Oh hello, Summer! Jump right into the season and celebrate the glorious long days ahead by exploring our diverse and colorful Bay Area. From cherry-picking to large music festivals, to simply enjoying Farmers Markets and outdoor summer concerts nearby, you don’t have to travel far to enjoy an exciting array of options.
Read below for some of my top picks, and I hope to see you out there!
U-Pick Orchards | Morgan Hill & Gilroy | Late May—Early June
Kick off summer with an outing to Borello Family Farms and pick your own cherries! The orchards are bountiful with the fruit of summer for three to four weeks and stay open until they sell out. Go to upickorchards.com for ranch locations, openings, and details.
Wine & Jazz Festival | Half Moon Bay | May 31—June 1
Savor a perfect blend of wine and jazz on the beautiful coast in Half Moon Bay. Sample from 50 renowned California wineries and enjoy nationally known artists, plus food trucks and a beer and cider garden, all on historic Main Street. Visit hmbwineandjazzfest.com for more info.
San Jose Greek Festival | St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church | May 31—June 2
Experience the culture, hospitality, and food of the Greek people in an outdoor, open market under the sunshine. This festival offers fun for the whole family—live music, dance performances, and of course, delicious traditional food and pastries! Get tickets here.
Annual Culinary Week | Carmel-By-The-Sea | May 31—June 8
Food, wine, and fun await at Carmel-by-the-Sea’s annual Culinary Week! Taste your way through this world-renowned, sun-kissed village and immerse yourself in culinary events and special prix fixe menus at 40+ participating restaurants. The fun begins with a kickoff party at Carmel Plaza followed by village-wide events all week. Go here for more info.
Beach Boardwalk Summer Concert Series | Santa Cruz | June 17—August 9
Bay Area musicians are performing in FREE summer concerts on the beach Thursday nights all summer long at the Santa Cruz Beach Bandstand on the Colonnade. For the concert line-up, go here. Also, enjoy free movies on the beach Friday nights from June 14—August 9.
26th Annual Jazz Festival | Healdsburg | June 15-23
Located in the heart of wine country, the 26th Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival features nine days of concerts by top jazz performers from around the world. Relax with masterful music, taste award-winning wines, and eat at top-rated restaurants all at the same time. Visit healdsburgjazz.com for more info and tickets.
***** HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! June 16 ******
Boots & Brews Country Music Festival | Morgan Hill | June 29
Grab your best dancing boots and get ready for a country music lineup at Morgan Hill’s biggest music festival of the year, held at Morgan Hill Sports Complex. For tickets and more info, go here.
Pride Parade & Festival | San Francisco | June 29-30
The San Francisco Pride Weekend attracts visitors from around the world and provides an opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community and allies to celebrate diversity, equality, and love. This weekend-long festival includes music stages, gourmet food, community events, and 300+ exhibitors. The wildly popular and colorful parade on Sunday is the highlight of the event. Learn more at sfpride.org.
