Sharing a list of mostly free family things happening in and around San Jose this weekend.

Friday, Aug. 14

• Make a Wish for Tanabata / Star Festival — Write a wish on a tanzaku paper and add it to the bamboo grove. Vineland Branch, San Jose; all day during open hours; free; all ages; also happening Sat and Sun.
• Build & Fly Envelope Kites — Build a simple kite from an envelope, then see if it flies. Mt. Pleasant Branch, San Jose; 3–4 p.m.; free; ages 6–10; no registration.
• Friday Fun: 3D Hot Air Balloon Craft — Make a colorful 3D paper hot-air balloon, with all supplies provided. Pearl Avenue Branch, San Jose; 4 p.m.; free; no registration.
• Concert in the Park: Aja Vu — An outdoor Steely Dan and Chicago tribute concert with space to dance and food for sale. Live Oak Park, Santa Clara; 6:30–8 p.m.; free.

Saturday, Aug. 15

• KidStock — A kid-focused festival with live performances, a DJ dance party, crafts, games, STEM and sports activities, and roaming entertainment. Civic Center Plaza and Pioneer Park, Mountain View; 10 a.m.–1 p.m.; free; all ages.
• Japanese Taiko Drumming with Kristy Aki Oshiro — A high-energy taiko performance mixing drums, bamboo flute, folk tales, and Japanese culture and history. Sunnyvale Public Library; noon; free; all ages.
• Mad Science: Fire & Ice — Dry ice, air-pressure demonstrations, states of matter, and a spectacular “potion.” Vineland Branch, San Jose; 2–2:45 p.m.; free; ages 5–12; no registration.
• Cozy Paws: Toys for Shelter Dogs — Braid or sew washed used clothing into toys that will be donated to local shelter dogs. San Jose Public Library; 2:30 p.m.; free; all ages, but volunteers under 15 need an adult. This is a donation project, not a take-home craft.

Sunday, Aug. 16

• AI Learning with LEGO — Work in a group to train a LEGO figure to move its arms in sync with a person using AI. Alviso Branch, San Jose; starts at 3 p.m.; free; ages 5–12+. Two 25-minute sessions; limited kits, with in-person sign-up beginning 30 minutes before the program.

If you know of another good family event this weekend, add it in the comments!

I comb through local city/library/venue calendars every week. The full list of 1,000+ free Bay Area library/city events are too much to fit into one post. If you are looking for more, check it out in my Reddit profile.

Sharing a short list of mostly free family events in case anyone is looking for weekend ideas.

• Mandarin/English Bilingual Family Storytime (Cupertino Library) — Stories, songs, a flannel-board tale, fingerplays and a craft presented in Mandarin and English. Friday, Aug. 7, 7–8pm. Free. Best for toddlers, preschoolers and their caregivers.
• Sunset Movie Series: The Wild Robot (Serra Park, Sunnyvale) — Bring blankets or lawn chairs for an outdoor screening of The Wild Robot. The snack bar and youth activities open at 7pm; the movie starts around 7:40pm or sunset. Friday, Aug. 7. Free. All ages.
• Cupertino Library Aquarium Reopening (Cupertino Library) — The refreshed aquarium is being unveiled with colorful fish, a refurbished artificial reef, an ocean-themed storytime, a craft, photobooth and scavenger hunt. Saturday, Aug. 8, beginning at 10:15am. Free. Families.
• Ocean Crafts (Cupertino Library) — Make aquarium-inspired crafts to celebrate the reopening. Saturday, Aug. 8, 3pm. Free. Ages 3+; supplies are limited, so arrive on time.
• Farmer Arann Music Show (Saratoga Library) — Live music and cheerful silliness with instruments, original songs and plenty of dancing and wiggling. Saturday, Aug. 8, 11–11:45am. Free. All ages.
• Los Altos Rotary Fine Art in the Park (Lincoln Park, Los Altos) — More than 150 juried artists, live music, a community stage, children’s activities and food in the park. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8–9, 10am–5:30pm. Admission and shuttle parking are free. All ages.
• STEM Play + Bubble Day (The Village at San Antonio Center, Mountain View) — Hands-on STEM activities, music from a live DJ and a bubble artist making larger-than-life creations. Saturday, Aug. 8, 4–6pm. Free; Eventbrite registration is encouraged and activities are available while supplies last.
• Animal Assisted Happiness Farm Open House (999 E. Caribbean Drive, Sunnyvale) — Meet mini horses, a mini donkey, alpacas, goats, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, pot-bellied pigs, chickens, ducks and doves. Sunday, Aug. 9, 10am–4pm. Free. All ages.
• Baby Wearing Dance (Cupertino Library) — A movement class for adult caregivers and pre-walking babies. Sunday, Aug. 9, 11am–noon. Free; bring your own baby carrier.

