Showing posts with label st. james park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label st. james park. Show all posts

Monday, June 19, 2023

The Future of St. James Park

One of San Jose's most underutilized resources is St. James Park. It has such a great location and historical significance, yet it has become little more than a bastion for the homeless. The SJDA is doing their best to activate it with movies and yoga, but the park itself needs to change. This is especially needed with several high-density housing projects planned for the immediate area.

Now, plans to transform St. James into a modern flagship community amenity are coming together.

Below are illustrations of the new spaces that are being planned that will offer a variety of experiences. These includes a live music venue, children's park, dog park, and plenty of open spaces. All this while keeping the original trees, fountains, and statues. The ETA to see this to fruition is 2028. It sounds like an eternity, but this could be St. James Park in less than 5 years.

Source: SVBJ












Friday, October 21, 2022

Live music returns to St. James Park throughout October

Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose: “Building Community through Music”.

Every Sunday in October (Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30) bring a picnic, drop a blanket on the lawn and enjoy free, all ages, high quality concerts from 3pm – 6:30pm in Historic St. James Park. There is a Beer Garden featuring Camino Brewing suds, and delicious local food trucks will be on hand to ensure a stress free Sunday evening in the park.

In the news: Yes - you may have heard about Levitt San Jose’s struggles to break ground at St. James Park. Having dealt with a progress-halting lawsuit recently, Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose perseveres, and sets the tone for the future site of a Levitt Pavilion with this first concert series. By recognizing the magic of live music to bring communities together and activate public spaces, Levitt San Jose strives to carve out a new era for Downtown San Jose’s most historic park.

About the Levitt San Jose Fall Concert Series: 

Formed in 2016, Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose is a nonprofit with a mission to build community through free, all-ages, high-quality live music shows and performances on a permanent stage in historic St. James Park.

The Levitt San Jose Fall Concert Series, presented by Madrone Ventures & Studio Current, will feature top local and national artists, giving a sneak peek of what’s to come when Levitt Pavilion San Jose joins the community of permanent Levitt venues across the country.

We are proud to announce that the Fall Concert Series began with a performance from Antibalas on October 2nd, 3pm – 6:30pm. It’s hard to believe that more than twenty years have passed since Antibalas’s humble beginning as a neighborhood dance / protest band in the block parties and underground parties in pre-gentrified Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Over the past two decades they have evolved into what The Guardian called “one of the world’s finest Afrobeat bands” while enjoying equal renown for their cross-genre collaborations with legends of popular music. Opening for Antibalas will be Salinas locals, Quiensave. ¿Qiensave? is a Cumbia Urbana group from Salinas California with roots stretching back to Michoacán, Mexico. They create high energy dance music that has fortunately blessed them with the opportunity to travel throughout California, Arizona, Mexico, and Colombia.

 

October 9th Lyrics Born, the “funkiest rapper alive” took the stage from 3p – 6:30pm. Known for weaving funk and soul into classic, boom-bap Hip Hop, his energy electrified the crowd!

 

Jose James performed on October 16th. Known as a jazz artist for the hip-hop generation, José James artfully blurs the lines between traditional and contemporary jazz, hip-hop, soul, funk, pop and rock. San Jose’s own Jackie Gage will open with her velvety voice, uplifting songwriting, and transcendent music.

 

October 23rd will welcome Latin Folk songstress, La Doňa from 3pm – 6:30pm. La Doña, born Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Govea in San Francisco, California, is a solo reggaeton singer, songwriter and multi- instrumentalist. The Chicana artist began her career at age 7 playing trumpet, and later strings and percussion in her family’s conjunto. She also played in a youth salsa band and a Balkan fusion band before synthesizing her unique upbringing in her original compositions. La Doña combines her deep roots in Latin folk traditions like corridos and rumba with the propulsive modern sounds of reggaeton, cumbia, and hip hop. Mosaic Organization will begin the show with a variety of cultural performances ranging from dance to live musical performance.

 

The Fall Concert Series will close on October 30th with performances from San Jose local, Will Sprott and Orgone, whose sound draws from 1960s and 1970s-era funk and soul.

