Bob Pryor is back with the Major Timesaver guide to weekend events and traffic. Get the guide sent to your phone each Friday by downloading the RADIO.COM app and making KCBS Radio a "favorite" station.
It's shaping up to be another busy weekend. There are county fairs in Santa Clara and Sonoma, the enormous Fremont Festival of the Arts and the Nihonmachi Street Fair in San Francisco. There will even be world-class dog surfing in Pacifica.
There are a couple of meaningful changes to mass transit this weekend as well. BART and the VTA have announced delays while ferry service to Richmond is expanding.
BART:Sun, Aug 4, starting at 8am: Due to electrical upgrade work in Downtown San Francisco, BART will be single-tracking trains between the Embarcadero and 24th Street/Mission stations, resulting in 15-20 minute delays between 8am and 6:30pm. Frm 6:30pm to 8pm, the delays increase to 20 to 30 minutes.
- Pro tip: During this single tracking BART, will only have one platform open at Montgomery, Powell, Civic Center, and 16th Street stations.
SOUTH BAY:
Sat, Aug 3 and Sun, Aug 4, all day: Due to ongoing light rail rehabilitation work this weekend, VTA will operate bus bridges on the Blue Line (901) and Green Line (902) in both directions between the Karina and Civic Center stations. The VTA says light rail passengers should allow for additional travel time.
- Pro tip: For a customized trip plan, passengers can contact VTA Customer Service at (408) 321-2300 or email customer.service@vta.org.
Fri, Aug 2 (11am-11pm); Sat, Aug 3 (11am-11pm); Sun, Aug 4 (11am-10pm):
The 75th Annual Santa Clara County Fair takes place at the County Fairgrounds in San Jose on at 344 Tully Road. Carnival rides, fair exhibits, shopping, on-stage entertainment and concerts, fair food, Kids Zone, etc. Fair ends Sunday.
- Pro tip: The Fair offers $10 per vehicle public parking in Lot A (just off Tully Road near the main entrance) and Lot F (just off Umbarger Road). VTA bus lines 26, 66, and 68 serve the Fair area.
- Areas and roadways affected: Likely extra traffic on Tully Road and Monterey Highway near the Fairgrounds.
EAST BAY:
Sat, Aug 3 and Sun, Aug 4 from 10am-6pm: The Fremont Festival of the Arts takes place in downtown Fremont on Paseo Padre Parkway, Walnut Avenue and Liberty Street. Two stages of live music, 500+ art and craft booths, Gourmet Marketplace, Business Marketplace, street performers, Kid City with rides, games, and kid-friendly live performers.
- Pro tip: Before you go, be sure and visit the Festival's "Directions" page, which includes information on where to park, as well as public transit options and a zoom-able overhead map of the Festival area. From the Fremont BART station, it's a 15-minute walk to the Festival. AC Transit lines 99, 212, 239, 251, 801, and U will be detoured from 2pm on Friday through 1:00am on Monday.
- Areas and roadways affected: With the streets listed above closed, there's likely to be congestion on other major streets downtown, including Fremont Blvd and Mowry Avenue.
Sat, Aug 3 thru Mon, Nov 3: On Saturday, San Francisco Bay Ferry launches a summer weekend service trial between Richmond and the San Francisco Ferry Terminal. The trial service will run on weekends throughout the months of August, September and October and the first weekend of November. The schedule and a link to fare information are here, including discounts available for youth, senior, and disabled passengers.
- Pro tip: Go here for additional info on Richmond Ferry parking, transit connections, etc.
PENINSULA:
Sat, Aug 3 from 9am-2pm: Pacifica: World Dog Surfing Championships take place at Linda Mar Beach. It also includes a thrown-disc competition, ball-in-water fetch competition, fashion/costume competition, and pet wellness fair. and a Surf Dog Village.
- Pro tip: SamTrans bus lines 110 and 112 serve the area near the beach and there is fee-paid parking available in the lot on Highway 1 just north of Linda Mar Blvd. General Linda Mar Beach parking information is here.
SAN FRANCISCO:
Sat, Aug 3 and Sun Aug 4 from 11am-6pm: San Francisco's Japantown holds the annual Nihonmachi Street Fair on Post Street between Laguna and Fillmore Streets and on Webster Street between Geary Blvd and Sutter Street. There will be Japanese dance, Hawaiian music and dance, Pacific Islander performances, Children's World, Food Fest, a car show, etc.
- Pro tip: Garaged parking is certainly available in the Japantown/Fillmore area, but it's about as pricey as you'd expect. Muni's 38 line from Montgomery BART will get you to the Fair area and back.
NORTH BAY/SOLANO:
Ongoing thru Sun, Aug 11, daily from 11am-9pm (exhibit buildings open till 10pm):
Sonoma County Fair continues at the County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. There will be carnival rides and games, livestock exhibitions, live bands, community theater, contests and competitions, fair food and nightly concerts.
- Pro tip: Before going, you'll want to visit the Fairgrounds' Directions and Parking page. There's even an RV Park for those so transportationally equipped and inclined.
- Areas and roadways affected: Extra traffic on Bennett Valley Road and on the Hwy-12 ramps to Downtown Santa Rosa.
