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Roughly 38 percent of Palo Alto residents identify as Asian. Stanford draws students from around the world and the wider Peninsula has deep Mexican, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Greek and Italian communities. The festival calendar reflects all of that. Some of these events are small and local, like a library Lunar New Year party. Others draw tens of thousands, like the Stanford Powwow. Nearly all are free and open to everyone.
This guide walks through the recurring heritage festivals in and near Palo Alto in calendar order, with the latest date we confirmed on an organizer page or in local press. Many have their own detailed guide on this site, linked below. When we checked on November 2, 2026, only the Stanford Powwow had posted its 2027 date.
The year at a glance
| Festival | Latest confirmed date | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Lunar New Year Fair | February 22, 2026 | Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto |
| Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival | April 25 and 26, 2026 | Memorial Park, Cupertino |
| Cinco de Mayo Festival Latino | May 3, 2026 | Bell Street Park, East Palo Alto |
| Stanford Powwow | May 8 to 10, 2026 (next: May 7 to 9, 2027) | Eucalyptus Grove, Stanford |
| Holi at Stanford | May 9, 2026 | Stanford campus |
| Juneteenth | June 19 to 21, 2026 | East Palo Alto; also Los Altos |
| Obon | August 2 and 3, 2025 | Palo Alto Buddhist Temple |
| Belmont Greek Festival | September 5 and 6, 2026 | Church of the Holy Cross, Belmont |
| Fiestas Patrias | September 13, 2026 | Courthouse Square, Redwood City |
| Millbrae Mid-Autumn Festival | September 19 and 20, 2026 | Broadway, Millbrae |
| Festa Italiana | September 19, 2026 | Orange Memorial Park, South San Francisco |
| Diwali mela | October 3, 2026 | Murphy Avenue, Sunnyvale |
Winter and spring
Lunar New Year
Palo Alto's Lunar New Year events are community-sized. In 2026 the city listed a free Lunar New Year Fair at the Mitchell Park Community Center on Sunday, February 22, organized by the Palo Alto Asian American Connection. The library held a family celebration there on January 25. Lunar New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, February 6, the start of the Year of the Goat. Local 2027 dates were not posted in early November. Our Lunar New Year guide covers lion dances around the region and Stanford's own celebration.
Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival
Cupertino's Japanese American community hosts this spring festival at Memorial Park, 21121 Stevens Creek Boulevard. The 42nd edition ran Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free entertainment, food and kids' activities. It is about 10 miles from Palo Alto by Interstate 280. Our Cupertino guide covers the park.
May and June
Cinco de Mayo Festival Latino
East Palo Alto's festival is the closest Cinco de Mayo celebration to Palo Alto. It ran Sunday, May 3, 2026, from noon to 6 p.m. at Bell Street Park, with a parade, live music, food and local groups. El Comité Latino organizes it with city support and it is free. Our Cinco de Mayo guide has more.
Stanford Powwow
This is the largest cultural festival on this list. Held since 1971 in the Eucalyptus Grove across from Stanford Stadium, it fills Mother's Day weekend with dance competitions, drum groups, Native arts vendors and food. The 55th powwow ran May 8 to 10, 2026. The organizers list the 56th for May 7 to 9, 2027. Entry is open to all, but vehicles pay to park. Check the organizers' site for the schedule. Ask before photographing dancers up close and listen to the emcee. Our Stanford Powwow guide covers the etiquette and parking. Powwow weekend also brings Mother's Day crowds, so you may want to compare hotels near Stanford early.
Holi at Stanford
The spring festival of colors comes to campus each year, organized by Asha Stanford. The 2026 celebration was Saturday, May 9. Expect clouds of colored powder, music and dancing. Wear clothes you do not mind ruining. Our Holi guide has details.
Juneteenth
The biggest local celebration is in East Palo Alto, where the city sponsored a full weekend from June 19 to 21, 2026: a Friday jubilee, a Saturday celebration at Bell Street Park and a Sunday gospel program. The 7th annual Los Altos Juneteenth Festival followed on Saturday, June 20. Our Juneteenth guide covers both.
