Literally, my only complaint is how busy it gets (especially for parking) and hard to walk on the…read moresidewalks it is. But just being able to walk down with family or friends and admire all the beautiful lighting and decorated homes is such a vibe!

Crowded and it's really only one block that's decorated. The surrounding blocks are normal. Highly…read morerecommend coming earlier in the evening to avoid the super crowds and park a couple blocks over to walk. I can't believe they let people sell the lighted balloons here, like Christmas in the Park. It's $20 / balloon, fyi you can buy 10 of those balloons on Amazon for the same price. But tis the season? Almost every house on the ONE block is super decorated and babies/kids love it. It's a good little stop by.

First time to this Festival and initially felt a little claustrophobic walking the first two blocks…read morewhen we arrived around 12:15 pm on a Saturday. However, after walking the first two blocks and for whatever reason there seemed to be more space to walk without bumping into other folks. Weather temperature was perfect and it's nice that Castro street is lined on either side of the street with trees which shaded the sun. I actually ended up buying a piece of sale cloth stainless steel bracelet from one of the vendors.

This is one of the premier outdoor festivals in the bay area, every year it gets bigger. Love that…read morethey added more food vendors. It seemed like they had a better variety of food. This year they advertised over 400 vendors. I think that some vendors were a bit expensive,but I'm sure that it's to cover the cost of renting a spot. I guess that you have to pick and choose who you want to support. I try to support the small shop owners as much as possible. Not everything needs to be purchased from Amazon. I think that events like this help not only local merchant's,but the local restaurant along the streets. Most of the restaurants were crowded. Can't wait till next year

Love all Los Altos festivals and fairs. The more the merrier. Arts & Wine, seasonal, Earth Day,…read moreFine Art in the Park, Pet Parade, Third Street Green, First Fridays, Farmers Market weekly, too many to list but not nearly enough fun. It's all good. The 25th Annual Los Altos Fall Festival took place on Saturday and Sunday, October 1-2, 2016 in downtown Los Altos. I visited both days. The Classic Car Show was a highlight. Amazing antique and vintage sportsters, sedans, and trucks. Also, Little Explorers Petting Zoo. Absolutely adorable little pig the size of a rabbit. Your usual arts and crafts booths, live entertainment, fine wines and micro-breweries, food, children's corner with games and activities, all of it present. This one is a lower key event. The antique and vintage cars on display are much fun to check out, perhaps to chat with the owners. My wife was smitten by the 1967 Porsche Slate Grey 912 (pun intended). TheSlateGrey (Der Graue Fuchs) was ordered by its original owner, George, in the summer of '67 at a cost of $4.5K, and arrived from Germany to San Francisco on the Madam Butterfly - a ship used for Porsches only. 49 years is no joke, all of it happily lived in the Bay Area, has never been restored. All the original parts and interior, paint and engine, can you imagine! The Grey Fox is as good as new and very handsome.

Our friends turned us on to this event and it was so darn cute! It will probably make our go-to…read morelist next year! One end cap seemed to be where the bulk of the handmade vendors were, which I appreciated. I'm usually not a big food or Win A Vacation tent goer, so having all the things I was there for at one end was marvelous! We loved the bow vendor Min, who had fabulous prices at $1 for the smaller non-matched bows. Super cute! Another favorite was the beautiful die cut card vendor. I purchased one for my mother and the honey one just for our living room! Topping off the awesome vendors were the handmade coasters at $5 each and Macarons A Go Go with their Yoda themed tasties, a favorite of mine when I lived back in the South Bay! This was a great way to start out or Craft Fair season! Yay Los Altos Fall Festival!

It was a BIG event with many vendors and food trucks. People seemed happy and most tables had many…read morecustomers so I assume the merchandise was good. For a middle aged, Middle Eastern. Woman like me, I felt out of place... Really out of place. The little things they were selling didn't have any meaning for me, the thousands of stickers left me wondering: what did I miss!!! So I would say the even was great for younger people who are knowledgeable of Asian anime industry. After all, it was a lovely stroll followed by a dinner on Murphy Street.

nice event wine festival and musical performances…read moreEnjoyed a lot with friends and colleagues

Took my niece and nephew here and my nephew kept screaming "best day ever" while running around, so…read moreI'd say this place is a resounding success! We went at around 9 pm on July 4th and there was still a lot of people but not enough to dampen the experience thankfully. Tickets are easy to grab online and there is ample parking available because it's in the great mall. When we first walked in we were greeted with lots and lots of foam. Foam in the air like its snowing, and foam on the ground. My nephew was so excited and kept running through it excitedly which was cute. We were also told the last show of the day was about to start so we luckily caught it. Loved watching all 3 performers - aerial, juggling, and hoops. From there we just walked around and saw as much as we could. The little rooms they have with different decorations and aesthetics are great for pictures and selfies. There are so many good photo ops that I basically spent an hour being the munchkins personal photographer :) was a great time

