The primary new digital billboard is lastly stay in downtown San Jose in entrance of the Heart for the Performing Arts. And — relying who you ask — that both means the long run has arrived or it’s the top of the world as we all know it.
One factor is for certain, the curved digital signal on the nook of Almaden Boulevard and Park Avenue is massive, daring and certain to fire up controversy now that it’s not an summary notion. A second billboard is below development on the San Carlos Road/Park Avenue nook of the theater venue.
A digital billboard put in on the nook of Park Avenue and Almaden Boulevard in downtown San Jose advertises a brand new present on the San Jose Institute of Up to date Artwork on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Space Information Group)
Again in February, town council permitted leasing these digital billboards to Orange Barrel Media in addition to others on the McEnery Conference Heart and parking garages at Market and San Pedro road and Second and San Carlos streets. That was regardless of years of vocal opposition from a grassroots group, No Digital Billboards in San Jose, which argued in opposition to them on a number of grounds together with that they might create mild air pollution, disrupt town’s historic character and be dangerous for native enterprise by promoting nationwide manufacturers. There additionally was worry that after the door was opened, town would see no motive to not put digital billboards elsewhere.
Proponents usually stood behind two arguments: the potential for eradicating different billboards elsewhere within the metropolis and boosting downtown’s vibrancy with slightly little bit of flash. There’s additionally about $21 million headed to metropolis coffers over 20 years within the deal.
We’ll have to attend and see if both facet proves to be appropriate. For now, the one advertisements working on the billboard are for downtown arts teams like Broadway San Jose, ICA San Jose and MACLA, plus the San Jose 2026 brand and an advert for Orange Barrel Media. My guess is that some individuals will complain, some downtown guests — particularly these right here for the Tremendous Bowl or World Cup video games subsequent yr — could also be impressed, however the billboards will ultimately fade into the background of downtown life.
You’d be shocked how simply that occurs. Take a few true blighted eyesores just like the First Church of Christ Scientist and the burned-out Lawrence Lodge constructing on San Fernando Road. I do know some individuals are preventing laborious to get these properties in form, however I’d guess most common downtown denizens don’t even discover them anymore — and out-of-town guests are in all probability horrified.
HAPPY HAUNTING: When you haven’t heard, the Bernal Scream is again this yr on the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds’ Gateway Corridor. The favored haunted home began in 2013 as a yard Halloween attraction created by father-son duo Abel and Mike Barrera. Abel Barrera died in 2016, however Mike and his adopted brother, Chris Gaspar, introduced it again in 2023.
The Bernal Scream opened on the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds with a ceremony Sept. 19, 2025. From left: Santa Clara County Supervisor Betty Duong, Bernal Scream Proprietor Mike Barrera, Bernal Scream Govt Director of Operations Chris Gaspar, Santa Clara COunty Fairgrounds Administration Corp. Govt Director Salene Duarte; and HomeFirst CEO Rene Ramirez. (Picture courtesy PRx Digital)
This yr’s occasion, which runs by means of Nov. 2, will even provide you with a great scare for a great trigger. Scream Proud, the Bernal Scream’s philanthropic arm, partnered with HomeFirst to offer housewarming kits for homeless individuals from the Columbus Park encampment who moved into shelters. Scream Proud is also internet hosting a clothes drive for HomeFirst purchasers all through the run on the Fairgrounds.
Get ticket and schedule data at www.thebernalscream.com.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: You don’t have to fret about billboards at Martial Cottle Park in South San Jose, which stays one of many final farm-like remnants of the Valley of Coronary heart’s Delight. The ninth annual Fall Competition is ready for Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 5283 Snell Ave. It’ll have a vendor market, arts and crafts cubicles, agricultural workshops, stay music, historic vehicles, a pumpkin patch and a pop-up petting zoo.
When Walter Cottle Lester, who would have turned 100 this yr, donated the remaining 287 acres of the household ranch to the state and Santa Clara County, he insisted it not be developed and would as an alternative stay a working farm that might educate individuals in regards to the valley’s wealthy agricultural heritage.
Whereas we’re speaking autumn agriculture, the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy has its twenty ninth annual Pumpkins within the Park occasion happening Saturday at Discovery Meadow in downtown San Jose. There’ll be stay performances, meals vehicles, vendor cubicles and plenty of pumpkins on the fest, which runs from 10 a.m. to three:30 p.m.
