San Jose water park CaliBunga announces opening date
There’s good news on the horizon for South Bay residents looking to beat the heat this summer: CaliBunga — that’s the new name of what used to be called Raging Waters — will open at Lake Cunningham Park in San Jose on June 29.
The reimagined park includes plenty of new or revamped features from the easy-for-kids Pirates Cove and Wacky Water Works to the more thrilling Dragon’s Den and Serpentine Slides and the intense Barracuda Blaster and Shotgun Falls.
Of course, parents might be just happy to laze about in the Endless River or hang out at a private cabana while the kids have their fun. There are plenty of spots to grab a bite or a sweet treat, and there’s the new Board Head Bar, offering beer, wine and snacks.
Tickets are $59.99 at the gate for most people, with $10 discounts for kids 3-9 and seniors 55 and up — as well as discounts if you buy tickets online in advance. But if you plan to hit the slides more than once, a season pass — $64.99 to $99.99 depending on the perks included — might be the way to go. Grab your towel and head over to www.calibunga.com.
SUMMER SOUNDS: Whether you’re looking to create your own music or just listen to some, you should find a lot of options available for Make Music Day San Jose on June 21.
Some of the top venues include FoxTale Fermentation Project on East Santa Clara Street, which will have musicians playing a variety of genres every half-hour starting at 6 p.m.; the Mexican Heritage Plaza, which will have mariachi, hip hop and more starting at 4 p.m.; and the San Jose Museum of Art, which will have a lineup of jazz and R&B, Afrobeat, folk and world music starting at 1 p.m.
There are more than 60 musicians taking part at two dozen venues participating around the city. You can get the full lineup at makemusicday.org/sanjose.
CULTURAL CELEBRATION: If you’re in the mood for a good music and food crossover, MACLA and San Jose Jazz are collaborating on the first Dia de San Juan Salsa Fest on Friday at Parque de los Pobladores at South First and William streets.
The vibrant celebration of all things Puerto Rico will include live salsa music from the Latin Rhythm Boys, Orchestra Taino and La Mixta Criolla, along with dance lessons and food trucks. Admission is free, and you can get more information at sanjosejazz.org/events/dia-de-san-juan.
SANDWICH FIX: I’ve been spending my days this month at San Jose State University, where I’m helping with the Mosaic Journalism program, a three-week workshop that pairs professionals with budding high school journalists. It’s usually a learning experience for me, but I was surprised that one of the things I learned being around campus is that the Togo’s on Paseo de San Antonio had closed recently.
With the previous loss of the Togo’s at San Pedro Square, that means the sandwich shop no longer has a presence in downtown San Jose — where it had its origins back in 1971 near SJSU on William Street. More troubling is that the Paseo de San Antonio shop included an old sign, menus and other artifacts from that original location after it had closed. Hopefully, all that historic material is in a safe place somewhere.