This event used to be very fun. Last time I was there, I did have some fun playing old games…read moreagainst my sweetie. However, this event has gotten overly crowded. When we went to it this year, we came early so we can get to play the most popular games and avoid the crowds. My sweetie and I got our tickets- $40 each! About 40 minutes before the facilities opened. No one told us where to wait nor anything so we decided to hang out in the lounge but found it strange that there were not crowds of people there waiting as well. Finally, about 10 minutes before the event, a staff person told us where we had to wait in line! Now that was after we acted confused and thought the event already started as we almost walked into the room. NO STAFF PERSON INFORMED US WHERE WE HAD TO WAIT IN LINE AT TIME OF PURCHASING THE TICKETS! So we found out that it was like a ballroom where there was a line that went around the wall. My sweetie told a staff person how upset he was. The guy said that once the event starts, that line will move fast. And yes, he was right but that is not why people come early! People come early to be the first to play the latest games. Once we got in, there were already long lines for the most popular pinball games. Even the games I recall in my teens were already taken up. I played a few rounds of the Skee Ball but once an annoying preteen girl who was so into herself cut in front of me. I found the merchandise that was over priced as well as always. To save money, my sweetie and I took a break for lunch and simply ate our cold deli sandwiches in our car as we watched a young couple construct hammocks from their SUV to lounge in all the while in the garage! It was hilarious to see!! But mostly, I did not like this event as much as I did in the past. Not being properly informed of where to wait before the event started, it being extremely crowded, no great deals on merchandise, ...and that allusive raffle for a pinball machine that only someone who is financially well off and who probably already owns one or more pinball machines should own. Pinball machines are fun but when they break down as I constantly see at events like this, they are costly to repair if you do not know how to repair them. I did not even see the Alameda Pinball Museum represented here which would have made the event more fun for me. I always enjoyed seeing that they were selling and to hear about the progress in getting a larger facility for the large pinball game collection that they have. Come to think of it, I would have rather went to the museum where there is not large groups of people - museum may be small and may only have one or two of the latest pinball computerized games but I would enjoy it more. I just sat around most of the time at the Pinball Extreme feeling tired not from lots of pinball game playing but from the overwhelmed crowds of people there.

This was my first time attending, and I attended with my son. We will not be back. First the…read moreConvention Center staff told us to get in the wrong line for the wrong event, and only by pure luck were we alerted that check-in was already happening inside. Checking in was fine, except I was asked to fill out a paper version of something I already filled out online. I had pre-ordered shirts for us, and they had my son's no problem. My shirt couldn't be found, and after having me wait for 30 minutes while they organized the shirt pile I had to demand one of the "same day sale" shirts because they were about to sell out and no one else thought of that solution. We finally get into the event and its dark. Its hot. We aren't allowed any outside drinks, not even water. Every game that wasn't broken (a lot were) seemed to have a line, and no one was in a hurry to let others play. There was no communication that there was a 2nd room with driving/flying games, we stumbled on that ourselves. We gave it 4 hours, and at the end we just left. I was told by staff that they weren't expecting this many people so they were completely in chaos. It really showed.

We enjoyed the Rotary Club of San Jose Fourth of July Fireworks this past Tuesday at Discovery…read moreMeadow. It's an ideal setting for this event, with lots of space to lay out your mat or blanket on the grass, even with crowds of visitors in attendance. Also, the view of the fireworks is spectacular from anywhere in the park (one of the best views of fireworks I've ever had, for free!). It felt like the light show was up close as the fireworks illuminated the clear night sky, along with patriotic tunes playing through the speakers.  The fireworks show was at 9:30pm, but starting around 7pm, there was live music and entertainment for those who showed up early. SJZ Boombox Truck was awesome, playing a range of jazz, pop, rnb, and classics for the crowd... out of a truck! The "monopoly" section of the park was closed off and reserved for staff/event organizers. It was cool that they gave away free red, white, and blue beach balls to the crowd, mostly kids playing with these throughout the evening, but our adult-only party took one home too. No food trucks/vendors on site, except for mobile elote and hot dog carts bordering the event. A multitude of porta potties in the back, so there were never lines or any waiting. Lots of police/security in the area, to ensure safety. A well-organized event overall. If you are looking for a great view of the 4th of July fireworks show, in a relaxing and casual setting with live music, this is a pretty perfect option.

Very poorly planned without considering the size of spectators. Most people end up stuck in…read moretraffic. There is no traffic nor crowd control. My neighbors' "fireworks" show is better organized.

The annual celebration at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is a wonderful family friendly…read morefestival for all ages. Lots of good food like baklava, kataifi, ellinikos cafe, lamb chops, horiatiki salad. Free parking at the festival is available, with free shuttle service.