 

Friends of Levitt San Jose social links: FacebookInstagram and Twitter,

The Levitt San Jose Music Series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with towns and cities across America to activate underused public spaces through the power of free live music, creating welcoming, inclusive destinations. Presenting a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt venues and concert sites are community anchors where families, friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds come together. Learn more at levitt.org. #MusicMoves

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Sundays in the Park with Arts: Hamiltunes

Every Sunday, St. James Park will host FREE performances by our talented arts organizations in the area. Viva Parks Downtown and Filco Events have come together to present this great series called "Sundays in the Park with ARTS" and it runs all the way until October 24th.

Each week, the event will run from 2-5pm on the grass in front of the Corinthian Building at St. James and Third. A professional stage, sound, and production system will be there each week. It's recommended that attendees bring chairs, a picnic basket, and blankets.

This week's event on August 29th features the San Jose Popup Choir leading the audience in HAMILTUNES -- the official public sing-along to the Broadway musical. SJ Popup Choir is the only officially licensed presenter of HAMILTUNES in the bay area, so it's one event you won't want to miss if you're a fan of the smash-hit musical. You'll be able to access all of the lyrics on your phone. Again, it's from 2-5pm this Sunday at Saint James Park.




Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Starlight Cinemas 2021

A staple of the Downtown San Jose summer entertainment scene is returning to St. James Park on July 21st. Four family friendly movies will play outdoors around 8pm on Wednesdays: "Up," "The Perfect Game," "Raya and the Last Dragon," and "The Karate Kid." The pre-show entertainment this Wednesday will include a balloon artist (goes well with the "Up" theme), kettle corn, a gift from the Children's Discovery Museum, and a performance by the San Jose Dance Theater.

This event is completely free and brought to you by the San Jose Downtown Association and several sponsors. Fore more information head over to the Starlight Cinemas page.


SAN JOSE - The San Jose Downtown Association is back with Starlight Cinemas, presented by First Tech Federal Credit Union. Get ready for free summer outdoor movies on four consecutive Wednesdays starting July 21 at dusk at St. James Park in downtown San Jose. 


Starlight Cinemas kicks off with "Up" on July 21 and "The Perfect Game" on July 28. Catch the new Disney movie, "Raya and the Last Dragon" on Aug. 4. We'll close off the series Aug. 11 with a classic, the 1984 version of "The Karate Kid."  (Note:  Karate Kid is rated PG )

Grab food to-go from a downtown restaurant and arrive an hour before dusk for pre-movie fun and games.  The pre-movie fun for the July 21 (starting about 8 p.m.) feature includes: 
  • Balloon artist on site.
  • Ball blower take-and-make kit for each child to take home, courtesy Children's Discovery Museum
  • Kettle Corn, flavored popcorn and lemonade for sale
  • Performance by San Jose Dance Theater
The movies are held in conjunction with the City's Viva Parks programming.

Check http://sjdowntown.com/starlight for more information

Park in the Third Street or Market & San Pedro garages. Parking is free for the first 90 minutes. ParkSJ.org

Monday, May 25, 2020

May Day for the Arts - Free Virtual Concert

The Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose are focused on building a permanent performance venue at St. James Park that will feature 50+ family-friendly concerts every year. They are already working on their goal of building community through music by hosting events even before the pavilion is ready. This Thursday will be May Day, featuring 4 hours of virtual concerts where you can interact with the performers after each session.

Below is a list of groups that will be performing:
The concert runs from 6-10pm and you can get your free tickets over here.

For more information, the full press release is below.




Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose to Host First Virtual Concert,
May Day for the Arts

Picnic with us in your living room, on the patio, or in your bedroom
as we join together to
 enjoy and support the local San Jose arts community

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 12, 2020 — With all physical venues temporarily shut down and limited local entertainment options available, the Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose (FLPSJ) are coming to the rescue to entertain your family and friends by hosting the organization’s first virtual concert, May Day for the Arts, on May 28 from 6 to 10 p.m.

This four-hour virtual Levitt Pavilion concert will feature a variety of performances by local arts groups to raise community morale and support the San Jose performing arts community, including organizations like Opera San JoséSan Jose Taiko and San Jose Jazz.

