Free Live Music Returns to Lake Cunningham with Levitt on Location

Lake Cunningham Park hosts a free evening of live music on Friday, August 28, as Levitt on Location joins the Fridays at the Lake series. The concert runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cypress Pavilion, 2305 South White Road.

Hella Doubtful headlines with a high-energy tribute to No Doubt and Gwen Stefani, delivering the ska-punk sound of the 1990s. Fire Peach opens the night with alternative rock and pop-rock hits from the 1990s and early 2000s, a set the Bay Area band has performed across Northern California since 2015.

Food trucks, beer and wine for purchase, and kids’ activities round out the evening beside the lake. Free parking is available, and guests can bring lawn chairs or blankets for an outdoor picnic-style experience. The full Fridays at the Lake series continues through October 2 with additional concerts and movie nights.

The next Levitt on Location date is set for September 25, featuring Discos Resaca and a Selena tribute. These free, all-ages evenings offer a straightforward way to spend a summer Friday outdoors with live music and a lakeside atmosphere.

Boot Barn Heads to Blossom Hill Road Near Oakridge

Western-wear retailer Boot Barn will bring its first San Jose location to 932 Blossom Hill Road, the former Wagly Veterinary Hospital site. The 18,277-square-foot store is expected to open in 2027 and will sit close to Westfield Oakridge.

The Irvine-based chain specializes in boots, clothing, and accessories for work and everyday western style. Its nearest current stores stand in San Martin and Livermore, so the new site fills a clear gap for local shoppers. Brokers from Econic and CBRE handled the lease, noting the corridor’s strong mix of established shopping centers, nearby homes, and easy access.

Silicon Valley retail vacancy recently tightened to 4.9 percent, reflecting solid demand and limited new construction. Boot Barn continues expanding nationally with plans for 70 additional stores this fiscal year as it works toward a long-term total of 1,200 locations.

Source: SVBJ

Willow Glen will host its annual National Night Out on August 4 at Willow Street Bramhall Park. From 5 until 8 in the evening, neighbors and families will gather for live music, food trucks, games, and activities that turn the park into a hub of summer community spirit.

The evening includes a giant jumpy slide, free face painting, a selfie booth, and plenty of games alongside the music and refreshments. Local police officers will join the celebration, offering residents a relaxed chance to connect and learn more about neighborhood safety resources in a setting built for fun.

Organized by the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, the event follows a nationwide tradition that strengthens ties between communities and law enforcement. In this corner of San Jose the gathering brings people together across generations for shared activities that build familiarity and trust.

This kind of neighborhood-led evening highlights the active spirit that sets Willow Glen apart. Residents can enjoy the open park space, support local food vendors, and create connections that extend well beyond a single summer night.

Silicon Valley Pride Returns to Downtown San Jose with Flourish & Bloom Theme

Silicon Valley Pride will mark its 51st year with a two-day celebration in Downtown San Jose on August 29 and 30. The 2026 theme, Flourish & Bloom, centers on growth, resilience, and community strength.

Saturday evening brings the Night Festival at Plaza de César Chávez Park from 6 to 11 p.m., featuring live entertainment, food vendors, and opportunities to connect with local organizations and businesses. The main parade steps off Sunday at 10:30 a.m. from Julian Street and Market Street, traveling through Downtown San Jose and concluding at the park. The Day Festival then runs from noon to 6 p.m. with stages, vendors, family activities, and resource booths.

Spectators can watch the parade free of charge. Festival access requires tickets, which you can purchase here. The weekend welcomes participants of all ages and includes spaces focused on families, transgender and nonbinary communities, and other groups within the broader LGBTQ+ community.

Organizers continue their year-round advocacy work through this annual gathering, which draws thousands to the heart of Downtown San Jose. The combination of parade energy and park festival creates a full weekend of visibility and connection right in the city’s core.

El Mercadito Brings Weekly Night Market Energy Near SAP Center

A free weekly cultural night market now fills Wednesday evenings in Downtown San Jose through early October. El Mercadito runs every Wednesday from 4 to 11 p.m. at 105 South Montgomery Street, a short walk from Diridon Station and right by the SAP Center.

Organized by Creekside Socials, the market offers street food and gourmet bites from local entrepreneurs alongside stalls selling apparel, homewares, and handmade goods from San Jose makers. The Creekside Art Corridor adds visual interest with work by Ricardo Cortez.

Family-friendly and open to leashed dogs, the gathering creates an easy midweek stop for dinner, shopping, or simply spending time outdoors under the lights. The series began in late May and continues each Wednesday until October 7.

Source: Eventbrite

San Jose Posts Strong Second Place in Silicon Valley Housing Completions

Silicon Valley added more than 9,000 new housing units in 2025, according to state data, with San Jose finishing second behind Santa Clara. The city completed 2,192 units while Santa Clara led the region with 2,685.

Four cities in the area finished more than 1,000 units each. High construction costs continue to shape which projects move forward, yet the overall numbers reflect steady progress toward regional needs. Santa Clara’s total benefited from projects that secured financing earlier, particularly in the Clara District and the first phase of Gateway Crossings.