There was no parking at or near the festival, but it was a nice day for a walk (and my running day)…read moreanyway, so I was fine with this. They accepted both cash and credit cards for the $5 admission fee at the entrance. Taking place at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, there was plenty of outdoor space for food, drink, and merchandise vendor booths. So many delicious bites sold throughout, from grilled meats to classic greek desserts, I was overwhelmed with choices, but having too much good stuff to choose from is not a bad thing. I ended up grabbing a few delectable specialty dishes, including some to take home, like tiropita, spanakopita, pastitsio, and moussaka. That greek lasagna was especially yummy! Greek beer and wine, and cocktails, as well as frappes/coffee, were available on site too. Church tours were scheduled throughout the day, and of course live entertainment. Music and dance performances full of energy and smiles, embracing the culture, and keeping the crowd in good spirits with lovely sounds. This included live music by Mythos, with open public dancing. A unique song selection played, beyond just classic fast-paced greek tunes. Think a mashup of greek melodies and Wipe Out, yup those musicians definitely kept it interesting. I was captivated by the footwork as guests engaged in chain dancing in front of the stage. The mayor of San Jose joining in the fun as well, putting on his best moves on the dance floor. Also, a greek dance performance by Ethnos on Sunday afternoon (and multiple times throughout the 3-day event), a group of middle school kids dressed in costume showcasing their talents for the crowd. There were plenty of tables and seating throughout, including an air-conditioned indoor hall, and even the entire entertainment stage area outside was shaded for the comfort of guests. Wow, amazing! The festival was organized incredibly well, and a detailed event program and map was available online, which was ideal for attendees to plan ahead of time while learning a little bit of history about the food, traditions, and more. A joyful atmosphere and great sense of community, altogether.

We took our 11 and 14 year old nephews here. The little one was def kind of scared, but we all had…read moreso much fun. There are 2 haunted houses and the second was scary as hell! Totally worth it. The actors were really good and make a solid effort to make it worth your while. It is kind of short so skip paying for the VIP ticket - it'll feel like a slight rip off. We paid for regular tickets - 20 bucks for both haunted houses. There were no lines on a Sunday night - glad we skipped paying for "VIP."

Lines were long but they managed the crowds well. Sets were really cool and the actors did amazing…read morespooky work. Was a bit hard to find, but the logo and spooky faces on the wall, line outside and lights out front made it obvious. Glad they are back after not being around in 2024! If you struggle to find it, just drive the eastridge loop and you will find them!

Great movie theater overall. The screens are big, and the sound is solid. I like the comfortable…read moreseating and easy ticket booking process. Snacks are a bit pricey, but that's pretty standard. I'd happily come back again.

$25 bucks for unlimited movies all day and unlimited local beer tastings and artisinal snacks from…read more1-5pm. I'd say that's a steal! We parked at the garage across the from the theater and got free parking validated by Camera 12. The bf and I arrived around 12pm to see ExMachina. I was afraid it would be packed, but there weren't too many people, thankfully! The theater is a little dated, but the seats were comfortable and we got there early enough to have our choice of seats. What peeved me were the people who had no movie manners and kept getting up when the tastings started to get beer or snacks. There were also people coming in and out during the movie. It was distracting, but expected I guess. Once the movie ended, the tastings were at full swing. We got to taste almost all the beers before going to the next movie and they were great! It was wonderful to taste and learn about truly local breweries that we had no idea existed. Among our favorites were Uncommon Brewers and No Name Hard Cider. We were disappointed with the artisinal snacks as it was a small sampling of snacks and felt guilted into buying something for sampling - I have to add that they were not cheap! IDREAMOFCOOKIES for example had super cute and tasty cookies for sale as well as pandan waffles for $6 -that's a rip off compared to the comparable waffles at Grand Century for $1.50! I liked that Groupfies was there offering photobooth photos for $1-2. I loved all their props! It would have been cool to see more vendors other than food and drink. Overall, we had a good time and would definitely consider coming back next year. Some attendees did need a code of conduct though!

It was a wonderful day with excited and warm loving people. People were very warm with many…read morecompliments of Tracey Mitchem's artwork.

I wasn't able to go last year so I was even more excited to go this year for my 2025 art and wine…read morefest glass......only to be told there were none. If this is the trend, I won't be as inclined to come every year. No glasses = not coming anymore.

Always a fun summer activity to walk through the art and wine festivals. The Santa Clara one is…read morenicely nestled amongst trees and a fountain. Live music, watermelon slushies, nachos and crafts oh mine.

First time here. There is paid parking $15-20. Place was pretty busy during my visit. Quite a few…read morevendors, saw art but didnt really see where the wine stalls were.