“The quality of local artistry in San Jose is truly exceptional, and we just couldn’t wait to showcase that talent, even if we aren’t able to gather together in person just yet. This virtual concert will foster an online community where performers can interact with fans, support other arts groups, and provide a brief break from the monotony of our daily routines,” event organizer Fil Maresca said.

Those in the audience will have the chance to participate in live Q&A sessions with the arts groups, stream pre-recorded performances, and donate directly to the groups themselves through virtual tip jars.
The Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose have had a singular mission since day one: the construction of a performance venue in historic St. James Park that will feature 50 free, family-friendly concerts each year. The addition of the Levitt Pavilion is one aspect of the City of San Jose’s long-term goals to integrate arts and culture within the City’s frequently used spaces through public and private partnerships.

“While we work toward this goal, we can begin our purpose now as a bridge between the community and local arts groups,” FLPSJ President Rick Holden said. “This virtual concert is just one example of how Levitt Pavilion San Jose will serve as a platform for arts groups ranging from local emerging talent to acclaimed performers to share their music with the local Bay Area community.”
A full list and schedule of performances, along with online channels to view the performances will be shared soon at http://levittsanjose.org/mayday-for-the-arts/. Reserve your free ticket at Eventbrite.
Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagramor sign up for our e-mail list to receive the latest info about May Day for the Arts and Levitt Pavilion San Jose!

About FLPSJ
Formed in 2016, Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose is a non-profit organization comprised of community stakeholders committed to the revitalization of St. James Park as a safe and inclusive destination for people of all ages and background. The new outdoor Pavilion will feature 50+ free concerts throughout the year along with other performances to build community through music.
About Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation
The Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation is a private foundation that exists to strengthen the social fabric of America. Through its support of creative placemaking, the Levitt Foundation empowers communities to transform neglected public spaces into welcoming destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together and invigorates community life. The Foundation’s primary funding areas include permanent Levitt venues and the Levitt AMP Grant Awards, an annual grants competition. The national Levitt network of permanent outdoor music venues and AMP concert sites collectively serves more than half a million people annually through 400+ free, family-friendly concerts. Learn more at http://www.levitt.org.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Doga comes to St. James Park in July and August



SILICON VALLEY PET PROJECT PARTNERS WITH CITY OF SAN JOSE TO OFFER
“DOGA” – YOGA CLASSES FOR DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS

Doga Comes to St. James Park in July and August

SAN JOSE, CA — Pack up your yoga mat — and your dog — and join Silicon Valley Pet Project (SVPP) for “Doga” in the Park.  For the fourth year in a row, SVPP is partnering with the City of San Jose to provide fun and interactive Doga (dog-plus-yoga) classes twice a month on Sundays, at San Jose’s historic St. James Park.  A certified yoga instructor leads the one-hour class designed for bonding between people and pups of all ages and levels.  The Doga classes are made possible, in part, by a grant from San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services.

Doga sessions will take place in the area near the corner of 3rd and St. John (near the dog park and playground) from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., with instruction from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Remaining dates this summer are: July 28, August 11 and August 25.

Registration is free but space is limited.  For more information and registration, please click here or go to http://www.svpetproject.org.

“It’s a fun and healthy way to bond with your dog,” said Melissa Lisbon, Silicon Valley Pet Project president. “We can enjoy the benefits of being in a beautiful park while enjoying the benefits of yoga.  We are thrilled to be partnering with the City of San Jose on this project again.”

# # #

 Silicon Valley Pet Project (SVPP) is a nonprofit animal welfare organization committed to saving local at-risk shelter pets through rescue, community involvement, and education.  For more information, go to www.svpetproject.org.

Doga in St. James Park...Provided by Silicon Valley Pet Project and a grant from San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Park View Towers design refresh

One of the oldest San Jose high-rise projects in the develop queue is getting a slight makeover and redesign. Park View Towers consists of three buildings that wrap around a historic church adjacent to St. James Park. Originally the church was going to be moved, which could have severely damaged the once dilapidated building. The latest plans keep the old church building where it is and feature more traditional looking buildings that better blend in with the area. The original design featured mostly glass like Axis. The lowrise building with townhomes has also gained a floor with the design revision.

