Nah, just kidding. If you know us, you know we’re here for the deep cuts — and there are plenty of interesting factoids to go around. Test your local knowledge with these 25 interesting facts.
Civic
San Jose has eight sister cities: Dublin, Ireland; Guadalajara, Mexico; Okayama, Japan; San José, Costa Rica; Pune, India; Tainan, Taiwan; Veracruz, Mexico; and Yekaterinburg, Russia.
The San Jose Flea Market is mentioned in the New York Times bestselling novel “The Kite Runner.” (Spoiler: it’s where Amir meets his future wife.) The author, Khaled Hosseini, attended Independence High School.
Statistics
In 2025, SJ ranked No. 2 among the Happiest Cities in the US, according to WalletHub. The rankings used metrics like income-growth rate, depression rate, and average leisure time spent daily.
Visalia Rawhide vs. San Jose Giants | Thursday, Aug. 7-Sunday, Aug. 10 | Times vary | Excite Ballpark | $18+ | Series highlights await — catch the Pride Night bucket hat giveaway on Friday, Aug. 8 and “Harry Potter” Night on Saturday, Aug. 9, where fans can bid on themed jerseys.
Saratoga Nights | Historic Saratoga Village | Free | This monthly community event features live music under the stars, wine + beer tents, and a chance to support Saratoga’s small businesses.
Friday, Aug. 8
Music in the Square Summer Series | 6-8 p.m. | Evergreen Village Square | Free | It’s “Los Amigos” night at this music-filled community shindig under the stars.
Anuel AA | 7 p.m. | SAP Center | $65+ | The Puerto Rican rapper and Latin trap artist performs his “Real Hasta la Muerte 2 Tour,” one of many big concerts coming to San Jose.
Nimesh Patel | Friday, Aug. 8-Saturday, Aug. 9 | Times vary | San Jose Improv | $50 | This comedian was the first Indian American writer for “Saturday Night Live” — catch him live from SJ on Friday and Saturday night.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes | 7:30 p.m. | PayPal Park | $25+ | It’s Portuguese Heritage Night at the park — browse Portuguese food trucks and catch Portuguese-American MLB alum Jonny Gomes firing the pre-game siren.
Sunday, Aug. 10
The Plex Athletic Club Youth Triathlon 2025 | 8-11:30 a.m. | The Plex | $65 | This one’s for the kiddos ages 4-13 — get them moving with swimming, biking, and running followed by a post-race raffle, vendors, and family fun.
Salvadoran Day Festival | 1-8 p.m. | History Park | $30+ | Celebrate Salvadoran culture with live performances from Proyecto Uno, Los Red de El Salvador, Sonora Karnaval, and Gerardo Parker.
Tuesday, Aug. 12
“The Farthest: Voyager In Space” | 7:30 p.m. | 3 Below Theaters and Lounge | $16 | Embark on a documentary screening that chronicles Voyager’s epic mission beyond our solar system, followed by an expert-led discussion.
Whether you prefer to DIY or enlist help from a pro, making home improvements can have a big impact on your property’s value. | Photo via Pexels
Whether you’re thinking of selling your home in the next few years or further down the road, there are plenty of home improvement projects you might consider to increase its value, like:
Updating the kitchen. Think: adding an island or energy-efficient appliances.
Remodeling the bathroom. (Psst, we’re all about terrazzo right now.)
Amplifying your curb appeal. From repainting the front door to sprucing up your landscaping, a first impression goes a long way.
In an effort to revitalize Columbus Park, the city will begin clearing an encampment at the park on Monday, Aug. 18. Local leaders plan to upgrade the park with soccer fields and courts for pickleball, basketball, and futsal. Catch up on the topic. (The Mercury News)
Concert
Road trip, anyone? Grammy Award-winning rapper Doechii will bring her “Live from the Swamp Tour” to San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on Friday, Nov. 7 — one of only two stops in California. Ticket presales begin today and general public tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 11. (The Mercury News)
Ranked
August is National Sandwich Month, and according to Yelp, a San Jose spot is among the top 100 sandwich shops in the US. With a menu featuring Vietnamese sandwiches packed with soy protein and all kinds of veggies, Aina’s Vegan Bánh Mi ranked No. 20 on the stacked list.
Today Is
The first day of school for ~25,000 students at San Jose Unified School District. If your kiddos have the back-to-school blues (understandable, really), plan to do something fun with them this weekend around our city — here are some ideas.
Edu
The Alum Rock Union Elementary School District fired superintendent German Cerda and named assistant superintendent Sandra Garcia as acting superintendent. The budget-strapped district — which recently shuttered six of its schools — will start the new school year on Wednesday, Aug. 13. (NBC Bay Area)
Seasonal
Christmas in the Park is several months away, but preparations are underway for SJ’s beloved holiday event. Locals, companies, and sponsors can now reserve a tree to decorate in the Enchanted Forest. Sign-ups are also now open for performers hoping to shine on the Jingle Bell Stage.
Plan Ahead
The United Lowrider Council of San Jose is accepting local vendor applications for San Jose Lowrider Day coming to Santa Clara Street on Saturday, Aug. 30. Small businesses and food trucks can submit applications through Monday, Aug. 25, or until all spots are filled.
Theater
Local theater company More Más Marami Arts will debut “Sanctuary City” at San Jose Stage today. The production about “immigration, identity, belonging, and love” will run for eight shows on select dates through Sunday, Aug. 17.
Try This
Have you heard? There is a brand-new, free-to-try 3D design demo available at Lowe’s — and we got our hands on a headset. See our reel from the virtual experience.*
Job
Are you the one we’re looking for? We’re on the hunt for a sales-driven leader to help us land significant brand partnerships at a national scale as a Sales Executive. From a competitive benefits package to 401k matching, we’re a pretty amazing company to work for. Join our team and apply today.
Finance
Have a variable monthly income? This freelancing couple found a creative way to pay down debt (and make the home improvements they’d been dreaming about). See how.*
Since we’re talking local trivia and all, do you remember this local Sanrio store? In 1976, Sanrio debuted this Gift Gate shop — the company’s first location in the US — at Eastridge Center. Ah, we can just see the cute stationary sets now…
Pro tip: If this pic made you nostalgic for Hello Kitty everything, you might need to drop by the new Hello Kitty Cafe at Westfield Valley Fair for afternoon tea service + Sanrio merch.
A great maxi wrap dress that can see you through the transition from summer into fall. Choose your favorite print or floral and enjoy the airy, comfortable feel and flattering ruffle hem.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
I’ve been loving the stories + photos swirling online from last weekend’s historic Dead & Company concerts at Golden Gate Park. About 180,000 Deadheads showed up to the three-day event at the same venue where the Grateful Dead performed in 1967. The first night included a cameo by the late great Jerry Garcia’s daughter, Trixie Garcia, on what would’ve been her dad’s 83rd birthday.
Did you make the trek to the shows? Let us know and send us your photos — we may use them in an upcoming newsletter.
^This content was created by our Client Success Team. Let’s work together — explore affordable advertising options at advertise.6amcity.com.
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