Thursday, June 30, 2011

4th of July in Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley is full of life, preparing for its 4th of July holiday weekend! Just as the Silicon Valley Real Estate market bursts to life during the summer, so do festivals, concerts and parades. To make sure you don’t miss any of the events happening all over Santa Clara County this weekend, I’ve put together a list of where to watch fireworks, listen to live music, view a parade and savor festival foods. As your Silicon Valley Real Estate agent, I want you to enjoy the Silicon Valley area as much as possible!

Fireworks

If you enjoy fireworks, then you’ll be glad you live in Santa Clara County! You could enjoy fireworks Saturday through Tuesday if really want to go all out. Otherwise, numerous shows are available for you to choose from.

• California’s Great America theme park will host fireworks on Saturday and Sunday in honor of the holiday. However, if you miss them this weekend, they continue to shoot them off every Saturday night through August.

• Sports fans have the option of combining their love of the game with their love for fireworks! The San Jose Giants will shoot off fireworks after their July 4 and July 5 games against the Modesto Nuts.

• If you’re looking for good old-fashioned firework fun, head to Milpitas Sports Center Football Field for fireworks on July 4, which will coincide with music, or check out the San Francisco Symphony Shoreline Amphitheatre, which will feature fireworks and patriotic performances.

Concerts/Live Music

The 4th of July is a celebration for our country. There’s no better method of getting into the spirit of the holidays than by dancing, swaying or singing along to live music!

• Blackberry Farm is hosting a swimming, grilling and live music listening party from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which will leave you with plenty of time to prepare for fireworks that night. The barbecue lunch is available for the first 800 attendees, so get there early! The Groove Kings will perform from noon to 3 p.m.

• For a more traditional July 4th concert, listen to the San Jose Wind Symphony perform, beginning at 1:30 p.m. on the Los Gatos High School front lawn. The show will include a combination of notorious patriotic songs, along with current favorites. It’ll even feature a grand finale, complete with cannons during an 1812 Overture.

Parades

What’s the 4th of July without a parade, right? They manage to squeeze music, performers, local businesses, political figures, costumes, decorative floats and lots of candy into one unforgettable event!

• Memorial Park begins their holiday celebrations with a pancake breakfast at the Quinlan Community Center’s Cupertino Room from 7 to 11 a.m. A flag will be raised at 9 a.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial and the Children’s Parade begins at 10 a.m. After the parade, The Peelers will perform at the Memorial Park Amphitheater.

• For a more official parade, head to Morgan Hill for the Santa Clara County Independence Day Parade. This celebration has been running yearly since 1876! With more than 2,500 participants, you’ll be sure to enjoy the float designs, band performances, horses and antique cars in the procession. Bring water to stay hydrated!


Festivals

Summer and festivals go hand-in-hand, and a holiday weekend is the perfect excuse to throw a fest full of food, entertainment, cocktails, games and plenty of community socializing.

• The highlight of the 30th Annual Summer Festival and Chili Cookoff in Palo Alto is the chili! Twenty teams will compete for the title of “Best Chili” at 1:30 p.m., while guests enjoy chili tasting, food booths, beer and margaritas, live music and children’s activities. The festival runs from noon to 5 p.m. at Mitchell Park.

• Kevin Moran Park in Saratoga will present a traditional fest from 9:30 to 11 a.m., honoring our country and everyone in it! A Color Guard will present a flag, a band and a youth chorus will perform patriotic songs and costumed individuals will be walking around as historical American figures. It’s entertainment and education all wrapped into one! Everyone will leave with a stomach full of free popsicles, and children will leave with a free flag. Wear red, white and blue!

Now that you know where all the 4th of July excitement is this weekend, go out and enjoy the holiday! But as your Silicon Valley Real Estate agent, I request that you let me know what events you went to and what the highlights of your weekend were. Once the excitement dies down, we’ll dive back into selling your Silicon Valley home or buying you a Santa Clara County home. You don’t want to miss out on the Silicon Valley Real Estate market while it’s hot! Happy 4th of July weekend, readers!