Summer vacation is history. The kids are back in school. Maybe you’re wrapping up a tedious work week. You could use a nice, relaxing weekend close to home. If a sun-splashed festival featuring truly gorgeous work by 650 of America’s top artists, two days of dynamite music, fabulous food and drink, environmentally-friendly practices and a host of activities for the entire family sounds good to you, head to downtown Mountain View for the 36^th Annual Art & Wine Festival, September 6-7. Considered among America’s finest art shows, the festival has a well-earned reputation as a world-class event. Take a stroll down hip, friendly, walkable Castro Street and experience a vibrant, multicultural scene, an authentic feast for the senses. One of California’s largest two-day festivals, throngs of art lovers are expected to pour onto Castro Street in Silicon Valley’s epicenter for this “Cultural Community Celebration” presented by the Chamber of Commerce Mountain View. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Admission is free.

Going “Green”

This year’s festival will take on a distinctively “greener” hue with an expanded joint effort between the Chamber of Commerce Mountain View, Foothill Disposal Company, Inc. and City of Mountain View to promote and emphasize recycling. Free-standing containers will be positioned throughout the festival route for recycling glass/plastic/aluminum. Additionally, there will be large recycling containers for cardboard and mixed paper as well as glass/plastic/aluminum in a central area for event staff, vendors and sponsors. “It’s our goal to make sure we’re doing everything possible to maximize recycling and minimize trash,” said Allison Nelson, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce.

Extraordinary Art, Fine Crafts

Through its longstanding affiliation with Burlingame-based California Artists, the festival’s signature attraction remains the exceptional quality of exhibiting artists it attracts. Festivalgoers will find thousands of handcrafted items by America’s very best artists and craftmakers while browsing among 650 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 thousands of one-of-a-kind items available. 

Dynamite Live Music

Twelve big-name bands with all the moves and all the grooves play a wide-ranging musical mix on stage and street. Classic rock ‘n roll, soulful motown, sizzling rhythm and blues, jazzy swing, heartfelt country, rockabilly, surf rock, high-energy party music and dance-‘til-you-drop disco. Performing are The Cool Jerks, Take 2, The Garage Band, Daddy-O, Black Pearl, The Bell Brothers, Emerson & The Growiser Band, stickplayer Bob Culbertson, Dreamroad, Verlene Schermer, HeartStrings Music and Ancient Winds. 

Kids’ Park

Wildly popular Kids’ Park, located in the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot, will feature a host of family-style entertainment and amusements. Performing on the Microsoft Community Stage are award-winning musician Francie Dillon; breakdancing by Rock Force Crew; fiddle music and songs by Jack Tuttle’s Bluegrass Kids; amazing magic, comedy and illusion by Ric and Kara; interactive magic shows and balloon twisting by Happily Ever Laughter; Emmy award-winning puppeteer Tim Giugni of Il Teatro Calamari; jazz and hip-hop dance by Show Biz Dance; Master Kim and West Coast Tae Kwon Do Demo Teams; juggler/funnyman Silly Ricky; and ventriloquist/puppeteer Elaine Womack. Neighboring Tishman Speyer Properties Kids’ Park will feature hands-on art booths, Mobile Rock’s 24-foot climbing wall, face painting, the stomach-tickling Froghopper, Cat-In-The Hat bounce house, Tsunami Tidal Wave slide, create-your-own colorful wax hands art, whimsical sand sculptures, thrilling virtual reality motion theater and Boomer’s Magic Circus. KMVT Community Television will be offering "Claymation Magic" where kids can learn how animation works.

Festive Food & Drink

Festival eateries will be dishing up a world of succulent, stroll-around street fare extraordinaire –– strawberry, mango-orange or pineapple-coconut smoothies; lamb, beef and chicken kebabs; smoked bratwurst and spicy beef sausages; made-to-order crepes; garlic and Cajun-spiced chicken sandwiches; teriyaki pork, chicken and shrimp skewers; garlic fries; Chinese chicken salad; key lime calamari; corn-on-the-cob and lots more. Complementing the foods will be premium wines, refreshing margaritas, microbrews, and non-alcoholic beverages. This year’s special festival brew from Tied House is a South German Style Hefeweizen, fruity and refreshing with plenty of aroma and flavor for a warm summer day. Tied House’s stellar Cascade Amber Ale, Stella Artois, Widmer Hefeweizen, Red Hook Longhammer IPA, and Bud Light will also be served. Wine lovers will be tempted by luscious vintages from from several outstanding winemakers including Forestville, Crane Lake, BV Coastal, Salmon Creek, Laurier, Sterling, Blossom Hill and award-winning Brassfield Estate Winery.  Beer and wine glasses featuring this year’s stylish festival logo will be available.

Spectacular Sponsors

Stop by for a visit, win great prizes, enjoy tasty samples, meet the personalities, and check out the latest and greatest products from the proud 2007 festival sponsors: Microsoft, ONE Organic & Natural Products Sampling Tour, Bay Area MINI Dealers, L’Bel Mobile Spa Tour, El Camino Hospital, The Swig Company/Mountain Bay Plaza, Aerielle, Renewal By Anderson, KitchenWorks, Wells Fargo, Nob Hill Foods, Tishman Speyer Properties, Stella Artois/Widmer Hefeweizen/Red Hook IPA/Bud Light, Camino Medical Group, Provident Credit Union, New York Times, Comcast, Shell Vacations Club, California State Automobile Assn., Trendwest Resorts, Armstrong Painting, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Morgan Stanley, Peninsula Laser, Spinal Health & Rehab, Smiles Dental, Marriott Vacations, El Dorado Ranch, Wyndham Vacation Resorts, Gutter Shutter, Wizard Screens, Prudential Financial, Mr. Handyman, University Chiropractic, Cutco Cutlery, Danmer Custom Shutters, Nahal Ashouri, DDS, John Robert Powers, Awender Chiropractic, Stanford Continuing Studies, Guide Services, American Laser Centers, Margarita King, Hotel Avante, Golden State Warriors, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Duarte Design, Brassfield Estate Winery, Fiji Natural Artesian Water, Tied House, San Jose Mercury News, CBS 5, The “CW”, Channel 44, Alice 97.3 FM, KBAY 94.5 FM, KEZR Mix 106.5 FM, KFOX 98.5 FM, Star 101.3 FM, Movin’ 99.7 FM, KCBS 740 AM, Mountain View Voice, The PennySaver.

Street Closures

Castro Street will be closed to traffic from El Camino Real to Evelyn Avenue for the two-day festival.

Vehicle Parking

Some free parking is available on streets and parking plazas surrounding the downtown area. Paid parking ($5) will be available from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 400 Castro Street (parking lot entrance on Bryant Street), 444 Castro Street (parking lot entrance on Bryant Street), Kaiser Permanente (555 Castro Street –– parking lot entrance on Hope Street) and Washington Mutual (749 El Camino Real/Castro Street). Parking fees benefit the Community Health Awareness Council, creating healthy lives for children and families in Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.

Bicycle Parking

Avoid the traffic congestion and ride your bike. Bicycle valet parking will be offered by the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition at the corner of Castro and Church Streets.