Two of the best attended and most celebrated holiday events in town are the Los Gatos tree lighting and the parade, both of which usually happen the first weekend in December.
Annual Los Gatos Tree Lighting
This year, the Los Gatos Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place Friday, December 1st, at the Town Plaza Park (located at Main & Santa Cruz). Per the town’s website:
The event will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the lighting at 6:00 p.m. sharp. Free photos with Santa in the park will immediately follow the lighting until 7:00 p.m.
Normally there are snacks for sale and live music plays from local schools or from professional musicians. There aren’t many details on the town’s webpage, but no matter what, it is sure to be a very joyful event.
The annual holiday parade will take place the next morning. Details below.
The 67th Annual Los Gatos Children’s Christmas/Holidays Parade!
On the morning following the tree lighting, return to the downtown area to watch the annual Los Gatos Children’s Christmas/Holiday Parade travel down E Main Street and N Santa Cruz Avenue.
Los Gatos real estate offerings and neighborhoods are pretty diverse! The most popular neighborhoods in Los Gatos vary, too, depending on the home buyer’s priorities. For some it will be close proximity to downtown, for others it will be the best commute locations, a particular school, or a specialty type of property, such as with a view or with room and zoning for horses.
Today we’ll break the most popular neighborhoods in Los Gatos down by type / area:
Historic homes or neighborhoods
Close to school areas
Shorter commute locations
Homes and communities near parks and trails
1. Most popular neighborhoods in Los Gatos with older or historic homes
Most of our buyers who specifically want an historic home or neighborhood reach out about either the Almond Grove or Glen Ridge areas, so they are listed first. However, there are many other areas in town that deserve the spotlight, too.
Almond Grove: The Almond Grove historic district is known for its tree-lined streets and historic architecture. It is within just a couple of blocks of North Santa Cruz Avenue, one of the major roads in downtown Los Gatos. The Almond Grove neighborhood is brimming over with a charm, and it has great community spirit. This is one of the most decorated areas during Halloween and during the holiday season. It’s worth a drive through!
Glen Ridge: This neighborhood is characterized by its larger, upscale homes and beautiful views of the surrounding hills. Many of these are historic properties, though it is not an officially designated historic district. It offers a more secluded and private atmosphere but is still “close to town”.
The town has more info on the historic districts. You can read about them HERE. (more…)
This will take place Saturday, June 3, 2023, from 2 pm to 8:30 pm in downtown Los Gatos at the Civic Center lawn on Main Street. Three bands will be performing:
2:00 Gypsy Tribe, a Rumba Flamenco/Jazz Fusion band
4:00 Collectivity, a jazz/funk, psychedelic soul band
The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a pre-Mother’s Day special event, the Spring Fashion Show & Brunch, on Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Palms.
Spring Fashion Show Details:
Showcased will be the offerings of downtown Los Gatos merchants.
Buffet Brunch of quiche, salad & dessert, unlimited mimosas & soft drinks. No host bar.
The annual Los Gatos carriage rides are in December, to the delight of many in and near town to celebrate the holiday season. To me there are few things so festive as seeing and hearing the horses clippity-clop down Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue each December.
The dates run from Dec 9 to Dec 23, but not every single night:
December 8-10, 5:00-9:00pm
December 14-18, 5-9:30pm
December 20-23, 5-9:30pm
What do the Los Gatos Carriage Rides cost?
This year, the horse drawn carriage ride will set you back $125 for a regularly sized carriage (4 adults, 2 kids under age 8 max) or $150 for a larger one that accommodate up to 6 adults.
Where to book a reservation & pay for the Los Gatos Carriage Ride
This fun experience is sponsored by the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, and you can purchase your tickets and read all the requirements and rules on this page.
Downtown Los Gatos is adorned with holiday lights and décor, and I’d encourage everyone to enjoy some time there, even if it’s just a socially distanced drive through the business district and nearby historic residential districts. If you can manage the horse drawn carriage rides, so much the better, but all visitors are in for a visual treat no matter how they see the area.
The Glenridge and Bachman Park neighborhood of Los Gatos is one of the most scenic residential areas anywhere in Silicon Valley. It features beautiful, custom, mostly historic homes on meandering streets.
Set just above the Almond Grove neighborhood on a gentle hill it, too, is close to town but with a little more altitude and better vistas. The other nearby neighbor is the Fairview Plaza. So much history in such a close area!
These are really two separate neighborhoods or districts, but they are similar in many ways and are directly adjacent to each other, so we are covering them together.
Bachman Park is set in in the middle of this area and includes several acres alongside a creek. The park offers picnic tables, a playground, basketball courts and a large grassy field for picnics or play. A paved path follows the creek on one side of it – making a wonderful place just for strolling. (Bachman Park refers to both the park and its immediate neighborhood.)
Where is the Glenridge and Bachman Park neighborhood?
This charming older Los Gatos neighborhood is set just up the hill from the Almond Grove Historic District and adjacent to Fairview Plaza. (more…)
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Two of the best attended and most celebrated holiday events in town are the Los Gatos tree lighting and the parade, both of which usually happen the first weekend in December.
The annual Los Gatos carriage rides are in December, to the delight of many in and near town to celebrate the holiday season. To me there are few things so festive as seeing and hearing the horses clippity-clop down Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue each December.
