We reviewed 550+ Bay Area event sources to pick the 28 best free things to do in San Jose, CA between August 15 and August 21. Updated daily.
to see a personalized list by location, interest, and age group.
K-Pop Dance Class (Santa Teresa, Community Room, San Jose)
VietSteps leads a beginner‑friendly K‑Pop dance class where participants learn popular moves together. Saturday, August 15, 11 am–12 pm. Free. All ages; no registration required.
Little House on the Prairie Screening (Mt. Pleasant, San Jose)
A family matinee showing the season‑2 premiere of Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie, following the Ingalls family’s frontier adventure. Saturday, August 15, 12:30–1:30 pm. Free. All ages; seating is first‑come.
Super Simple Science: The Magic of Magnets (Berryessa, Community Room, San Jose)
Kids explore magnet properties through four hands‑on stations, including a treasure hunt and paper‑car race. Saturday, August 15, 2–3:30 pm. Free. Ages 5‑12; supplies provided while they last.
Bay Area Comics and Comix Exhibition (King Library, San Jose)
The California Room’s exhibit traces comic history from the 1840s to the 1960s with original books and artifacts. Sunday, August 16 – Saturday, August 22. Free. All ages; open during library hours.
AI Waste Classification Workshop (West Valley, Community Room, San Jose)
Teens design and test a simple AI model that sorts items into compost, recycling or trash using Google’s Teachable Machine. Sunday, August 16, 1–2 pm. Free. Ages 10‑12 and up; no registration required.
Summerween Crafts and Fun! (Mt. Pleasant, San Jose)
A themed craft hour with a spooky scavenger hunt, witch‑hat ring toss, a Jack‑o‑melon, and a Summerween storytime. Monday, August 17, 10–11 am. Free. Ages 0‑10; bring a snack.
Little Explorers Petting Zoo (Berryessa, Outside Grass Area, San Jose)
Berryessa Library hosts a petting zoo with rabbits, chickens, ducks, a pig, alpacas, goats and sheep for hands‑on animal care. Saturday, August 22, 10 am–12 pm. Free. All ages; first‑come, first‑served; outdoor area.
Sunday, August 16
Students will use Google's Teachable Machine to train and test an artificial intelligence (AI) model to identify items as compost, recycling, or trash, demonstrating how AI can be used to promote sustainability but may also make mistakes. This workshop is presented by a teen volunteer with project-based experience appl…
Join us for our monthly STEM Workshop presented by teen volunteers in Girls Empowered in Math and Science (GEMS)! This one-hour workshop includes a brief presentation explaining the concepts involved in the activities. Each month has a different theme! Free. No registration required. Recommended for elementary school s…
Let's build! How do we build it? How tall can we build it? How well-balanced can we make it? Test your engineering skills and build a Marble Run structure. You can race your friends to see whose marble can make it through the course the fastest. You can also engineer awesome structures with our Picasso Tiles. Build cus…
Queer joy shall abound at the Queer Readers’ Café! The Queer Readers' Cafe is sort of like a silent book club, but chatter is OK. Unlike a typical book club, participants can read whatever they want! We’ll create an LGBTQ+ friendly space in our community room for folks to gather, read, and discuss what they’re reading.…
Monday, August 17
Join us for some not-too-spooky Summerween Crafts and educational STEM Fun! Go on a Spooky Scavenger Hunt! Try our Witch Hat Ring Toss! Float a Parachuting Ghost! Experience our Creepy Crawly Sensory bins! Pin the Tail on a Zombie! Make a Jack-o'-melon! What is Summerween? A playful, summer-themed version of Halloween…
Join us for artsy fun as we learn about different artists and art styles that have made a major impact on creative thinking in our world. This month’s artist will be Faith Ringgold and her painted story quilts made popular by her beloved picture books. Walk-ins are welcome! ADA Accommodation Requests
Join us every Monday for arts and crafts at the library! Each week will feature a different activity that focuses on building creativity, social-emotional, and school readiness skills through art. All supplies will be provided! ADA Accommodation Requests
Rescue Readers is a one-hour program for all readers, where participants read to the animals at the SJ Animal Care Adoption Center. Readers provide soothing company to dogs, cats, and critters as they await adoption. As a bonus, new readers gain confidence and improve their reading skills. Registration is Required. ADA…
Tuesday, August 18
Join us every Thursday and experience the digital world like never before in our Virtual Reality program. Learn how to use our virtual reality equipment, try a virtual reality experience for the first time, and then come back again to try one of our more immersive experiences, games, and puzzles. For teens ages 12 and…
Drop in on Tuesday afternoons in at 4:30 p.m. for a new STEaM adventure every week. Active engagement with STEaM promotes academic success. Topic list is subject to change, please check back or call the branch for up-to-date details. Suggested ages vary, please refer to individual program descriptions. Free, with limit…
Children ages 8-14 are invited to this fun, in-person introduction to stop motion animation. Participants will use the Stop Motion Studio app to make simple stop motion animations using paper. Participants will have an opportunity to showcase their work at the end of the session . iPad devices will be provided to all p…
There's Still Time to Apply for Financial Aid! Haven't completed your FAFSA or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) yet? You can still meet the September 2 financial aid deadline! Financial aid is still available for students planning to attend a California Community College, or eligible career and technical educat…
Wednesday, August 19
The California Room’s exhibit “Bay Area Comics and Comix” presents the history of American comic books, highlighting the participation of the San Francisco Bay Area. The exhibit displays comic books and materials illustrating our journey from 1842’s The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck to the arrival of the modern comic b…
Help us maintain the River Park's Historic Orchard including: tree planting and pruning, disease diagnosis and treatment, sun scald prevention painting, sheet mulching, experimenting with different types of irrigation or ground cover, grafting for improved pollination.
