As I was preparing the story announcing the winners of the 2025 Peninsula Photo Contest this week, I was struck by the variety in the 24 winning and honorable mention images: the breadth of emotion, the geographical diversity among the cities and countries where photos were taken, the moments in time captured in vivid color and striking black and white.
These photos take us to a mother’s milestone birthday in Palo Alto, right before she makes a wish and blows out the candles; a horse wrestling competition in Kyrgyzstan; and to a family of rhesus macaques caring for a young one in a place known as “Monkey City” in Thailand.
The images were chosen from 1,228 submissions by 256 photographers who live, work or study in the 650 area code. The contest includes adult and youth divisions and six categories: Landscapes, Abstract, Moments, Wildlife, Portraits and Travel.
All the winning entries are now on exhibit at the Palo Alto Art Center through Dec. 7.
Seeing the big picture,
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
A miracle on El Camino: Kepler’s Books celebrates 70 years
Groundbreaking bookstore and cultural hub Kepler’s Books marks a milestone and embraces an ever-evolving legacy. Kepler’s will hold a block party Sept. 20 to mark the occasion.
From California to Kyrgyzstan, the 2025 Peninsula Photo Contest winners capture the joys and mysteries of everyday life
To capture their magic moments, this year’s shooting stars ventured far and wide. And much like in years past, they also reflect the spirit of the moment — the feelings of wanderlust, hope and wonder experienced by Peninsula residents.
This monthly sale is a treasure trove of historic, whimsical and practical cookbooks – all for a very low price
Learn how to cook with bugs, incorporate Coca-Cola into all sorts of dishes and even make an (unofficial) Harry Potter cauldron cake in the pages of cookbooks stocked at a Friends of the Palo Alto Library (FOPAL) book sale.
Congrats to Joe M. of Sunnyvale, who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s Ludwigs Biergarten in Mountain View!).
The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a prize from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!
Find more things to do in September with our events guide!
Science Friday Live: Sept. 18 KQED’s “Science Friday” radio show comes to Redwood City for a live event featuring science demonstrations, audience Q&A and interactive moments.
Sci-Fi Trivia Night: Sept. 18 Test your knowledge of sci-fi and fantasy at the Mountain View Library’s trivia extravaganza, where the top teams win prizes (bonus points for coming in costume).
Free Film Fest: Sept. 19-21 Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a long weekend of free film screenings at its Mountain View and Valley Fair theaters featuring over 30 movies, from “Vertigo” and “Mad Max Fury Road” to “Pride & Prejudice.”
California Coastal Cleanup Day: Sept. 20 Help protect and restore the environment by picking up trash at this annual volunteer event with many participating locations. This year, special items will be hidden at some cleanup sites, to be redeemed for prizes.
Gypsy: Through Sept. 21 Palo Alto Players presents the ultimate stage-mom story, “Gypsy,” full of classic Broadway tunes.
Indie Author Week: Sept. 22-26 Local indie authors will be at Fireside Books & More the evenings of Sept. 22-26 to meet readers and sell books.
Around The World Night: Sept. 26 Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company wraps up its Summer Nights series with an evening of international street food, global music and a marketplace of artisan goods.
Belmont Water Dog Run: Sept. 27 The annual Belmont event raises money for the community and includes a 10K, a 5K, a 1-mile kids’ run, a virtual walk/run and the Fido Mile (for pups and their people).
Pacific Coast Fog Fest: Sept. 27-28 Pacifica’s Palmetto Avenue is home to this festival of art, music, kids’ activities, food, contests (including a photography competition), a parade and more – now in its 38th year.
Plan Ahead:
DIY Broom Making Class: Oct. 1 Create a medium-sized witch’s broom for banishing negative energy at this workshop led by Susan from Illuminaré Apotheca.
Nightfall at Filoli: Oct. 3-Nov. 10 Glowing mushrooms, a meadow full of pumpkins, spooky scarecrows and more await visitors to Filoli after dark during its Nightfall takeover, during which folks can stroll the estate by moonlight and find seasonal fun.
Lee Herrick: Oct. 4 California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick presents an afternoon of poetry for all ages, inviting families to listen, learn and try writing some poems of their own. According to Linden Tree’s website, Herrick’s work explores identity, community and hope.
FabMo Artisans Market: Oct. 5 Check out the handcrafted treasures made from fabric and other materials cleverly repurposed from samples sourced from design showrooms in San Francisco (and saved from the landfill), on sale at FabMo’s annual public artisans market.
Upscale Pub Crawl: Oct. 8 Redwood City Library Foundation’s fourth annual Upscale Pub Crawl is a fundraiser in conjunction with Banned Books Week. Participants stroll through downtown Redwood City, with 16 establishments offering discounted drinks and featuring a banned book and information about censorship.
Day of the Horse: Oct. 11-12 Woodside’s beloved celebration of all things equine includes a progressive trail ride (Oct. 11) and a horse fair for families (Oct. 12). This year’s theme is “Safari – Into the Wild.”
San Carlos Art & Wine Faire: Oct. 11-12 Find art by more than 200 artists, food, wine, live entertainment and a family fun zone at the annual San Carlos Art & Wine Faire.
Ziggy Marley and Burning Spear: Oct. 17 Reggae and rock icon Ziggy Marley comes to the Mountain Winery.
Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival: Oct. 18-19 The “world pumpkin capital” holds its annual celebration of the mighty autumn gourd, featuring a pumpkin parade, harvest-inspired arts and crafts, live music, pumpkin sculpting, pumpkin-flavored food and drinks and more.
Nearly 40 years and 27 million pounds of trash later, here’s how California Coastal Cleanup Day has evolved
The country’s largest annual volunteer event returns Sept. 21 with opportunities to participate throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
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