Festivals abound around the state
DID SOMEONE SAY PIRATES?
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Arrrr, matey! Vallejo’s Waterfront Park turns into a pirate encampment, complete with swimming mermaids, colorful sea folk, treasure hunts, costume contests and more each June. This year’s fest runs from June 17. General admission $12, free for kids ages 12 and younger. 298 Mare Island Way, Vallejo; www.norcalpiratefestival.com
FILOLI’S SUMMER JAZZ SERIES:
1:30-4 p.m. Selected Sundays June 17 through Sept. 16. Filoli Historic House and Garden, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. Jazz musicians from Justin Kauflin to Tuck & Patti. Complimentary snacks and beverages. Order a boxed lunch in advance, bring a picnic lunch or visit Quail’s Nest Cafe. $65-$75. https://filoli.org/ jazz/
STERN GROVE FESTIVAL:
2 p.m. Sundays June 17 through August 19. 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, San Francisco. Featuring performances by R&B/soul sensations Peabo Bryson & Jeffrey Osborne, plus Ziggy Marley, Anoushka Shankar, The Revolution and more, as well as the Festival’s classical partners San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Ballet. Free. www. sterngrove.org
WOODIES ON THE WHARF:
10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 23. Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. More than 200 classic surf wagons (pre-1952 wood-bodied cars), plus music and 3:30 p.m. parade of cars. Free admission. https://bit.ly/2HDihOs
SAN FRANCISCO LGBT PRIDE CELEBRATION AND PARADE:
Noon-6 p.m. June 23, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. June 24. Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco. 20 stages and venues. $1 donation at gate. Parade June 24 down Market Street. www.sfpride.org
MONTEREY BEER FESTIVAL:
12:30-5 p.m. July 7. Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. Beer, food and entertainment. $20-$70. www.montereybeerfestival.com
HUMBOLDT FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL:
July 7-14. Blue Lake and Arcata venues. Americana and folk music, dancing and Annie & Mary Day, a family-friendly free event that features multiple bands, food booths in the park, a parade and baseball game. www.humboldtfolklife.org
Left; participaants dance during the anuual Northern California Pirate Festival in Vallejo. Below; The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Main Beach set the background to hundreds of vintage woodie cars at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf . Right, The LGBT community will descended on Market Street in San Francisco. Far right; A 15-foot-tall T-rex will be at the Stanislaus County Fair. Wanderlust Wellness Festival hosts a pool party at Squaw Valley.
JURASSIC-ERA STOMP:
July 13-22 Nearly life-size dinosaurs will be stomping and roaring at this year’s Stanislaus County Fair. Not to worry, there’s also a less Jurassic children’s activity area, exhibits, live music and other entertainment. Admission is $5-$12, kids 6 and under are free. 900 North Broadway, Turlock; stancofair.com
ISLAND REGGAE FESTIVAL:
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 14. Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Road, San Jose. Reggae musicians including Katchafire, Sons of Zion, Chaka Demus & Pliers, plus island dance, tattoo showcase, rugby tournament, carnival, food, vendors. Tickets, $45-$150. www.islandreggaefest.com
YOGA IN THE MOUNTAINS:
July 19-22 The Wanderlust Wellness Festival brings yoga, hiking, hooping and wellness workshops to Lake Tahoe’s Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. Try your hand at aerial yoga and stand-up paddleboard yoga, or enjoy live music, farm-to-table dining and a Speakeasy lecture series. Tickets for the festival start at $15. An all-inclusive four-day pass is $1,050. 1960 Squaw Valley Road, Olympic Valley; https://wanderlust.com/festivals/squaw-valley
MARYSVILLE PEACH FESTIVAL:
4-10 p.m. July 20 and 10 a.m.10 p.m. July 21. Historic downtown Marysville. Enjoy live music, arts and crafts and food booths showcasing peaches in all their glorious forms, from peach pie to peach milkshakes, lemonade, taffy and salsa. http://marysvillepeachfest.com
ART + SOUL OAKLAND:
Noon-6 p.m. July 28-29. Downtown Oakland. Music, dance, food and family fun. Check website for updates. http://artandsouloakland.com
SAN JOSE RENAISSANCE FAIRE & FANTASY FEST:
Aug. 4-5. Discovery Meadow, 180 Woz Way, San Jose. Pageantry, artisans, food and drink, artisans, games, crafts, music and dance. $8-$16, under 6 free. www.sanjosefaire.com
HAYWARD ZUCCHINI FESTIVAL:
10 a.m.-8 p.m. Aug. 18-19. Kennedy Park, 19501 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward. Zucchini dishes, zucchini-growing contest, live music, arts and crafts, kids town with rides. Admission, $5-$10; kids under 5 free. www.zucchinifest.org
ALOHA RACES & POLYNESIAN FESTIVAL:
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 19. Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. Outrigger races, island-style music, Polynesian dancing, vendors and more. Free. Details: https://bit.ly/2I3oSFc
BRIDGEFEST AND FLYING SAUCER CONTEST:
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 19. Old Bridgeville Bridge, Bridgeville. This grand (and quirky) annual celebration brings humans and extraterrestrials together for live music, craft vendors, food and barbecue and a flying saucer contest. Free. bridgevillecommunitycenter.org
PALO ALTO FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS:
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 25-26. University Ave., Palo Alto. About 300 arts booths, 60 Italian street painters for the Italian Street Painting Expo (on Tasso Street), sculpture plaza, children’s art studio, food and beverages. Free. http://mlaproductions.com
TACO & TEQUILA FESTIVAL:
11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 25-26. Downtown Santa Cruz. Gourmet street tacos, beer, arts and craft vendors, live music and margaritas. Tequila sampling 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Aug. 25 only. $40. Premiere 2-day pass $60. Admission $10. https://bit.ly/2rcpXko
BUT WILL THERE BE HAGGIS?
