Cultura in the Park 2024

Today the celebration for Mexican Independence Day takes place in Downtown San Jose at Plaza de Cesar Chavez from noon to 4pm. The party includes live music, food, low riders, vendors, art, and cultural performances. 

Pobladores Night Market this Thursdays in SoFA

This week the Pobladores night market has been extended from 5:30-9pm to 10pm in Downtown San Jose's artsy SoFA District. There will be music, vendors, food trucks, a beer garden, and live performances. It's a great option for a Thursday night to get ready for an action-packed weekend.

Sorry for the delays in posts the past week, had some personal issues and am working on getting back on a regular schedule.

South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk + STREET MRKT - September 2024

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back with exhibits across multiple galleries in three different districts. Everything is open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, San Jose Jazz, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

It all goes down on Friday, September 6th. As usual admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art! Below is a map with all of the galleries to check out across all three different districts.

This month is also a STREET MRKT indie urban art faire which overlaps with the art walk and runs from 5pm to 10pm. This bonus event features dozens of vendors and artists, turning the streets of SoFA into an outdoor art gallery. It also includes live music, food trucks, and a beer garden with local breweries (more details below).

South FIRST FRIDAYS presents: STREET MRKT indie urban art faire 

FIRST FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6th 5pm–10pm
Free admission (spend it with the Artists!).
Out on S. 1st St. (between San Carlos & William streets) in SoFA District

Join us out on So. 1st St. as artists transform the SoFA District into a unique and bustling outdoor gallery with their creative energy! Imaginative paintings & sculptures, glass art demos, fascinating bone jewelry, classic tattoo art, counterculture zines, and chic fashion are just some of the rare works you’ll find when you come out and support our amazing arts community. 

We’ll also have a great variety of delicious food trucks and a lively beer garden sponsored by & featuring: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, and Strike Brewing Co.

FEATURED ARTISTS:
Anthony Alva 
Rebecca Anguiano
BAGI / Bay Area Glass Institute 
Delilah Bender
The Blunt Letters
Julianne Bonnet
Emmanuel Cervantes Mejia 
Crossroads Trading Co.
Dario Cruz
Current Tattooing
Christina Del Alto
Jennifer DeChenne
Joseph Demaree
Mario Dimas
Lorenz Dumuk
Mahsa Emoventur
Force129
Cynthia Gonzalez
Jared Gochuico
Hand in Hand Henna
Higher Fire Clayspace
Maureen Holcomb
Jodi408
Sarah Loyola
Valentino Loyola
Joe Mandrick
Martha Gardens Arts
David Mejia
MEMBIT Inc.
Gianfranco Paolozzi 
Leslie Perez 
Betty Proper
Ragavon
Francisco Ramirez
Steven Regalado 
Marilyn Roaf aka Purl Bailey
Jacob Sandoval
Ricardo Sandoval 
Rene Schilling-Sears
South Bay Ceramics
Suha Suha
Sundry 3D Treasures
Nikkea Takagi
Heylu Wheat
plus great music provided by
UNGRAMR SND SYSTEM out on S 1st Street

–>  BEER GARDEN 
5:00 – 10:00pm Great music provided by BIG LEE & Guiña
from On the Corner Music

Beer Garden sponsored by & featuring local & regional breweries: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, and Strike Brewing Co.

All ages welcome, must be 21+ w/ valid ID to drink beer.

STREET MRKT is supported in part by a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San Jose.

More details on greatly enhanced electrified Caltrain schedules

Electrified trains have already been added to the Caltrain network, but they have been hamstrung by the old Diesel schedule. On September 21st, the system will change over to the fully electrified schedule and it is nothing but good news. Not only are the trains quieter and cleaner, but they are also much faster.

The slowest option from San Jose to San Francisco with 23 stops will go from 115 minutes to 83 minutes, shaving more than half an hour off the route. The 401 train goes from Diridon to SF and the route will go from 14 stops to 16 stops and STILL reduce the time from 76 minutes to 69 minutes. That Express (Baby Bullet) route from San Jose Diridon to SF will go from just 7 stops to 10 stops and reduce the time from 66 minutes to 59 minutes.

It's good news all around for transit enthusiasts, as well as traditional commuters along 101 and 280. More people taking Caltrain equals fewer cars clogging up roads and freeways. Caltrain is also the nicest transit options we have in the Bay Area outside of a few limited-stop AMTRAK routes.

Source: Trains.com

San Jose Downtown Association TownHall at the SAP Center

The SJDA hosted a TownHall meeting focused on professional sports and arts in Downtown San Jose last month. It's worth watching the whole 60min session below, but there were three tidbits that were news to me:

• There is interest in doing another "fiberglass shark" artist collaboration. This was a very successful program years ago where 100 shark statues were decorated by local artists and then auctioned for charity. Many you can still find throughout San Jose today.
• There was a push to have a restaurant week coincide with the Super Bowl. Thousands of people will be staying in the South Bay, not SF during that week. We need to make sure they patronize local restaurants and this would be great timing for a foodie event.
• Postgame concerts after the World Cup. There will be six World Cup games at Levi's and plans are forming to have a major concert/party after each one in Downtown San Jose.

You can watch the full recording below.

San Jose Lowrider Day

Today enjoy a free event highlighting Lowriders at San Jose City Hall from 12pm to 6pm. The plaza will be filled with Lowriders from car clubs, while street parking in front of City Hall will be open to all low riders first come, first serve.

There will also be food trucks parked along 4th Street.