Pleasanton is the very heart of a vibrant and dynamic city with a rich history and a commitment to an unparalleled quality of life. Our downtown is the treasured center of this special place. We are tree lined streets, manicured gardens, and wide sidewalks that beckon for a leisurely stroll. We are dinner under twinkling lights on a perfect California night with the sound of live music in the air. We are lunch at a casual cafe, a hearty country breakfast, coffee, or a walk up ice cream cone.

We are one of a kind shops with independent owners. We are unique gifts, that perfect outfit, a bottle of local wine, a treat for the kids, or even your pet. We are a place where personal service not only exists but thrives. We are Downtown Pleasanton and we invite you to experience all we have to offer.

Downtown Events

Whether you're interested in fresh, locally-grown vegetables, live music, tasty brews, activities, or a host of interesting activities, downtown has a special event for you. You can find a complete schedule on the Pleasanton Downtown Association web site at www.pleasantondowntown.net. Here are some highlights for the coming year:

Downtown Farmer's Market (Saturdays; 9:00 am - 1:00 pm)     Every Saturday, rain or shine, you can find the season's freshest fruits and vegetables at Pleasanton's Farmers' Market, all sold to you by the very farmers that raised and harvested the crop. Vendors line W. Angela Street with produce, fresh-cut flowers, herbs, and specialty foods.

Bunny Hop Scavenger Hunt (Saturday, April 20; 10:00 am - 12:00 pm)     Explore downtown with the fourth annual Bunny Hop Egg Hunt. Children 10 years and younger are invited to participate. Children will receive a goody bag and adults will receive a list of clues and locations to lead them to goodies throughout downtown at over a dozen participating businesses. Adults will be given the answers to all of the clues to help children find the treat locations. There will be goodies and special offers for the adults as well.

Spring and Fall Antique & Collectible Fairs (Sunday, May 26 and Sunday, October 13; 8:00 am - 4:00 pm)     This Main Street fair brings up to 400 dealers to downtown, selling items at least 20 years old. Choose from furniture, jewelry, home decor, ceramics, toys, clothing, and more. See pleasantonantiquefair.com for all the details.

Friday Concerts in the Park (Fridays, June 7 - August 30; 7:00 - 8:30 pm)     Pleasanton's downtown summer Concerts in the Park series began over 40 years ago and is still going strong. The live music covers a broad spectrum of musical styles, from big band and swing to Latin to R&B to rock in its various manifestations, including folk, celtic, and modern. Wayside Park - at the corner of First and Neal streets - is the perfect place to kick off your summer weekends.

Summer Wine Stroll (Saturday, May 11; 5:00 - 8:00 pm)     The PDA's Annual Downtown Summer Wine Stroll has been going on for more than a decade now, and its longevity is an indication of its popularity. This year's event will allow patrons to taste a variety of wines and sample small bites at a number of participating downtown locations, and take home their own commemorative wine glass.

Forkfull (Saturday, September 14; 4:00 - 7:00 pm)     Forkful is sure to be every foodies dream come true and an evening of culinary delight. This unique self-paced tasting experience will allow event guests to stroll through downtown stopping at over 20 participating locations to taste their perfect forkful of food. Upon arrival, each event guest will enjoy a sparkling wine reception at check in where they will receive their commemorative fork and event program to guide them through the tasting experience. Complimentary adult beverage tastings will highlight the food along the way. This event will allow event guests to truly experience the culinary landscape of downtown Pleasanton.

Halloween Scavenger Hunt (Saturday, October 19; 10:00 am - 12:00 pm)     Children 10 years old and younger are invited to come in costume and participate in our annual free Halloween Scavenger Hunt. Limited to the first 600 children.

Halloween Brew Crawl (Saturday, October 26; 5:00 - 8:00 pm)     Trick or Treating isn't only for kids, adults can have their fun too! Stroll (or crawl) through beautiful Downtown Pleasanton and sip on craft brews and cider all while enjoying tasty bites and live music along the way at over 30 downtown locations!