Science Heroes will lead participants in 6 fun and exciting science experiments, with audience volunteers as helpers! Each experiment is introduced by a short, engaging story that helps to relate the science concept we're exploring to everyday life. Kids get involved in the story by adding movement and sound effects at…
Do you want to lead a program at the library? Do you have a passion for science or math, or coding skills you would like to share? Come to our Teen Program Incubator for feedback on how to turn your ideas into an engaging program. Participants will both give and receive feedback and mentorship from other teens and from…
Thursday, August 20
Want to get something printed on our 3D printer? Participants can choose a design from Thingiverse , or provide their own design. Designs must be in an .stl file format and able to be emailed. We estimate that 3D prints will be ready for pickup within 7 days of submission. Designs are considered printable if able to lo…
Discover the exciting world of robotics through hands-on learning and creative problem-solving. Can a robot find its way out of a maze? How does a robot “see” obstacles and make decisions? In this interactive workshop, students will program robot cars to complete engaging challenges while exploring coding, sensors, eng…
Dive into watercolor with a colorful school of fish! Learn simple painting techniques from local artist Kristina Eng while exploring bright palettes, playful patterns, and flowing shapes in this relaxing, beginner-friendly workshop. No experience necessary. All supplies provided. No drawing skills required. No experien…
Third Thursdays is a monthly Poetry program in partnership with Poetry Center San José and hosted by local poet Mighty Mike McGee! This month - POETRY CENTER SAN JOSE PRESENTS: Our Feature: Kurn Sundaram, 2025-26 Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate! Kurn Sundaram is a performance poet based in Northern California an…
Friday, August 21
Join Boswick the Clown, a former circus clown, for his fun and entertaining reading circus. Go on an imaginary journey to the Reading Circus where children get to perform all the things they might find in books about the circus. Expect to learn and have some great laughs. Free. No registration required. ADA Accommodati…
Get crafty and relax at a jewelry-making night just for adults.. Supplies will be available to create whatever you like. Make something for yourself or a gift for a friend. Better yet, bring a friend! Not sure where to start? We’ll have project ideas and examples to help you get inspired. Come be creative, unwind, and…
Join us for a Dungeons & Dragons session that will be built around the magical world of Mathema, where math problems are as numerous as the creatures you will encounter in this interactive and immersive adventure that will help young patrons practice math. Each session will cover different grade-level math concepts. Du…
In partnership with Poetry Center San Jose, this free creative poetry workshop for youth will be facilitated by local poet Mighty Mike McGee as a part of the 2026 San Jose Poetry Festival! Mighty Mike McGee is a well-traveled poet and humorist from San José, California. He is the first and only spoken word performer to…
Saturday, August 22
You applied for a job and received a call back for an interview. Congratulations! Do you want help preparing for the interview? Meet one-on-one with Daniel, an experienced job interview coach to help you prepare by giving feedback on your resume and conducting a mock interview. Sessions are one hour in length. Be prepa…
Learn the basic design in Tinkercad and see your creation come to life with our 3D printer! Participants will have the opportunity to create a project that will be printed out for pickup later. Recommended ages for 8+ and older. Parents must supervise children under 8 and younger. Reminder: LIMITED LAPTOPS FOR 8 PARTIC…
Hosted by the Berryessa Branch Library. Here’s a chance for you to get up close and personal with farm animals such as rabbits, chickens, ducks, a pig, alpacas, goats, and sheep! You’ll get to pet and groom them. Afterward, browse through our library’s collection of books to learn even more about them. The Petting Zoo…
Free in-person meditation and yoga session. Simple standing or chair-based stretches (no mats required). Practice is designed to improve focus, emotional balance, and inner calm. Presented by Dhyan Foundation, dedicated to promoting physical, mental and spiritual well-being through authentic yogic practices and communi…