Morgan Hill completed just 35 units last year but sits on track to meet its state-assigned RHNA target of 1,037 homes for the 2023-31 cycle, with stronger permitting activity already showing in the first half of 2026. San Jose carries the largest regional obligation at more than 62,000 units over the same period.

The results highlight ongoing efforts across the South Bay to expand the housing supply. Continued collaboration between cities and developers will determine whether the momentum carries into the next several years as communities work to meet long-term goals.

Source: SVBJ

Free Outdoor Screening of How to Train Your Dragon at Joseph D. Grant County Park

Families can settle under the open sky on Saturday, August 1, for a free showing of the live-action How to Train Your Dragon at Joseph D. Grant County Park. The film begins at sunset, with the evening running from 8:00 p.m. to about 10:45 p.m. at the Canada De Pala group site.

Santa Clara County Parks hosts the event as part of its summer Movie Nights in the Park series. Entry costs nothing, though parking runs $6 per vehicle. Guests should bring a chair or blanket, a flashlight, and snacks. Dogs stay home for this one.

The park sits at 18405 Mount Hamilton Road in San José and offers a scenic backdrop of rolling hills for the adventure. Arriving early helps secure a good spot before the lights go down and the story of dragons and friendship unfolds on the big screen.

This simple outdoor gathering gives local residents an easy way to enjoy a popular family film without leaving the county’s natural spaces. Pack light, head out early, and settle in for an evening of movie magic among the trees.

Source: Santa Clara County Parks

New Bill Kee Park Takes Shape Near Almaden Expressway

A modest 1.4-acre parcel at the end of Rinconada Drive will soon become Bill Kee Park, a neighborhood gathering spot complete with a playground, walking loop, pollinator garden, public art, and a bioretention system that captures and filters stormwater. The site sits adjacent to the Almaden Expressway and Curtner Avenue off-ramp in south San Jose.

City Council approved the name earlier this year after community surveys ranked Bill Kee highest among the options. Kee, a Chinese American business leader who died in 1989, helped preserve San Jose’s historic Chinatown and broke barriers by becoming one of the first Chinese Americans admitted to several local civic organizations.

Design work is scheduled to wrap up this spring, with construction expected to begin in the fall and the park opening for public use by summer 2027. The project grows out of land dedicated during the Latitude 37 apartment development and forms part of broader efforts to improve water quality while adding recreation space to nearby residential pockets.

Families and neighbors in the area will gain a quiet place to walk, play, and learn once the improvements arrive. The combination of everyday amenities and environmental features turns an underused corner into a practical addition that supports both daily life and the city’s long-term sustainability goals.

Source: City of San Jose Capital Projects

San Jose Ranks Among Safest Major Cities for Weekend Driving

San Jose proved relatively secure compared with other large American cities over the past five years for weekend driving. An analysis of federal crash data placed the city ninth-lowest in weekend fatal crash rates among the 50 biggest U.S. metros, at 2.77 incidents per 100,000 residents.

From 2020 through 2024 the city averaged 27.4 weekend fatal crashes annually, for a total of 137 lives lost. Numbers held fairly steady in the earlier years before dropping to 22 in 2024, the lowest annual figure in the period and a 21 percent decline from 2020. That rate sits more than 80 percent below the highest-ranked city and matches Raleigh while trailing only denser places (with less freeway driving) such as New York, Boston, and San Francisco.

The 2024 reduction in particular points to progress that local safety programs may have helped produce. Still, every crash remains a loss, and continued attention to pedestrian infrastructure, speed control, and impaired-driving enforcement will determine whether the downward trend holds.

Source: Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers

New Indian Restaurant The Silk Route Prepares to Open in San Pedro Square

A longstanding Downtown San Jose restaurant space at 17 North San Pedro Street will soon welcome The Silk Route Bar and Kitchen after plans for a Mexican steakhouse fell through. Owner Jasbir Singh, who already operates the neighboring sports bar The Brit, filed for a Type 47 liquor license and aims for an October debut.

The two-story, 6,800-square-foot venue represents nearly a million-dollar investment and is expected to create about 25 jobs. Singh identified a clear gap for Indian fine dining in the district and intends to fill it with classics such as chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, and various lamb preparations alongside a full cocktail program.

The location sits squarely in the busy corridor between Farmers Union and O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub, a stretch that has drawn strong crowds in recent months. San Pedro Square recorded more than 400,000 visitors during FIFA World Cup watch parties, and additional openings including Southern Comfort Kitchen in the food hall continue to refresh the dining mix.

Earlier tenants of the site included a decade-long run by Olla Cocina, popular with Sharks fans headed to SAP Center, followed by the temporary Bar Tako pop-up. The shift to The Silk Route arrives as the surrounding blocks show renewed energy and private investment, including the recent purchase of the Old Wagon Saloon building by a group linked to an NFL player.

Local diners seeking expanded options in the heart of Downtown can look forward to this addition once the build-out finishes. The Silk Route’s arrival further diversifies the flavors available along San Pedro Street and reinforces the area’s momentum as a destination for both everyday meals and special occasions.

Source: SVBJ