8 Bay Area cultural festivals continue a tapestry of tradition

The Bay Area has long represented a vibrant and ever-evolving mosaic of people, traditions and heritage. From traditional Japanese hanami celebrations to Scottish revelries, the region’s cultural festivals invite locals and visitors alike to step into another world and experience the traditions that shape our communities. Here’s just a sampling of events happening in 2025.

Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

We may associate this country’s historic waves of Irish American immigration with Massachusetts and its New England neighbors. But sunny California is actually home to more Irish Americans — 2.2 million — than any other state, thanks to a Gold Rush-inspired Irish influx. Immigrants Michael Murray and Jeremiah and Eleanor Fallon arrived in 1846, seeking farmland and soon, gold. There’s a Dublin school named after Murray, and Eastern Alameda County was originally named Murray Township.

It’s only fitting that the Bay Area city of Dublin — with a name and rolling green hills that conjure up the Emerald Isle — honor its namesake with a lively parade, Irish dancing, traditional food and an abundance of family-friendly festivities each year on the weekend closest to St. Patrick’s Day. The festival features three stages, with everything from Irish folk bands to Celtic rockers, alongside food stalls serving up corned beef sliders, boxty and other festive fare. As the parade winds through downtown Dublin, it offers a jubilant display of Irish culture and community pride.

Details: The 2025 celebration — Dublin’s 41st — will be held March 15-16; dublinstpats.com.

Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival

This festival, which honors the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to San Francisco’s Japantown, one of just three remaining in the U.S. Nearly a third of the nation’s Japanese American community lives in California, and this celebration, which began in 1968, holds deep cultural significance. It was established in the wake of World War II to preserve Japanese traditions, revitalize the local economy and strengthen cultural ties between Japan and the U.S.

Rooted in the tradition of hanami — viewing flowers in bloom—the event offers a reminder of life’s impermanence. It also showcases the dynamic, modern Japanese-American experience. Visitors can enjoy taiko drumming, koto music and Nihon Buyo dance, explore booths selling bonsai and handmade ceramics, and sample a variety of culinary delights, from sushi and ramen to mochi.

Details: Typically held over two weekends in April; https://www.sfcherryblossom.org/.

Oakland Greek Festival

For three days every spring, the heart of this city beats to the sounds of Greek music, the aromas of grilled lamb and baklava and the rhythms of traditional folk dances. This festival began in May 1972 as Greek Week, a modest gathering that quickly grew into one of Northern California’s largest and oldest Greek festivals.

With more than 100,000 Greek-Americans in California, the sense of community here is palpable. The festival is organized by Ascension Cathedral’s parishioners, many of them first to third-generation Greek Americans. There’s food, music and an artisan marketplace and a chance to see this stunning Greek Orthodox church and its Byzantine architecture.

Details: May 16-18, 2025; oaklandgreekfestival.com

San Jose Dia de Portugal Festival

One of Northern California’s largest and most vibrant cultural celebrations, San Jose’s Dia de Portugal Festival is a festive commemoration of the death of renowned Portuguese poet Luís de Camões in 1580. The festival, held at History San José every June, honors the contributions of the Portuguese-American community while offering a taste of the homeland through delicious food, traditional music and lively folk dances.

Among the festival highlights are performances of hauntingly beautiful fado and a dazzling parade featuring colorful costumes, spirited dancers and majestic Cavalhadas — horseback riders in medieval-inspired garb. The event also offers a unique opportunity to learn about the more than 1.5 million Americans of Portuguese descent, many tracing their roots to the Azores and Madeira Islands.

Details: June 14, 2025; https://diadeportugalca.org/

San Jose Obon Festival

One of the largest Buddhist Obon Festivals in the country turns San Jose’s Japantown
into a festive street party every summer. There’s live music, taiko drumming, games, food stalls, cultural booths and on Saturday evening, a jubilant Bon Odori dance to joy and remem- brance. Last year, the dancing broke festival records with 1,725 dancers and festivalgoers hitting the streets to folk music — “Shi- awase Samba” — by the Chidori Band and San Jose Taiko.

Details: July 13-14, Japantown San Jose, www.sjbetsuin.org/

Scottish Highland Gathering & Games

At least 10 Scottish cultural societies are dotted across the Bay Area and Northern California, including the Caledonian Club of San Francisco, which was founded in 1866, and the St. Andrew’s Society of the East Bay (1878). These benevolent associations celebrate their Caledonian heritage and work to keep their culture, customs and arts alive for the 677,000 Californians who share Scottish ancestry – and the crowds of Scots and non-Scots alike who flock to the incredibly popular Scottish Highland Gathering & Games held in Pleasanton each summer.