Downtown San Jose Comes Alive with the 42nd Fountain Blues & Brews Festival

Get ready for a weekend packed with music, flavor, and fun in the heart of Downtown San Jose! The 42nd Fountain Blues & Brews Festival is hitting Plaza de César Chavez on June 14 and 15, marking its expansion to two full days of celebration. As Northern California’s longest-running blues festival, this event brings together 16 incredible acts, 40 craft beers, 12 food vendors, and over 20 artisans. 

The music lineup promises something special. Headliners Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Walter Trout will take the stage, delivering performances that blend blues with rock and soul. With 16 acts in total, the variety keeps the energy high all weekend long. Families can also enjoy the Musical Instrument Petting Zoo, where kids (and adults!) can try out different instruments. It’s a hands-on way to connect with music and make memories together.

Food and drink options add even more to the experience. Choose from 40 craft beers poured by local and regional breweries, ranging from crisp lagers to bold IPAs. Pair your pick with delicious eats from 12 food vendors serving up BBQ, tacos, burgers, and sweet treats like pies and funnel cakes. Plus, over 20 artisans will be on hand with unique crafts, perfect for browsing or picking up a keepsake while you soak in the Downtown vibe.

For 42 years, this festival has been a cornerstone of San Jose’s community spirit. It’s more than just a good time; it’s a tradition that celebrates our city’s love for music, food, and togetherness. Held in the lively setting of Downtown San Jose, it’s a chance to see why this area shines as a hub of culture and creativity.

Don’t miss out on June 14 and 15 at Plaza de César Chavez. Grab your tickets now at fountainblues.com and join us for a weekend that captures the best of San Jose.

Still O.G. in San Jose

Original Gravity Public House was the first of its kind in San Jose. A bar completely dedicated to craft beers. Sure there were some places like Good Karma that featured a limited selection of craft beers first, but Original Gravity was truly the first of its kind in San Jose. The proprietors then went on to open Paper Plane, Miniboss, and soon will open they highly anticipated Eos & Nyx (more on that next week).

Now that craft beer is everywhere, the owners decided to turn Original Gravity into two new concepts: Still O.G. and Alter Ego.

Still O.G. still has craft beers, but they are also adding cocktails on tap and the vibe will be very different. Think analog with vinyl records all over the place and a high-end sound system. Still O.G. has been packed since it opened a month ago and is well worth checking out.

If you want a more relaxing atmosphere, you can head to the back where there is a completely different bar called Alter Ego featuring craft cocktails. It's a hidden bar within a bar, you can call it a modern speakeasy (last photo below). It looks amazing and will be yet another top destination for San Jose's nightlife.

You can find Still O.G. and Alter Ego at 66 S. First Street. More photos and info at the source link.

Source: SVBJ

Original Gravity Public House Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Original Gravity Public House opened a year ago and has certainly helped to add further legitimacy to the burgeoning San Jose craft beer scene. Tomorrow starting at 12:30 p.m., they're throwing a party in honor of their one-year anniversary. Among the festivities is an impressive tap lineup. Co-owner Dan Phan recently told me that he is particularly excited about the very limited West Ashley ale from Capitola's Sainte Adairius Rustic Ales, which is scheduled to be tapped at 2 p.m.

And for those that sometimes wished that Original Gravity had more space, your wish will come true as the owners have told me that they are working on expanding by a thousand square feet. Very cool news!

You can check out the details of the one-year celebration event on their website or their Facebook event page.

Original Gravity 1 year anniversary. Credits: Andy Lee