When does summer end for you? That was a question I encountered on social media this week, with answers ranging from “when it’s time to turn the A/C off” to “when the kids go back to school.” But besides the start of the fall equinox, Labor Day was the most common calendar day picked as marking summer’s end.
Before the shift to Halloween-themed hoopla and holiday everything as the year concludes, we’ve still got festivals celebrating multiple cultures, art and wine, a Peninsula city’s centennial and yes, the end of summer and the start of fall.
Whether you’re lingering in the summertime vibes or already adopting the persona of Mr. Autumn Man, make sure to peruse my guide to 20 September and October festivals around Silicon Valley for fun ways to celebrate all this time of year has to offer.
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
20 late summer and fall festivals in Silicon Valley
Some of Silicon Valley’s biggest cultural festivals are held in September and October. Here’s what’s on the calendar.
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While many Peninsula delis are longtime favorites, a number of Peninsula sandwich spots have debuted in recent months, with more coming soon.
Redwood City pup Pinky takes second place in World’s Ugliest Dog Contest
Redwood City resident Pinky has a beauty that you might call … unconventional. In fact, the senior mutt – an albino Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix with patchy fur, sensitive pink skin and a piglet-esque vibe – recently won second place in the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, held on Aug. 14.
Congrats to Vanessa Cordova from South San Francisco, who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s the Nikola Tesla statue in Palo Alto!).
The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a gift card from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!
Bay Area Transit Month: Throughout September Celebrate public transportation this month with special events including a “ride in style” photo contest, an art fair in partnership with Clayroom San Mateo and more.
Rock the Block Concert Series: Fridays in September Hillsdale Shopping Center hosts free music on Friday evenings throughout the month, spanning genres such as indie rock and K-pop.
Vultures: Nature’s Unsung Recyclers: Sept. 5 Celebrate International Vulture Awareness Day with a guided hike at Windy Hill Preserve. Docent naturalists will discuss the ecological importance of vultures during the leisurely walk.
Los Altos Hills Hoedown: Sept. 5 Head to the hills for square dancing, live bluegrass music, equestrian exhibitions and demonstrations, and BBQ and ice cream food trucks.
Belmont Greek Festival: Sept. 5-6 Greek culture is the star of this long-running annual festival, which features live performances, guided church tours and plenty of Greek cuisine.
Kings Mountain Art Fair: Sept. 5-7 A Labor Day weekend tradition, find art and food under the redwoods at this event, which supports the Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade and Kings Mountain Elementary School.
Book Bash: Sept. 11 Peninsula Book Collaborative’s annual Book Bash will feature a panel with Nicole Wong and Olivia Allen-Price, food and drinks, and silent and online auctions. Proceeds support the organization’s community literacy work.
Mountain View Art & Wine Festival: Sept. 12-13 A dozen California wineries are featured at Mountain View’s annual festival, plus live music, hundreds of artist vendors, family-friendly activities and a bounty of food options.
Plan Ahead:
Big Blanket Movie Night: Sept. 18 The city of Menlo Park hosts an outdoor viewing of “Moana 2.” Attendees are encouraged to dress up like their favorite characters from the movie or in “island-inspired outfits.”
Summer’s End Music Festival: Sept. 19 Say goodbye to summer at this Coastside festival featuring live music (including Moonalice), face painting, henna tattoos, caricatures and more.
Palo Alto Airport Day: Sept. 20 Check out aircraft cockpits, see formation flight demonstrations and explore the Palo Alto Airport at this community event.
Nightfall: Sept. 26-Nov. 1 See the spooky side of Filoli, when by night the estate is transformed into a Halloween-ish wonderland, including a glowing forest, a witch’s village, eerie pumpkin scarecrows and more.
September Arts & Culture Fest: Sept. 26: The annual festival returns with live music and cultural performances, a mural-painting competition, local artists and poets, and family-friendly activities.
Great Glass Pumpkin Patch: Sept. 26-27 Find tens of thousands of glass gourds of all sizes and see live glass-blowing demonstrations at this annual art event.
Fog Fest: Sept. 26-27 Pacifica’s annual Fog Fest includes a parade (this year’s theme: “Happy 250th Anniversary, America”),arts and crafts vendors, food and drinks, live music and family activities.
Molly Tuttle: Sept. 28 Grammy-winning musician Molly Tuttle, who grew up in Palo Alto, comes back to the Peninsula for a performance at Stanford.
‘I don’t leave the kitchen for two days’: Meet the team making baklava and moussaka for the masses at the Belmont Greek Festival
The Labor Day weekend event relies on multigenerational recipes and committed volunteers who begin planning months in advance
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