After more than a year of being closed to the public, the art galleries in downtown San Jose’s SoFA District are eager to welcome back visitors. And they’re doing it in a big way, with the South First Street Block Party on Saturday afternoon.
Everybody’s pitching in when it comes to activities and entertainment. There’s a paper flower-making activity with artist Amy Brown, based on the ICA’s current exhibition by Ebony G. Patterson; a fabric print-making workshop using flowers and other natural products with artist Carolina Cuevas; and a bachata dance class and a performance by alternative band Antigone presented by MACLA. The Thai Thai food truck will be on hand, too. It’s free to attend, and you can RSVP at the ICA’s website, www.icasanjose.org/s-1st-block-party.
BACK IN BUSINESS: There was a good crowd Thursday morning for the grand reopening of the Thrift Box, the second-hand store with the familiar awning at 1362 Lincoln Ave. in Willow Glen. The store — known for its all-volunteer nonprofit run by the San Jose Auxiliary, supports Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital through the sale of donated items. And, given this is Silicon Valley, some of those items can be fairly high-end, including jewelry, designer clothes and collectibles.
“We are so excited to be reopening and we are looking forward to seeing our customers,” San Jose Auxiliary President Barbara Garcia said. The shop is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and masks and social distancing are still required. You can get updates — or shop online if that’s your thing — at www.thriftbox.org.
OUTDOOR MOVIES ARE BACK: Both San Jose and Santa Clara have announced the lineups for their outdoor evening movie series, which kick off over the next week and feature family-friendly films.
Santa Clara’s Sunset Cinema series will move around to different city parks over the next four months, starting July 16 with “The Sandlot” at Reed & Grant Sports Park. The rest of the movies are “Abominable” on Aug. 13 at Santa Clara Central Park, “Luca” on Sept. 17 at Live Oak Park and “Trolls World Tour” on Oct. 15 at Maywood Park. The locations and movies, which will start after sunset, are subject to change, so you can stay updated at www.santaclaraca.gov/sunsetcinema.
The San Jose Downtown Association, meanwhile, launches its four-week Starlight Cinema series with the Pixar movie, “Up,” on July 21. It’ll be followed by “The Perfect Game” on July 28, the new Disney movie, “Raya and the Last Dragon” on Aug. 4, and the 1984 classic, “The Karate Kid” on Aug. 11. All the movies will start at dusk in St. James Park downtown, with pre-movie activities taking place about an hour before showtime.
The “Up” screening will have a balloon artist and a San Jose Dance Theater performance before the show, and there also will be popcorn and lemonade for sale. You can find out more details at www.sjdowntown.com/starlight.
Both series are free to attend, but remember to bring your own blanket or chair.