One paid option for serious arcade fans:

• California Extreme (Hyatt Regency Santa Clara) — A huge collection of classic arcade and pinball machines, all set to free play once inside. Saturday, Aug. 8, 11am–1:30am, and Sunday, Aug. 9, 11am–9pm. At-door admission is $50 Saturday or $40 Sunday for adults; $30/$25 for ages 2–6; under 2 free.

Hope this helps with week planning!

I comb through local city/library/venue calendars every week. If you don't see events here for your particular date/location/age group, I have a free list of 1,000+ upcoming Bay Area events in my Reddit profile bio.

Sharing some mostly free family events around Mountain View from Thursday through Sunday for those that are planning their weekend.

• Baylands Explorations (Palo Alto Baylands) — A docent-led walk exploring how plants and animals survive the salty marsh habitat. Thursday, July 30, 9:30–11am. Free. Ages 6+; space is limited and advance registration is strongly encouraged.
• Paly Robotics Storybook Workshop (Mitchell Park Library, Palo Alto) — The Paly Robotics art team will show kids how storyboarding works, then help them make their own storybook. Thursday, July 30, 4–5pm. Free. Best for ages 6–11.
• Kids Dance Carnival (Rinconada Library, Palo Alto) — A kids' dance party with bubbles, glow sticks, neon costumes and a collaborative art project. Thursday, July 30, 6:30–7:30pm. Free. Recommended for ages 2–8. There will be loud music and flashing lights, and capacity is limited.
• House of Samba Kids (Magical Bridge Playground, Palo Alto) — James Henry leads an imaginative, interactive samba and percussion workshop at the playground. Friday, July 31, 6–7:30pm. Free. All ages and abilities.
• Outdoor Family Movie: Hoppers (Mitchell Park Athletic Field, Palo Alto) — Bring blankets, lawn chairs and snacks for an outdoor showing of Hoppers. Friday, July 31; seating starts at 7pm and the movie begins at sunset. Free.
• Wild Color Community Mural (Cubberley Community Center, Palo Alto) — Help paint a large public mural through a guided paint-by-numbers process. Saturday, August 1, 11am–2pm. Free. All ages and experience levels; materials are provided.
• Experiment Extravaganza (Linden Tree Books, Los Altos) — Four children's authors with science backgrounds will lead experiment stations, including rehydrating dried food like NASA astronauts. Saturday, August 1, 3pm. Free. Registration is closed, but drop-ins are accepted before 4pm.
• Disco Bubbles with Daisy (Children's Library Secret Garden, Palo Alto) — An outdoor disco bubble performance full of giant shapes, positive silliness and lots of bubbles. Saturday, August 1, 3–4pm. Free. Babies through elementary-age kids.
• Music and Puppets with Mr. Elephant (Children's Library Secret Garden, Palo Alto) — An award-winning children's musician and speech therapist performs movement- and language-filled songs with his puppet crew. Saturday, August 1, 4:30–5:30pm. Free. Babies through elementary-age kids.
• Wallace & Gromit Sunday Matinee (Los Altos Library) — Three early Wallace and Gromit adventures involving a moon trip for cheese, a jewel-thief penguin and the arrival of Shaun the Sheep. Sunday, August 2; doors open at 2pm and the movie starts at 2:15pm. Free. Grades K–8 and families.
• Find Waldo Prize Party (Linden Tree Books, Los Altos) — The downtown Waldo hunt ends with a party, prize raffle and appearances by Waldo and his evil double Odlaw. Sunday, August 2, 4pm. Free. All ages.

A bonus event if you are a Snoopy fan:

• Snoopy Dog Day of Summer at SFMOMA (San Francisco) — A free Camp Snoopy screening followed by a Q&A with a Schulz Studio art director, then a Snoopy-inspired paper-folding workshop. Sunday, August 2, 11am–3pm. The screening needs a free RSVP. Kids 18 and under enter SFMOMA free; adults need museum admission for the art activity.