The area around St. James Park could certainly use more residents to help revitalize the area. Hopefully the changes will help the project move along faster.

Source: SVBJ






Wednesday, October 12, 2016

St. James Park finally getting redesigned

Four finalist proposals have been selected in a competition to do a complete overhaul of St. James Park. As we all know, over the past several decades the park has become an unpleasant place. It is a shame given the park's central location and history that includes everything from presidential visits to one of the last lynchings in the US.

A finalist will be selected on October 15th, so you still have a few days to submit your opinion. The proposal will be selected based on how well the park addresses the needs for the Levitt Pavilion (year-round permanent music venue), the needs of the whole community, how original and creative it is, and how likely people are to visit it.

At least 50 free, family-friendly concerts will take place each year in the new St. James Park. Other requirements include picnic areas, greenery, and "whimsical" fountains. The cost will range from $30-60 million, but that money will be well spent if it can transform the area and add value to the community for decades.

You can view each of the four proposals over here.

Source: The Merc, huge thanks to Nick Fishler for sending this in!






Monday, September 12, 2016

Viva Calle SJ 2016 is going down this Sunday

My favorite event in 2015 is returning this year with several improvements. During Viva Calle SJ, miles of city streets will be completely shut down to let people walk, bike, skateboard, or dance down the streets of San Jose. The route has changed a bit this year. Instead of extending to East San Jose, it will go to Japantown and Midtown instead and there will be even fewer intersections where the streets are not fully closed.

In 2016 there are four different "Activity Hubs," all of which are in new locations. These include the Arena Green in Downtown San Jose, W. San Carlos (Midtown), Willow Glen, and Japantown. Each hub has food, drinks, live music, vendors, and all-around good times. Last year I also noticed several stores and organizations were also setting up booths outside of the hubs. Try to visit as many as you can.

The event takes place Sunday, September 18th from 10am-3pm. It is completely free and has no designated beginning or end (it's not a race). You can use the handy map below to locate the routes and festivities. For more info, head over here. Hope to see you there!


Friday, August 19, 2016

Chacho's Taco Festival is this Saturday

The second annual Chacho's Taco Festival is going to bring a ton of tacos, live music, and good times to St. James Park this weekend. Part of the festivities include the only MLE (Major League Eating) sanctioned taco eating contest in Northern California. In 2014 Matt Stoney won the inaugural competition by eating 101 tacos in 8 minutes (!!!).

The event runs from 11am to 8pm. Admission is $10 and parking is available at 64 N. Market St. and San Pedro Square. For more information head over to the Taco Festival website over here.



Saturday, April 30, 2016

Space Battle San Jose 2016 happening today

I never cease to be impressed by the long list of creative events that keep on popping up in San Jose. Today there is basically a giant lightsaber battle going on in Downtown San Jose. Due to a Lucasfilm lawsuit, they can't actually call it a lightsaber fight--but we all know that is exactly what this is.

The "space battle" goes down tonight at 8pm in St. James Park and part of the proceeds will benefit the Bay Area chapter of Make-A-Wish. For more info (including a video clip), keep reading.


Massive “Space Battles” Set to Explode from Coast to Coast this May

The charitable mock battles will see glowing sword-fighting to benefit 6 local Make-A-Wish Foundation chapters in 4 states

Tour forced to change its “Lightsaber Battle” name by legal settlement with Lucasfilm  

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016 -  Following on the success of their December event tour, which saw 10,000 people come together to have massive battles with glowing weapons, Toronto-based arts organization Newmindspace plans to go even bigger with “space battles” from San Jose to Boston this May. The events are all free, but participants can register online at catsinspacetour.com for $10 to receive a glowing sword, and each tour stop benefits the local Make-A-Wish Foundation chapter by donating a portion of the proceeds.

“We are excited to get back on the road, put on some huge, family-friendly events, and raise money for the amazing work that Make-A-Wish does,” said Kevin Bracken, tour co-founder. Along with co-founder Lori Kufner, the pair have been organizing free, all-ages events such as giant pillow fights, bubble blowing parties and subway celebrations around North America since 2005.