Saw this event on my feed on Facebook and brought my daughters over. They both absolutely love it!…read more There is so much magic on this exhibit! It was just beautiful! It is so fun to see them laughing and skipping and jumping around. It really melts my heart. Yeah. Lots of photo ops for all of us. The exhibit also had a small acrobatic performance and a show that a transformer changed into the robot from the car. This was not communicated. We figured out when it was too late. Wish these timeline were either on their website for informed when people checked in. The flowers are beautiful to look at but it had the plastic smell. Also there are some rooms that we just can't breathe with so much chemicals..: hence one star off

This was an amazing art and wine festival. It was easily a city block worth of booths and a…read morewonderful array of vendors. We purchased a really cool print from a so cal artist. Prices of wine were reasonable, I got a solid cup of white for $8 (4 tickets.)

The Los Altos Art & Wine Festival is held in downtown Los Altos, primarily on Main St & State St…read more Parking in the area is very limited. It helps to arrive early to find parking in nearby streets. This event always draws a lot of people. The live music is always good. There is plenty of variety in the booths lining both streets. This one in Los Altos was superior to the Art & Wine Festival in Sunnyvale last month. There is way more art in Los Altos than in Sunnyvale, in many different styles. There was way more variety in vendors, which made this event more enjoyable. You find art, crafts, clothing, toys, gifts, etc. And you'll also find several wineries attending. There was something interesting for everyone. (My impression of Sunnyvale's Art & Wine was that there were too many vendors selling the same thing, for example, multiple booths selling forever jewelry or press on nails.) There was a good variety of food booths, plus the usual downtown restaurants. I like to stop by Red Berry Coffee Bar for coffee. State Street Market is also a nice small food hall when people want to eat different things. I look forward to coming back next year.

I've been coming to the Willow Glen Holiday lights for almost 10 years now, and it is pure…read moremagic...minus the crowds. It's amazing to see how all-out so many of the houses go, just about every single one has some sort of Christmas or Hanukkah display, light, or decoration. It's also amazing how much more crowded it gets every year. I used to drive it, but now I don't dare try. I'll typically park near one of the main streets and get out and walk. This is usually much more enjoyable since you aren't having to fight nonstop car and foot traffic. This year I went a little late in the season and even walking it wasn't all that enjoyable because of the groups of 15+ people together and the people running around doing a scavenger hunt, so lesson learned. This past year we parked a bit further and got to see some displays that I either haven't seen in the past or are newer, but it was nice to stroll the less crowded streets and still enjoy the holiday magic. Unlike in years past, there were even street dog vendors out this time around. Felt like I was leaving a concert or a sporting event!

We visited the Willow Glen Christmas lights after dinner to walk off our meal, and it quickly…read morebecame more than just a walk. What we thought would be a short stroll turned into a full holiday experience, one of those nights where Christmas feels alive. We have seen many decorated streets and cul de sacs before, but Willow Glen surprised us. Multiple neighborhoods followed shared themes, with streets labeled things like Candy Cane Lane and Santa's Sleigh and Reindeer. It felt like walking through a storybook, where each street had its own chapter. The decorations were beautiful and thoughtful. Some areas felt like a small festival, with trains, horse carriages, brews on bicycles, and families everywhere enjoying the moment. Vendors selling churros, hot chocolate, hot dogs, and light up toys added to the fun. These streets truly embody Christmas, warm, joyful, and full of wonder. The highlight of the night was meeting Mrs. Santa Claus of Willow Glen. She was kind, welcoming, and full of heart. She hosted the churro truck and clearly gives so much back to the community. She felt like the soul of the neighborhood, a reminder that Christmas magic often comes from people, not just lights. Bring your family and friends and take your time walking around, or enjoy it from your car. There is so much to see and feel here. This is the kind of place that turns a simple evening into a memory, and it will definitely be an annual Christmas tradition for us.

