Cloudless skies and warm weather draw peninsula residents and visitors in droves to summer festivals, fairs, concerts, and other seasonal events centered around food, art, and community. And with the past two summers of COVID canceling or limiting many events, many are eagerly awaiting the return of iconic summer festivities like the Shoreline Amphitheater’s July 4th Fireworks Show and the San Mateo County Fair. Check out our guide to summer fun to fill your calendar from June to September.

Musical series and festivals: Free concert series are everywhere this time of year. Find everything from reggae tribute bands at Music on the Square to redwood town every Friday at 6 p.m. until September 2; Concerts in the Plaza every Friday at 6 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza downtown mountain view until September 30; summer concerts for children every Thursday at 11 a.m. until August 4 at Linden Tree Books in Los Altos; from Palo Alto Family Concert Series at Magical Bridge Playground at 6:30 p.m. select Fridays starting June 10; the first annual Palooza PV in Portola Valley June 11, followed by the Select Summer Concert Series Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. beginning July 14; and an old-school band gig with Ye Olde Towne Band at Shoup Park in Los Altos at 1:30 p.m. every last Sunday of the month from June to September.

Don’t forget that the Stanford Jazz Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary from June 17 to July 30 and that the chamber music festival [email protected] celebrates its 20th anniversary from July 14 to August 18. 6. [email protected] also organizes a series of free master classes and discussions led by festival artists and distinguished speakers.

Movie nights: Watch a movie under the stars or from the comfort of your car this summer. The Town of Redwood Films in the square are scheduled every Thursday evening until September 8, with children’s films at 6am, independent films at 8am and the evening feature at 8:30pm. Join the San Mateo County Parks Department for its Movies in the Park series which includes June 18 at Flood Park in Menlo Park (“Untamed Spirit”). Family movie night at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto includes “Sing 2” on June 17 and “Luca” on July 22. mountain viewThe series of outdoor movie nights in city parks kicks off with “Sing 2” on July 8 at Cuesta Park and ends August 12 at Rengstorff Park with “Space Jam: A New Legacy.”

Artistic festivals: Summer is peak time for art lovers who wander the sunny streets of the city in search of paintings, tchotchkes, jewelry and more. Art in the Square redwood town takes place over four Fridays starting June 17; Chalk-Fest is scheduled for June 25 at City of Daly; the Los Altos Arts & Wines Festival and Clay and Glass Festival in Palo Alto take place on July 9 and 10; Beaux-Arts in the park at Los Altos is August 13-14; Pescadero hosts its Arts & Fun Festival on August 20; Burlingame on East Avenue Aug. 20-21; Palo AltoFestival of the Arts returns August 27-28; the Kings Mountain Art Fair returns to wood side over Labor Day weekend, just like Millbrae‘s Art & Wine Festival; mountain viewthe 50th annual Art and Wine Festival will be held September 10-11; Santa Clara‘s Art & Wine Festival will take place on September 17 and 18; and Pacific Coast Fog Fest is back Pacifica September 24-25.

4th of July celebrations: The 4th of July is back this year on the peninsula. Head to Mitchell Park at Palo Alto at 11 a.m. for live music, food trucks and children’s activities. Shoreline Amphitheater at mountain view hosts its annual fireworks display, accompanied by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The Chalk Full of Fun Festival (July 3-4) and July Parade returns to redwood town this year, with fireworks over Redwood City Harbor to cap off the day. Host city hosts an all-day party with pancake breakfast, barbecue lunch, and kids’ activities, with fireworks over the lagoon in the evening. Half Moon BayThe festivities kick off with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by a parade down Main Street at noon and a block party.

Cultural and gastronomic events: The quintessential summer event, the county fair, is back starting with the San Mateo County Fair runs until June 12. Santa Clara County Fair July 10 and 23-30 will be a little less conventional this year: they will be devoted to breeding and domestic art exhibitions, with free admission. No carnivals, commercial vendors or traditional fair food will be offered in 2022, but this year’s offerings include the Junior Horse Show on July 10, the Dog Show on July 23 and the Dairy and Pygmy Goat Shows on July 24.

Drink in a British-style inflatable pub at Pub in the Park in redwood town July 16, August 6 and September 10, with beers and ciders from local breweries, food trucks, live music and free lawn games.

Try bites and drinks from 20-30 companies at Taste of mountain view On June 22, a food, wine and beer walk will begin at 4 p.m. downtown.

FoodieLand Night Market is coming San Mateo From July 1-3, an open-air festival inspired by Asian night markets that includes live music, local artisan stalls and carnival games.

A long-running peninsula festival that went virtual last year is back on July 16: the Obon Festival & Bazaar, a Japanese celebration at mountain view Buddhist temple with dancing, food and live entertainment.

Host city Summer Days August 19-21 celebrates the city’s birthday with carnival rides, food trucks, shows, and craft vendors, plus one-day events like rubber duck racing and a new classic car show.

After selling Greek starters and desserts to take away instead of a festival in 2021, the Belmont The Greek festival is back in person for its 50th anniversary from September 3-5. Find gyros, loukoumades, and all your favorite Greek dishes, plus live music and artisan stalls.

Events for children: The school is closed for the summer, but there are plenty of events to entertain and teach the children. Many of the aforementioned events are family-friendly, but some are particularly aimed at children, including the Bricks by the Bay Lego convention and exhibit at Santa Clara June 25-26; superhero day in San Mateo July 16; and a family campsite in Santa Clara‘s Central Park on August 5 and 6, followed by a camp at Host city‘s Leo J. Ryan Park Aug. 6-7.