Building a strong downtown core—it’s a phrase that gets kicked around a lot by economists and urban planners. It usually leads to talk about big budgets for projects—residential towers, event arenas, office buildings.
Meanwhile, quietly and without fanfare or huge capital expenditures, local nightclubs, galleries and event promoters work hard to make sure downtown continues to be a regional destination for cultural events, as they have since the early 1990s.
A prime example is the SoFA Street Fair, taking place this Sunday. The all-day extravaganza featuring local bands and neighborhood artisans and vendors took root in the 1990s but then went on hiatus, returning in 2014 as a free community event.
Now, the signature sofas are hauled out along South First Street twice yearly, in April and September, and it’s become a draw for Santa Clara County residents of varied ages and musical tastes.
Along three blocks centered around the intersection of First and San Salvador streets, multiple stages will be set up, each hosting between three and five bands throughout the day.
On top of the music, there are also art exhibits and food vendors. Those with an artistic bent can enjoy Paint & Sip, on the stage in front of the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, where attendees can buy their choice of libation from any outdoor beverage station and then come paint with ICA artists.
Other attractions include Drag Queen Story Hour, kicking off the action at the Family Pride Stage, followed by SoFa Karaoke. And for the fourth consecutive year, the SoFA Drag Race will take over the streets, with drag artists pushed along on wheeled sofas so they can wear the most fabulous outfits and footwear possible.
At the heart of SoFA, though, is the music, and it’s as varied as the attendees. East Side Funk, led by local composer Bobby Valderrama, promises to share tidings of “love, joy and groove” at 2pm on the San Salvador Stage. Sunny State brings reggae vibes with a lineup of songs in English, French, Spanish and Croatian at 6pm on the Dogtown Stage. According to the band’s self-description, the latter tongue is due to the “island heritage” of front man Chris Reed, “whose family originates from an island in the Adriatic Sea.”
Ska rhythms won’t be neglected, thanks to AcoustiCurt. The lead singer and songwriter for the ska band Monkey will perform solo, offering “campfire-style ska, punk covers, and s’more” at 6:30pm on the SoFA Market Stage. And expect a set of classic surf tunes to roll in with Surf Monster at 2:30pm on the Pobladores, along with originals and “surfed-up ’80s and ’90s hits.”
Some names will be known to local music fans, such as the Screaming Bloody Marys, who play at 4pm on the San Salvador Stage. Though there have been lineup changes and an 18-year hiatus, the punk band has been making noise since 1988.
Other highlights include Gabi Bravo (a synth-pop artist from Santa Cruz), John Renna (“acoustic guitars and catchy punk riffs”), Drown the Rat (“We describe our sound as Stoner Punk but what the hell do we know?”), and the Hi-Jinx (“tossing in various genres the way that the Cheesecake Factory adds menu items”).
If this sounds hard to navigate, it doesn’t have to be. SoFA attendees can use the Sched app to craft their own schedule and maximize the time they spend listening to the music.
SoFA Street Fair takes place Sunday, April 28, 2-8pm, in downtown San Jose. Free.
Want to know more about what to expect? Read Gary Singh’s report on last year’s SoFA Street Fair.
