by Mary Pope-Handy | Oct 1, 2026 | Los Gatos Events
St. Mary’s Country Fair in Los Gatos is a fun, annual community event that occurs the first weekend in October. This year it’s October 2 – 4, 2026.
Each year it’s a little different, a little better.
Open to everyone, and with no admission fee, the three day fundraiser is a great place to enjoy so many cool things, including:
- Butler Carnival rides (separate tickets)
- bouncy house
- country store shopping
- arts & crafts (such as pumpkin decorating)
- martial arts displays
- dancing
- dining (good and affordable!) – several food booths to choose from
- raffle
- play games
- giant slide
- full service coffee shop
- margarita booth
- talent show
- live bands
- bingo (of course!)
- Harvest Market
Hours for the St. Mary’s Country Fair:
Friday, October 2, 5 pm to 10 pm
Saturday, October 3 11 am to 10 pm
Sunday, October 4, 10 am to 3 pm (same as last year)
Hours for the Harvest Market Thursday Oct 1:
11 am to 4 pm free admission!
Evening Shopping from 5 pm to 9 pm $20 entrance fee
Shop, Appetizers, Drinks, Raffle & Music
Tickets presale or at the door
See even more at the event’s website.
This is a fabulous place to walk through and simply bump into friends & neighbors from all over Los Gatos and the nearby communities. It’s also a fun place to take photos. Each day is a little different, some return again and again!
Location details on the St. Mary’s Country Fair:
St. Mary’s Church and School are located in downtown Los Gatos on Bean Avenue near Tait (and near North Santa Cruz Avenue) in the historic Almond Grove neighborhood. You can also reach the party by co-To get all the details on the hours, booths, events, please check the (new) event website for all details
Extra tips:
Like a bargain? There’s an easy way to save money. Visit the parish or school office before Friday at 2pm and buy your Butler ride tickets at a substantial discount – and avoid the lines! (Tickets are sold in the 2 weeks leading up to the fair most years.) In 2025, advance tickets can be purchased at a discount until Sept 29th at the event’s ticketing site!
Also, much of the Almond Grove District of Los Gatos has permit parking only in the evenings. So don’t park in the neighborhood! There are lots of public parking spaces between North Santa Cruz and University Avenues in Los Gatos, and they are no cost, so park there instead. I usually like to park between North Santa Cruz Avenue and University Avenue in the public lot. If you’re in biking distance, consider cycling in – just remember lights are required when biking in the dark, and remember road safety!
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 | Aug 8, 2026 | Events, Kids, Los Gatos Events
Each August, the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad and W.E. “Bill” Mason Carousel host their End of Summer Night Ride, a pasta dinner fundraiser!
End of Summer Night Ride details
Typically this event is held near the end of the month, however this year it will be held Sunday, Aug 9, 2026 from 6 PM – 8:45 PM.
At the very end of the summer season, the railroad and carousel hold their second major fundraiser of the year – the End of Summer Night Ride and Pasta Dinner. Evening activities begin at 6 PM, and the last train departs at 8:30 PM. You can purchase by the ride ($7 for train, $5 for carousel), one combo train and carousel ticket, for one ride on each, at $10, or get the unlimited pass (sold per person) and ride as many times as you want all evening for $20 per person.
Remember that children 2 and under ride free with paying adult.
Dinner is served from 6 – 8 PM, and a donation of $15 per adult and $11 per child will get you a plate piled high with spaghetti and meat sauce, a garden salad or caprese, and garlic bread. Vegetarian options are available, and beverages are an extra fee (beer and wine will be available for purchase). Additional donations are always welcome.
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by Clair Handy, Mary Pope-Handy | Jul 25, 2026 | Events, Irrelevant Fun, Kids, LG Lifestyle, Los Gatos Art & Entertainment, Los Gatos Events, Los Gatos History, Parks, Visiting Los Gatos
This weekend enjoy some family-friendly fun and local history at Oak Meadow Park with back-to-back celebrations for National Carousel Day and Billy Jones Day!
National Carousel Day: July 25th
Today, Saturday July 25th 2026, is National Carousel Day! To celebrate, take a ride on the historic (and beautifully restored) W.E. “Bill” Mason Carousel. Come learn about the history of this centenarian ride from carousel volunteers, or just enjoy the music of the band organ, the lights, the art, and festivities. Did you know that each horse has a name? Not only that, you can learn a little about each horse (or even adopt one) by visiting the Carousel Horses page on the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad website.
Hear a little more about what to expect from Will Whitney here: https://fb.watch/IAOlcNzb5Z/ And adults and older kids may enjoy reading about the preservation project, covered in this Los Gatan article by Amanda Senior earlier this year: In the workshop with carousel restorer Cheryl Stuermer.
Billy Jones Day: Last Sunday in July
The last Sunday of July is Billy Jones Day, also this weekend on July 26th! This annual celebration “honor[s] the man who started it all by doing things the way he did on his ranch.” (BJWWR) That means all rides (on both the train and carousel) are an open donation instead of their usual fee – donate as much or as little as you like to support the nonprofit, Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, Inc., that is keeping these rides running and open to the public, and preserving them and their history for the next generation.
This year they’re going full-steam ahead and firing up all the locomotives plus one guest steam enegine for the event!
Both days, the train and carousel will be on their usual summer weekend hours, running from 10:30am – 4:30pm. The Snack Shack will be open both days from 11:00am – 3:30pm. There may be a fee of $6 to park at the Oak Meadow Parking lot if there is an attendant at the booth, however the lot can fill up early on summer weekends, so plan accordingly!
by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | Jan 14, 2026 | Events, Los Gatos Events
Each year there’s an all you can eat crab feed, the Los Gatos Rotary Club CrabFest and auction, the proceeds of which benefit the Los Gatos Charities Foundation. The 2026 event is the 23rd annual fundraiser, and it will take place on Saturday, Feb 7, starting at 5 pm at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 13601 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070.
Benefits:
- Los Gatos Rotary Charities Foundation
- Provides grants for local and international non-profits
- Fund the Need: The SJ Firefighters Burn Foundation’s Burn Camp for children (see more on this page)
Food Served:
- Crab, Crab, Crab, Crab
- Soup (vegetarian)
- Salad
- Pasta (vegetarian)
- Dessert
Beer & wine may be purchased too.
120 auction items can be bought even if you don’t attend the event! View the auction catalogue here.
Los Gatos Rotary Club CrabFest cost
The cost is $100 for adults, $40 for kids aged 6-12 (5 and under are free).
Get all the details and a link for purchasing tickets here:
https://losgatosrotary.org/stories/crabfest-and-auction
The majority of the proceeds come from the auction so PLEASE look at the catalog and bid!
https://events.readysetauction.com/rotaryclublosgatos/crabfest2026/catalog/items
Related reading:
Los Gatos Lions Club Annual Cioppino Dinner and Auction