I trimmed this to the nearby standouts so the post stays readable. The full weekly list has many more Bay Area events and can be narrowed by city and age groups; it’s linked from my profile if you want to keep looking.

Sharing a quick list of some free library and city events for kids and families around Cupertino and the West Valley in the next ~7 days in case anyone is looking for ideas.

Thursday, July 9 (Today!)

• ComedySportz Improv Show (Cupertino Library, Room 101) — A live, high-energy comedy improv performance from ComedySportz San Jose that is clean, interactive, and fun. Thursday July 9, 2:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• Family Fun Night: Professor Pepper (Washington Park, Sunnyvale) — An evening of family fun in the park featuring a bilingual (Spanish and English) magic show from Professor Pepper. Thursday July 9, 7:00 PM. Free. All ages.

Friday, July 10

• Mindful Me for Kids: Confidence & Affirmations (Saratoga Library) — A hands-on mindfulness program for kids that builds calm and confidence. Friday July 10, 4:00 PM. Free. Ages 5–10.
• Mandarin/English Bilingual Family Storytime (Cupertino Library) — An engaging storytime with stories, songs, a flannel board tale, fingerplay, and a craft project presented in both Mandarin and English. Friday July 10, 7:00 PM. Free. Preschoolers and toddlers.
• Free Movie Night: The Incredibles (PG) (Campbell Park / Orchard Valley) — Bring blankets and chairs for an outdoor screening of the Pixar family favorite. Friday July 10, 7:30 PM. Free. All ages.

Sunday, July 12

• Animal Assisted Happiness Farm Open Day (AAH Farm, 999 E Caribbean Drive, Sunnyvale) — A public open day to visit the farm, meet the animals, and enjoy the outdoor space. Sunday July 12, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM. Free. All ages.

Tuesday, July 14

• Pups, Pops, and Cops (Campbell) — Meet-and-greet and demonstration by the Campbell PD K9 team, with free otter popsicles and arts/crafts. Tuesday July 14, 10:30 AM. Free. All ages.
• America 250: Red, White & Blue Slime (Saratoga Library) — Celebrate the upcoming US semiquincentennial by creating custom red, white, and blue slime to take home. Tuesday July 14, 4:00 PM. Free. Ages 3–12.

Wednesday, July 15

• Rainforest Animals with Wildmind (Cupertino Library) — Meet live rainforest animals and learn from wildlife specialists about their habitats and conservation. Wednesday July 15, 2:00 PM. Free. School-age children. (Space is limited; doors close when room hits capacity).
• Mike Della Penna Magic Show (Los Altos Library) — Wonder and laughter with a highly interactive, playful magic performance. Wednesday July 15, 3:30 PM. Free. All ages.

Thursday, July 16

• Balloon Rockets Workshop (Campbell Library) — Build and decorate your own balloon rocket using simple household supplies and test its speed. Thursday July 16, 2:00 PM. Free. Ages 4+.
• Henna Designs with Rachel Ann Palacios (Cupertino Library, Room 201) — Learn the history and art of henna tattoos and design your own. Thursday July 16, 3:00 PM–5:00 PM. Free. Teens. (Online registration required).

Hope this helps with week planning!

I comb through local city/library/venue calendars every week. If you don't see events here for your particular date/location/age group, I have a free list of 1,000+ upcoming Bay Area events in my Reddit profile bio.

Sharing some events and activities for kids and families in San Francisco for the holiday weekend in case you're looking for ideas.

Friday, July 3 (Observed Holiday)

• Children's Chorus Concert (Calvary Presbyterian Church, Fillmore & Jackson) — A joint performance by the Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles Children’s Chorus and the San Francisco Boys Chorus. Friday July 3, 7:00 PM. Free (donations welcome). All ages.
• Friday Union Square Dances (Union Square) — Outdoor dance lessons and social dancing in the plaza. Friday July 3, 5:00 PM–8:00 PM. Free. All ages.

