Talent Takes to the Two Stages for Fall Festival

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHY BRESLOW/ Cathy Breslow Imaging

This year’s Fall Festival will feature amazing performances such as Bay Area instrumental surf rock legends The Reverbivores and fan favorites like Wadaiko Japanese Drumming out of Newark. Performances are on two stages and start at 10 a.m. on both days.

Get ready for some serious Rock and Roll, Jazz music, singing, and dancing next month. 

This year’s Fall Festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8, on Castro Valley Boulevard between Redwood Road and Santa Maria Avenue. Presented by the Castro Valley and Eden Area Chamber of Commerce, more than 125 vendors and attractions will again line the center of the downtown district. 

Two stages will border the festival at both ends of the event: the Redwood Stage (closest to Redwood Road) and the Bedford Stage (closest to Santa Maria Avenue), which is named after Castro Valley native Jim “Bedford” of Bedford Studios. The first performances start at 10 a.m. each day and continue throughout the day. 

The main stage near Redwood Road will spotlight musical talents, including a special performance by the Castro Valley High School Madrigals on September 7. This a cappella student choral group competes nationally each year and often wins prestigious awards. 

The Madrigals will be followed by Classic Rock and Pop from bands like The Doors Tribute band Door Jam, Manchild and the Circuit, and perennial favorite Take Cover. 

On Saturday, be on the lookout for Phantom Power. This hard rock band formed in 2021, and its members have played at several prestigious venues such as The Catalyst Club, Keystones, The Stone, Slims, Sleep Train Pavilion Marysville, The Concord Pavilion, The Fillmore SF, The Hard Rock LA & SF. Whiskey A Go Go, The Viper Room, and The Troubadour. 

On Sunday, the Redwood Stage gets in the mood with the In Swing Jazz Orchestra, followed by surf rock band The Reverbivores, 70s rock band Heartless Benatar, and tribute band Sounds of Skynyrd. Then, the Festival will close out with Latin-inspired Rock & Roll from Los Daddios.

The smaller Bedford community stage will host dance performers and local groups, including classical performers, acapella groups, and even Japanese Taiko drummers.

On Saturday, the Bedford stage will kick off the day with Belly Dancing by Pharaoh’s Dream, followed by the Castro Valley School of Music and the Phil Santos Violins. Dancing performers from Bedazzled Dance Studio and Dance Live Dream Center highlight the afternoon with a close-out by rock and pop tunes by Fleet Street.

Be on the lookout for the Newark Wadaiko Japanese Drumming performers. Wadaiko is the Japanese term for the traditional style of drumming known in the Western world as Taiko. This group really gets the crowd going. 

On Sunday, Troupe Journey will wow audiences with Belly Dancing, followed by the Joan Bascom Singers. The rest of the day will spotlight the music of Julie Courtney and Eric Moehle, Bedford Studios performers, Dance from Castro Valley Performing Arts, and demonstrations from members of Pallen Martial Arts. Joan Bascom will return to the stage to close out the festival.

Visit the Chamber website for more details (edenareachamber.com).