Sonic Loveway Returns for a Magical Valentine's Day in Downtown San Jose

Today marks the return of Sonic Loveway, a captivating Valentine's Day event at San Jose City Hall Plaza. Presented by the San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with Opera San Jose, this gathering runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and invites everyone to celebrate love through music, art, and community connections. Whether honoring romance, friendship, or a passion for creativity, attendees find an evening filled with live performances and interactive elements that highlight the city's artistic spirit.

Performers include talents from Opera San Jose, members of the Symphony San Jose Chorale, Camp Rock, and the Silicon Valley Youth Harp Ensemble. These groups deliver enchanting music that resonates across the plaza. The event also features a makers market with handcrafted goods from local artisans and food trucks offering diverse flavors to enjoy amid the festivities.

At the center stands the Sonic Runway, a corridor of concentric arches equipped with 554 addressable LEDs that visualize sound in real time. Live audio gets analyzed and transformed into patterns racing at the speed of sound, creating a synchronized light and sound experience. Walking through it syncs the visuals with the beats, turning a simple stroll into an immersive adventure.

For additional information, visit https://www.operasj.org/sonic-loveway

Invisible Skies: A Flash Art Spectacle at San Jose City Hall

San Jose is hosting Invisible Skies, a free flash art event set for January 31, 2026, at City Hall on East Santa Clara Street in Downtown San Jose. Umbrella distribution starts at 5:30 PM, with the main activity kicking off at 6:30 PM once the sky darkens. This gathering will turn the plaza into a canvas for communal creativity, open to all ages and designed to last about two hours.

Attendees receive illuminated umbrellas as gifts, using them to form galaxies and celestial patterns across the space. The collective effort creates a living artwork, documented by drones overhead for later digital presentations and media sharing. Participants play a direct role in the display, becoming stars in the night sky formation.

Organized by ETProjects.Foundation alongside the City of San Jose's Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, the event emphasizes community involvement. Wear black clothing without graphics to enhance the visual effect, and avoid flash photography to preserve the drone footage. A photo release form must be signed electronically through registration or brought printed.

The event operates on a first-come, first-served basis with limited spots remaining. Parking is available through nearby options listed at parksj.org.

For registration and full details, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/invisible-skies-tickets-1407918806049.