These June festivals celebrate ube, jazz and more

June is a jam-packed month, celebrating grads and dads, Juneteenth and Pride, summer solstice and the longest day of the year. Throw a bunch of festivals and fairs into the mix – plus local World Cup-related festivities this year – and suddenly the calendar is overflowing. Find a guide to some of Silicon Valley’s biggest June happenings below.

And if you’re like me and find the idyllic nature of “The Great British Bake Off” soothing, you may have already watched (spoiler alert) Ruiqi Chen win this season of “The Great American Baking Show.” Adrienne Mitchel spoke with Ruiqi about how she ended up on the show, a Costco dessert that inspired her to start baking and what it was like getting two handshakes for perfect bakes from Paul Hollywood himself.

Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com

Festivals celebrating ube, jazz and Pride Month are on the calendar in June. Here’s how to spend the month in Silicon Valley

From the annual San Mateo County Fair to events for Pride Month and Juneteenth, here are some of the biggest happenings in Silicon Valley this month.

‘The silliest circus on Earth’: Exhibition brings the playful spirit of improv to Art Bias

Terry Sand’s ‘The Shinsplintski Family Circus’ exhibition opens June 7, with circus-inspired improv performances, complete with hula hoops and a “little crazy modern dance” to mark the event.

How a Palo Alto transplant went from home baking to winning ‘The Great American Baking Show’

Ruiqi Chen did not think she’d win “The Great American Baking Show.” During the first challenge of the finale, she made a mistake that she thought sealed her fate – her meringues were all cracked.

Congrats to Perla M., who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s “Fantasy” by Louis Pearson in Mountain View!).

The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a prize from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!

San Mateo County Fair: June 5-14 Carnival rides and games, all kinds of favorite fair food, livestock, exhibits, concerts and more are back for the annual county fair.

Feldman’s 30th Birthday Party: June 5 Feldman’s Books in Menlo Park is marking its 30th birthday with a community celebration featuring dancing and reminiscing.

Beginning Bird Photography: June 6 Learn tips for photographing birds on a guided walk hosted by San Mateo Bird Alliance at Coyote Point, including help with camera settings. Recommended equipment: a telephoto lens and a tripod.

Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival: June 6-7 Celebrating five decades of music, art and food in downtown Sunnyvale, this year’s festival features hundreds of artists, many food trucks and live bands and musicians all weekend, including Barn Owls, Rosebud and many more.

Community Day and Posy Parade: June 7 The city of San Bruno’s annual outdoor celebration includes the Posy Parade, food trucks, live music, open swim sessions, kids’ activities and more.

Jake Shimabukuro: June 12 The ukulele master, who plays everything from traditional Hawaiian music to pop, rock, blues and classical, comes to Menlo Park.

Pride at Filoli: June 12-14 Filoli celebrates Pride with wellness experiences such as yoga and sound baths, musical performances, storytimes, Drag Bingo and more.

Biggest Little Air Show: June 13 Watch realistic remote-controlled model aircraft take to the skies as well as a US Coast Guard search-and-rescue demonstration and performances by the Suhkoi West Demo Team.

Pancake Breakfast: June 13 Central County Fire hosts its annual breakfast in Burlingame, which benefits the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation.

Dana Carvey and David Spade: June 14 The comedy icons, podcast co-hosts and “SNL” veterans team up and make a tour stop at the Mountain Winery.

Plan Ahead:

The Science & Psychology of Muppet Design: June 15 Learn the “science behind the cuteness” at this talk on puppet design, led by Muppet maker Michael Schupbach. The event is part of the Menlo Park Library’s annual Summer Puppetry Festival.

Taste of Mountain View: June 17 At this family-friendly, downtown Mountain View stroll, try bites and beverages from an array of local businesses, plus catch live music at Civic Center Plaza.

Menlo Park’s Juneteenth Celebration: June 19 Live music and dance, family activities, free treats and vendors will all be part of a Juneteenth celebration, commemorating the ending of slavery in the U.S., at the Belle Haven Community Campus.

Stanford Jazz Festival: June 21-July 31 The 2026 edition of the summer jazz fest includes performances by the Branford Marsalis Quartet, Billy Childs, Luciana Souza, Anat Cohen, Stefon Harris, Yilian Cañizares and more.

Summer Solstice at Audrey’s Way: June 21 Mark the longest day of the year with a moderate, guided evening hike at Russian Ridge Preserve. Bring a picnic and watch the sunset at the Audrey’s Way lookout point.

Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame Ceremony: June 25 Several new honorees will be inducted into the Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame, plus a special tribute to Tom Martinez and the opening of the “Tom Martinez Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame” exhibit.

Summer Swap: June 28 RethinkWaste hosts a swap with gently used summer gear. All donated items must be in good or fair condition.

Summer 1969 The Soundtrack of a Generation: July 4 San Francisco Symphony makes the move to Mountain View for Shoreline Amphitheatre’s annual Independence Day spectacular, including a 1960s program theme and a fireworks-filled finale.

Inside the fast-paced world of Peninsula Roller Derby
The Burlingame-based team embraces diversity, fun and full-contact hits

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