Local Activities and History

local activities

Palo Alto Area Seasonal Activities

  • Palo Alto Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays 8 a.m.–Noon mid-May through mid-December. Located on Gilman Street in Downtown Palo Alto, behind the Palo Alto Post Office. (650) 328-2827; www.pafarmersmarket.org
  • The Stanford Lively Arts performing arts season features an unprecedented year of performances and artistic engagement activities. (650) 725-ARTS x 2787; http://livelyarts.stanford.edu/
  • TheatreWorks offers a year-round season of musicals, comedies and dramas in Palo Alto and Mountain View. Named BEST REPERTORY THEATRE in the Bay Area by the prestigious San Francisco magazine. (650) 463-1960; www.theatreworks.org
January
  • Año Nuevo State Reserve – one of the world's few sea elephant habitats - guided tours available (advance reservations required for tours from mid-December through March). Hike in and watch the elephant seals come ashore to rest, breed and birth on the beaches. Recorded information: (650) 879-0227. Reservations: (800) 444-4445; http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=523
February
  • Valentine's Tea at Gamble Garden Center. (650) 329-1356; www.gamblegarden.org
  • African-American Heritage Month. Event information: Stanford University. (650) 723-1587
March
  • Free docent-led wildflower walks of the Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve in Redwood City are offered every Saturday and Sunday from mid-March through mid-June. http://www.friendsofedgewood.org/
April
  • Sunrise Easter Service at the Dish at Stanford University; open to all faiths. Hiking involved. (650) 857-9660
  • Passover Seder at the Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center. (650) 493-9400
  • Earth Day community event that includes local creek clean-up projects and restoration work at Arastradero Preserve. Acterra: Action for a Sustainable Earth at (650) 962-9876; www.acterra.org
  • Stanford University Community Day. (650) 724-2933; www.neighbors.stanford.edu
  • Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) Sculpture Tours begin and continue through October. Reservations required. (650) 747-1250; http://www.openspacetrust.org/tours-djerassi.htm
May
  • Annual May Fete Parade held on the first Saturday in May. Come out to watch a Children's Parade down University Avenue. Very sweet. (650) 463-4921; www.cityofpaloalto.org/entertainment
  • Gamble Garden Center's Spring Garden Tour. Open to the public. (650) 329-1356; www.gamblegarden.org
  • Stanford PowWow celebration of American Indian culture. Billed as the largest gathering of Native Americans in California, the event is held over a weekend. (650) 725-6944; http://powwow.stanford.edu/
  • NCAA Tennis Championship at Stanford University. (800) STANFORD; www.gostanford.com
  • Sunset Celebration Weekend at the beautiful home grounds of Sunset Magazine in Menlo Park. (800) 786-7375; http://www.sunset.com/sunset/events/article/0,20633,725769~862136,00.html
June
  • Classic Concours d'Elegance car show at Stanford benefiting the Palo Alto Lions Club charities. (650) 948-1027; www.paconcours.com
  • Outdoor Twilight Concert Series begins with evening concerts held at various local parks. (650) 329-2380; www.cityofpaloalto.org/concerts
  • Top jazz musicians come to Stanford University for the Stanford Jazz Workshop and Festival from late June through August. (650) 725-ARTS; www.stanfordjazz.org
  • Summer Jazz Series at Stanford Shopping Center every Thursday from early June through early August. (650) 617-8240; http://stanfordshop.com/Event_Details.aspx?ID=841&EID=30118&lmnu=2
  • Randy Cross Invitational Golf and Tennis Tournament benefiting the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. (650) 470-6006; http://www.ronaldhouse-stanford.org/news/events_rci.html
July
  • Music@Menlo's three-week concert series. (650) 330-2030; http://www.musicatmenlo.org
  • SEMICON West at Moscone Center in San Francisco. (408) 943-6901; http://semiconwest.semi.org
  • The Summer Symphony at Stanford University's Frost Amphitheatre benefiting the Children's Health Council. (650) 326-0643; http://www.summersymphony.org/
  • Stanford Lively Arts presents its annual pre-Independence Day concert and fireworks in Frost Amphitheater. (650) 725-ARTS (2787); http://livelyarts.stanford.edu/
  • The Bank of the West Classic women-only professional tennis tournament and first stop of the US Open Series. (866) 982-8497, (415) 227-8000; http://bankofthewestclassic.com/
  • Connoisseurs' Marketplace in Menlo Park, a stunning visual feast of fine art and unique crafts by 200 talented artisans. (650) 325-2818; http://www.menloparkchamber.com/news.htm#Marketplace
August
  • Palo Alto Festival of the Arts on University Avenue and adjacent downtown cross streets. Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce: (650) 324-3121; www.paloaltochamber.com
  • MacArthur Park Wine Festival benefiting the Palo Alto Area Red Cross. (650) 688-0438
  • Obon Festival held the first weekend in August at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple since 1950. (650) 856-0123
September
  • The Palo Alto Players community theatre group's season opens. (650) 329-0891; www.paplayers.org
  • Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run (5K and 10K walk/run) through the Palo Alto Baylands. (650) 463-4921; http://paloaltoonline.com/moonlight_run/2007_results/index.php
  • The Winter Lodge opens for ice skating and lessons. (650) 493-4566; www.winterlodge.com
  • To Life! A Jewish Cultural Street Festival along California Avenue highlighting fine art, music, dance and food. (650) 857-1800; www.paloaltojcc.org
October
  • Palo Alto's own West Bay Opera opens their season. (650) 424-9999; www.wbopera.org
  • Palo Alto Black and White Ball benefiting community youth programs and schools. Event takes place every other year. (650) 739-9000; www.paloaltoblackandwhiteball.com
  • Community Day—A Country Faire at Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden Center featuring local music, a country store, demonstrations, garden activities and vintage tractor rides. (650) 329-1356; www.gamblegarden.org
November
  • Holiday Traditions at the historic Filoli estate in Woodside. (650) 364-8300 x 507; www.filoli.org
December
  • Stanford football takes on Cal Berkeley in the Big Game. Information and tickets: Stanford Athletics at (800) STANFORD; www.gostanford.com
  • Christmas Tree Lane begins the second Saturday in December along a two-block stretch of Fulton Street, between Embarcadero Road and Seale Avenue—a tradition since 1940.
  • Palo Alto Stanford Heritage (PAST) Heritage Holiday House Tour of historic Professorville homes decorated for the holidays. (650) 299-8878; http://www.pastheritage.org/
  • Stanford World Arts Festival (formerly the Stanford Craft Faire) featuring caroling, food and hundreds of artisans selling their crafts. (650) 723-3542; http://swaf.stanford.edu/