Spirit & Sweater Stroll (Friday, December 6; 5:00 - 8:00 pm)     It is going to get ugly! Ugly sweaters that is! The Pleasanton Downtown Association (PDA) is excited to announce the Spirit & Sweater Stroll set to take place on Friday, December 6th from 5:00 - 8:00 pm. Bust out your ugliest of sweaters and join the fun as we kick off the holiday season in downtown Pleasanton. Event guests will enjoy spirits and craft cocktails at over 20 downtown locations throughout Main Street.

Small Business Saturday & Holiday Open House (Saturday, November 30)     We all know how important it is to shop local, so during the holiday season we challenge Tri-Valley residents to spend (at least) $100 in Downtown Pleasanton on this special day. Start shopping for the holiday season. Dine at our delicious restaurants. Get pampered at a variety of salons and day spas on and around Main Street. Shops and restaurants will have special promotions, giveaways and more. Plus Santa will be here for free family photos & more!

Hometown Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting (Saturday, December 7; 5:00 - 8:00 pm)     Come home for the holidays with Pleasanton's Hometown Holiday Celebration. The Holiday Parade begins at 5:00 pm and includes floats, marching bands, community groups and more. Then gather at the Museum on Main at 603 Main Street for a Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6:45 pm. Mayor Jerry Thorne will light the tree. Enjoy musical entertainment and an appearance by Santa!

Promoting Downtown

Considering how special and wonderful the area is, it should not be a surprise that it has its own overseer. In 1984, the Pleasanton City Council created the Pleasanton Downtown Association (PDA), an assessment district that operates as a non-profit organization with the aim of developing and sustaining a vibrant downtown community. That goal was enhanced in 2000 with the downtown's participation in the California Main Street system, a program which is aimed at revitalizing neighborhood business districts via a comprehensive approach that entails elements of public/private partnership, promotions, design improvements, and keen economic strategies.

2019 Priorities for Downtown

The combined effort has been a great success. The synergy created by the two intertwined programs has helped downtown grow in stature as the heart of the community. The PDA's three key initiatives for 2019. We will work closely with the City of Pleasanton and all key stakeholders to see these projects to fruition.

Update Business Improvement District Structure     In order to improve partnerships, create a stable and predictable funding source and further the vitality of Downtown Pleasanton we would like to work closely with the City of Pleasanton to revise/update our Business Improvement District (BID) structure. Our current BID has not been revised since 1989 and requires updating in order to meet the current needs of our Downtown, our businesses and our property owners.

Expand and Improve Parking in Downtown     Continue to work closely with the City of Pleasanton to identify opportunities to add to the overall parking stock in Downtown and effectively manage the existing parking. We would like to begin new discussions regarding how best to manage our existing parking stock through various means of enforcement and perhaps a plan to install meters in strategic areas of downtown in the future. Work with all stakeholders to continue executing the Downtown Parking Study & Strategy created in 2016. A top priority for parking this year must be increased safety, maintenance and lighting in our public parking lots. This is rapidly becoming a top complaint from business owners, property owners and visitors to our downtown.

City of Pleasanton 125th Anniversary Celebration     Work closely with the City of Pleasanton, numerous community organizations and local companies to celebrate the City of Pleasanton's 125th Anniversary in conjunction with the August 2nd Concert in the Park. This very special event will be designed to celebrate our history, heritage and hometown spirit. Activities will be free, family friendly, educational and interactive. Businesses from throughout the City will have an opportunity to be a part of this one time, special, community wide celebration. Please call the PDA office or email Laura at director@pleasantondowntown.net for more details. Sponsorship and participation information will be sent out to all members in mid-April.

Today, downtown Pleasanton is home to over 600 businesses, all of whom contribute to the betterment of the area through their membership in the PDA. Business located outside of downtown Pleasanton are still able to be a part of a number of downtown events and marketing opportunities through a free non-downtown business membership. These opportunities include booth space at Farmers Market and the opportunity to sponsor Concerts in the Park. We highly encourage interested businesses to sign up as a FREE member at www.pleasantondowntown.net/about/membership-info.

For additional information on downtown events or how to become an Associate Member of the PDA, call (925) 484-2199, visit www.pleasantondowntown.net, or stop by the office at 4725 First Street, Suite 200.