Plus, SJSU's Spartan Athletics Center is open.
 
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Today’s Forecast

57º | Mostly sunny | 5% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:22 a.m. | Sunset: 5:06 p.m.

 

🎥 Everything is groovy at the movies

All the glitz and glam of Cinequest 2023

A "Welcome to Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival" sign.
Get ready for 300+ films from Aug. 15-30. | Photo via Cinequest
Shhh... the festival’s about to begin.

Cinequest returns for its 33rd year next week, from Tuesday, Aug. 15, through Wednesday, Aug. 30. Expect a packed lineup of 300+ films — with 84 US and world premieres — festive afterparties, and panels featuring directors from 55 countries.

Now accessible at three theaters: California Theatre, Hammer Theater, and ICON Theatre in Mountain View — learn what Cinequest has in store for us this year.

Get energized

The 2023 Cinequest theme is “Energized.”

“We’ve all gone through the pandemic, and it wasn’t just the health issues,” explained co-founder and CEO Halfdan Hussey. “We’re talking about global politics, wars [...] a lot of people have been drained physically, emotionally. So we’re here to celebrate [...].”

A guy and a girl sit at a movie theater — a picture from "Egghead & Twinkie."

Enjoy the world premiere of “Egghead & Twinkie.”

|

Photo via Cinequest

The lineup

We’ll see the “Energized” theme play out through many of the thoughtfully picked features this year — think: more comedic, thrilling, and inspiring films. While we can’t name all 300 of them, Halfdan has shared a few that he’s looking forward to:
  • Egghead & Twinkie” | Thursday, Aug. 17 + Thursday, Aug. 24 | A girl embarks on a road trip to meet her online crush after coming out to her parents, and her best friend joins her on the rocky ride.
  • Share?” | Saturday, Aug. 19 + Monday, Aug. 21 | This sci-fi thriller follows a man through his discovery of realizing that he’s the main character trapped in a computer network with an unseen audience.
  • East Bay” | Sunday, Aug. 20 + Monday, Aug. 28 | Starring Constance Wu, this comedy explores the pursuit of happiness and success, and whether or not those are the ultimate goals for humans.
  • Tabula Rasa (Kora Kagazz)” | Sunday, Aug. 20 + Saturday, Aug. 26 | Meet: Divya, Vivek, and Sandhya, three individuals whose paths cross under unexpected circumstances and are challenged to fight their personal demons.
Special events + ticket info
 
Events
Friday, Aug. 11
  • Friday Night Market | Friday, Aug. 11 | 4-8:30 p.m. | Empire 7 Studios, 525 N. Seventh St., San Jose | Free | SJ Makers brings back its weekly market featuring art, food, and a ton of makers.
  • Felipe Esparza | Friday, Aug. 11-Sunday, Aug. 13 | Times vary | San Jose Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose | $35-$100 | Along with being on Adult Swim’s “The Eric Andre Show,” and winning “Last Comic Standing” in 2010, this comedian continues to sell out shows across the country.
  • Thanks for Playing! The Game Show Show | Friday, Aug. 11-Sunday, Aug. 13 | Times vary | 3Below Theaters, 288 S. Second St., San Jose | $25-$55 | Transport back to the era of quirky contestants + extravagant prizes from the 1950s-1960s.
Saturday, Aug. 12
  • San José Summer Fair | Saturday, Aug. 12-Sunday, Aug. 13 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Westgate Center, 1600 Saratoga Ave., San Jose | Free | Shop from more than 125 makers + enjoy the Froggy Fest, Tiny Object Marketplace, and Kitty Carnival.
  • Spirit of ’45: Living History Day & Swing Dance | Saturday, Aug. 12 | 2-10 p.m. | History Park, 635 Phelan Ave., San Jose | $5-$190 | Enjoy a six-piece band, victory parade, swing dancing, and more.
  • Donny Osmond | Saturday, Aug. 12 | 8 p.m. | San Jose Civic, 135 W. San Carlos St., San Jose | $65.50-$125.50 | Get ready for the legendary entertainer’s performance of his Mulan hit, “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You,” and an interactive segment.
Sunday, Aug. 13
  • Japantown Certified Farmers Market | Sunday, Aug. 13 | 8 a.m. | 357 E. Taylor St., San Jose | Free | Grab fresh produce + mingle with the community at this weekly summer market.
  • Drag Brunch | Sunday, Aug. 13 | 11 a.m. | 65 Post St., San Jose | Free entry | Get ready for an energetic show, complete with bottomless mimosas + tacos. First come, first served.
  • The 2000s Day Party | Sunday, Aug. 13 | 5-10 p.m. | Fuze Nightclub, 58 S. First St., San Jose | $10 | It’s all throwback vibes at this summer function.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Open
  • The new $70 million SJSU Spartan Athletics Center — connected to the CEFCU stadium — is now open. University officials are looking toward its potential as a “family entertainment zone” that can connect with nearby organizations like Sharks Ice, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, and Kelley Park. Look inside the center. (The Mercury News/ABC 7 News)
Development
  • A Los Altos-based developer is proposing 14 townhome condos at 4146 Mitzi Dr. — the site where the historic 1868 Graves House burned last November. The house could potentially be redevoloped instead of torn down, so the Planning Commission will review the rehabilitation project before passing it to City Council. (San José Spotlight)
Festival
  • Through the end of today, Music in the Park is offering a limited number of BOGO tickets to its CeeLo Green concert on Friday, Aug. 18 . The Limousines + Tony Lindsay will also be featured guests. Use the code “BOGO” to redeem at checkout.
Trivia

Who’s that local?

Guess the San Josean

A graphic with a mystery head and three clues.
Who is this local? | Graphic by SJtoday
We’re back with another mystery person for our trivia series called, “Guess the San Josean,” where we give you 3-4 hints about influential leaders, business owners, artists, and other local movers and shakers in our community.

As a reminder, we’d like to note that the term “San Josean” doesn’t just apply to people born and raised here. Any individual who has made an impact in our beloved city or has contributed to the diverse, amazing spectacle that is the great 408, we consider them a San Josean.

Are you ready? Get set, guess.

Clues:

  • Originally from Orange County, but lived in San Jose since the late 1970s
  • Became a professional skateboarder who toured the US three times from the late 1980s to the early 1990s
  • Was a stunt double for Eric Stoltz playing “Marty McFly” (before Michael J. Fox was cast) in “Back to the Future”
Think you got it? Make your guess down below — if your answer is correct, you could get a shout out in a future newsletter.
Name the local
Shoutout
Happy birthday, SJtoday member Meg Hoornaert. We hope your special day (August 14) is filled with all of your favorite things in San Jose! — SJtoday team
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The Wrap
 
Alyson Chuyang headshot

Today’s edition by:
Alyson

From the editor
Happy Friday y’all — who’s planning on hitting San Jose Jazz’s Summer Fest this weekend? I’m really excited to see Big Daddy Kane who’s performing at 9:30 p.m. tonight at the Sobrato Organization Main Stage. I recommend giving his NPR Tiny Desk Concert a listen beforehand.
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