Free summer entertainment continues around Silicon Valley, with cities stepping up to host concerts and festivals. Redwood City is particularly active, filling Courtyard Square with live music, movies and—starting this week—a series called Kids Rock. Andy Z and the Andyland Band performs at the first event in a three-date series (June 28, July 19 and Aug. 9).
Sponsored by Redwood City’s Public Library and Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, Kids Day offers distractions for both children and adults. It starts at 10am and runs a couple hours at Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City.
Also worthy of note: Bay Area Burger Week continues through June 29, so there’s still time to download the app at wklys.co/burgers and check out the many restaurants in Silicon Valley—plus others from the North Bay down to Santa Cruz—that have menu specials and price discounts. Use the app to check in, rate meals, post photos and win prizes.
Thu, June 26
Curator Talk—Maggie Dethloff, one of the curators of the exhibit Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene, will give a free talk. June 26, noon. Cantor Arts Center, Stanford. museum.stanford.edu/programs
Pobladores Night Market—Through July 31, this open-air market brings together local makers, artists, performers and food purveyors every Thursday. Free. June 26, 5:30-9pm. Parque de los Pobladores, 501 S 1st St, San Jose. sjdowntown.com
Summer Concert Series—Coast Tribe plays. Free. June 26, 6:30pm. Grant Park Soccer Field, 1575 Holt Ave, Los Altos. losaltosca.gov
Art Spielgelman: Disaster Is My Muse—Learn about the life and legacy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of Maus in this documentary screening at 3Below Theaters, part of a series titled Never Again Is Now: Holocaust Cinema & the Fight Against Hate. $16. June 26, 7pm. 3Below Theaters and Lounge, 288 S 2nd St, San Jose. 3belowtheaters.com
LOVE—The Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus concludes its 42nd season with a concert celebrating intimacy, heartbreak, passion and connection, all told through a queer lens. $25-$45. June 26, 7:30pm. Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose. svgmc.org
Fri, June 27
Foodieland—For folks who can’t get enough of the food booths at the county fair, this three-day event is a scoop of heaven—with whipped cream on top. Food booths galore, plus shopping, games and live entertainment. Tickets are $7.91 in advance via Eventbrite; kids under 5 are free. June 27, 3-10pm; June 28-29, 1-10pm. Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd. San Jose. foodielandnm.com
Mercy & The Heartbeats—This dance band featuring veteran Bay Area musicians deliver ’70s and ’80s crowd-pleasers, ’90s singalongs and current radio hits at the Morgan Hill Friday Night Music Series. Free. 5:30pm. Downtown Amphitheater, Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill. morganhillchamber.org
Music on the Square—Redwood City’s free Friday concert series gets “Cold as Ice” with Foreigner Unauthorized, paying tribute to the British-American band for old fans and a new generation. Free. June 27, 6-8pm. Courtyard Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City. redwoodcity.org
Summer Concert Series in the Beer Garden—M’ssippi Slide plays jazz and R&B. Free. June 27, 6:30-10:30pm. Teske’s Germania, 255 N 1st St, San Jose. 408.292.0291. teskes-germania.com
PAC*SJ’s 35th Anniversary Celebration—The refurbished Hotel de Anza is the backdrop for the Preservation Action Council of San Jose to celebrate 35 years of saving San Jose’s historical landmarks. Guests will enjoy live music, signature cocktails, small plates, a raffle, a live auction and other activities. $135-$150. June 27, 6:30-10pm. Hotel de Anza, 233 W Santa Clara St, San Jose. preservation.org
National Theatre Live—The filmed production Noel Coward’s Present Laughter, starring Andrew Scott. $16-$23. June 27, 7pm. Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose. hammertheatre.com
Bassem Youssef—The political satirist known as the Jon Stewart of the Arab world presents Works on a New Show. $43.19-$144.19. June 27, 7:30 & 9:45pm; June 28, 7 & 9:30pm. San Jose Improv, 62 S 2nd St, San Jose. improv.com/sanjose
Gimme Gimme Disco—Dancers will get their ABBA on for the sixth anniversary of this club night. $17-$23. June 27, 8pm. The Ritz, 400 S 1st St, San Jose. theritzsanjose.com
Sat, June 28
Capitol Dance Company—The dance school presents a day of entertainment featuring Peter Pan (10am and 2:30pm) and Imagine a Tale (7pm). $27-$42. June 28, 10:30am-9pm. Heritage Theatre, 1 W Campbell Ave, Campbell. downtowncampbell.com
The Drowsy Chaperone—West Valley Light Opera mounts a production of this peppy musical that pays tribute to the Jazz Age shows of the 1920s. $31-$58. Opens June 28; continues through July 26. Saratoga Civic Theater, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga. 408.268.3777. wvlo.org
Stars and Strides 5K-10K Run/Walk—Participants meet in downtown San Jose at Discovery Meadow for this benefit for Valley Health Foundation. Donations will help the foundation offer programs and services that positively impact the health of everyone in the community. $17.23-$107.75. June 28, 7:30am. Discovery Meadow, 180 Woz Way, San Jose. starsandstridesrun.com
Sounds of the Shores—The Cocktail Monkeys deliver a mix of rock, R&B and soul. Free. June 28, 5pm. Marlin Park, 500 Cringle Drive, Redwood City. redwoodcity.org
Sun, June 29
Starlight Sundays—The San Jose Downtown Association kicks off its outdoor movie series, presented by UA Local Union 393, devoted to movies starring actor Jack Black. For the first night, the movie School of Rock is paired with live music by the School of Rock House Band. Food trucks and a beer garden to satisfy appetites. Movies start at dusk. Free. June 29, 5:30pm. St. James Park, 2nd St & E St James St, San Jose. sjdowntown.com/starlight-cinema
Tartuffe—Pocket Opera presents Kirke Mechem’s melodious masterpiece. $37-$92. June 29, 2:30pm. Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View. mvcpa.com
Lee Brice—Nashville singer-songwriter Lee Brice headlines with an opening set by Sofia Claire, a California country singer who grew up in Redwood City. $91-$1168. June 29, 7:30pm. Mountain Winery, Saratoga. mountainwinery.com
Mon, June 30
Red Rock Open Mic—Join this established open mic community and try out a new song or poem in front of a very supportive audience. Free. June 30, 6-9pm. Red Rock Coffee, 201 Castro St, Mountain View. redrockcoffee.com
Wed, July 2
Comedians and Empanadas—Bay Area stand-ups crack wise while the kitchen cranks out fresh empanadas every first Wednesday of the month. Free. July 2, 6-8pm. Casa Guzmania, 350 S Market St, San Jose. sjdowntown.com
Continuing
Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean—This musical based on Ed Graczyk’s play features lyrics by actress and trans activist Shakina, who will also appear in the TheatreWorks production. $34-$54. Thru July 13. Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View. theatreworks.org
Dragons Love Tacos—An outdoor production of a play written by Ernie Nolan and based on the book by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri. Thru July 6. Palo Alto Children’s Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto. paloalto.gov
Sweat—Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning SWEAT tells the story of coworkers who build friendships on the factory floor in industrial Pennsylvania, but layoffs and hard times find them pitted against each other. Directed by ShawnJ West and featuring a cast of 9 Bay Area actors. $20-$63. Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Thru June 29. or by phone at 650.329.0891. paplayers.org
Sweet Charity—Memorable songs like “Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now” have kept Sweet Charity popular since its debut in 1966. San Jose Stage’s production runs through June 29. $17-$74. Shows Wed.-Thu 7:30pm; Fri-Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm. The Stage, 490 S 1st St, San Jose. 408.283.7142. thestage.org