The tour was recently forced to change its name from “The Light Battle Tour” by a legal settlement with Lucasfilm, which is now owned by Disney. Lucasfilm believed people would too ​​easily confuse the name and the glowing swords offered by the tour with “lightsabers.” The new name of the tour is Cats in Space Tour, and instead of each event being called a “Light Battle,” they will be called Space Battles. Participants are encouraged to dress in costume, whether that is a character from their favorite sci-fi universe, or with cat ears and whiskers.

The May tour will see events in San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Grand Rapids, and Boston between April 30th and May 28th.

April 30 - San Jose to benefit Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area
St. James Park, 8 PM - 11 PM
Register: ​http://bit.ly/SJReg
Facebook: ​http://bit.ly/catsinspace_SanJoseApr2016

Cats in Space Tour 2016 Teaser from Newmindspace on Vimeo.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Viva Calle SJ is Today! The 50 Tour @ St. James Park!

The amazing Villa Calle SJ event is happening today from 10am to 3pm. Six whole miles of streets stretching from Emma Prusch Farm Park (East San Jose) to Willow Glen to St. James Park will all be shut down, allowing residents to walk, run, bike, or play in the streets. There will be festivals at Emma Prusch, Parque De Los Pobladores, and St. James Park.

Each festival will have food, music, and special activities. One example I wanted to highlight is the "50 Tour" in St. James Park. There will be an autograph signing and story time with four-time Super Bowl Champion Eric Wright as well as San Jose-legend and Gold Medalist, Kristi Yamaguchi. All eight of the Super Bowl Vince Lombardi Trophies for the 49ers and the Raiders will be on display. There will even be a STEM Zone, an interactive space that shows how science and technology fuel innovation.

Please use the handy map below to locate the festivities. I'm going to try to walk from Emma Prusch to St. James Park... we'll see how that goes =).








50 TOUR: CHAMPIONS OF THE BAY PRESENTED BY CHEVRON COMES TO SAN JOSE OCTOBER 11

WHAT: The Tour: Champions of the Bay presented by Chevron will make its next stop in San Jose, joining VivaCalleSJ on October 11, 2015. The 50 Tour will be located at 1-99 East St. John Street, San Jose.

VivaCalleSJ is a free recreational program that closes miles of scenic San Jose streets. This free event brings together the San Jose community to walk, bike, skate, play, and explore downtown San Jose.

This 50 Tour stop will feature an autograph signing and story time with four-time Super Bowl Champion Eric Wright, who was considered one of the best cover cornerbacks of his day; and Kristi Yamaguchi, former figure skater Olympic gold medalist, world champion and philanthropist.

The 50 Tour is the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee’s mobile exhibit designed to celebrate the history of the Bay Area’s championship teams, the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers. This 50 Tour stop will feature the eight Super Bowl Vince Lombardi Trophies of the two teams; the Chevron STEM Zone, an interactive space that demonstrates how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fuels innovation all around us – through the lens of football; and a youth area that includes the PLAY 60, Play On play space and The Re(a)d Zone early literacy corner.

WHEN: October 11, 10:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M., with  autograph signings from Kristi Yamaguchi and Eric Wright at 2:00 – 1:00 P.M., followed by story time in the Tour’s Re(a)d Zone.

About the San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl 50 Host Committee:
Working in partnership with Bay Area public officials and the NFL, the San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl 50 Host Committee is responsible for Super Bowl 50 and its celebration elements, including the Super Bowl Village, public exhibits and planning of game day logistics. The Host Committee seeks to make Super Bowl 50 the most giving ever, and is investing in Bay Area community initiatives and high-performing nonprofits through the 50 Fund, its signature philanthropic fund. To be hosted in the state-of-the-art Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara in 2016, Super Bowl 50 will be celebrated through a series of events that showcase all the Bay Area has to offer. For more information, visit www.sfbaysuperbowl.com.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Sourisseau News: St. James Park

Did you ever wonder about the origins of St. James Park? The two minute video below gives the best summary I have seen of the park's nearly 170 year history. It is almost impossible to believe today that St. James Park once looked like the image you see below. On the bright side, a substantial effort is underway to revitalize the park and turn it back into a valued asset for our city.

