Showing posts with label san jose holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label san jose holidays. Show all posts

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Downtown San Jose is St. Patrick's Day Central 🍀

The Downtowner has a list of some of the St. Patrick's Day festivities happening in Downtown San Jose this weekend. Get out there an have a great time!


Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations in Downtown San Jose include a leprechaun hunt, a leprechaun chase, a 5K race, lots of live music, and a lot of green beer. Whether you’re Irish, or just love a good party, here’s some celebrations taking place this weekend:

The South Bay’s Biggest Celebration - Friday-Sunday @ O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub

The Shamrock Run & Leprechaun Chase - Saturday @ San Pedro Square Market

Shamrock Stroll Bar Crawl - Saturday, starts @ The Rec Room

Paddy Hard Bar Crawl - Saturday & Sunday

Shenanigans & Sushi - Sunday @ Sushi Confidential

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration - Saturday & Sunday @ Five Points

Qmunity District’s St. Patty’s Pre-Game Vendor Market - Saturday on Post Street

St. Patty's Day Club and Music Festival - Sunday @ Myth Lounge

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Happy Valentine's Day San Jose

Our friends at SJtoday have a great guide to celebrating Valentine's Day locally with everything from unique events, to parties, and dessert specials.

As an added bonus, they have a map of local love stories and there are quite a few in San Jose.

See their Valentine's Day guide here. Hope everyone has a fun time tonight with their special someone! 💗





Friday, February 2, 2024

Santana Row 2024 Lunar New Year Event on Feb 10th

Santana Row is welcoming the Year of the Dragon with entertainment and specials at several restaurants and stores. On February 10th, Santana Row Park will filled with lion dances, cultural performances, and surprise red envelopes containing gifts and offers. The event will be hosted by NBC Bay Area's Mike Inouye.

Scroll on down to see the dining and shopping specials that will only be available on Lunar New Year.


DINING SPECIALS:

Dumpling Time - Visit the pop-up bar outside Dumpling Time for to-go dumplings & drinks.

EMC Seafood - $20 gift card to customers that dine-in Chinese New Year who spend over $20 (before tips & tax) Card valid 2/25-4/30. One card per table, only in store.

Fogo De Chao - $25 Fogo Card for every purchase of a Trilogy Wine Box or purchase of the Seafood Tower Appetizer. 

LB Steak  - To celebrate the Year of the Dragon and the good fortune it will bring, LB Steak is offering a special Wagyu Fried Rice and cocktail offerings during February. Plus, receive a red envelope with your meal, containing a special offer to redeem upon your next visit. Offers include a complimentary dessert, appetizer, or even a Tomahawk steak!  Available for lunch and dinner, from February 10th-February 18th along with regular menus.

Maido - $5 off purchase from 2/10-2/19

Momosan  - Head into Momosan for a special discounted offer on 2/10/24.

Oveja Negra - 20% off 

Ozumo - Complimentary Dragon Crunch Roll with the purchase of a signature roll. Available 2/10/24 from 12pm-5pm.

Palmetto Superfoods - Pop in for an in-store promotion and 10% Off when you order the Just Acai Smoothie with Renude's Chaggaccino (must order with a staff member to receive discount)

Rosie McCann's - Enjoy Lunar New Year Festivities within Rosie McCann's and Chinese dinner special, plus specialty cocktail, Dragon Sour!

Straits- Receive a free glass of sparking for dine in guests only with your food order. 

SHOPPING SPECIALS:

Amour Vert - Year of the Dragon Sip & Style event , 2024  promotion and 15% off.
Atelier Studio - Receive $20 off for any new service.

BoConcept - 20% off 2/10/24-2/11/24

Fjällräven - End of season sale, select items 30% off.

Le Labo - 1.5 Ml Fragrance samples within red envelopes (while supplies last).

Optical Illusions - 35% off Trunk Show Items 2/10/24 only. 

Vince - 15% off entire purchase on 2/10/24 only. 

Some restrictions apply, see merchant for details.  Valid Saturday, February 10, 2024 only.


Monday, January 1, 2024

Welcome to 2024!

The last time I did a New Year's post was in 2020. San Jose growth has been sort of on pause since then--but this is the year I think we'll start to see some real change. I'll say the same message I said back then. Hopefully we will see our city grow in every way possible this year! 