Saturday, July 4 (Independence Day)

• Red, White, & Zoo Festival (San Francisco Zoo) — Celebrate the holiday all weekend with live outdoor music on the lawn (Music Time with Megan on Saturday), a family BBQ, and native wildlife encounters. Saturday July 4, 11:00 AM–2:30 PM, and July 5, 11:00 AM–2:00 PM (Zoo ticket required, BBQ/concerts included). All ages.
• Yerba Buena Gardens Summer Uke-splosion (Yerba Buena Gardens) — A giant outdoor ukulele festival and public strum-along in the plaza. Saturday July 4, starting at 12:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• Golden Gate Park Band Concert (GGP Bandshell) — The park's historic orchestra performs patriotic American landscape tunes in celebration of the 4th. Saturday July 4, 1:00 PM–2:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• Dolores Park Free Mime Troupe Performance (Dolores Park) — A San Francisco tradition featuring the Mime Troupe's annual free outdoor musical satire performance in the park. Saturday July 4, 2:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• Sketching in the Galleries (de Young Museum) — Drop-in sketching session inside the museum's galleries. All materials provided. Saturday July 4, 11:00 AM-3:00 PM. (Free drop-in, museum admission may apply). All ages.

Sunday, July 5

• Mulan Sing-along & Costume Contest (Asian Art Museum, Civic Center) — Free first Sunday family screening of Disney’s Mulan, featuring a movie sing-along and costume contest. Sunday July 5, 11:00 AM. Free admission. All ages.
• Sunday Fun Days at Union Square (Union Square) — Outdoor family activity day featuring games, crafts, and live entertainment. Sunday July 5, 11:00 AM–2:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• Golden Gate Park Band Concert: Musical Landscapes (GGP Bandshell) — Another afternoon of classical outdoor concert music at the Bandshell. Sunday July 5, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM. Free. All ages.

Hope this helps with long weekend planning, and have a safe 4th of July!

ps. These are just my personal top picks. If you want to explore more, I have a full catalog of 1,000+ Bay Area family events at The Ember List where you can search/filter/subscribe for free.

Just wanted to share a list of some (mostly) free events and activities for families around San Jose for the July 4th holiday weekend in case you're looking for ideas.

Friday, July 3 (Observed Holiday)

• Make a Confetti Canon (Hillview Branch Library, San Jose) — Kids explore energy transfer and projectile motion by building their own launching confetti cannons. Friday July 3, 4:00 PM. Free. Ages 7+.
• National Treasure Movie Screening & Popcorn (Educational Park Branch Library, San Jose) — A special Independence Day screening of Disney’s National Treasure, with a themed craft and free popcorn. Friday July 3, 3:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• Friday Fun: Flag Windsocks (Willow Glen Branch Library, San Jose) — Drop-in craft session to celebrate the holiday by making a festive Flag Windsock. Friday July 3, 4:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• LASERS: K-Pop Demon Hunters and LASERS: Bad Bunny Laser Show ($16/person, The Tech Interactive, Downtown San Jose) — A high-energy laser light show under the IMAX Dome. Friday July 3, 4:45 PM and 6:00 PM. (Laser shows at The Tech usually require ticket booking).

Saturday, July 4 (Independence Day)

• Santa Clara's 4th of July Celebration (Mission College, Santa Clara) — A massive free holiday festival with live concert music, food trucks, and a fireworks display from California's Great America. Saturday July 4, 5:00 PM–10:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• Red, White and Boom! Fireworks & Concert (Milpitas Sports Center, Calaveras Blvd) — The big annual municipal celebration featuring live concert music and a fireworks show. Saturday July 4, starting at 5:00 PM. Free. All ages.
• Sunnyvale's July 4th Celebration (Downtown Sunnyvale, Murphy Ave) — Annual municipal holiday event featuring a Ferris wheel, bike parade, and live entertainment. Saturday July 4, 10:00 AM. Free. All ages.

Sunday, July 5

• AI with LEGOs (Alviso Branch Library, San Jose) — A hands-on tech workshop where kids train a LEGO figure to mimic human movement in real-time using AI tools. Sunday July 5, 3:00 PM. Free. Ages 5–12. (In-person registration open 30 minutes before start).
• Campbell Community Scavenger Hunt (City of Campbell) — Solve clues to search around the city's landmarks and hidden treasures. Clues will be posted online at 9:00 AM on Sunday, July 5. Free. All ages.
• Sunday Board Games (Sunnyvale Library) — A drop-in family gaming afternoon with a large selection of board and card games. Sunday July 5, 1:00 PM. Free. All ages.

Hope this helps with long weekend planning!

I comb through local city/library/venue calendars every week. The full list of 1,000+ free Bay Area library/city events are too much to fit into one post. If you are looking for more, check it out in my Reddit profile.

