Watch Professional Soccer! - Earthquakes & FC Gold Pride Play Home Games in Santa Clara

Santa Clara University’s (SCU) soccer program received world-wide recognition back in 2002 in the movie “Bend It Like Beckham,” a story about two 18-year olds dreaming about a career playing soccer - a career they wanted to begin at SCU. Now, the same University’s Buck Shaw Stadium is home field for men’s and women’s professional soccer.
Major League Soccer’s (MLS) San Jose Earthquakes open their 2009 home season on 3/21 at Buck Shaw vs. the New England Revolution. The team plays again on 3/28 at Buck Shaw vs. the Houston Dynamo. The Earthquakes are led by forward Darren Huckerby (England), midfielder Bobby Convey (USA), and goalie Joe Cannon (USA).
Women’s Professional Soccer’s (WPS) Bay Area team, the FC Gold Pride open their first home season also at Buck Shaw on 4/5 vs. the Boston Breakers. The Pride plays again on 4/26 vs. the Washington Freedom. The team features an all-star line-up including soccer icon and former SCU midfielder/forward Brandi Chastain (USA). Other players include Santa Clara grad and midfielder Leslie Osborne (USA); Canada’s all team leading scorer forward Christine Sinclair; forward Eriko Arakawa (Japan); midfielders Adriane and Formiga (Brazil) and the great defender Erika (Brazil). If you’re in or planning to visit Santa Clara, find your way to Buck Shaw for world-class soccer competition!

Stay tuned this summer for "All Wheels Extreme"

California’s Great America is planning to open up its Redwood Amphitheatre to “All Wheels Extreme.” The 25-minute, high-energy experience will feature a talented cast of daredevils, including BMX riders, skateboarders, rollerbladers, gymnasts, and more.
Complete with heart-pumping music and a set that will resemble an authentic skate park, the cast will catch air and execute gravity-defying stunts utilizing half-pipes, ramps, various obstacles and trampolines.
Although California’s Great America opens its 2009 season on March 29, “All Wheels Extreme” will not debut until early June. The show will be free with admission to the Park. Regular adult admission is $53.99; however, you can purchase tickets at the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau for $36.00!

New Year Brings Exciting Events to Santa Clara

Happy New Year everyone! With the new year, stay tuned for some exciting and fun times in Santa Clara. On March 29, California’s Great America theme park opens its new season. New this year is an exciting new show called “All Wheels Extreme," an exciting high-flying sports stunt show to be held in the park’s Redwood Amphitheater. Also, towards the end of the park’s 2009 season, don’t miss “Halloween Haunt” opening on October 2. This year the park is adding three new mazes, all sure to scare you!

Also exciting in 2009 is the return of Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes to Santa Clara. The Earthquakes open their 2009 season on March 21 vs. the New England Revolution at Santa Clara University’s (SCU) Buck Shaw Stadium. Moreover, soccer fans can look forward to the debut of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) in Santa Clara. Former SCU and World Cup star Brandi Chastain will lead the FC Gold Pride against the Boston Breakers on April 5 also at Buck Shaw Stadium.

Other not to missed Santa Clara events include the city’s Fireworks Display in Central Park on July 4, the annual Art & Wine Festival on September 12-13 and December’s Historic Home Tour on December 4-5. It’s going to be an exciting year. Stay tuned!

Santa Clara Home to Professional Men's and Women's Soccer

With the naming of the new Bay Area Women's Professional Soccer entry, FC Gold Pride, Santa Clara is now home base for both professional men's and women's soccer. FC Gold Pride will begin league play in April, 2009. Like Major League Soccer's (MLS) San Jose Earthquake's men's soccer team, FC Gold Pride's home games will be played in Santa Clara at Santa Clara University's Buck Shaw Stadium.

Current U.S. national team members on the team include Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, and Tracy Hamm. Other players of note include Canada's all-time leading scorer Christine Sinclair, Brazilian midfielder Formiga, Japanese forward Eriko Arakawa and Brazilian defender Erika. FC Gold Pride will be coached by former Santa Clara University star Albertin Montoya.

"The Nutcracker" arrives in mid-December

Artistic Director Josefa Villanueva and the Santa Clara Ballet Company present the 35th annual, full length traditional version of "The Nutcracker." This year's performances will include local dancers and acclaimed guest artists. Performance dates and times are Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 14 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All performances of "The Nutcracker" will take place at the Elizabeth A. Hangs Theatre inside the Santa Clara Convention Center at 5001 Great America Parkway in Santa Clara. Parking is FREE. For more information, visit the Santa Clara Ballet Company website, or call (408) 881-0879.

Check out "Halloween Haunt" if you dare!

This October 3 - November 1, 2008 California's Great America takes on a dark, sinister side and eerily transforms into the first-ever Halloween Haunt! This is a separate admission with separate park hours. Taking place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from 7:00 p.m. - Midnight, this ultimate, in-your-face Halloween experience beckons brave souls to take on their worst nightmares!

Halloween Haunt features 13 terrifying elements, including spine-tingling haunted mazes, themed scare zones, head-turning live stage shows that are all combined with the park's collection of world-class thrill rides. Regular admission tickets to Halloween Haunt are $39.99. Discounted tickets are available at the Santa Chamber of Commerce and Convention-Visitors Bureau's Chamber Store for $32.00.

Convention Center Purchases Clean Renewable Energy

Having won the Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) award for five consecutive years (2003-2007), the Santa Clara Convention Center has long been a leader in saving energy and waste. Now, the Center has purchased over 1.5 million kilowatt hours of clean, renewable energy or one-half of the output of one large-scale turbine on an annual basis.

This new commitment in partnership with Silicon Valley Power will provide environmental savings through preventing the release of 933 tons of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas. This is the climate impact equivalent to planting 777 acres of forest or taking 171 cars off the road for one year.

“This is only the beginning of a broad set of initiatives we plan on implementing to conserve energy and minimize our impact on the environment,” says Convention Center general manager Lisa Moreno. For more information about the Santa Clara Convention Center’s green efforts, visit the “Green Meetings” section on its website.