8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sept. 1-2 Enjoy music, dance, food, whiskey-tastings, clan gatherings and the iconic athletic games of Scotland. Yes, we’re talking caber tossing. It’s the Scottish Highland Gathering and Games, at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton. Advance tickets, $11-$50. Free for children 11 and under and active military. www. thescottishgames.com
PITTSBURG SEAFOOD & MUSIC FESTIVAL:
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 8 and 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sept. 9. Along the Pittsburg Marina. Seafood booths, jet ski races, arts and crafts, amusement rides, rock wall climbing, live entertainment, wine, beer. Free. www.pittsburgseafoodandmusicfestival.com
SOLANO AVENUE STROLL:
10 a.m.-5 pm. Sept. 9. Along Solano Avenue in Berkeley and Albany. More than a mile of entertainment, food booths, arts and crafts, state of the art mechanical rides. Free. http://bit.ly/1AvLAHb
CAPITOLA ART & WINE FESTIVAL:
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 9. Capitola Village, Capitola. Art, wine, music, food and an area for the kids. Free admission. http://capitolachamber.com/ art-and-wine-festival
SANTA CLARA ART & WINE FESTIVAL:
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 15 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept 16. Central Park, Santa Clara. More than 175 art and crafts booths, entertainment, food, beer, wine and children’s activities. Free. www. santaclaraartandwine.com
ALMADEN ART & WINE FESTIVAL:
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 16. Almaden Lake Park, corner of Almaden Expressway and Coleman Avenue, San Jose. Food and wine, entertainment, silent auction and children’s zone. www.almadenwine.org
LUNA PARK CHALK ART FESTIVAL:
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 15. Backesto Park, San Jose. Artists, students and chalk enthusiasts create over 250 pieces of art throughout the park’s pathways. Arts and crafts, food trucks and live music. Free. http://bit.ly/2pzWVZ8
BARK IN THE PARK:
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 15. William Street Park, S. 16th and E. William streets, San Jose. Dog costume and tail wagging contests, demonstrations of dog agility, vendors for humans and dogs. www. barksanjose.org
BAY AREA BLUES FESTIVAL:
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 22-23. Downtown, Martinez. Blues music on two stages, food, craft beer and wine, arts and crafts, community booths, kids activities, chalk art. Free. https://martinezbluesfestival.com/
SAXES, T-BONES AND JAZZ:
Sept. 22-23. Cecile McLorin Salvant, Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves and other major stars headline this year’s Monterey Jazz Festival, which features some 500 artists performing on eight stages at the Monterey County Fair and Event Center. Tickets $20-$435. 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey; www.montereyjazzfestival. org
PACIFIC COAST FOG FEST:
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 29-30. Pacifica, along Palmetto Avenue. Parade and marching band competition, live music, sand sculpture demo, 200 arts and crafts booths, food, beverages, plus Family Fun Fest (1-4 p.m. Sept. 30). Free. http://pacificcoastfogfest.com
ART, WINE, MUSIC & FAIRY DOOR WALK:
5-8 p.m. Oct. 5. Downtown Chico. This festival launches a month-long art walk celebrating local artists. On opening night, visit more than 20 free receptions with wine tastings, refreshments and live music,