Sharing a list of upcoming free library and city events for kids this week, in case any parents are looking for ideas:

• Little Explorers Petting Zoo — a real petting zoo at the library: rabbits, chickens, ducks, a pig, alpacas, goats, and sheep you can pet and groom. Thu 6/25, 10:30am · San Jose (Vineland branch) · all ages. Tickets at the info desk from 10am.
• Jungle James: Reptile Round-Up — a zoologist brings reptiles from around the world and a few lucky kids get a hands-on encounter. Sat 6/27, 10:30am · San Jose (Mt. Pleasant branch) · all ages.
• Python Ron's Reptile Kingdom (sensory-friendly) — everything from 18-foot pythons to 4-foot lizards, up close, run as a calm low-stimulation show. Fri 6/26, 1:30pm · Gilroy Library · grades K–8. Capped at 50; tickets handed out 30 min before.
• Furry Friends Reading Buddies — kids read aloud to a friendly dog (or cat) in a 10-minute slot, which is somehow the most low-pressure way to get a nervous reader going. Sat 6/27, 2:30pm · Los Altos Library · grades K–8. Registration opens two days before.
• Unearth a Story: Puppet & Magic Show — storytelling with dinosaur puppets and magic, where kids "dig up" buried fossils. Sat 6/27, 1pm · San Jose (Hillview branch) · ages 0–10.
• Techno Baby Dance Party — a tiny baby rave: actual techno, glow wands, and spinning lights for the under-1 crowd (first 30 babies get a wand to borrow). Fri 6/26, 3pm · San Jose (Berryessa branch) · ages 0–1, family dances along.
• Family STEAM: Sphero Fireworks Show — this Saturday's drop-in STEAM is a Sphero robot light show. Sat 6/27, 2pm · San Jose (Calabazas branch) · ages 4+ with help, 8+ solo. Tickets 30 min before.
• Messy Play: Colored Rice Sensory Bin — make rainbow rice, fill a take-home sensory bin with little "I spy" treasures. Tue 6/23, 10:30am · San Jose (Berryessa branch) · ages 2–8 with an adult. Tickets from 10am.
• Tea Cup Fairy Garden — build a tiny fairy garden inside a teacup, snacks included. Fri 6/26, 3:30pm · Milpitas Library · grades 5–8. Registration required.
• Lego Day — a whole afternoon of Lego stations, plus a sensory play corner for littles and a raffle. Sat 6/27, 2–4pm · Milpitas Library · all ages. Registration required, first-come.
• DIY Mini Aquarium — make a little take-home aquarium craft (no real fish). Tue 6/23, 4pm · Saratoga Library · all ages. Supplies limited.
• Make Your Own Foosball Table — build a working foosball table out of cardboard and clothespins. Tue 6/23, 3:30pm · San Jose (East SJ Carnegie branch) · ages 0–10.
• Family Movie: Dog Man — Dog Man on the big screen, free. Thu 6/25, 2pm · Saratoga Library · all ages. Space is limited; park strollers in the Children's room.
• Ricky Roo & Friends Silly Puppet Show — an interactive, goofy puppet show if you've got a Tuesday to fill. Tue 6/23, 4pm · San Jose (Santa Teresa branch) · ages 0–12.

A bunch of these cap attendance (the reptile shows and anything with "tickets"), so it's worth showing up 20–30 min early. Happy to dig up more for a specific city or age if anyone wants — I end up combing through these most weeks anyway.

If you want to explore more, here's the free tool I made for fellow Bay Area parents: The Ember List

We have a 3-year-old. It was never easy to figure out what to do on weekends or no-school days. At some point I started digging and was stunned by how many great free events Bay Area cities and libraries quietly put on for kids — stuff we'd just never heard of.

A few that won us over:

There are these Read to a Dog sessions for kids to read out loud to a calm therapy dog to build their confidence. Ours is obsessed with animals, and it turns out there are free petting zoos all over the place (alpacas, goats, a little pig at one), plus oddly specific ones with reptiles.

Then there's all the messy sensory sand and water and bubble play stuff that's a total headache to set up and clean up at home. Some libraries just host it for free.

The one we're most looking forward to is making dog toys for shelter dogs. She gets a craft, a dog gets a toy, and she learns a little something about helping.

The problem was these are scattered across dozens of city and library calendars that nobody ever checks. So I ended up building a little free tool that pulls them all into one place. (Link in the comments). Sharing in case it saves another parent the same scramble.