Newark Days Celebration comes to life Sept. 17 to 20. This year’s theme, “Adventure is Just a Page Away,” celebrates education.
The city birthday celebration will feature a carnival with 17 rides and midway games, food booths, beer and wine pavilion, arts/crafts and trade booths, kids’ activities, a huge classic car show, community info faire, the Newark Mile 4k Run and the largest hometown parade in the Bay Area. Plus, a variety of entertainment that includes the much-heralded Newark Days Concert Series.
The festival begins on Thursday with $2 per ride carnival preview night, and fun runs full throttle until Sunday night. The beer and wine pavilion opens on Thursday at 5pm, and food booths will be open throughout the celebration.
Saturday is loaded with events, starting with the Car Show at 8am and the Newark Mile at 9am. The parade starts at 10am. Kids’ crafts, arts/crafts and trade show and kids’ activities all begin at 12pm. On Sunday the community info fair and other activities all begin at 12pm.
Newark Days Concert Series
Newark Days attracts high-quality music acts. This year’s lineup begins Friday night with The ILLEAGLES, Northern California’s premier Eagles tribute band. Saturday, the East Bay cover band, the Marshall Law Band performs, followed by the premier South Bay soul group, Touch of Class Band.
Sunday starts early with Fargo Brothers, followed by The Chandeliers All Star Band, and the concert series concludes Sunday night with an original San Francisco psychedelic rock band, Big Brother and the Holding Company.
Todd Tokubo
Courtesy of Newark Days
Additional entertainment includes performances by Newark Symphonic Winds, Wadaiko Newark Taiko Drums, Duo Soie aerial acrobats, Newark Memorial High School Drama Club performing excerpts from Seussical, balloon artist Kenny the Clown, and Sip & Sway performing salsa, Zumba and more. On Thursday night, the Main Stage features an evening of youth singing and dance with local performing arts programs, Alta Performing Arts of Newark and Bellissimo Dance Co. of Niles.
The Newark Days website (newarkdays.org) has more information, including the full schedule, maps and entertainment guide. The Newark Days Celebration and all shows are admission free. The events are located around Newark Community Center Park and MacGregor Playfields near the corner of Newark and Cedar Boulevards.
Free street parking is available along with the parking lot at MacGregor School. There is also ADA parking with limited availability on site. Newark Days is organized by the all-volunteer Newark Days Celebration, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Note: New this year, the Newark Police Department (NPD) has determined that additional security measures are required for the Carnival and Food Booth area. NPD along with their 3rd party security team will require all patrons to access the Carnival and Food Booth area through a single point of entry passing through metal detectors. This does not mean that there will be a charge to enter; however, there may be some delay.
Newark Days
Thursday, Sept. 17 – Sunday, Sept. 20
Newark Blvd. & Cedar Blvd.
newarkdays.org