Summer: Obon on Louis Road
The Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, 2751 Louis Road, holds its Obon festival on the first weekend of August, a tradition that goes back to the late 1940s. Obon honors ancestors and loved ones who have died. The festival mixes homemade Japanese food and pastries, taiko drumming and an evening of bon odori, a folk dance done in a circle that anyone can step into. The latest edition we confirmed ran Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 1 to 8 p.m., with programs on Sunday, August 3. The temple had not posted a 2026 recap or 2027 schedule when we checked. Our Obon guide has the full story.
September: four festivals up the Peninsula
Belmont Greek Festival
Labor Day weekend at the Church of the Holy Cross, 900 Alameda de las Pulgas. The 2026 festival ran September 5 and 6 from noon to 10 p.m. with Greek food, a live band, dancing, mythology plays and the Aurora Mandolin Orchestra. Admission was $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and teens and free for children 12 and under.
Fiestas Patrias, Redwood City
Redwood City celebrates Latin American countries and Mexican independence at Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway. The 2026 edition was Sunday, September 13, from 2 to 8 p.m., with Mexican food, live music, ballet folklórico, crafts vendors, a kids' area and a flag ceremony conducted by the Consul General of Mexico. Admission was free. The square is two blocks from Redwood City station.
Millbrae Mid-Autumn Festival
Millbrae marks the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival on the 200 to 400 blocks of Broadway with lion and dragon dancing, artisan booths, food and live entertainment. The 2026 festival ran Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission. Millbrae station is a short walk away.
Festa Italiana, South San Francisco
Italian food, music, dancing and vendors fill Orange Memorial Park, with a bocce tournament, a car show and an exhibit from the Museo Italo Americano. The 2026 festival was Saturday, September 19, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with free admission.
Fall: Diwali and Día de los Muertos
The South Asian Cultural Association of Sunnyvale's Diwali mela takes over 230 South Murphy Avenue with classical and Bollywood dance, Indian crafts and clothing vendors, a kids' zone, henna and food. The 2026 mela was Saturday, October 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., free. In Palo Alto, the library's Festival of Lights at the Mitchell Park Community Center has been held under the city's Celebrating Cultures program since 2017. Our Diwali guide covers both, plus Stanford's student events. Early November brings Día de los Muertos, with library workshops and community altars; see our Día de los Muertos guide.
Good to know
- These are community and religious celebrations as well as public festivals. Follow the lead of organizers and hosts.
- Ask before photographing people in regalia, costume or prayer.
- Many food booths are run by volunteers raising money for the community. Lines move slowly at peak hours.
- Fireworks of every kind are illegal in Palo Alto, including at Diwali and Lunar New Year.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Stanford Powwow in 2027?
The organizers list the 56th Annual Stanford Powwow for May 7 to 9, 2027, in the Eucalyptus Grove on campus, across from Stanford Stadium. That is Mother's Day weekend, as is traditional. The powwow is open to the public. Vehicles pay a parking fee.
When is the Obon festival in Palo Alto?
The Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, 2751 Louis Road, holds its Obon festival on the first weekend of August. The latest edition we confirmed ran August 2 and 3, 2025, with Japanese food, taiko and bon odori dancing that anyone can join. The 2027 schedule had not been posted as of November 2, 2026.
Does Palo Alto celebrate Lunar New Year?
Yes. In 2026 the city listed a free Lunar New Year Fair at the Mitchell Park Community Center on February 22, organized by the Palo Alto Asian American Connection. The library held a family celebration there on January 25. Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
When is Fiestas Patrias in Redwood City?
Redwood City holds Fiestas Patrias at Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway, in mid-September to celebrate Latin American countries and Mexican independence. The 2026 edition was Sunday, September 13, from 2 to 8 p.m., with free admission, Mexican food, ballet folklórico and a flag ceremony led by the Consul General of Mexico.
Where is the biggest Diwali festival near Palo Alto?
The South Asian Cultural Association of Sunnyvale's Diwali mela on Murphy Avenue is one of the largest nearby. The 2026 mela was Saturday, October 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with free entry. Palo Alto's library also holds a Festival of Lights at the Mitchell Park Community Center.