If you think 2024 sounds like the future, you're not the only one. I asked Dalle-3 to generate an image for "welcome to 2024 San Jose" and this is what I got 😅



Friday, December 29, 2023

Last chance to see the holiday projections at St. Joseph's Basilica this season

Right next to Christmas in the Park is a really cool projection-based light show at St. Joseph's Basilica. You can get a gist of it from the video below, but I was watching it for a solid 10 minutes. Lots of families taking photos in front of it. If you haven't seen it yet, there are still a few days before it's taken down until the 2024 holidays.

I'm hoping to see more art projects like this throughout San Jose. It really adds to the holiday atmosphere Downtown, which is already at an 11 out of 10.



Thursday, December 28, 2023

New Years Eve options in Downtown San Jose

There is a New Years event for everyone in Downtown San Jose this year. If you have kids, there are "Noon Year's Eve" events at the Children's Discovery Museum and 3Below Theatre & Cafe. If you like fine dining, Rollati and The Fountain have you covered. 

If you want to party there are at least a dozen night clubs doing events Downtown in just about every genre you can think of from house music to Cumbia to Bollywood. Then if you're not hung over you can do the San Jose Bike Party New Year's Day bike ride at noon on the 1st.

The SJDA has put together a handy list of all the events going on over here. Have fun and stay safe!





Monday, December 25, 2023

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

We hope that you and your family have the best holidays this year!

If you feel like driving through neighborhoods to find the best decorated homes in San Jose, there is a handy website for that over here. Some of the homes have been featured on TV shows and even have light shows synced to music.

Happy Holidays! 🎄🎅



Sunday, December 24, 2023

Introducing San Jose Monopoly!

Monopoly has been running local city editions for some time now, and finally San Jose gets their own version of the famed game. This is long overdue, especially considering that San Jose has the largest Monopoly board in the world.

The entire board features local landmarks and even the money has been personalized for San Jose. Properties include San Jose State, San Pedro Square, Municipal Rose Garden, and Plaza de Cesar Chavez. Instead of railroads, you have the VTA. I also like how the game uses one of my favorite photos of Downtown San Jose towards the bottom of the board. 

The question everyone was wondering is which two locations get the coveted Boardwalk and Park Place spots--the most valuable on the board. One is the Winchester Mystery House and the other is Original Joe's. Okay, here is where the criticisms start. I get the Winchester Mystery House, it's easily one of the top attractions in San Jose. Original Joe's? It's not even originally from San Jose, the first one was in San Francisco. I like Original Joe's and it was one of my favorite restaurants growing up; however, I really think that spot belonged to Santana Row.

Second, Downtown San Jose has it's own spot but so do many locations that are within Downtown San Jose. I'm not sure how you can own Downtown without owning everything inside of it. I think it would have made more sense to put a Downtown neighborhood like SoFA on there or the SAP Center which is oddly missing.

Thirdly, there are three spots dedicated to the Santa Cruz area. Everything else is from San Jose, so those could have been the Alviso Marina, the Salt Flats, Almaden Beach, etc.

I know, it's just a game and I'm probably taking it too seriously. I'm still thrilled that it exists, caveats and all.

Now actually finding the Monopoly San Jose Edition might be a bit more difficult than you would think. It's sold out every place I checked and hopefully will be back in stock at Amazon at some point over here. I was able to get a copy right when it came out, but now it's gone. The VTA is giving away 20 copies as part of a contest in January.



Saturday, December 23, 2023

DALL-E 3's take on Christmas in San Jose

I tried several different prompts on DALL-E to get an image of Christmas in San Jose, and believe it or not this was the least terrifying. I would describe it as a giant Santa with cold dollish-blue eyes holding a Christmas tree in a fictionalized version of Santana Row. Hopefully DALL-E 4 will be more polished. 😅

Tomorrow I'll have a post (and a critique or two) about my favorite gift for San Jose enthusiasts this year.


Friday, December 8, 2023

Spirit of the Row in San Jose

Every Tuesday leading up to Christmas, Santana Row is hosting free holiday performances featuring local community groups in Santana Row Park. There will also be photos with Santa in the Oak Tree Lounge by Blue Bottle and snow showerers in Park Valencia.

