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This spring, construction has started on a slew of park upgrades in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
With temperatures warming, there are also outdoor events featuring music, food and arts-centric activities across the Peninsula, including the first annual CakeGame in Burlingame.
Find out more in The Six Fifty’s spring outdoor news roundup below.
Outdoor events
Earth Month festivities
Outdoor festivities in celebration of Earth Month are planned throughout April on the Peninsula. Upcoming events include Mountain View’s Earth Day Festival April 18, Belmont’s Earth Day event April 18 and Palo Alto’s Earth Day Festival April 19.
For more information, visit tinyurl.com/siliconvalleyearthmonth.
Art in the Park, Redwood City and Menlo Park
San Mateo County Parks will host Art in the Park in Friendship Park in Redwood City on April 17 from 3-4 p.m., and on May 15 and June 12 from 3-4 p.m. in Flood Park in Menlo Park.
The free events will include bilingual storytime and art activities.
Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail dedication
San Mateo County Parks will host a public dedication of the Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail at Crystal Springs Dam April 24 at 9 a.m.
The event will include remarks from San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller and state Sen. Josh Becker, followed by the unveiling of new interpretive panels and a stone monument, according to a press release.
Content for the interpretive materials was developed in collaboration with representatives of the Ramaytush Ohlone tribe, and additional interpretive and trail improvements are planned over time.
The Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail project, which dates back to the mid-2010s, is a county-led initiative to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Portolá expedition while also recognizing the Ohlone people’s long-standing presence. The concept envisions a 90-mile interpretive trail following historic Indigenous routes and expedition camps throughout the Peninsula.
Limited on-street parking is available for the dedication event at Crystal Springs Dam, 950 Skyline Blvd., San Mateo.
SpringFest 2026, El Granada
San Mateo County will host SpringFest 2026 April 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with crafts, face painting and performances from Sterling Bubbles and saxophone ensemble fun’SQ.
The event will include the Sage Bakehouse food truck and community resource booths.
CakeGame, Burlingame
The city of Burlingame is hosting CakeGame, a cake exchange, on May 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants should bring their favorite cake and prepare to try sweet slices while mingling with neighbors.
Admission is $15 for residents and $18 for nonresidents.
The event is nut-free and takes place in Washington Park. If it rains, the event will be moved indoors to the community center.
Music at Filoli, Woodside
Filoli in Woodside will host “In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild tours the American West” on May 18 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $60 for members and $75 for nonmembers.
Park and playground improvements
Coyote Point playground, San Mateo
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted March 24 to finance a $3.8 million project to replace the Magic Mountain playground at Coyote Point in San Mateo. Built in 2006, the playground no longer meets current accessibility and safety standards.
Construction is slated to begin in early June, according to an email from a county spokesperson. The county expects to complete the renovation by the end of the year, according to a press release.
The county plans to install additional recreational features, including a temporary pump track, during the closure. Numerous features, including the purple sea creatures, will be incorporated into the new design.
Hoover Park renovation, Redwood City
On March 16, Redwood City officials celebrated the start of a $11 million renovation of Hoover Park. The project includes a new splash pad, pickleball courts, new playgrounds and dog play zones.
Construction began in January and is expected to wrap up in January 2027, according to the city.
Central Park playground renovations, San Mateo
Construction workers are in the process of building a new playground in San Mateo’s Central Park. Work on the forest-inspired “adventure village” began last June and is expected to take 18-24 months to complete.
This month, crews reached major milestones with the installation of the new prefabricated restroom facility and installation of four major play structures substantially complete, according to the city.
The new play area will feature custom-designed play structures, picnic areas and the prefabricated restroom building, plus improvements like new walkways, lighting and seating.
Harrington Park improvements, San Carlos
The city of San Carlos closed Harrington Park on April 6 to begin construction that’s part of $3.6 million in improvements to the downtown area.
Improvements include a multipurpose plaza, a multipurpose building (with restrooms), public seating and a rain garden, according to the city website.
The city will build a performance pavilion for community gatherings at the entrance of the park and plans to incorporate public art into the space. The park’s “Balancing Act” statue will be relocated.
Construction is expected to run until early 2027.
Central Park upgrades, Santa Clara
Santa Clara is upgrading its Central Park with a new entrance, improved traffic signals, ADA-accessible pathways, electric vehicle charging stations and more, according to the city website.
Construction began in February and is expected to end in summer 2027. Construction hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The park remains open for use, with a few exceptions: The Pavilion parking lot is closed, and access to the Pavilion and Arbor picnic areas is open but limited. These picnic areas are currently unavailable for reservations. The kids’ playground near the Pavilion is also closed.
East Hillsdale Park improvements, San Mateo
The city of San Mateo is also installing new playground equipment at East Hillsdale Park, according to the city. The contractor is currently waiting for some missing play equipment parts.
The $2 million renovation includes the installation of new, modern play equipment, pathway repaving and upgraded pathway lighting.
The project is set to be completed in late August if there are no more supply chain delays, according to the city.
North Fair Oaks playground, San Mateo County
A $1.1 million Magical Bridge Pocket Park is set to break ground later this year in North Fair Oaks.
San Mateo County will transform a vacant lot near 180 Buckingham Ave. into a 5,500-square-foot park designed for people with “physical, cognitive, sensory and socioemotional differences,” according to a press release.
The current closest park to the future Magical Bridge Pocket Park is about a 15-minute walk away.
New outdoor amenities
New Ravenswood Open Space Preserve entrance, East Palo Alto
On April 4, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District celebrated the opening of a neighborhood access gate at the end of Rutgers Street to Ravenswood Open Space Preserve to provide more direct access for East Palo Alto residents.
Previously, Rutgers Street ended in a chain-link fence, which meant residents whose homes are located just a few hundred feet from the preserve needed to detour almost a mile to reach the Bay Trail, according to Midpen.
Burlingame town square debuts
The city of Burlingame celebrated the grand opening of its new town square April 2 with a ribbon cutting and silent disco with headphones provided to attendees.
The square is intended to act as “Burlingame’s living room” and includes a water wall, bathrooms, game tables, and wooden and metal painted furniture.
Advisories
Moth caterpillar warning, Midpeninsula
San Mateo County is warning residents about an outbreak of the Western Tussock Moth, which in caterpillar form can cause rashes, hives and difficulty breathing for people with asthma.
The county notes that the infestation is temporary and the caterpillars’ presence will be most noticeable in late April or early May.
Rattlesnake advisory, Redwood City
A rattlesnake was spotted near Clarkia Trail in Edgewood Park in Redwood City, according to an April 1 San Mateo County press release.
“These snakes play an important role in the environment by feeding on small rodents, rabbits, birds and any other wildlife that can be swallowed,” the press release states. “Though the likelihood of encountering rattlesnakes in the park increases with warm weather, rattlesnakes are in the park year-round and park visitors should take precautions and know how to identify them.”
The advisory notes that rattlesnakes have distinctive broad, V-shaped or triangular heads and typically have rattles at the end of their tail. The rattle sound is a warning by the snake, which it uses to make its presence known. Rattlesnakes, whether a baby or adult, are venomous.
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