By Erin Kain By Erin Kain | May 22, 2023 | Lifestyle Feature Guides
From music and art to food and wine, here are the festivals in Silicon Valley you won't want to miss.
Palo Alto Festival of the Arts
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Hosted by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce, this specialty festival attracts over 150,000 attendees each year to peruse over 300 fine art and contemporary craft displays. With over 60 Italian street painters creating larger-than-life chalk art on Tasso St. to stage and street corner entertainment, gourmet food and drinks and a kid’s art studio, this festive event is a must-attend.
This two-day outdoor festival is a vibrant community celebration with an artisan market, live entertainment—think main stage band performances alongside community performance areas—live art installations and a children’s activity zone. Stop by to support local businesses, shop from arts and crafts vendors and sip on a variety of beer, wine and margaritas.
A beloved tradition since 1876, Morgan Hill is one of the few cities in the Bay Area to host all-day events for the Fourth of July. Head to the Family Music Fest to listen to some rockin’ local bands or work up a sweat at the 5K Freedom Run. A lively parade with equestrian groups, marching bands and dozens of floats is sure to astound, while the fireworks show with live music (plus a traditional pie eating contest!) ends the celebrations with a bang.
Helmed in 1979, this summer food festival celebrates Gilroy’s title as Garlic Capital of the World. Gourmet Alley features scrumptious eats like pepper steak sandwiches, multiple variations of scampi, tons of garlic bread, decadent BBQ and so much more. Look for events like the farm-to-table dinner (held last year at Fortino’s Winery), Garlic Festival Golf Tournament at the Gilroy Golf Course and the Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen Pageant.
The Los Altos Art & Wine Festival is a two-day event that showcases distinctive works of art from artists and craftspeople all over the country alongside select vintages from local wineries. Expect a wide variety of delicious food from Thai and Chinese cuisines to Mexican and all-American favorites—think sausages, hot links, roasted corn and more. Be sure to check out the all-day free concerts!
The Cupertino Fall Bike Fest is every cyclist’s dream, featuring guided bike rides, a bike rodeo skills course with obstacles and ramps, bike demos, clinics and more. Guided rides are chaperoned by experienced cyclists and include a shorter route for beginners and children. Extra special activities include bike decorating stations, face painting and blender bike smoothies.
Held in San Jose’s History Park, the Italian American Heritage Foundation’s signature event features live cooking demonstrations, Italian flag throwers parading through the streets, live music and a wine tasting garden at the Gordon House. Be sure to sign up for the grape stomp competition, where guests team up in pairs and compete to stomp out the most juice.
An annual music festival organized by nonprofit San Jose Jazz, the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest honors the vibrancy of jazz as an art form in the Bay Area. The three-day festival features nearly 100 acts across more than eight stages, both indoors and outdoors. Snack on select food and beverages while grooving to the tune of jazz, Latin jazz, blues R&B, salsa and so much more.
Photography by: ISTOCK