Below is the full lineup of performers:

Tuesday, December 12
The New Ballet performing The Nutcracker
Sarah Bylsma Soloist
Fantasy Dance
Presentation High School Choir & Dance
Santa Clara Elite Dance
Melissa Marielle Vocalist
Los Laurales performing Feliz Navidad
West Valley Dance Company

Tuesday, December 19
The New Ballet performing The Nutcracker
Sarah Bylsma Soloist
Nor Cal Dance Arts
PNC Music Management 
Joy of Dancing Competition Team
Castillero Middle School Choir
Almaden Spirit Athletics Cheer & Hip Hop

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Santa Run Silicon Valley is coming to San Jose on Dec 17th

Are you ready to join thousands of Santas, elves, reindeer, and other festive characters for a fun and charitable event in Downtown San Jose? If so, mark your calendars for December 17th, when the 12th Annual Santa Run Silicon Valley will take place.

The Santa Run Silicon Valley is a 5K run/walk that benefits Christmas in the Park and the Downtown Streets Team, two local organizations that work to make San Jose a safe, clean, and vibrant place for everyone. The event is organized by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation, which also produces the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot and the Lam Research Heart & Soles Run.

The Santa Run Silicon Valley is not just a race, it's a celebration of the holiday spirit. Participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite holiday character or tradition, and enjoy the festive atmosphere at the start and finish lines. There will also be a costume contest, a kids reindeer dash, and a virtual run option for those who can't make it in person.

The race starts at 8 AM at W Santa Clara Street and Almaden Avenue, and follows a scenic route through Downtown San Jose. The finish line is at Christmas in the Park, where you can enjoy the beautiful displays and attractions. You can also visit the nearby Winter Wonderland for some ice skating and carnival rides.

If you want to be part of this merry event, you can register online at https://www.santarunsv.com/ until December 16th, or on race day at the San Jose Chamber of Commerce. The registration fee is $45 for the 5K Santa Run and $25 for the Kids Reindeer Dash (ages 2-7). You can also sign up as a Holiday Hero for $500 or $1000 and get extra perks like VIP parking, a private tent, and recognition on the website. All proceeds go to support Christmas in the Park and Downtown Streets Team.

Don't miss this chance to have some fun, get some exercise, and give back to our community. The Santa Run Silicon Valley is a San Jose tradition that you won't want to miss!



Saturday, November 25, 2023

Winter Wonderland is officially open in Downtown San Jose 🎡🎄

A holiday carnival is now in full swing adjacent to San Jose's Christmas in the Park. Rides include a nearly 70-foot tall Ferris Wheel, a Carousel, an Alien Invasion centrifuge, Tilt-a-Whirl, a Dragon Wagon coaster, and many smaller rides for younger children. Tickets are $5 a ride for the major attractions.

After three years of street closures on Park Avenue (and the whole COVID thing), Winter Wonderland is back in full force! You'll find rides both on Park Avenue and Paseo de San Antonio. The Park Avenue rides will be oriented for older kids, teens, and adults while the Paseo will have rides ideal for younger children.

Winter Wonderland Ride Hours

  • November 25 - 26: 12pm - 11pm

  • November 27 - 30: 3pm – 10pm

  • December 1 - 3: 12pm – 11pm

  • December 4 - 7: 3pm – 10pm

  • December 8 - 10: 12pm – 11pm

  • December 11 - 14: 3pm – 10pm

  • December 15 - January 1: 12pm - 11pm






Thursday, November 23, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Warm wishes to you and your family from your friends at The San Jose Blog!



Wednesday, November 22, 2023

SJMADE Holiday Fair 2023 - Largest Holiday Craft Fair in Silicon Valley

SJMADE's flagship event is back on Nov 24th and Nov 25th (Black Friday and Small Business Saturday). This free event has over 425 vendors, mostly made up of artists, makers, and local entrepreneurs. This year there isn't a single empty space, every booth is spoken for. Last year it took me over two hours just to quickly walk through and look at every vendor.

Concessions are available outside Halls C & D and additional on-site food and drink concessions can be found near the main entrance outside Hall A. The first 1,000 attendees each day will also get a door giveaway, which is always an item not available for purchase.

Admission is free, parking is free, it's open to all ages and runs from 11am to 7pm each day at the Santa Clara Convention Center (5001 Great America Parkway). There is also a VTA Light Rail stop right outside the event. To see the full vendor lineup and a map--which you'll probably need--head over here.




Monday, November 20, 2023

Silicon Valley Turkey Trot 2023, a San Jose Thanksgiving tradition

This is the 19th edition of the annual 5K/10K run/walk that benefits five local charities: Healthier Kids Foundation, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, Second Harvest Food Bank, The Health Trust and The Healthier Kids Foundation Santa Clara County. 

