Ada’s Cafe to host Shanghai youth orchestra at community event in Los Altos

Few things bring people together like warm food, good music and welcoming company, and that’s what Ada’s Cafe hopes to provide. 

Following its mission to bring people together across different walks of life, Palo Alto-based Ada’s Cafe is hosting an exchange with a group of visiting musicians from the Shanghai City Youth Symphony Orchestra from 3-7 p.m. on July 24 at the Los Altos Community Center. Friday’s event will feature a magic show, food from the cafe, a DJ’ed dance party and a short performance from the symphony.

“Because I know personally that food and magic and music bring people together, I decided that those were three things that we wanted to bring to this event because we know it’ll connect people,” said Kathleen Foley-Hughes, founder and executive director of Ada’s Cafe.

The cafe is known for fostering an inclusive community as well as providing work opportunities to people with developmental disabilities and others who face barriers to employment. That includes hosting a variety of events to bring people together, from stargazing to live music events at its location in the Mitchell Park Community Center. 

Foley-Hughes said they had wanted to host the event at their main Palo Alto location, but the community center’s event space was unavailable. Ada’s Cafe is planning to open a second location at the Los Altos Community Center in the fall, however, making it a “natural fit” for the event. 

Partnering with the youth orchestra is a natural connection, Foley-Hughes said. It came about through one of Ada’s Cafe’s employees’ families. She’s heard the orchestra’s founder, Maestro Chao Peng, intentionally works to give neurodivergent youths the opportunity to pursue music, and that 30 members of the orchestra have Autism.

“While we don’t know each other, we have a similar worldview of inclusion,” she said.

There are 74 members of the orchestra traveling the Bay Area, ages ranging from 12 to 20, and they’ll be visiting until Sunday.

The orchestra is visiting and touring the Bay Area, with a public performance at San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre scheduled for Saturday that Foley-Hughes said she’s excited to attend. 

For Friday’s event, magician Christopher Britt will be performing for the group. He will also set up a smaller station to accommodate people who may become overwhelmed by the loud noises and crowd. Foley-Hughes said she has appreciated his thoughtfulness, as well as DJ Marcie Turner, who will be playing music during the hours-long dance party to round out the night. 

Foley-Hughes said they’re expecting about 250 people to attend, and they have room for more. Tickets can be purchased in advance and will be available at the door.