by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | Oct 3, 2026 | Events, Kids
Graphics: © Marina Zlochin via canva.com
Celebrate the season in style with the Los Gatos Halloween Pet and Kids Parade! The Paw-Looza is sure to be tons of fun for all!
Details on the Los Gatos Halloween Pet and Kids Parade
The event takes place on Sunday, October 25th, 2026
Town Plaza Park | 9 AM – 12 PM Events and activities, including face painting and a costume parade
Downtown Trick or Treating | 12 PM – 12 PM Trick-or-treat at participating downtown businesses, marked by festive balloon bundles.
Please check on the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce’s webpage for all of the details for the day!
Come in costume and bring the whole family. Many downtown merchants will be participating in handing out treats to the costumed visitors participating. There will be prizes for the best costume!
There is NO FEE to attend, but donations are welcome and will support a very worthy cause, The Street Dog Coalition.
The Street Dog Coalition
The Street Dog Coalition is an amazing and wonderful volunteer organization and we are proud to support them. Per their website:
“The Street Dog Coalition provides free veterinary care and related services to pets of people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. Using a One Health approach to street medicine and pop-up street clinics, we care for lives on both ends of the leash.”
Please learn more about them at their website: The Street Dog Coalition
Many thanks to the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce and many sponsors for making this a wonderful Los Gatos tradition!
Howling Halloween – a precursor
Years ago, we had a fun dog costume parade in Los Gatos each October called the Howling Halloween Pet Parade. The proceeds used to go to the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department’s K9 unit – a wonderful cause. That event was hosted by Society Dog, a pet supply company that closed several years ago.
by Mary Pope-Handy | Oct 2, 2026 | Events
The Magical Glass Pumpkin Patch is returning to Los Gatos! This is a one day only event, so mark your calendars so you don’t miss it!
You’ll find gorgeous hand blown glass pumpkins and more – wonderful craftsmanship!
See the gallery of glass pumpkins and more HERE.
All the fun happens on the lawn of the Los Gatos High School on Main Street. This is a “rain or shine” event.
Their Facebook page (link below) states “We have raised over $250,000 for high school art and English programs via this annual event!”
You can get an advance look, but not purchase, the art on Friday Oct 10 from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The items will be offered for sale on Saturday October 2 9a.m. and Sunday October 3 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Go early for the best selection!
Learn more and see all photos at the Magical Glass Pumpkin Patch website.
by Mary Pope-Handy | Sep 26, 2026 | Events
The Santa Clara Valley Wineries are hosting a passport weekend again Oct 24 & 24, 2026 from 12 noon to 4 p.m.. For $55, it’s a great reason to stop by a number of local, fine wine tasting rooms, including Cinnabar and Cooper-Garrod, both in Saratoga. The rest are in South County (Morgan Hill, San Martin, or Gilroy).
What’s offered?
Your passport is valid Saturday and Sunday, October 24–25, and includes ten winery stops.
Each participating winery will offer at least tastings of two wine. Some wineries may include their own special experiences such as new releases, harvest activities, food, live music, bottle specials and more.
The 2026 Passport Weekend wineries include:
~ Cinnabar Winery: 408-867-1012
~ Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards: 408-867-8441
~ CordeValle Winery: 408-686-1050
~ Cottage Creek Vineyards: 408-318-2355
~ Lion Ranch Vineyards & Winery: 408-713-8501
~ Miramar Vineyards: 408-686-0280
~ Sarah’s Vineyard: 408-847-1947
~ Satori Cellars: 408-848-5823
~ Twice Tyger: 408-659-6719
~ Verde Vineyards: 408-728-1793
Details can be found and passports purchased online here: SCVW Fall Passport
Related Reading: More Local Events
Los Gatos Halloween Pets and Kids Parade (on this site)
Magical Glass Pumpkin Patch (on this site)
by Mary Pope-Handy | Sep 20, 2026 | Events, Los Gatos Events
The Los Gatos Concert Association’s season is underway, again bringing delightful music to our town from fall through spring. “A first class concert series at affordable prices” is the goal, and by all accounts it is consistently successful at it. The first concert debuts on Sept 23rd and tickets for the series are open to the public for purchase. Tickets are on sale as a season pass covering all four shows and cannot be bought individually for each concert except when there is availability at the door and online shortly before the event.
What’s on the agenda for this season? (We’ve missed the first one, but three remain.)
Please get ALL of the details and purchase tickets via their page: https://lgcca.org/2026-2027-season-concerts/
All performances are at Los Gatos High School. For more info on musicians, times, ticket pricing, discounts for seniors and students, as well as subscription pricing, please see the LGCCA website.
by Mary Pope-Handy | Sep 14, 2026 | Events, Exercise in Los Gatos
The Annual Great Race, hosted by the Los Gatos Rotary Club, will take place on Saturday, Sept 26, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.
The Great Race: details
Since 1978, the Great Race was plotted along Highway 9 between Los Gatos and Saratoga. Beginning in 2022, it had become too costly to use that route, so it now happens at Vasona Lake County Park and Oak Meadow Park (which are connected).
This year’s main event will take place on Saturday, Sept 26, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.
They also are offering a 1-Mile Kids Fun Run at 8:00am prior to the main event.
While many participants do jog or run, others walk or stroll. It’s a family-friendly fundraiser sponsored by the Rotary Club of Los Gatos and is open to all. That said, the Rotary Club’s website also describes the race as “fast”!
To get all of the details for the Great Race, including pricing and links to register early, visit the Los Gatos Rotary’s website page dedicated to this event.
by Mary Pope-Handy | Sep 3, 2026 | Events, Los Gatos Events
The annual Los Gatos Fiesta de Artes will be Sept 26-27, 2026. Now called the Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival, this year it’s celebrating 54 years of art and entertainment in downtown Los Gatos. (It returned in 2021 after being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.)
Fiesta de Artes, Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival dates & quick info
Mark your calendars Sept 26 – 27, 2026 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. on the Civic Center Lawn.
Yes, you can bring your dog!
If you’ve never been, it’s a fabulous opportunity to mill around the Civic Center lawn and enjoy art of various types. It’s free! If you’d like to partake of food and wine, the proceeds all go to a very good cause. And of course, there are plenty of beautiful art pieces for purchase, too.
What happens at the Fiesta de Artes or the Los Gatos Art & Wine Festival?
Think food & drink, art & shopping, dancing & socializing! Once again, there will be more than 150 vendors with a huge variety of artists and vendors displaying and selling their artwork, plus booths with food and wine and of course loads of music throughout both days. Please check out the musical lineup and food offerings info here: Fiesta music and food
Fiesta de Artes will be at the Civic Center lawn across the street from Los Gatos High School – 110 E Main Street, Los Gatos CA 95030
Patrons are encouraged to bike, walk, carpool, use public transportation or get friends and loved ones to drop you off. Apparently there’s even a bike valet to facilitate arriving on two wheels. (Per the FAQ page, which is loaded with great information.)
Many thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos and all of the other sponsors for making this wonderful event possible yet again.
Please check out all of the details at the event’s website:
https://losgatosfiesta.com/
Related reading:
Los Gatos Spring Wine Walk (there’s usually a Fall Wine Walk in October, too)
Los Gatos Free Music Concert Series
Los Gatos Youth Theatre Summer Musicals
