Music in the Park -- A Eulogy to a San Jose Tradition

De-Bug In The Park from DE BUG on Vimeo.

For the past 13 Thursdays, Silicon Valley De-Bug and The Downtown Association have partnered up to provide fun, friendly activities at the back of Music in the Park. The collaboration began as it became apparent that the event attracted younger crowds that might not be there for the music, but more for the cultural atmosphere that it provides, not to mention that it is free and you can count on it being there every Thursday in the summer. As we wrapped up the 13th Music in the Park a wave of sadness hit me, not only because the season had ended, but also that it may never come back. News reports site that after criticisms from the San Jose Police Department and other sources, the Downtown Association may be closing Music in the Park for good.

Week after week a crew of about 10 of us De-Buggers would load up our cars and trucks with screen-printing equipment, t-shirts, dryers, linoleum dance floor, speakers, jump ropes and the occasional hula-hoop. And week after week we met good people that showed us a different side of Music in the Park. From mothers to young kids, all came to the park to have a good time. Whether they saw their “Music in the Park” T-Shirt being printed in front of them, or the lil’ one jumped on the dance floor and showed the crowed how to boogie - the energy at the park was a good one.

We had the chance to hear all the wonderful comments people had to say about the bands and the fact that SJ still had this tradition going on for so long. We printed over 300 shirts this summer at the park, we painted live at the park, we made live music at the park, and we watched the youth of SJ express themselves in positive, productive ways.

Of course you had people smoking cannabis around the park, but is it really that surprising with the 100 plus dispensaries located in San Jose? A few fights happened, got broken up, and the night goes on. For 22 years San Jose has had music filled summers, even though something bigger and better is sure to come, SJ won't be the same without its summer music festival.