The San Juan Sensations dance troupe is set to headline First Friday festivities, scheduled 6-8 p.m. Friday in downtown Los Altos.
The evening will kick off with a dance exhibition at Veterans Community Plaza 6-7 p.m. The Los Altos First Friday Conga Line will begin at 7 p.m., with participants joining the San Juan dancers as they wind through downtown and kick up their heels. The conga line will make stops along the way so that participants can shop at downtown stores.
The evening also will feature extended hours at restaurants and stores, some with discounts and specials, as well as 14 bands performing on Main and State streets.
First Friday is a volunteer-driven program of Los Altos Community Foundation designed to promote vibrancy and community downtown.
The accordion-driven Sunday Seven, left, is a staple among the bands performing at First Fridays. The downtown Los Altos events also include extended store hours, complimentary refreshments and special promotions.
August’s First Friday festivities are scheduled 6-8 p.m. Friday in downtown Los Altos.
This month’s theme is “green” in honor of the recently opened Downtown Green on Third Street, and organizers encourage visitors to meet on the Green wearing green T-shirts.
First Fridays feature extended store, restaurant and gallery hours, some with complimentary refreshments, discounts and special promotions.
Friday’s Downtown Green activities will include a Wheel of Fortune game, prizes and Club 55, the pop-up night club for residents ages 55 and up.
Veterans Community Plaza will feature a Kids Corner and the band Purple Fox and the Heebie Jeebies performing for children.
The bands Sunday Seven, Moon Tides Trio, In The Pocket, Eurotrash, and Shallow and Pedantic are scheduled to perform on Main Street. State Street is slated to host Mars, Mollie and Scott, Fully Funded, Jazz Factor and The Fringes.
The Los Altos Village Association’s Summer Sidewalk sale will continue during First Friday, with a host of shops open during the event.
Written by Los Altos Town Crier Staff – Town Crier Report
Picture Courtesy of Carol Garsten Last month’s “April Foolish” First Friday featured an after-party for the bands that performed, with attendees from Sunday Seven, Fully Funded, Eurotrash and Mollie and Scott enjoying wine and pizza from State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria. Band members, left, sport their First Friday baseball caps.
May’s First Friday event is scheduled 6-8 p.m. Friday in downtown Los Altos.
The evening gathering will feature a Mother’s Day theme, along with extended hours at shops, galleries and restaurants, some of which will offer discounts and promotions.
Entertainment will include performances by eight bands: Top Shelf, a 17-piece orchestra, at Veterans Community Plaza; Sunday Seven in front of Le Boulanger; In The Pocket in front of Chase Bank; Eurotrash in front of Gallery 9; Fully Funded in front of the Costume Bank; Mollie and Scott in front of Linden Tree Books; Mars in front of Nature Gallery; and Park Avenue Jazz at Ristorante Bella Vita.
Three receptions are scheduled during First Friday festivities. A reception at Nature Gallery will honor the high school students who won the Rotary Club of Los Altos’ Young at Art contest. Artist receptions will introduce Steve Curtiss’ exhibition of oil paintings, “Still Off Center,” at Gallery 9, as well as Karen White’s display of oil paintings, “California Colorways,” at Viewpoints Gallery.
Local residents who support First Fridays with a $20 or more donation will receive a First Friday baseball cap. To donate, stop by Los Altos Community Foundation at 183 Hillview Ave., Nature Gallery at 296 State St. or Los Altos Community Chiropractic at 371 First St.
First Friday is a volunteer-driven program of Los Altos Community Foundation. Volunteers meet 5:45-7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month at Nature Gallery.
First Friday marks 5th anniversary with holiday-themed event Published: 30 November 2016 Written by Los Altos Town Crier Staff – Town Crier Report Santa Claus is scheduled to appear at the First Friday fifth anniversary celebration 6-8 p.m. Friday in downtown Los Altos.
Stores will remain open until 8 p.m., many with special offers. The event will feature an “Elf on the Shelf” scavenger hunt and live music at various locations on Main and State streets. Performers will include Sunday Seven at Le Boulanger, In the Pocket at Chase Bank, Influx at Gallery 9, Celtic Harmony at Enchanté Boutique Hotel, Mollie and Scott at Linden Tree Books, Mars at Nature Gallery, Foggy Memory Band at the Costume Bank and Fully Funded, the Mountain View Madrigals and Bullis Charter School’s Sonore Choir at Veterans Community Plaza.
“Our Sunday Seven band loves playing at First Friday because it brings joy to the folks who come by to hear us, and we have fun playing music together as a group,” said Bob Stanfield of Sunday Seven, which has played since First Friday events began. “It is fun to get people participating with singing, dancing and smiling while we play.”
Santa will arrive at Veterans Community Plaza on the American Legion Train at 6 p.m. Children can sit on Santa’s lap, tell him what they want for Christmas and ride around town on Santa’s train.
“Los Altos First Friday has created lasting hometown memories for my son Ryan, who attends Blach Intermediate School,” said Los Altos resident Grail Nitsch. “Every month Ryan looks forward to getting with his friends downtown on First Friday. It’s just such a wonderful downtown community event.”
First Friday, the only year-round monthly event in downtown Los Altos, was the brainchild of Joe Eyre, executive director of Los Altos Community Foundation. With support from Los Altos Forward – a program of the foundation – First Friday took off and continues to grow in popularity.
“First Friday gives us an opportunity to see customers with their families,” said Dianne Edmonds, co-owner of Linden Tree Books. “We endeavor to arrange evening activities the whole community can enjoy. We always look forward to the extra two hours – and it’s a beneficial time for people to pick up gifts for those weekend birthday parties.”
First Friday’s fifth anniversary after-party is scheduled 8-9 p.m. at Nature Gallery, 296 State St. Admission is free and open to the public.
The First Friday Committee seeks volunteers to help plan future First Friday events. Meetings are scheduled 6-7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month at Nature Gallery.
Written by Los Altos Town Crier Staff – Town Crier Report
Town Crier File Photo Last year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony drew a crowd of revelers who took photos in the glow of the illuminated tree.
The final First Friday of the year, with the theme “All Aboard for the Holidays,” is slated 6-8 p.m. Friday in downtown Los Altos.
The event includes free train rides courtesy of the local American Legion; browsing and shopping at retail shops and galleries, many of which offer discounts and free refreshments; and a host of restaurants serving a variety of cuisines.
Santa will arrive at Community Plaza on the American Legion Train at 6:30 p.m., in time for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. The plaza is located at Main and States streets.
Children will have an opportunity to sit on Santa’s lap. First Fridays organizers and the Los Altos Village Association, sponsors of the Tree Lighting Ceremony, request that families who visit with Santa bring an unwrapped toy donation for the Community Services Agency, which serves residents in need in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View.
Whole Foods Market will provide refreshments, and the Bullis Charter School Choral Group, the group Fully Funded and the Mountain View High School Madrigals will perform seasonal music.
Participants in the “Santa’s Elves Scavenger Hunt” who find at least 10 secret gifts will win a prize. The clues will be located around downtown – look for the balloons.
Those who shop on First Friday are eligible to win a $500 shopping spree.
“Put some bells on your toes and join the festive First Friday in delightful downtown Los Altos,” said Carol Garsten, owner of Nature Gallery and co-chairwoman of First Friday.
Jamie Lucia of Los Altos Community Chiropractic, co-chairwoman of First Friday, encouraged local residents to “come out with family and friends and shop local on this joyous ‘All Aboard for the Holidays’ First Friday.”
First Friday programs will be available around downtown and at First Friday headquarters at Adventure Toys & Teachers’ Supplies, 173 Main St.
