Thu, Oct 2
Jessica Monette: Root Me in the Soil—Jessica Monette’s installation, the second Project Room exhibition at the de Saisset, will explore familial memory, presence and absence, and place. Free. Reception Oct 2; runs until June 13, 2026. de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara. scu.edu/desaisset
Fri, Oct 3
The Art of Murder—The Pear Theatre opens its 24th season—dubbed Hidden Truths—with a play by Joe DiPietro. Artist Jack Brooks invites his art dealer to his secluded home for a business discussion, but revelations of ambition and revenge push the meeting into much darker territory. $45. Oct 3-19. The Pear Theatre, 1110 La Avenida, Suite A, Mountain View. thepear.org
Paul Cornish—A Houston-born pianist who’s now based in LA, Cornish honors the jazz tradition while forging a new path forward. $27. Oct 3, 9pm. SJZ Break Room, 310 S 1st St, San Jose. sanjosejazz.org.
Randi Weingarten—The author of Why Fascists Fear Teachers explains what teachers do and why all Americans should care about attacks on schools and teachers. $11.49-$45.09. Oct 3, 7pm. Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. keplers.org
Heart’s Delight: Stories of San Jose—A celebration of heritage, community, and connection, the exhibition opens with a free reception during First Friday Artwalk on Oct 3, 5-9pm. The work represents three projects: Collective Journeys, which shows work that artists created using sơn mài, an ancient Vietnamese lacquer painting technique; San José Marquee, with local artists transforming digital billboards; and In the Spirit of San José, works created by participants of all ages. Free. Oct 3-Dec 13. Chopsticks Alley Art, 38 S. 2nd St, San Jose. chopsticksalleyart.org
Glass Pumpkin Patch—This event sponsored by Bay Area Glass Institute offers a chance for art lovers to purchase decorative pumpkins in time for Halloween. Free. Oct 3, 3-9pm; Oct 4, 10am-9pm; Oct 5, 10am-5pm. Santana Row, San Jose. bagi.org
New Ballet Season Preview—Take a sneak peek at New Ballet’s upcoming shows on First Friday at the San Jose Museum of Art, with dancers presenting selections from the upcoming Halloween Gala, The San José Nutcracker, Giselle and the annual Fast Forward contemporary ballet program. Free. Oct 3, 6-9pm. San Jose Museum of Art, 110 S Market St, San Jose. sjmusart.org
Sat, Oct 4
Oktoberfest at San Pedro Square Market—Raise a stein at the bars at San Pedro Square Market and sip seasonal brews from some of the region’s best breweries. Enjoy German eats and festive games, plus a polka band on Saturday. All tickets come with a souvenir beer stein and half pint pour of beer. Oct 4, 1-8pm; Oct 5, 1-6pm. San Pedro Square Market, 87 N San Pedro St, San Jose. sanpedrosquaremarket.com
Dos maridos pa’ Enriqueta—Teatro Nahual reimagines The Wise Women (1672), a satirical comedy by Molière, relocating his critique of intellectual pedantry and societal hypocrisy from 17th-century France to late 19th-century Mexico City. Performed in Spanish. $40-$42. Oct 4, 7:30pm; Oct 5, 2pm. SecondStage, Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View. mvcpa.com
Peninsula Symphony Season Opener—Peninsula Symphony opens its 77th season with guest conductor Lara Webber and guest soloist Demarre McGill, who will perform Charles Tomlinson Griffes’s Poem and Jacques Ibert’s Flute Concerto. The program also includes works by Carlos Simon, Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky. $50. Oct 4, 7:30pm, at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell. Oct 5, 2:30pm, at the Performing Arts Center in San Mateo. peninsulasymphony.org
Sandra Bernhard—The comedian’s new live show, Shapes and Forms, is filled with stories, one-liners, asides, and an eclectic blend of songs. $16-$102.60. Oct 4, 7:30pm. Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University. live.stanford.edu
Sun, Oct 5
Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal—In an intimate performance, country music star Cash is joined by her husband and longtime recording partner. $16-$135. Oct 5, 4pm. Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University. live.stanford.edu
Mon, Oct 6
Art of Remembrance Ofrenda Exhibit—Local artists display their Day of the Dead ofrendas beginning Oct 6, with a reception Oct 9, 5:30-8pm, featuring live performances, artist presentations, hot chocolate and tamales. On view through Nov 4. AAACNA Studies Center, 5th Floor, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, San Jose State University. library.sjsu.edu
Wed, Oct 8
Michelle Cann—A Grammy winner for her recordings of Florence Price compositions, pianist Michelle Cann will perform Price’s Sonata in E minor as well as works by Ravel, Mendelssohn, Margaret Bonds and John Sylvanus Thompson. $16-$75.60. Oct 8, 7:30pm. Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University. live.stanford.edu
Sir Tim Berners-Lee—In conversation with author Thomas L. Friedman, the inventor of the World Wide Web explores how the web’s promise can be redeemed for the future. $16.74-$45.09. Oct 8, 7pm. Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. keplers.org
Continuing
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors—City Lights is firing up its 2025-26 season with a gender-bending comedy featuring six actors playing more than a dozen roles. Caitlin Lawrence Papp directs the play, which Forbes magazine describes as “sexy and campy with non-stop hilarity.” $40-$68. Thu-Sun, through Oct. 19. City Lights Theater, 529 S Second St, San Jose. cltc.org.
McNeal—San Jose Stage presents the West Coast premiere of this play by Ayad Akhtar. The drama explores artificial intelligence, artistic integrity, and the line between genius and fraud. Directed by Randall King. $34–$84. Thu-Sun, through Oct. 19. The Stage, 490 S 1st St, San Jose. 408.283.7142. thestage.org
The Sound of Music—South Bay Musical Theatre presents the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Fri-Sun, through Oct 18. Saratoga Civic Theater, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga. southbaymt.com
Festival Fright Nights—In honor of the spooky season, Winchester Mystery House debuts three haunted attractions, themed food and beverage offerings, and access to never-before-used spaces. $54.99+. Through Nov. 1. Winchester Mystery House, 525 S Winchester Blvd, San Jose. festivalfrightnights.com