This is your chance to burn some calories before indulging in a delicious Thanksgiving feast, while also supporting a great cause. Plus, you'll get to enjoy the beautiful scenery through Downtown San Jose, Japantown, and The Alameda; live entertainment along the course; and a swag bag that includes a long-sleeve tech shirt, a finisher medal, and a reusable water bottle. 

Don't worry if you're not a seasoned runner. The Silicon Valley Turkey Trot is open to everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. You can choose to run or walk at your own pace, or join a team with your friends, family, or coworkers. You can also register your kids for the Kids Fun Run, which is a half-mile loop around Plaza de Cesar Chavez. And if you're feeling extra festive, you can dress up in a turkey costume or any other creative outfit. Trust me, you won't be the only one!

The Silicon Valley Turkey Trot 2023 will take place on Thursday, November 23rd, starting at 7:30 a.m. at Santa Clara Street and Market Street. The registration fee is $45 for adults and $20 for kids until November 15th, after which it will increase to $50 and $25 respectively. You can register online at www.svturkeytrot.com or in person at any of the packet pickup locations listed on the website. Don't miss this opportunity to join thousands of your fellow San Joseans in a fun and meaningful tradition that makes our city so special.

See you at the starting line!


  

Saturday, November 18, 2023

San Jose ranked as 2nd best city to go to for Thanksgiving 🍗

Thanksgiving is one of America's favorite holidays and US families spend an average of $325 per person (!) during Thanksgiving weekend. This also includes your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping.

WalletHub decided to look for the best cities in the US to celebrate Thanksgiving using 18 different metrics divided across five major categories: local celebrations and traditions, affordability, safety, volunteering, and weather.

San Jose came in 2nd place in the Thanksgiving rankings right after San Francisco. San Diego gobbled the 3rd spot. Despite an abysmal affordability rank, San Jose ranked highly in celebrations (think Turkey Trot), safety, giving thanks (volunteering), and of course weather. I love those Indian summers where we have gotten to celebrate Thanksgiving outside with family.

Source: WalletHub



Sunday, November 12, 2023

San Jose Downtown Ice prepares for busy skating season starting Nov 17

Downtown Ice is back this year with one of the most unique ice rinks in the US. You can skate on two concentric circles surrounding palm trees across from San Jose's famous Christmas in the Park event. It officially starts on November 17th with a grand opening celebration on November 20th. For all of the details, the full press release is below.


SAN JOSE – San Jose Downtown Ice opens Nov. 17 for families from throughout the Bay Area who have made ice skating at the iconic rink a holiday tradition.


“This is Downtown Ice’s 26th season since its debut in 1994,” said Alex Stettinski, CEO of event partner San Jose Downtown Association.  “Children whose parents took them to skate downtown years ago are now moms and dads bringing their kids to enjoy our rink and all that downtown San Jose has to offer during the holidays.”


The circular rink located in and around the Circle of Palms plaza at 120 S Market St. will be open daily through Jan. 15. Ninety-minute sessions will occur every two hours.  Tickets can be purchased online at sjdowntownice.com.

 

Special Ice, the largest operator of seasonal outdoor rinks in California, will produce this year’s skating experience.


“Downtown Ice is an iconic event that leaves a lasting impression,” said Emery Lykins, president of Special Ice.  “We’re excited to be a part of the rink’s history, to contribute to this amazing city and hopefully usher in a revitalized future for the rink.”


Downtown Ice organizers hope for a second consecutive season of local and out-of-town guests surpassing pre-pandemic levels of 2019.  A recent report shows that the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is downtown San Jose’s busiest, with almost 20 percent of last year’s 2.8 million visitors to the center city spending several hours within a three-block radius of the ice rink.  


Downtown Ice is nestled in the Circle of Palms plaza between the San Jose Museum of Art and the Signia by Hilton San Jose hotel.  The rink will join the rejuvenated Christmas in the Park displays as well as the popular Winter Wonderland amusement rides in the center of downtown’s major seasonal attractions.


Adding to downtown San Jose’s vibrancy and appeal as a weekend destination during the season are stage performances including two versions of The Nutcracker, concerts, Sharks hockey, museums and galleries, restaurants and shopping. Visit sjdowntown.com for events and downtown details, and parksj.org for parking information.


