Holiday Events at Almaden Community Center

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Holiday Events at Almaden Community CenterThe holidays are just around the corner, and so are a couple of Almaden’s favorite family holiday events at Almaden Community Center – Breakfast with Santa and the North Pole Party!

Breakfast with Santa
The Breakfast with Santa event at the Almaden Community Center is an annual tradition where families can meet and take photos with Santa, enjoy a hearty holiday breakfast and participate in arts and crafts. It is being held on December 14, from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm. This event requires registration. Cost: $18.

North Pole Party
The North Pole party at the Almaden Community Center is a special holiday event for little kids (ages 4-6), being held on December 17, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. The little tots will find themselves in a winter wonderland with holiday treats, music and art activities. Cost: $25.

For more information about holiday events at Almaden Community Center or to register, click here or call: 408-268-1133

Run Turkey Run 2019

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It’s time for Run Turkey Run 2019!

Run Turkey Run, Almaden’s popular annual turkey run event, will be held on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 28, from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm. Run Turkey Run is a family fun event that supports Bret Harte Middle School’s Booster Club.

There are two runs available for runners to choose from: the 10k, which starts at 8:30 am, and the 5K, which starts at 8:50 am. Both runs begin and end at Leland High School. Turkey Run T-shirts ($15) and registration packets are available for purchase at Bret Harte Middle School cafeteria on Wednesday, November 27, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Race day registration (November 28) and packet pickups are from 7:00 to 7:30 am at Leland High School. Come on out and run or cheer to support Bret Harte Middle School!

For more information or to sign up for Run Turkey Run 2019, click here or call Bret Harte Middle School at 408-535-6270.

Halloween in Almaden Valley

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Halloween in Almaden ValleyIt’s time again for Halloween in Almaden Valley! Carving Jack-o-lanterns, turning your yard into a graveyard, trick-or-treating with kids, enjoying a costume party – whichever way you choose to celebrate, it is time to dress in your spookiest best and hop out to stir the cauldrons. And Almaden Valley is certainly a spooky place to be on Halloween night! Here are some fun neighborhoods to stroll around during Halloween in Almaden Valley.

Neighborhoods with Haunted Houses
Many residents are hosting haunted houses with fabulous displays of the spooky, gory and the macabre. You can visit haunted houses on Calcatera Drive, Azalea Drive, Shearwater Drive, Lillian Way, Medallion Drive, Redmond Avenue, Monteval Lane, Via Del Los Grande, and last but not least, at the end of Little Falls Drive. This last one is particularly spectacular and not to be missed. Expect to find lots of people thronging the street, but it is worth braving the crowds.

Allergy-free Treats
This year several residents are passing out allergy-free treats so that all kids can enjoy Halloween. They can be found on Hampton Drive, Casual Way, Portswood Drive, Crimson Drive, Burchell Avenue, Franciscan Way, Montalban Drive and Montellano Drive. For accurate addresses, check the Almaden area treat map on Nextdoor.com.

Happy trick-or-treating, and have a great Halloween!

Almaden Quicksilver County Park – October 2019 Events

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Almaden Quicksilver County ParkIf you enjoy nature and are interested in knowing first-hand the history of Almaden Valley, this is a great time to head to the Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Starting this weekend, there are some interesting events organized by the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association (NAQCPA) in partnership with the Santa County Parks Department.

Here’s a synopsis of the events:

  • Saturday, October 12, 2019, is a celebration of Pioneer Day, from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, at the Casa Grande. The NAQCPA has held their annual Pioneer Day celebrations in the Almaden Quicksilver County Park for 34 years. Pioneer Day began with the purpose of sharing mining stories and meeting with former New Almaden miners who remembered the place. Today it has evolved into an event to showcase historic sites and current projects in the park.
  • Saturday, October 26, 2019, Quicksilver History Hike from 9:00am-12:00pm. The Quicksilver History Hike is a docent led hike of moderate intensity to historic mining sites within the park.
  • Sunday, October 27, 2019, Whoppers and Ghostly Tales of New Almaden at the park from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Want to learn about the ghosts of New Almaden? Come over for an evening of ghostly stories about the Almaden Quicksilver mines narrated by a docent as you tour the historic 1854 Casa Grande. Meet at the Casa Grande front entrance. Reservations online or (408) 355-2240.

For more information, visit: http://newalmaden.org/#AQS-Events

San Jose Water Lantern Festival October 2019

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Water Lantern Festival October 2019San Jose Water Lantern Festival October 2019 – It’s a visual splendor that evokes hope, love, peace, and dreams. The San Jose Water Lantern Festival is being held again in Almaden Valley, for the second time this year. Following the huge success of the spring event, this beautiful festival of floating lanterns is back for the fall season this weekend on Saturday, October 5, 2019.

Event at a glance:
Venue: The Almaden Lake Park
Date: Saturday, October 5, 2019.
Time: 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Enjoy the Water Lantern Festival with your family and friends, or come and make a date night of it. The event begins at 4:00 pm, when you can enter the venue. There will be music and food trucks, and you can decorate your lanterns provided at the entrance with special messages and prayers. The lanterns will be launched at dusk around 7:30 pm.

Tickets are available for purchase online right now, and they include the festival entry pass, a floatable lantern, a marker and a commemorative bag. The price of tickets also includes the cost of retrieving the lanterns from water and clean-up of the lake the following day. Special pricing on tickets is available for kids and couples. Kids under seven can enter for free.

For more information, visit: https://www.waterlanternfestival.com/sanjose.php. This beautiful spectacle is a memory-maker. Don’t miss!