Anyway, watch the video below!


St James Park from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Park View Towers Moving Forward!

The San Jose City Council unanimously gave the final approval to move forward with Barry Swenson's Park View Towers. The $150 million project includes two high-rise residential towers with 220 units. The former Church of Christ Scientist building will be restored an incorporated into the project, creating a nice juxtaposition of historic and contemporary architecture.

Barry Swenson will move the church (similar to how the Montgomery was moved to make way for the Fairmont annex), build underground parking spanning the entire site, and then move the church back to its final destination.

Park View Towers also includes a surprising amount of retail--18,000 SQFT! To put that in perspective, the entire San Pedro Square Market is about 25,000 SQFT. What they have planned for all that space is unclear, but I like the direction they are taking this project. Large amounts of residential and retail might just be the catalyst needed to revitalize St. James Square.

The goal is to break ground in 2016 and have the buildings ready for occupancy by 2018.

Source: SVBJ


Monday, July 28, 2014

Electronic Sriracha Festival on Aug. 30th @ St. James Park!

This has to be one of the best ideas for a new event that I've come across in a long time. A couple years ago Moveable Feast launched The Taco Festival of Innovation, then last year they started the Bacon Festival of America, and now they are going for their hottest event yet... the Electronic Sriracha Festival!

The festival will encompass two city blocks at St. James Park and features three stages, 24 DJs representing the best of Bay Area-bred electronic music (list below), four bars, and 120 sriracha-infused dishes. There will be over 40 food trucks and food tents and all dishes and drinks will be priced at $6 or less. Oh, and SJ MADE will be there as well.

It is all going down Labor Day Weekend--August 30th--from noon to 8pm. Admission will run $20 in advance or $30 at the door (kids under 12 are free).

These are the types of events that will return St. James Park to its former glory, so lets help make this one a success! You can get more info at their Facebook page over here.


OLMSTEAD STAGE
Thee-O
Sam F
John Beaver Live with Krishna Lee on Drums & Greg Manacho on Guitar
Ross FM
Taj
Carlos Alfonzo
Tomas Phan
Ian Rey

KENNEDY STAGE
Aaron Axelsen
Dead Funk
Andy P
Mr. Tyler Jackson
California Casual
DJ Hil
Bare Knuckles
James Ashley

HART STAGE
GoldenChyld
Los Disco Duro
Bobby Acosta
DRU
Double A and Jay Reese
DJ Basura
Haptic Synapses
Mike Zhao

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Summer in St. James Park

I really have to hand it to the Downtown Association for upping their efforts this summer to activate St. James Park. On top of the world cup viewings, Startlight Cinemas, and Music in the Park, several other regular events are being planned. Every Wednesday in July there will be food trucks from 11am to 1:30pm, pick-up soccer games from 11:30am to 1:30pm, and free drop-in yoga from noon to 1pm.

To see the full list of events just head over to www.sjdowntown.com/summerinstjames.


Friday, June 13, 2014

Starlight Cinemas - FREE Films Under the Stars (Jun 14 - Aug 20)


SAN JOSE, Calif. - Enjoy great movies from the 1980s for free, under the stars, on warm San Jose summer nights, at Starlight Cinemas.  Come early and enjoy pre-show fun and games, often as entertaining as the main event.   
The eight-movie series produced by the San Jose Downtown Association begins June 14 with the only non-’80s film of the bunch, “Bend It Like Beckham.”  That film complements the opening day of World Cup soccer from Brazil, with San Jose sharing in four matches live on a giant television screen at Plaza de Cesar Chavez starting at 9 a.m. Check sjearthquakes.com/summerofsoccer for the full World Cup viewing schedule.
The second film of the series, “Back to the Future Part II,” also follows World Cup action, USA vs. Portugal, from 3p.m.-5 p.m. on June 22.  The big screen moves to St. James Park for that viewing.
Starlight Movie Schedule:
June 14 - Bend it Like Beckham (2002/PG-13) - Plaza de Cesar Chavez(following World Cup Viewing at 8 p.m.)
Set in London, Jess dreams of playing soccer like her hero, David Beckham, and will stop at nothing short of her goal. The girl’s independence clashes with her elder sister Pinky, who dreams of a traditional Indian wedding and making perfect meals for her man.
PRE-SHOW:  SJ Earthquakes/soccer-related trivia and games
June 22 - Back to the Future Part II (1989/PG) - St. James Park
(following World Cup Viewing at 6 p.m.)
See what 2015 was imagined to look like 20 years ago as Marty McFly and Doc Brown travel forward in time to prevent the future little McFly from going to jail.  But Biff gets hold of the time-traveling DeLorean, speeds back to 1955 and rewrites history by making his younger self filthy rich.
PRE-SHOW:  “How to make a mini Hovercraft” workshop and movie trivia.