Great summer food option at Great America! We were very lucky that we got to come here when our day…read moreunder the sun with rollercoasters and the water park coincided with Taste of Orleans. Since everything here looked way more delicious than the regular food park (and we confirmed they're much better!), here's my review of each offering. We paid to get a badge with little tabs that you rip off for each dish that you take. They're small bites, and the nice thing is that between the 3 of us, we got to share and sample each dish. These were what they offered at each lettered station: A) Chicken & Sausage Gumbo over rice A) Cajun Brownie B) Crawfish Fritters with Creole dipping sauce B) Muffuletta Slider C) Fried Oyster Po' Boy C) Boudin Sausage with Peppers D) Creole Shrimp and Crab Cheesecake D) Crawfish Boil E) Blackened Chicken Pizza E) Peach Cobbler F) Beignets F) Praline Bread Pudding These were some standouts: 1) Boudin Sausage with peppers--this was the first one I ate, soooooo good! It consisted of sausage stuffed with rice and peppers. Wish there was more sausage. 2) Cajun brownie--it looked like an ordinary though tasty brownie. Once you bite into it, you realize there's a spicy kick! 3) Crawfish Fritters with Creole dipping sauce--fritters were small, and they give you waaayyyy too much sauce, more than you need. 4) Muffuletta sliders--I took a bite, sliders aren't my thing 5) Fried Oyster Po'Boy--not a whole lot of oysters, to be honest. I would have liked more of them. 6) Gumbo--nice and hearty 7) Creole shrimp and crab cheesecake--one of my faves! It's a savory cheesecake, very unique! Save the creole sauce from the crawfish fritters (if you get them), because the dipping sauce goes so well with this cheesecake! 8) Blackened chicken pizza--mmm, good pizza! It was funny to receive this and marvel over how much better than looked compared to the basic pizzas that were being served to those getting standard food 9) Peach Cobbler--it was fantastic to see my boyfriend enjoying this. So nice and sweet! 10) Beignets--sweet, with an explosion of powdered sugar everywhere. I looked like a cocaine addict Great America should definitely do more of these food events!

The Taste Of Orleans Festival premiered at California's Great America for the first time this year…read moreand I must say that I was very impressed. This seems to be the new thing with various amusement parks having food and wine festivals and I think it's a great idea because it allows the guests to try different foods and beverages outside of the normal amusement park fare. The festival took place in the Orleans Square section of the park and this are was really brought to life with various New Orleans style decorations, the huge Taste Of Orleans billboard/postcard and of course the zydeco music blasting throughout the area. This festival was held for two week on weekends only from 12-10. They had various creole/cajun food items that were available during this festival such as shrimp po'boys, Muffulettas, beignets, Crawfish Étouffée and so on. You could purchase the items seperately or purchase the tasting card. The tasting card listed 6 items to sample for $25 they included the beignets, creole meatballs, bourbon grilled chicken wings, Crawfish Étouffée, chicken and andouille gumbo and red beans & rice. I tried everything on the tasting card except the red beans & rice and I must say that I was really impressed with the food. The portion size was very generous and 2 people could probably split the tasting card and get full. The bourbon grilled chicken wings were really good they had a sweet and spicy flavor and were cooked to perfection. The creole meatballs came with three huge meatballs that were tender and not overcooked and topped with this unique sweet sauce (probably my favorite item). The crawfish etouffee was very good, it was my first time trying it and I was not disappointed. It was very spicy and full of flavor and served over rice. The gumbo I was skeptical to try because I don't eat gumbo, actually haven't had it in over 10 years but it was pretty good it had nice chunks of chicken and spicy andouille sausage but I wish it was served with rice or at least a piece of french bread. And lastly the beignets, these I was not too impressed with because I felt they were too heavy and tasted too much like a donut. I've had real beignets and while these were a step in the right direction they didn't really make the mark for me. I wanted to try the special bananas foster funnel cake but was too full. They also had a beer & wine tasting room and you could purchase a tasting card for that as well and from what I was told the pourings were very generous as well. Aside from the food there was lots to see and lots of entertainment throughout the area. There were two stages where a couple different bands played the traditional Zydeco music and they were good bands might I add. It really added to the festival and it was nice to see everyone dancing and enjoying themselves. There were about 6-7 artists making chalk art and it was amazing, they endured that heat and messed up concrete to draw this lovely artwork. Then every hour or so there was another band and singer that had the little second line thing going on, they would come from the middle of the park playing music all the way to Orleans Place. All of the staff working the festival had their nice Mardi Gras colors and outfits on, the girls on stilts were a hit with everybody. They would be dancing and throwing beads to the crowds of people while the band played. Then to end the night after the festival they had Cajun themed fireworks, these were by far the best fireworks I've ever seen at Great America although they were a bit on the short side. I see they have taken a page out of Disneyland's book because this was just amazing, when it starts all of the lights go out and the Zydeco music starts playing but the fireworks are timed to the music. They had fireworks and fire shooting from the buildings and everything. They really outdid themselves and I was very impressed. I absolutely loved the festival and was told that it will be back next year but bigger and better and I think it's definitely work checking out!