“Music washes away
from the soul the dust
of everyday life.” 
Berthold Auerbach

The City of Campbell, California is alive and well. Tucked away in a cozy corner of the Santa Clara Valley, it provides a respite from the hectic pace of what is now commonly referred to as Silicon Valley. Once known for its countless acres of orchards, Campbell is now a thriving community of homes, parks, and business which maintains its small town charm.

Downtown Campbell offers several blocks of excellent restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, small businesses, and my favorite ice cream shop in the South Bay — the Campbell Creamery. Evenings in downtown Campbell often include live performances by a number of local musical artists. 

This weekend, downtown Campbell is the site of the 2024 Boogie Music Festival. I spent a few hours there yesterday enjoying the sights and sounds of the annual event. I especially enjoyed the music of Wandering Acoustics, a local band that performs in downtown Campbell and around the South Bay quite often. I’ll be back at the festival this morning as a volunteer, assisting with ticket sales for those of legal drinking age who would like to enjoy beer or wine throughout the day. 

Theatrical producer David Binder had this to say about community festivals: “Festivals promote diversity, they bring neighbors into dialogue, they increase creativity, they offer opportunities for civic pride, they improve our general psychological well-being. In short, they make cities better places to live.”

The City of Campbell’s annual Boogie Music Festival accomplishes all these things. A quick look around during the event reveals that it is a multi-generational, multi-cultural activity which features dozens of vendor booths with artists of all types selling their goods. On several occasions yesterday, I found myself engaged in pleasant conversations with others who were there to enjoy the festivities of the day. This two-day event is, without a doubt, a tremendous source of civic pride. As for improving one’s psychological well-being,… well, the festival offers music representing a variety of genres, as well as food reflective of the diversity of the community. Oh, and as I’ve mentioned, downtown Campbell is home to the Campbell Creamery.

Food, music, and ice cream. What more is needed for an ideal spring weekend gathering?