A La Carte & Art Kicks Off
The Bay Area's Popular Festival Season
Festival Offers A Great Entertainment Value
The long, lazy days of summer are right around the corner. That means the Bay Area’s popular outdoor festival season — offering the best entertainment value around — is ready to spring into action. With people staying close to home and looking for more affordable leisure options, the festival circuit is more appealing than ever.
 If a pleasant spring weekend enjoying world-class art, two days of great music, fabulous food and drink, tons of fun for kids and a new organic and green products showcase sounds good to you, head to downtown Mountain View for the 14th Annual A La Carte & Art, May 15-16, the traditional kick-off to festival season. Thousands of visitors are expected to pour onto Castro Street for a vibrant, multiethnic celebration of the arts presented by the Mountain View Central Business Association. The open-air festival will feature two days of live music, a juried art show with 250 talented exhibitors showing handcrafted wares, festive food and drink with premium wine, microbrews and margaritas, health and wellness displays, an organic and green products showcase, home and garden exhibits, a farmers’ market with fresh seasonal produce, kids’ amusements, and many cool, interactive sponsor presentations. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Admission is free.
How It All Began
A La Carte & Art is the largest annual fund-raiser for the Central Business Association (CBA). A non-profit organization made up of local merchants and businesses, the CBA is dedicated to promoting business growth through participation and sponsorship of numerous community activities and events.
New to the Festival … Organic And Green Products Showcase
This year’s festival will feature a new component — the latest and greatest exhibits featuring Organic, Natural, Healthy and Eco-Friendly products. Festivalgoers can enjoy free product samples and demos while experiencing first-hand how these products can help you live a better, healthier and “greener” lifestyle and be a positive catalyst for change. Sponsors include Kashi Day of Change, Ultra Motor, Capay Organics Farm Fresh To You, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, Starbucks, Dagoba Chocolate, Nature’s Gate, Heavenly Greens, and Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Water.
Fine Art, Cool Crafts
Festivalgoers will find thousands of beautiful, handcrafted items by top professional artists and craftmakers while browsing 250 booths featuring original work in glass, ceramics, metals, fiber, leather, wood, jewelry, and fine art. Gorgeous vases, flatware, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, windchimes, and waterfalls will be among the one-of-a-kind items available.
Live Music
A smashing lineup of twelve bands will perform two lively days of rhythm and blues, rock ‘n roll, jazz, world-beat, and party music on stage and street. The lineup includes The Refugees, Old School, Soul Intention, Drive!, The Garage Band, Livewire, Bob Culbertson, Kaweh, Dreamroad, Ancient Winds, Emerson & The Growiser Band, and HeartStrings Music.
Festive Food and Drink
Festival eateries will be dishing up a world flavorful foods, perfect for strolling — smoked bratwurst with sauerkraut, teriyaki chicken and pork kabobs, beef and chicken cheesesteaks, chicken teriyaki with rice, pad thai, stir-fried noodles with cabbage, carrots and broccoli, Thai chicken and pork on-a-stick, wraps, made-to-order crepes, jumbo beef, Cajun and veggie corn dogs, hamburgers, Belgian fries, kettle corn, strawberry, peach, banana smoothies, and shaved ice. Complementing the food will be premium wines, microbrewed beers, and refreshing margaritas.
Farmers’ Market
Growers from the Mountain View Certified Farmers’ Market will be on hand with farm-fresh strawberries, cherries, apricots, organic produce, asparagus, flavored almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and honey.
Kids’ Tons of Fun Zone
The action-packed Kids’ Tons of Fun Zone, located at Mercy and Castro, will captivate kids with endless amusements. A daunting 120’ Super Slide, thrilling virtual reality motion theater, Boomer’s Magic Circus, 24’ climbing wall, face painting, temporary tattoos, inflatible bounces, hands-on art, police and fire department displays are among the exciting attractions.
“Greening” Efforts
This year’s festival will continue its “greening” efforts with the Central Business Association, Foothill Disposal Company, Inc. and City of Mountain View joining forces to promote and emphasize recycling. Free-standing containers will be positioned throughout the festival route for recycling glass, plastic and aluminum. Additionally, there will be large recycling containers for cardboard and mixed paper as well as glass, plastic and aluminum in a central area for event staff, vendors and sponsors. “We’re committed to making the festival as eco-friendly and green as possible — it’s a big priority for us and something we hope to improve upon each year,” said Julie Smiley, Executive Director of the Central Business Association.
Spectacular Sponsors
Stop by for a visit, win great prizes, enjoy tasty samples, meet the personalities and experience the latest products from the official festival sponsors: Kashi, Ford Fiesta, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, ME Fox & Company, Stella Artois, Widmer Hefeweizen, Red Hook Longhammer IPA, Bud, Bud Light Lime,, Foothill Disposal, Starbucks, Dagoba Chocolate, Nature’s Gate, Donato Chiropractic, Armstrong Painting, Sunnyvale Chiro, Cutco, Danmer Custom Shutters, Laser Eye Center, Heavenly Greens, Capay Organics, Ultra Motor, University Chiropractic, El Dorado Ranch, NY Times, BathFitter, Spinal Health, Gutter Helmet, Cellular Image, Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Water, Margarita King, Hotel Avante, VTA, The San Jose Mercury News, Mountain View Voice, CBS 5 TV, The CW Channel 44, Comcast, “Alice” 97.3 FM, KBAY 94.5 FM, KEZR 106.5 FM, KFOX 98.5 FM, Channel 104.9 FM, and KSJO La Preciosa 92.3 FM. Check out the Ford Fiesta Movement Ride & Drive Tour, the Kashi Day of Change Tour with cooking demos, yoga instruction and product samples, you can even test ride light electric vehicles from Ultra Motor.
Street Closures/Vehicle Parking
Castro Street will be closed to traffic from Church Street to Evelyn Avenue for the two-day festival. There is ample free parking available on streets and in lots surrounding the downtown area.
Public Transportation
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will be running its normal weekend schedule with Bus and Light Rail service to Downtown Mountain View. Ride VTA Light Rail (exit at the Mountain View Transit Center) or VTA Bus Lines 22, 32, 35, and 522 to the Festival. Please note Bus Lines 32 and 522 do not operate on Sundays. For your free trip plan, call (408) 321-2300, or visit http://www.vta.org. For Caltrain information, call 800-660-4287 or visit http://www.caltrain.com. Caltrain, VTA Light Rail and bus service drops riders off at the festival “doorstep”.
No Pets, Please
Pets are not allowed at the festival. For the safety, comfort, and courtesy of your pets and festival-goers, please leave your pets at home.
Festival Dates/Hours/Location
The festival will be held on May 15-16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will take place on Castro Street from Church Street to Evelyn Avenue. Admission is free.
Info-Line
For festival information, call 650-964-3395.
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