July 16 - Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade (1989/PG-13) - St. James Park
The third movie of the Indiana Jones trilogy, this time with Dr. Henry Jones (Harrison Ford) and his father (Sean Connery) taking up the action.  Directed by Steve Spielberg, the Joneses go after the Holy Grail in a race against Nazis.
PRE-SHOW:  “Map with no names” as a treasure hunt guide to find the holy grail and Indiana Jones trivia.

July 23 - Ghostbusters (1984/PG) - San Pedro Square Market
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson and Rick Moranis star as NYC-based "paranormal investigators."  After their government grants run out, the former three go into business as The Ghostbusters, ridding The Big Apple of ghouls, ghosts and beasts.
PRE-SHOW:  Sing-off of “Who You Gonna Call” theme song; “Build your own” Sta-Puff marshmallow giant contest; movie quotes/trivia contest.

July 30 - Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985/PG) - St. James Park
Celebrate a “drive-in” movie experience on bicycle with San Jose Bike Party.  Watch as Pee-Wee Herman sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life to retrieve his beloved bike, which was stolen from him in broad daylight.  This was Tim Burton’s directorial debut and a stepping stone for Paul reubens and composer Dany Elfman.
PRE-SHOW:  Tequila dance-off; bike contests; DJ’s on bikes. 

August 6 - Pretty in Pink (1986/PG-13) - San Pedro Square Market
John Hughes writes and directs this '80s Brat Pack romance resembling Cinderella.  Molly Ringwald survives the wackos around her, including a boy hopelessly in love with her, her father and a record store co-worker to realize her potential
PRE-SHOW:  Alice@97.3 radio 18th Anniversary ’80s themed dance night.

August 13 - Gremlins (1984/PG) - St. James Park
These little things are cute as long as they don’t see bright lights, get wet or feed after midnight.  So what happens?  All three things, and pandemonium ensues. Starring Hoyt Axton, Keye Luke, John Louie, Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Corey Feldman, Judge Reinhold and even the film’s producer - Steven Spielberg.
PRE-SHOW:  Rockage Retro Gaming Festival video games; Chiptune DJ; Stripe vs. Gizmo contest.

August 20 - Airplane (1980/PG) - San Pedro Square Market
This spoof of the Airport series of disaster movies relies on hilarious sight gags, groan-inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting -- a comedy style has been imitated for the past two decades. Alcoholic pilot Ted Striker has to land the plane after the captain gets food poisoning.  Lloyd bridges and Robert Stack have to talk him down.  Leslie Nielsen launches a career as slapstick leading man.  Please, don’t call him Shirley.
PRE-SHOW:  Comedy Sportz Improv troupe performance.

Movie night details include:

Starlight Cinema Series sponsors and supporters are: San Jose Downtown Association, CINEQUEST, Metro Newspapers, SanJose.com, City of San Jose, Republic Services, McEnery Family, San Pedro Square Market, San Jose Bike Party, and radio partners: KCBS 740 AM, Alice@97.3, Live 105.3 and NOW 99.7


San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) is a non-profit group of business and property owners working to improve the vitality and livability of downtown San Jose for more than 25 years. SJDA produces events such as Downtown Ice, Starlight Cinemas, Downtown Farmers' Market at San Pedro Square and Dine Downtown. Visit www.sjdowntown.com