Almaden Valley Art and Wine Festival 2019

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Almaden Valley Art and Wine Festival 2019Almaden Valley is buzzing with excitement. One of the community’s biggest events, the 43rd Annual Almaden Valley Art and Wine Festival 2019 unfolds this weekend. On Sunday, September 15th, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the serenely beautiful Almaden Lake Park will be a beehive of activity, buzzing with families, performers, artists and wine enthusiasts.

Neighborhood artists will showcase their work, local vineyards will host sampling booths serving boutique wines, and patrons will be able to enjoy the pristine surroundings of Almaden Lake Park, sipping wine, listening to music or watching performances.

This year’s performers include Team M Taekwondo, Aerial Tumbling and Acrogymnastics, Almaden Spirit Athletics, Willow Glen High School Spirit Squad and Leland High School Dance team, besides the various local music bands.

There will be food trucks serving a variety of cuisines, with the new addition this year being Indian cuisine. There will also be a Kids’ Fun Zone, with a rock-climbing wall, bounce houses, arts and crafts, face painting, and a children’s stage. Performers in this arena will be Shaolin Kungfu Martial Arts, Little Gym and Leland Robotics.

The Almaden Art and Wine Festival is organized by the Almaden Valley Women’s Club, a non-profit organization in Almaden. They provide grants and aid to a wide range of organizations as well as some local schools. So, come and enjoy this beautiful fall festival with your family and friends.

At a glance:
When: Sunday, September 15, 2019, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Where: Almaden Valley Lake Park

For more details, visit: https://www.almadenwomen.org

Almaden Graffiti Night Classic Car Show-N-Shine

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Almaden Graffiti NightIf you are a classic car enthusiast, Almaden Graffiti Night is a must do. On Friday, September 6th, 2019, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, Almaden Lake Park will host its 4th Annual Graffiti Night Classic Car Show-N-Shine with a bevy of beauties from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

On display will be about 100 classic and custom cars of various models and makes. These include custom cars, hot-rods, antiques, low-riders and traditional cruisers. There will be music and food trucks at the venue. This family friendly event is hosted by the City of San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services.

Admission is free for visitors. So stop by with your friends and family to enjoy an evening out and admire these classic cars of yesteryear.

4th of July 2019 at Almaden Lake Park

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4th of July 2019

If you are in the South Bay this 4th of July 2019, head over to Almaden Lake Park for a dazzling display of fireworks. The 6th Annual Family Fun Festival and Fireworks show at Almaden Lake Park continues to grow in fervor, with a host of family friendly activities culminating in a fabulous fireworks show reflected over the beautiful lake.

The event starts at 3:00 pm when the gates to the park open, and ends around 9:30 pm. The fireworks display is slated to begin right after sundown. Besides the fireworks, this event also celebrates veterans and the US armed forces. There are food trucks, bands playing live music, and a table for writing letters to soldiers, which is a great favorite with the kids.

Almaden Lake Park is undoubtedly the best place to be to celebrate Independence Day and to watch fireworks. Please remember, for safety reasons, the use of fireworks at a personal level in the city of San Jose is otherwise banned.

Almaden Community Center Winter 2019 Activities and Classes

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Almaden Community Center Winter 2019

The Almaden Community Center Winter 2019 activities and classes are open for registration. Here are some of the exciting new offerings for the season.

Art with the Masters – Participants will learn about some of the great masters in art and study their paintings.

Painting Party with Ms. Marla – Learn to paint from scratch. All painting material including canvas, paints and brushes will be provided.

Apprentice Electrical Engineering: Electrified – Participants use Snap Circuits and other engineering design process tools to design, create and test various electronic circuits. Objects designed include a flashlight and a magnetic levitation vehicle!

Electronic Game Design: Racing Games – Participants create their own racing games complete with cars, race tracks and the full racing environment. Fun stuff for the young speedsters.

Junior Civil Engineering: Fun Foundation – In this fun class, children understand the engineering concepts behind big infrastructure projects like skyscrapers and bridges.

Junior Wedo Lego Robotics 2.0: Robots in Motion – Children learn to build robots using Lego Wedo.

Little Sports Medicine – In Little Sports Medicine, your child can learn about common sports related injuries and how real doctors do their diagnoses.  

Minecraft YouTubers: Let’s Play – This is an exciting one for the diehard young Minecrafters. Participants create and upload Minecraft videos for YouTube, and in the process also learn about Internet safety.

New Year, New You – As we move towards 2019, find your inspiration through this motivational course. Goals, dreams, ideas and joy. Explore your inner zen.

For more information on these courses and to enroll, call 408-793-5565 or view the full catalog here.

Almaden Community Center Holiday Events

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Almaden Community Center Holiday EventsAs we ease into the holiday season, here are a couple of exciting Almaden Community Center holiday events coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Breakfast with Santa on Saturday Dec. 8, 2018

The Almaden Community Center is hosting its annual Breakfast with Santa event on Saturday December 8th. A special holiday breakfast will be served and guests can participate in seasonal arts and crafts. During the event, there will be a visit from Santa with opportunities to take pictures. This event is open to all people of all ages. Registration required.

North Pole Party on Thursday Dec. 13, 2018

Make the holidays extra special for your child with this fun-filled holiday party that will transport them to the North Pole. The North Pole Party includes food, singing, art, activities, and even a special gift from the North Pole. Bring your child and come see the Almaden Community Center transformed into a winter wonderland. The party is for ages 4 to 6 and takes place from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. Registration required.

To find out more about these events and to register, go to the Almaden Community Center website or call the Almaden Community Center at (408) 268-1133.