These community fairs, festivals and events were voted the Bay Area’s 2022 Best of the Best by Bay Area Parent readers. Read the full list of winners here.
Silicon Valley
Gold: Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival. Features cultural exhibits and performances, Japanese cuisine, Taiko drums, martial arts, traditional Japanese dancers, arts and crafts and more. Cupertino. cupertinocherryblossomfestival.org.
Silver: Christmas in the Park. San Jose. christmasinthepark.com.
Bronze: Gilroy Garlic Festival. Gilroy. gilroygarlicfestivalassociation.com.
Peninsula
Gold: San Carlos Art and Wine Faire. This festival features artists, food, drinks, entertainment and a classic car show. San Carlos. facebook.com/sancarlosartandwine.
Silver: San Carlos Hometown Days. San Carlos. sancarloshometowndays.com.
Bronze: Redwood City Lunar New Year Celebration. Redwood City.
Bronze: Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival. Half Moon Bay.
pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com.
San Francisco and Marin
Gold: Marin County Fair. This county fair features concerts and other live entertainment, carnival rides, the Global Marketplace, food and drinks, competitive exhibits, agriculture competitions and fireworks. San Rafael. fair.marincounty.org/2022.
Silver: A Christmas Carol at the American Conservatory Theater. San Francisco. act-sf.org/whats-on/202223-season/christmas-carol.
Bronze: Shakespeare in the Park. Multiple locations. sfshakes.org.
East Bay
Gold: Alameda County Fair. This year’s fair takes place June 17-July 10 with new rides and food, a full line-up of concerts, live horse racing and more. Pleasanton. annual.alamedacountyfair.com.
Silver: Oakland First Fridays. Oakland. oaklandfirstfridays.org.
Bronze: San Ramon Art & Wind Festival. San Ramon. artandwind.com.