Check back often for other events during this month.
Late July through August: Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Shakespeare Santa Cruz brings together an array of actors, directors and designers from all over the country and has made quite a name for itself over the past two decades as one of the most innovative, organic and polished Shakespeare festivals nationwide. This year’s festival features Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, as well as All’s Well That Ends Well, along with Burn This by Lanford Wilson, and Bach at Liepzig by Itamar Moses. (Santa Cruz: 1156 High Street; 831/459-2159; www.shakespearesantacruz.org)
August 8-10: San Jose Jazz Festival. Thousands of spectators throng to downtown streets for this lively, music-filled festival. At this annual weekend event—one of the world’s largest—jazz greats young and old perform on nine stages, offering such diverse styles as traditional, blues, salsa and Latin, along with artists who push the boundaries with electronic sampling, DJ turntables and other techniques. In addition, there are also arts and crafts, activities and plenty of food, beer and wine. (Downtown San Jose; 408/288-7557; www.sanjosejazz.org)
August 8-17: San Mateo County Fair. This old-fashioned fair includes rides, contests, beer and food tasting, and music performances. (San Mateo: San Mateo Expo Center, 2495 S. Delaware Street; 650/574-3247; www.sanmateocountyfair.com)
August 23-24: Palo Alto Festival of the Arts. Arts and crafts, food, wine, beer, live music and street performers are part of this festival. (Palo Alto: University Ave.; 650/324-3121)
