There are many free educational events happening this week-end in the Bay Area so go out and take advantage of it to check if your children enjoy symphonic music, harmonica, Shakespeare, or the Opera!

Free Music Festival in San Jose
The Mall at San Jose State University, 4th and San Carlos
Sponsored by Target

Saturday August 22nd, 7:00 pm
John Williams Film Score
From ET to Star Wars, from Indiana Hones to Harry Potter, over 70 films have been scored by composer John Williams

Sunday, August 23rd, 3:00 pm
Lemony Snicket’s ‘The Composer is Dead’ leads off the program, followed by harmonica virtuoso Bonfiglio playing Gershwin and much more. The first 1200 children to arrive will be given free harmonicas and a brief lesson in how to play them.

San Francisco Opera Stern Grove Festival
Sunday, August 23rd
Stern Grove Festival's season finale features an afternoon of Italian opera with the acclaimed San Francisco Opera.
Be sure to arrive early! Seating is first-come, first-served.
Bring your kids to KidStage from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday for an opera workshop with Kristen Jones and Jennifer Ashworth.

Free Shakespeare in the Park - San Francisco, Cupertino and Saratoga

August 22, 23, 28
September 5, 6, 11

Richard III
Sanborn Park in Saratoga (click for directions)
7:00 pm
August 21, 29, 30
September 4, 12, 13
You can bring your own chair 
The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (Cupertino and San Francisco)
The Comedy of Errors
Cupertino's Memorial Park Amphitheater (Stevens Creek Blvd & Mary Ave, across from De Anza College). Here's a map.
7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug 21,Saturday, Aug 22, and Sunday, Aug 23

The 22nd Annual Free Oakland Chinatown Street fest
August 22 & 23, 2009
10:00AM to 6:00PM

The two-day event runs from 10AM to 6PM and is free to the public. Consisting of more than 200 booths, the festival will span nine to ten blocks of Chinatown. Every year small businesses and community organizations from all over California come to showcase a myriad of delicious foods, unique Asian products, and special services. There will be arts & crafts, entertainment on three stages, and a Cultural Village presented by the the Oakland Asian Cultural Center and Museum of Children's Art.

Great Wall Youth Orchestra will be appearing at the StreetFest Cultural Stage on Saturday August 22nd at 3:35PM
The Great Wall Orchestra is a Chinese childrens orchestra created by the Purple Silk Music Foundation, an Oakland-based nonprofit that provides a music education program for inner-city youth. Student members range from elementary to high school age and play pieces that reflect their high level of skill in playing their chosen Chinese musical instruments.