day Out with Thomas
Join Thomas the Tank Engineª for the Thrill of the Ride Tour 2014 through the Big Trees followed by kids and family activities. Sat, Jul 26-27. Fri, Aug 1-3. $16-$20. Roaring Railroad Camp. Felton.
PAL Blues Festival
A summer salute to the blues, plus a barbeque cook-off, arts and crafts and kids’ activities. Sat, Jul 26. Courthouse Square, Redwood City.
Shiny Side Up
Hundreds of bicycles are on display accompanied by live music, food trucks, kid zones, vendors, exhibitions and more. Sun, Jul 27. 10am. History Park, San Jose.
Wharf-To-Wharf Race
A 6-mile coastal run followed by a celebration with music and food. Sun, Jul 27. $40 registration. Starts on Beach St. near the Santa Cruz Wharf.
The Beer Walk
Cool off with more than 20 libations from local breweries. Wed, Jul 30. 6-9pm. $30. Santana Row, San Jose.
Santa Clara County Fair
Rides and animals and games and new additions to the kids’ zone. Greg Kihn Band performs Saturday night. Thu, Jul 31-Aug 3. Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. San Jose.
August
Sabor del Valle
Annual celebration of local wine, food, art, music and Latino heritage. Fri, Aug 1. 6-10pm. $60-$80. History Park, San Jose.
Fremont Festival of the Arts
Three stages of music, plus booths from various artisans. Sat, Aug 2-3. Downtown Fremont.
Vibe: SJ Music and Soccer Festival
Four-on-four tournaments and individual soccer-based contests paired with live music from local acts. Sat, Aug 2-3. PAL Stadium, San Jose.
San Jose Renaissance Faire
Ye old days of England are revisited with jousting, sorcery, Tudor in fighting, period food and long robes. Sat, Aug 2-3. Guadalupe River Green. $8-$18. San Jose.
Music & Market
Held in conjunction East Santa Clara Street Farmers’ Market with kids’ entertainment. Local bands play first Wednesday each month until September. For August San Jose ska band Monkey plays. Wed, Aug 6. 4-8pm. E. Santa Clara St. off N. 14th. San Jose.
San Jose Jazz Summer Fest
Celebrate the annual jazz festival’s 25th Anniversary with special prices to see cutting-edge jazz, blues, R&B and more artists. Fri, Aug 8-10. $45-$55 general admission. Various locations, downtown San Jose.
Fiesta de Artes
Art and wine festival with bands, local talent, arts and crafts. Sat, Aug 9-10. 10am-6pm. Civic Center grounds, Los Gatos. Santa Cruz Mountains Sol Festival
Two-day music festival with headline entertainment plus local Bay Area talent on two outdoor stages. Beer and wine garden, food and merchandise booths. Sat, Aug 9-10. Roaring Railroad Camp. Felton.
Scotts Valley Arts and Wine Festival
With displays by California artists and tastings by local vintners. Sat, Aug 9-10. SkyPark, Scotts Valley.
North Fair Oaks Community Festival
A morning parade is followed by performing arts and food. Sun, Aug 17. 11am-6pm. Middlefield Rd., between 1st and 5th. Redwood City.
San Jose Pride Festival
Celebrating the LGBT and diverse and cultural community in the South Bay, including a family day, children’s activities, live entertainment, parade and booths. Sun, Aug 17. Discovery Meadow, San Jose.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Legends
Dazzling feats and spectacles. Wed, Aug 20-25. $21.60-$146.50. SAP Center. San Jose.
Music in the Park
Live Latin music by Pete Escovedo and Grammy-Award winning La Santa Cecilia. Thu, Aug 21. 5:30pm. $10. Plaza de Cesar Chavez. San Jose.
Art on the Square
Series of art shows featuring paintings, photography, jewelry, glass, ceramics and more. Fri, Aug 22. 5pm-8:30pm. Courthouse Square, Redwood Square.
Italian Family Fiesta
This long-running festival of Italian food and frivolity raises funds for the Italian American Heritage Foundation and its efforts to promote Italian history in the Santa Clara Valley. Sat, Aug 23-24. Guadalupe River Park. San Jose.
Palo Alto Festival of the Arts
Artists and craftspeople come together at this annual community extravaganza. Sat, Aug 23-24. 10am-6pm. University Ave., Palo Alto.
Cars & Croissants
Exotic car owners and enthusiasts display their cars on Santana Row on the last Saturday of every month until December. Sat, Aug 30. 9am-12pm. Santana Row, San Jose.
September
Music & Market
Held in conjunction East Santa Clara Street Farmers’ market with kids’ entertainment. Local bands play first Wednesday each month until September. For September indie/alternative rock band Curious Quail plays. Wed, Sep 3. 4-8pm. E. Santa Clara St. off N. 14th. San Jose.
