Welcome to the 3rd Annual Calenda on Cal Ave, September 26, 2026!
What is a Calenda? A Calenda is a joyful, moving community parade filled with music, dancing, and sometimes giant puppets.
This year’s Calenda will celebrate cultures from across 3 continents, with celebrations from our Sister Cities of Maasai Mara, Kenya; Oaxaca, Mexico and Palo, Leyte, Philippines.
Join us for:
Children’s Activities
Displays of dancing from Mexico and the Philippines as well as interactive Maasai dancing
Vendors selling items from these countries
Mezcal tasting
Music
And much, much more
Performance Schedule (Subject to change):
Stanford Mariachi
4:00 - 5:00 - Mabuhay Folkloric Society
Members of Maasai Diaspora lead interactive dance
5:00 - 6:00 - Ballet Folklorico Mexico Vivo
6:00 - Quartet from Peninsula Cantare
Closing out - More Maasai dancing!
Featured Activities:
Kids' Zone (starting at 3:00 pm, while supplies last)
Cultural crafts
Merchant passport with prizes
Games
Tourism information from Oaxaca, Philippines, and Kenya
Photo Booth
Live Paint by local muralist Venazir
OUR SPONSORS
City of Palo Alto
St. Clair Real Estate Team
OUR VENDORS
Artisans of Oaxaca
Mahal Scent
Oliveseed Women's Work Center
participating merchants
Gamelandia
Italico
Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto
La Bodeguita del Medio (Enjoy Cuban Happy Hour from noon to 5:00 pm)
Leela Counseling
Palo Alto Sol
Sun of Wolf
Terun
Zareens (Stop by for a special treat for kids)
See pictures and information from last year’s Calenda below
Part of the rich cultural fabric of Oaxaca, calendas are colorful, celebratory public processions featuring dancing, music, and good family fun: part street party and part parade.
At our most recent calenda, in September 2025, we were thrilled to welcome a delegation from our Mexican Sister City, who joined Palo Alto families for an afternoon of festivity, fun, and firefighters. Neighbors Abroad has a proud, decades-long tradition of working with the city of Palo Alto to donate fire and emergency equipment to Oaxaca — from engines to gear — and our friends in the fire department showed up in style to hand over a new batch of protective equipment. Muchas gracias, bomberos!
Beyond the lively music and dancing, the celebration also featured tastings of Oaxaca's signature mole and mezcal, uplifting words from Mayor Ed Lauing and members of the delegation, and a whole lot of community spirit.
This free event has become a Neighbors Abroad tradition — mark your calendars, and nos vemos el próximo año!