Downtown Ice has exciting skating promotions planned this season including:

  • Sunday Show Tunes, presented by Broadway San Jose, where skaters can vote for their favorite Broadway songs; 

  • Learn-to-Skate sessions;

  • Family Skate packages; 

  • The Grinch will be at the rink from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Nov. 25 to greet skaters and promote Broadway San Jose’s Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas - The Musical in town Nov. 28-Dec. 3; 

  • The Ice Queens will entertain skaters Dec. 8 with a  performance, meet-and-greet and photo opportunity; 

  • Signia by Hilton offers a Shopping and Champagne package for stays between Nov. 17 and Dec. 31 that includes two tickets to Downtown Ice; round-trip transportation with Lyft to Westfield Valley Fair; and a Bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne.

 

In addition, check sjdowntownice.com for a limited number of special $10 tickets for Opening Day Nov. 17 and the Grand Opening Celebration Nov. 20.  On both days, skaters are encouraged to look their best or be in costume for possible social media and television news coverage. The Opening Celebration at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 20 features emcees  Sandra Cervantes from Telemundo 48 and NBC Bay Area's Mike Inouye.


San Jose Downtown Ice sponsors include Jay Paul Co., Kaiser Permanente, Creekside Socials, Adobe, Broadway San Jose, City of San Jose Environmental Services Department, San Jose Earthquakes, LS Power Grid, NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48.  The City of San Jose funds the event as well.


“It takes a lot of support and work behind the scenes to build and operate this rink, but it’s so worth it when you see the laughter of the kids and the joyful moments and memories shared by all the families,” said Lykens, whose business also has Northern California rinks this winter in Walnut Creek, San Ramon and Folsom .


 ###


Event Snapshot

San Jose Downtown Ice - Nov. 17, 2023-Jan. 15, 2024 


Downtown Ice is a traditional seasonal event for families and friends who twirl and skate amid concentric circles of 32 palms, under a canopy of stars on an iconic skating rink in the heart of downtown San Jose’s biggest attractions.


Information and tickets :  sjdowntownice.com.

Direct ticket link: sanjose.ticketspice.com/san-jose-downtown-ice-23-24

Instagram:  instagram.com/sjdowntownice


Hours:  90-minute sessions start every 2 hours: 11 a.m.; 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

  • Open 11 am - 9 pm from November 17 - December 15

  • Open 11 am -11 pm from December 16 - January 1 (9 p.m. session added)

  • Open 11 am - 9 pm from January 2 - January 15


Location: 120 S. Market St., Downtown San Jose – between the San Jose Museum of Art and Signia by Hilton San Jose


Opening Celebration: Monday, November 20; 5:30 p.m.

Co-Emcees:  Sandra Cervantes from Telemundo 48 and NBC Bay Area's Mike Inouye 

Thursday, November 9, 2023

San Jose's 105th Annual Veteran's Day Parade this Weekend (largest in Northern California)

Each year since 1918 the United Veterans Council of Santa Clara County has hosted a Veterans Day Parade with the support of the City of San Jose. This year the ceremony will begin on Saturday, November 11th at 10:45am at Plaza de Cesar Chavez. 

The parade itself starts at noon and will go from the SAP Center along Santa Clara Street, turn on Market towards Plaza de Cesar Chavez and end at San Carlos Street. For more information, head over here.





Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Willow Glen Christmas Trolley Rides

It's getting to be that time of year again! Willow Glen is doing a holiday trolley ride through both the commercial and residential parts of Willow Glen to view all of the holiday decorations. The trolly is an old fashioned cable car that seats up to 32 people.

The rides take place from December 7-10 and December 14-21 from 5:15pm to 9pm. Each ride takes about 30 minutes and costs $20 for kids and $40 for Adults. The trolley boards in front of Bank of America at 1245 Lincoln Avenue. There is also plenty of free public parking in the Bank of America lot, courtesy of the Willow Glen Business Association.

If you're wondering why I'm posting this so early, well many of the dates have already sold out. Now would be the time to book your holiday trolly ride over here.


Monday, October 30, 2023

Halloween in Japantown San Jose

Japantown is also throwing a major Halloween event tomorrow. They have actually been doing a Halloween event since 2003. In 2017 it became so popular they closed off major streets.

Trick-or-treating starts at 4:30pm with most of the SJ Japantown businesses participating. Then you have San Jose Taiko performances, dancing, a haunted house, and arts & crafts.

There should be no shortage of options tomorrow to celebrated one of the most fun holidays out there.