Peninsula Moves!

By Will Reisman, @WillReisman

Super Bowl Festivities Kick Off This Weekend: The NFL’s biggest game is still 13 days away, but the festivities commemorating Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara will begin this weekend. Super Bowl City, an interactive exhibit located at Justin Herman Plaza, and the NFL Experience, a similar family-friendly attraction at the city’s Moscone Center, will both open their doors to the public on Saturday, starting a week of events and celebrations that also include a Metallica concert at AT&T Park and a Dave Matthews Band show at Pier 70. About 1 million people are expected to visit the region as a result of the game, so Caltrain and other local transit providers will be ramping up their services. Still, regular commuters should be advised that the crowds will start arriving this weekend, and that transit and traffic delays should be expected. Additionally, San Francisco has already implemented a series of street closures around the Super Bowl City and NFL Experience sites, so fan should plan accordingly.

Learn the Secrets of the Six-String in Sebastopol: Guitarists of all ages and levels of experiences are welcome at the 4^th annual Sebastopol Guitar Festival being held this Saturday. The event will feature classes for every level of guitar players, plus concerts from virtuosos like Jim Nichols, Steve Hoyle and Jim Hurst. There will also be hand-crafted guitars on display, plenty of tasty food and drink concoctions, and live performances from guitarists of all disciplines throughout the event, which begins at noon and lasts until 10 p.m. The festival will be held at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, which can be reached by the Sonoma County Transit’s Route 24 bus line.

Get a Taste of Italy in Silicon Valley: Music recitals, movie showings, photo exhibitions, speeches from prominent historians, and, of course, food. All those will be part of the Silicon Valley Italian Festival taking place in Palo Alto on Sunday. From pictures of Sicily from well-known photographer Giuseppe Leone to stirring renditions from the acclaimed pianist Laura Magnani, the event will showcase the rich cultural traditions of Italy. There will also be cooking classes, where families can learn the secrets to crafting a tasty espresso and creating a delicious homemade pizza. The event will take place from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. at the Oshman Jewish Community Center, which can be reached directly by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s Route 22 bus line.