We visited the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts this past Sunday, and had a wonderful time exploring…read morethe many activities and vendors along University Avenue, a row of seemingly endless booths. Food, art, and merchandise  galore, to be viewed and/or purchased. Fascinating art displays caught my eye at every corner, so unique and simply remarkable. The Italian Street Painting Expo featured pastel paintings by chalk artists (my fave was the Sleeping Beauty piece... cuz how could I not love the rabbits in the boots!). Chopin & Chandeliers was an interactive piano with a "play me" sign just calling for musicians among the crowd to showcase their talents and entertain attendees under a shaded tent decorated with chandeliers sculpted from upcycling materials (ie. plastic bottles). The live entertainment was amazing and enjoyable, getting the crowd on its feet and in the mood for this joyous event. The rhythmic sounds of the violin and keyboard, by Tom Rigney & John R Burr, was a treat for my ears. And the late afternoon band on the Waverley Stage, The Cook 'n Fenny Combo, kept the good vibes going, heavy on the harmonica, tambourine, and guitar, performing hits like Joan Osborne's One Of Us. This was a great festival with free admission, lots to see and do, well organized, welcoming atmosphere, friendly people, and easy street parking less than a block away in the afternoon.

First time here to this upscale art festival as after all the toney, well heeled folks in this area…read morehave disposable money. I really enjoyed this festival and unlike other festivals in the Bay Area there were not as many food vendors which was fine as University Ave has a plethora of great restaurants to choose from.

Review for the 2025 version. Compared to christmas in the park's version of the drive thru lights,…read morethis was 100x better. Well organized with signs directing you where to go. The lights were much longer to drive thru so it just felt more worth it to check out. Compared to previous years, it looks like there are some newer sections. Always a classic

Although we have been to this park numerous times, it took having a three year old spirited kid to…read moreget us to plan a visit. This light show requires purchasing tickets online and choosing a date and time slot so this is not for the spontaneous! The confirmation email was very clear about instructions, how to arrive, etc. And yet, we still saw several cars with headlights on (you turn them off after driving in). We picked the first time slot of 6 pm so there wasn't any traffic and all the staff make it very easy and clear to enter safely. It took us about 30 minutes to drive through all the light displays and it was magical. There are themed neighborhoods of lights like elves, north pole animals, dinosaurs, garden flowers, and several beautiful arches of lights. It was nice to see so many families with young adults enjoy it, so I think it is for all ages. If the weather isn't bad, you can have your kids stick them selves out of moon roof and windows. There are open restrooms at entrance and at the end. Very family friendly and affordable ($30 per vehicle). Cozy pajamas and blankets optional!

This is the first time attending an Obon Festival…read more The overwhelming smells of the prepared food makes me really hungry. All the food looked yummy! We purchased kalbi, , salmon, curry over rice, udon, and spam musubi. We would have bought more, but this amount of food was plenty for three people. The food line was fairly long...however it is worth the wait!! The entire process was very organized and line moved very quickly. There were plenty of tables outdoor for dining with self serve water and tea. Afterwards, there were game and food booths, and silent auction area too. Also, there was an opportunity to visit the temple (hondo). There were suiseki sculptures, ink drawings, and ikebana displayed on the tables that in the back of the hondo. Outdoors, there was a booth demonstrating the art of bonsai sculpting too. The festival here is smaller than other ones nearby...nevertheless the atmosphere and crowd of people was just right. We came on Saturday. I'm sure it will be much more crowded tomorrow. If you are in the area, this is a festival not to be missed!

Definitely one of the GREATEST and largest Obon festivals in the Bay Area. Being on par with Mtn…read moreView and San Jose, Palo Alto Obon Festival always gets a lot of the community to come out and dance on Sunday night, as well as service delicious food in the Dining Hall. The specialties are the udon with near-perfect dashi, beef ribs complete with bone, and who can forget the incredible Miso Salmon (aka Shiz Salmon, after the "chef" that does all of the salmon for PABT Obon). During my two days there, I had three helpings of that deliciously tender fish topped with the sweet and salty miso mix. And if you're not feelin Japanese food, there is always corn and American food/shave ice closer to Issei Hall. The games are alright as well - definitely more for the younger kids, but the goldfish booth is always popular, and if you have any dimes laying around, use them for dime pitch! I was able to get Kathleen W. a sea otter using some of my leftover dimes! Craft sale, bookstore, and bake sale are great additions - bookstore has some interesting reads on Asian American studies, craft sale featured a collection of old school Star Wars figurines (I got a Darth Maul for like $2!), and the bake sale always sells out of manju, nori chex, and pies. Silent Auction also has a ton of things that you can bid on. One of the things that Palo Alto thrives on is the culture. With so many demos, a bonsai booth, suiseki and ikebana exhibits, and a fun night of obon odori/dancing, it all adds to the atmosphere of an exciting festival time with definite roots in the Japanese/Japanese-American history and culture. The only thing bad about PABT Obon festival is that it is only one weekend a year. SO for those of you that missed 2012, you had better keep the first weekend of Aug free next year - NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS!