The annual celebration at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is a wonderful family friendly…read morefestival for all ages. Lots of good food like baklava, kataifi, ellinikos cafe, lamb chops, horiatiki salad. Free parking at the festival is available, with free shuttle service.

There was no parking at or near the festival, but it was a nice day for a walk (and my running day)…read moreanyway, so I was fine with this. They accepted both cash and credit cards for the $5 admission fee at the entrance. Taking place at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, there was plenty of outdoor space for food, drink, and merchandise vendor booths. So many delicious bites sold throughout, from grilled meats to classic greek desserts, I was overwhelmed with choices, but having too much good stuff to choose from is not a bad thing. I ended up grabbing a few delectable specialty dishes, including some to take home, like tiropita, spanakopita, pastitsio, and moussaka. That greek lasagna was especially yummy! Greek beer and wine, and cocktails, as well as frappes/coffee, were available on site too. Church tours were scheduled throughout the day, and of course live entertainment. Music and dance performances full of energy and smiles, embracing the culture, and keeping the crowd in good spirits with lovely sounds. This included live music by Mythos, with open public dancing. A unique song selection played, beyond just classic fast-paced greek tunes. Think a mashup of greek melodies and Wipe Out, yup those musicians definitely kept it interesting. I was captivated by the footwork as guests engaged in chain dancing in front of the stage. The mayor of San Jose joining in the fun as well, putting on his best moves on the dance floor. Also, a greek dance performance by Ethnos on Sunday afternoon (and multiple times throughout the 3-day event), a group of middle school kids dressed in costume showcasing their talents for the crowd. There were plenty of tables and seating throughout, including an air-conditioned indoor hall, and even the entire entertainment stage area outside was shaded for the comfort of guests. Wow, amazing! The festival was organized incredibly well, and a detailed event program and map was available online, which was ideal for attendees to plan ahead of time while learning a little bit of history about the food, traditions, and more. A joyful atmosphere and great sense of community, altogether.

I always enjoyed myself here. They always have something to do for all ages…read more Love seeing some of the interesting vendors. On the other side of the park you can see some koi fish. Going inside the building near the koi fish area they have some activities and art even a stage with a show. Outside they have a big stage with different shows. My favorite show is the Taiko Drums. The restrooms are very clean. Parking in De Anza College garage is less hectic and more space if you want to park away from people.

Another great yearly event. This is one of the events that starts out the spring season. It's…read moremainly for the Japanese culture,but it's also a time to raise money for local non profits. There's plenty of free parking across the street at DeAnza college. There's also a huge section for kids, plenty of jumpers and crafts. I like how they have a food truck area and a separate area for food vendors. The crowds were smaller than usual due to the weather.

Looking for an awesome time in the park then you've found it as this festival has a bit of…read moreeverything for everyone food beer and sound wise! Coming to this festival I wasn't sure what to expect other than a good time in the park as well as a bunch of delicious eats! Of the eats it was all about the corn on the cob and the tombstone slider as they were just super scrumptious and all around yummy! The pulled Pork bun was decent but it totally needed some more BBQ sauce to make it alright but not to be forgotten was the Apple Pie bacon cheddar whipped cream combination like wow what a crazy combination of flavors that was just super delicious so much so we thought about getting another one! The one I really wasn't a fan of though was the chicken hearts wrapped in bacon on a stick yeah I'm just not all that into things like that and didn't really care for the taste too much! Don't forget to get a brew tasting card as well because there's a ton of delicious beers around for all to enjoy! There is only one more weekend left to check out this festival I highly recommend you do and get one of the tasting cards as it's totally worth it and just all around yummy! Overall this is a good eating time and it's cool to see other Cedar Fair parks doing festivals like this because it's a good time for everyone and a great way to get some good food and drinks wile in the park!

Great America has really stepped it up with this festival! 2018 was the second year of the Red,…read moreWhite & Brews Festival and it was way better than last year. It's held in the Hometown Square area of the park and they have everything decked out in Red, White and Blue colors and decorations as this festival is supposed to be like your all American type of festival. There are several booths serving beer, wine and of course yummy food. Since it is a "brew" fest they offered a wide variety of craft beers (32 varieties to be exact). You could either buy them separately or buy the tasting card for $25. If beer isn't your thing and you prefer wine they also have a wide variety of wines and a tasting card for $25 as well for that. If you're feeling a little adventurous they have the San Jose Brew Bike available, why not bike around the park while drinking some beer (sounds like a good time to me lol). Now to the food, the first year of the festival the food offerings were a bit "out of the ordinary" and the items offered just didn't fit in with the theme but this year they revamped and stepped their game up thanks to Chef Ponce and his amazing culinary skills. There was plenty of barbecue and hearty sliders to fill you up this time around and some down home yummy desserts as well. While they offered a tasting card the previous year it was less items and they items were already chosen for you. This time around the tasting card was 8 tastings for $30 or $25 for season passholders. You could use the tabs for any of the items. I tried to taste everything but I ended up only using 6 out of the 8 tabs and I'm kicking myself for that. I loved the Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs, they were tender and falling off of the bone. The sauce had a great balance of sweet and savory, one of my favorite items. The Smoked Brisket & Mash was interesting, I liked it although I wish the brisket was cut up into pieces and maybe they could have used smashed red potatoes instead of potatoes that tasted like they came from a box. The brisket was good and tender, the sauce was nice and tangy and the fried onions on top gave it a nice crunch. But hands down the item that did it for me and was my favorite was the Pork Belly Slider!! The slider was loaded with some amazing and perfectly cooked pork belly, that was so tender, meaty and fatty. It was cooked just right. Placed on a pretzel bun with an apple slaw and spicy relish, all of those flavors went great together. Probably the best pork belly I've ever had! Of course the Roasted Corn was good, kinda hard to mess that up lol. The desserts were hit and miss, while I loved the Pineapple Upside Down Cake which was super moist and delicious I did not like the "Banana Cream Pie Parfait". This was in no way a parfait it was more like banana pudding stuffed into some hard cone thing, this was not properly executed and I was not a fan. Aside from the food and drinks they did have plenty of entertainment as well. On the American Stage they had 4 different bands that would perform each day as well as the Dueling Pianos on the Gazebo Stage and each night ended with a fireworks nightcap. This is a very nice festival to attend while at the parks. Good food, good drinks and great entertainment.

Sunnyvale Lantern Festival took place from Feb 15-16, 2025 for several blocks. According to…read more@OMG.Entertainment_USA, there were over 110 vendors (food, desserts, drinks, crafts) and entertainment (dancers, music) plus activities (photo booth, games). The weather was perfect, free parking at nearby lots, and so many food and drinks choices. We had the best coffee from Robu Coffee and some delicious pan fried pork dumplings from Taste of Sha Xian.

ICA is a large cool funky art space that also hosts events…read more Among the many cool restaurants and bars along south First Street are the cool artsy venues. The Institute of Contemporary Arts (i.e. ICA) is fantastic. It showcases local Bay Area artists' works among others. Super friendly staff are on hand and have the latest scoop on upcoming happenings. Go online to see upcoming events at the ICA. You may discover some cool-funky talks and art shows. Happy adventures!

Feeling arty-farty, I decided to go check out the Institute of Contemporary Art. It's located in a…read morereally cool area of First St. Admission is free which is always nice. I wanted to donate and the friendly guy asked if I wanted to sign up to get information, but I declined. I was the only one in there. The exhibit was called "Allegedly the Worst is Behind Us" which featured 12 artists and their work expressing intergenerational trauma. The work was very personal and moving and inspiring too. The work was much more interesting than the San Jose Art Museum. I felt the work would definitely resonate with others who may have experienced the same thing. Since I saved $20 on the last museum, I put it in the donation box in the front. Great place to come to!

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!

The wonderful people of Willow Glen produces amazing holiday displays for both Halloween and…read moreChristmas. The festivities and major decorations are very much appreciated by those who may not have the resources to partake in decorating. There are a few neighborhoods in Willow Glen you can walk through and look at beautiful displays. It is animal and kid friendly Another way to view these decorations is something called the Holiday Trolley Ride that you purchase to participate and The trolley rides through the decorated neighborhoods. (Not pet friendly) I recommend bundling up because it gets chilly at night. Don't miss out! Thank you people of Willow glen!

I attend a lot of events at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in San Jose. Fountain Blues & Brews is my…read morefavorite! The festival expanded to two days in 2025. They always have a great lineup, featuring local blues musicians and top performers from around the country on two stages. The "brews" part of the festival consists of 40 beers on tap (wine and water are also available). The crowd is always a lot of fun, and there are some great vendors and food trucks. Come for the music, and enjoy the vibe, the beer, the food, and the crafts.

It was such a wonderful carefree environment this past Saturday, at the 40th annual Fountain Blues…read more& Brews Festival in downtown SJ. Parking was easy, with several pay garages nearby ($10 max fee), the closest a 4 minute walk from Second Street. And there were no lines for event entry/security check, as well as in and out privileges which is super convenient. Once inside, the setting was perfect, the lovely breeze and shade from the trees to keep us cool and comfortable on a hot summer day, many festivalgoers relaxing on lawn chairs or beach mats on the grass. And the gushing water fountains adding a nice touch as well as a cool mist to the inviting atmosphere. An awesome combination of soulful, jazzy, and upbeat music filling the air from two stages, with plenty of space for attendees to enjoy the entertainment (whether viewing from a distance or dancing near the stage). We loved all of the performers throughout the day, especially the first band on the main stage, Andre Thierry's Accordion Soul Music. The band played awesome renditions of Stevie wonder hits, Usher songs, and more, with various and unique instruments including the washboard, and remarkable vocals engaging the crowd. There were several food trucks and eateries available including Poor House Bistro, Fire & Slice Pizza, and Made Out of Dough (selling baked desserts). I got to try the salmon burger and cookies from Nita Bee's Specialty Bakery and the lobster quesadilla from Cousin's Maine Lobster (which I regularly get from this truck). And plenty of beer and wine, to keep us satisfied. All of the food and drinks were super tasty, with great service and no lines to wait in. There were also a couple merchandise vendors on site, and we got ourselves some cute tank tops/shirts with cool designs. Overall the event wasn't too crowded, family friendly but not infested with too many kids running around restlessly. Lots of good food and drinks, no waiting in line for anything, and extraordinary musicians creating the awesome sounds of funk, rock, and all things blues to soothe your soul.

Great vendors! Great music! Great weather! Well attended event!…read more Had a blast at Cambell's Oktoberfest and was impressed by all of the local vendors and business owners who were celebrating in showcasing their businesses with the community. Such a smart way to highlight the hard-working business owners in in the neighborhood. Parking is a little tricky, so be prepared to circle a few times to find a spot or come early. Hats off to the downtown Cambell Chamber of Commerce for throwing such a wonderful event.

We had a great time at this event! There are plenty of food and drink options, not only from the…read morevendors but the local business too! We did wish that they had more seating throughout the event. Lots of different local musicians playing on different stages. There is a 5/10k race prior to the start of the event. We signed up for this race and enjoyed our run. The course is out and back and was run on a paved trail. They provided snacks prior to the start of the race and Square Pizza Guys were handing out free pizza sqaures after the race. We will definitely attend these events next year!