by Mary Pope-Handy | Apr 17, 2023 | Events, Exercise in Los Gatos
The Annual Great Race, hosted by the Los Gatos Rotary Club, is back and in a new venue.
The Great Race: some new twists
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, April 29, 2023 at 8:30 a.m.
The Rotary Club’s website stated last year that “Another benefit of start/finish line in Vasona Park is that for the first time ever, we are offering a 1-Mile Kids Fun Run at 8:10am 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”!
The Rotary club offers this fun event each year with the help of a number of sponsors. For many years in a row, Sereno, where I work, has been a major sponsor for years. Many other local business back this great fundraiser too. See the list of sponsors, a map of the route, and run information at the Rotary Club link below.
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 30, 2022 | Los Gatos Events
St. Mary’s Country Fair in Los Gatos is a fun, annual community event that occurs the second weekend of October (skipped last year due to Covid).
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 Country Fair:
Friday, October 7, 5 pm to 10 pm
Saturday, October 8, 10 am to 10 pm
Sunday, October 9, 10 am to 5 pm
Hours for the Harvest Market Thursday Oct 6:
11 am to 4 pm no entrance fee
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: http://stmarysfair.squarespace.com/
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!
Details
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 coming from Main Street and Lyndon Avenue.
Purchase advance tickets for rides, raffles, food, and more using this form. To get all the details on the hours, booths, events, please check the St Mary’s Country Fair website.
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.)
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 19, 2022 | Events
OktoberFest LG makes its debut this Sunday, Sept 25, 2022, and it’s an event not to be missed!
OktoberFest LG details
Sunday, September 25
12 pm – 5 pm
Location: Los Gatos Civic Center Lawn
110 E Main St. Los Gatos, CA 95030
Family-friendly & FREE!
Enjoy a full day of Oktoberfest-themed activities, all benefitting KCAT, our public ratio and TV with news and information on Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Silicon Valley.
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Community tapping of the keg PROST! to begin the event @ 12 pm
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LIVE German music and games provided by The AlpineSound band
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Authentic German food including brats, spaetzle & more by Reverence Catering
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Festival main tent with a beer and wine garden
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Beer Pong tournament & raffle
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Corn Hole, games, and more!
Kick off the gorgeous fall season at OktoberFest LG! This will be the first of hopefully many such events – please come out and support our local public media while having a wonderful time!
Full event information at KCAT’s OktoberFest page
by Mary Pope-Handy | Jul 30, 2022 | 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
This year, the event will be held Sunday on Aug 14, 2022 from 5:30 PM – 8:30 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 5:30pm, and the last train departs at 8:30pm. You can either purchase one combo train and carousel ticket, for one ride on each, at $7, 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 6-8pm, and a donation (amount not currently listed, it was $10 a few years ago) 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 Mary Pope-Handy | Jul 19, 2022 | Events, Uncategorized
Tomorrow evening you can enjoy some wonderful pizza and support the Los Gatos Youth Theatre! Pizza My Heart will be giving 30% of the proceeds to support the program!
From the LGYT fundraiser chair:
“We here at LGYT are constantly looking for ways to help our families best support our kids on stage and, well, I think we’ve done it again: all your Wednesday evening dining needs are solved!! Pizza My Heart in downtown Los Gatos is helping us fundraise by donating 30% of every purchase that mentions LGYT at the time of purchase back to our organization. Wednesday, 7/20 from 4-9pm is the official timing, but they’re even going to count mentions during the afternoon.”
Here’s to good eating for a good cause! Please participate in the LGYT fundraiser and enjoy some yummy pizza!
Looking to catch a performance?
It is show week for Freaky Friday! Performances are
July 21 7pm Kitt cast
July 22nd 7:00pm Yorkey cast
July 23rd 2:00pm Yorkey cast AND 7:00pm Kitt cast
July 24th 12:00pm Kitt cast AND 5:00pm Yorkey cast
Tickets are on sale @ https://lgyt.seatyourself.biz
marketing@lgyt.net
