Music shows end summer with new Los Gatos tradition

The Labor Day weekend is the traditional end-of-summer benchmark, so the folks who bring Music in the Park to Los Gatos hope to rock summer 2017 right out the door.

First up, Sunday, Aug. 27 Pop Rocks concert from 5 — 7:15 p.m. at the civic center, 110 E. Main St. Pop Rocks brings “high energy hits mixed with some rock classics” explains the event’s website.

The next, and final big music event of the summer, is the Saturday, Sept. 2 Los Gatos Park Dance.

The park dance is held from 5:30 — 9:30 p.m. at Oak Meadow Park, 233 Blossom Hill Road. It’s free for all.

Local musician Paul Kent and Los Gatos Community Foundation Executive Director Sharon Childs dreamed up the park dance in 2014, making this the fourth annual event. Once Kent became a Music in the Park director, the dance was folded into the Music in the Park schedule.

Upwards of 5,000 people are expected to attend.

The event opens with the four-piece Johnny Neri Band playing classic rock, rhythm and blues, and soul.

The headliner is Kent’s 10-piece Los Gatos-based band, Houserockers, which includes a five-piece horn section. The band performs chart toppers from Bruno Mars, Bruce Springsteen, Tower of Power, Huey Lewis and the News, Tom Petty, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

“It’s an eclectic playlist, we mix it all up,” Kent, the lead singer, said. “It’s not often you hear the Stones next to Bruno Mars— we’re all about rock and soul.”

The Houserockers perform nonstop from 7-9:30 p.m.

“We’re a very hardworking band,” Kent said. “Once we get it going we don’t like to turn it off.”

“We’ll have the biggest dance floor you’ve ever seen,” Music in the Park Director Scott Canali said. “It’s 50- by 60-feet, but the dancers still spill over onto the lawn. It’s a one-of-akind event where the town comes together to dance away the end of summer.”

“The park dance is a new Los Gatos tradition, people plan around it,” Kent added. “I just love that it’s grown into such a wonderful community event.”

No blankets are allowed on the park lawn, but lawn chairs are welcome.

“You can setup chairs early in the day and stake out your space,” Canali said.

“People can also come in and barbecue at the park since there are no barbecue site reservations that day,” Music in the Park Director Ron Simner said. “Or they can bring a picnic, and wine and beer.”

Food, parking, trains too

The Billy Jones “Wildcat” Railroad’s barbecue and concession stand is another option for burgers, hot dogs and snacks. The concession stand will be open until 7:30 p.m.

The train itself will be available for rides until 7 p.m.

There is no public parking allowed at Oak Meadow for the park dance.

“In addition to street parking, Vasona Park will be our primary public parking area this year,” Simner said. “Park Dance visitors shouldn’t have a problem finding a spot, since most people leave Vasona in the afternoon.”

Parking at Vasona is $6 per vehicle. There are 660 spaces available.

There will be free shuttles running two routes through Vasona to pickup concert-goers from 4-7 p.m.

“One shuttle route will stay entirely within Vasona and drop people off at the parking lot near the Billy Jones Railroad crossing that leads directly into Oak Meadow,” he said. “This allows people to enter Oak Meadow near the carousel.”

The second shuttle route will also pick people up at Vasona’s parking lots and drop them off in the Oak Meadow loading zone. From there, it will turn right onto Blossom Hill Road, then right on University Avenue before re-entering Vasona at Poppy Lane and continuing the loop.

Return trips are from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Since it will be dark when people return to their vehicles, portable lights will be setup in the parking lots.

Vasona Park will close at 11 p.m.

Two shuttles will be running before the concert and three afterwards. “Corinthian Ground Transportation will also have a vehicle and driver on standby in case we need it,” Simner said.

Ten parking spots will be blocked off on University Avenue between Blossom Hill Road and Poppy Lane that carpoolers, Lyft and Uber riders can use for drop-offs and pickups.

“People can walk down a path and enter Oak Meadow from there,” Canali said.

Fundraising for cancer

At some point during the dance, volunteers will spread through the crowd asking for donations for the American Cancer Society, which is a dance sponsor.

“We’ll pass the hat for the cancer society’s Relay for Life,” Canali said. “It’s an extra give back to the community.”

Canali said there seems to be a “synergy” around this year’s park dance, with a lot of effort from the town and Santa Clara County helping to make it happen. He gave a particular shout out to Los Gatos police Sgt. Kalipo Kauweloa and Vasona Park ranger Richard Carlson.

So, get out your dancing shoes and be ready for a high-energy night.

“If you’re dancing or just hanging out with friends and family, Oak Meadow is a beautiful place to be as the sun goes down, framed by the beautiful hills,” Kent said. “It’s sublime.”