Thru September 4

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has free Friday concerts on the beach all summer long, with 2 shows nightly - 6:30 and 8:30pm.  Admission is free!

June 26 - Gregg Rolie (Santana original lead singer)
July 3  –  The Smithereens
July 10 - Loverboy
July 14 - Starship
July 31 - Ray Parker Jr.
August 7- Greg Kihn Band
August 14- Papa Doo Run Run
August 21 - Patty Smyth and Scandal
August 28 - The Sweet
September 4 - The Tubes featuring Fee Waybill

For addtional lineup information and discounted ride tickets, check out beachboardwalk.com.

July 1 - 19. Closed Mondays.

Come out and play at the 2009 Alameda County Fair, featuring fabulous food and family fun. Don't miss the variety of contests at this year's Fair - from eating competitions, to the best BBQ ribs, to putting for $10,000 cash - there's a challenge for everyone.  Enjoy concerts by world-class headliners, free with Fair admission, including Ozomatli on July 16.  Also, check out 15 days of Live Horse Racing at the Oldest One-Mile Racetrack in America.

July 1 - July 5

Join the "Cool Green Fun" at the Marin County Fair in San Rafael.  Enjoy Free concerts with Gate Admission -- including Los Lobos at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday 7/5 -- as well as Free Carnival Rides and Fireworks show every night.  Visit www.marinfair.org

Stern Grove Festival
Sunday, July 12
 
Stern Grove Festival welcomes folk legend Joan Baez and local rockers Blame Sally on Sunday, July 12.  The admission-free concert begins at 2pm at Stern Grove (19th Aven. & Sloat Blvd.) in San Francisco.  For more information, call 415-252-6252 or visit sterngrove.org.

Wednesday, August 12

Spend the night on the field at the 7th Annual Slumber Party at AT&T Park on Wednesday, August 12.  Your package includes a bleacher ticket to the Giants-Dodgers game that afternoon, party favors, pizza and snacks, movies, photo on the field and breakfast in the morning.  Will Clark and J.T. Snow will also be there signing autographs.

Visit sfgiants.com for details and to sign up, or call 415-972-2361.  Space is limited so don't wait!

July 11-12
Palo Alto Art Center

The Palo Alto Clay & Glass Festival returns to the Palo Alto Art Center on July 11-12. As one of the most popular and respected festivals of its kind in the United States,this gathering attracts thousands of discriminating shoppers and collectors in an open-air celebration of clay and glass artistry. The festival also features live demonstrations and engaging hands-on art activities designed for the whole family. Admission is free. For more information, click here.

September 23-27
Downtown San Jose

The Mexican Heritage Corporation and Linda Ronstadt present the San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival in downtown San Jose this September, featuring Joan Baez, Aida Cuevas, Los Lobos, Carlos Santana and special surpise artists.  Get your tickets now at  Ticketmaster or at sanjosemariachifestival.com.

The 33rd Annual Glide Floss Bridge to Bridge 12K and 7K run/walk returns Sunday, October 4, 2009.  The beautiful 12k/7k run/walk starts at the Ferry Building (in the shadow of the Bay Bridge) and heads thru Fisherman's Wharf, along the Marina Green, through Crissy Field (with a breath-taking view of the Golden Gate Bridge) and finishes in the Presidio National Park.

Register online for $40 (17 & older) and $25 (16 & under), plus an online processing fee.  Early registration goes thru September 20, at which time the price goes up to $45.  Proceeds once again benefit Special Olympics of Northern California.

Full details and registration at BridgeToBridge.com.

Celebrate Baby Bonanza at the San Francisco Zoo and come meet some of the newest Zoo babies!  Kick off their summer extravaganza May 2-3 starting at 10am with a giant-sized play weekend complete with puppet shows, sing-a-long music performances, Baby Boot Camp lessons, crafts, animals and more!  Activities are free with a paid Zoo admission.  Visit www.sfzoo.org for more information.

Discover the most intimate secrets of the amazing and mysterious seahorse at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s The Secret Lives of Seahorses, now open.

Avoid the lines by purchasing advance tickets now at montereybayaquarium.org/contest/seahorses.

2008 - 2009 Season

The 2008 - 2009 Season of the San Jose Ballet is underway and The Toreador, The Nutcracker, Hidden Talents and A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Click here to find out complete info.

San Francisco's very own Wicked has returned to bewitch the Bay Area at the Orpheum Theatre. Wicked had its world premiere at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre on May 28, 2003, then returned in the summer of 2005, where it played an unprecedented 6-week limited run selling out every seat for every single performance!

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets for the return engagement.

2008 - 2009 Pride Season
Van Ness & Market, San Francisco

The 2008 - 2009 Pride Season has been announced.  Now playing at the NCTC:

The History Boys - The 2006 Tony Award Winner for Best Play, Alan Bennett's The History Boys, makes its Bay Area premiere. This sharply funny and touching comedy goes inside the world of a British boys' school, where two teachers become rivals for the minds and hearts of eight unruly students.

As Bees In Honey Drown - Evan Wyler is a gay twenty-something New York writer savoring the success of his debut novel.  Defined by the media as the "hot, young, thing-of-the-moment," Evan captures the attention of Alexa Vere de Vere, a black-clad woman of mystery who's made the world of celebrity her home.  In fact, it's her religion.