Harbor Village Movie night How to train your Dragon

 

 

 

1/25/13- Harbor Village Movie Night- How to train your Dragon 5pm tonight

 

 

Harbor Village Movie Night- How to train
your Dragon 5pm tonight 1/25/13.

Harbor village hosts another movie night on the big sceen projector inside unit 4 at Harbor Village this will be a weekly event for the association. Popcorn, soda, hot dogs, candy, and pizza will be available, so come join the fun!

About Movie: A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he
assumed.

---

 

 

Go to Stanford for one day!

Go to Stanford for a day!

01/22/2013

0 Comments

Stanford continuing studies in Palo Alto, Ca is offering one action packed day for people
to come out and enjoy mini-classes on different subjects. Classes for the day
include subjects about Stem cell research to Mafia in Italy. You can register for
this mini series of classes by clicking on the picture below, adding it to your cart and
creating a new registration as a new Stanford student!

Stanfor, University

Sta

Half Moon Bay Jobs

Looking for work? Half Moon Bay Job search Section

01/22/2013

0 Comments

Half Moon Bay Jobs

Handyman/Repairman (half moon bay)
Skilled repairman needed for general building maintenance in Half Moon Bay.This temporary position (with opportunity for long-term) entails 40 hours a week. Driver's License required. English required. Please send cover letter and/or resume to email address listed. email nnq7p-3561196807@job.craigslist.org
Compensation: $14/hour


Teachers needed (half moon bay)
Ascend Academy is a new Learning Center in Half Moon Bay, offering classes in SAT, English as a Second Language (ESL), as well as private tutoring and Homework Club.
We are looking for qualified teachers in all subject matters. If you are an experienced teacher with a college degree or an
experienced tutor who is in college now or has a college degree already, please send your resume to info@ascend-academy.com. Most teaching is after school hours or on weekends so if you currently teach in Middle or High school you can work after school without a conflict with your job.
All teachers and tutors are offered competitive compensation commensurate with their
qualifications. email: info@ascend-academy.com
Compensation:
between $22 to $40 depending on experience

Mavericks surfing competition on for Sunday- How to watch the event!

Mavericks surfing competition on for Sunday

By Mark Conley and Aaron Kinney

 

Featured on www.halfmoonbay365.com

 

Watch the event

 

There's nothing like witnessing a premier sporting event with your own eyes, particularly when it's the world's ultimate surf competition.
Whether you're attending the Viewing Party at AT&T Park, joining one of our Contest Day Boat Tours, or heading to Half Moon Bay (directions here) to soak up the vibe, you can count on experiencing the rush that only Mavericks can generate.

Staff writers:

 

 http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county-times/ci_22387129/mavericks-surfing-competition-sunday

 

 

 

mercurynews.com

Former Maverick's champ Anthony Tashnick, of Santa Cruz, leaves a rainbow in his wake as he chatters down the wave face during the 2010 contest. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel file)

 

HALF MOON BAY -- Before the 49ers try to reach the Super Bowl on Sunday, the San Mateo County coast will host the Super Bowl of big-wave surfing.

For the first time in three years, Mother Nature has delivered conditions worthy of holding the Mavericks Invitational, which will begin at 8 a.m. with a field of 24 renowned surfers from around the world.

A storm-generated swell that contest director Jeff Clark described as powerful, sneaky and dangerous is rushing toward the Mavericks surf break at Pillar Point. Clark said contestants will paddle out Sunday in magical conditions: 30-foot waves breaking under sunny skies, with little to no crosswinds.

"The waves are on the way," Clark said. "Great waves."

Unlike in previous years, there will be no beach access Sunday. Organizers decided to close off the shoreline to ensure public safety.

The best way to see the action will be via live webcast at www.mavericksinvitational.com or at a festival on the grounds of the Oceano Hotel & Spa at Pillar Point Harbor, where an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 will watch the contest on big-screen TVs. And if you're hankering to find out what's happening with the 49ers, no worries. Some TVs on the grounds, Clark said, will carry the Niners' noon showdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game.

The last Mavericks contest, held on Feb. 12, 2010, was both disastrous

 

and epic. Organizers drew harsh criticism after numerous spectators were injured when waves swept onto the beach at Pillar Point.

The action in the water, however, included some of the most dramatic conditions ever surfed in the competition. Competitors wiped out, skipping down the face of terrifying waves like pebbles before being getting bludgeoned by the churning ocean.

One of the most experienced big-wave surfers in the world, Shane Dorian, nearly drowned while surfing some of the day's biggest waves between contest heats. South Africa's Chris Bertish eventually outlasted Santa Cruz's Shane Desmond in the final, but the winner that day, everyone agreed, was big-wave surfing.

This year's waves are not expected to be as big as the ones contestants encountered in 2010, which towered more than 40 feet in the air. But they will be powerful and hard to ride, thanks to the intervals of 20 seconds or more between waves.

"Gonna be super clean and really, really hollow" contestant Shawn Dollar wrote on his Facebook wall. "Long interval and low tide is going to make for some heavy conditions."

The surfers, who are flying in now from around the globe, will be competing for $50,000 in prize money. The winner will receive $12,000.

Tickets to the festival range in price from $10 for general admission to $1,000 for VIP. They are available at www.mavericksinvitational.com.

Matt Ambrose

Ryan Augenstein

Grant "Twiggy" Baker

Chris Bertish

Carlos Burle

Ken "Skindog" Collins

Shane Desmond

Shawn Dollar

Shane Dorian

Nathan Fletcher

Mark Healey

Rusty Long

Greg Long

Alex Martins

Peter Mel

Ryan Seelbach

Kelly Slater

Tyler Smith

Jamie Sterling

Anthony Tashnick

Grant Washburn

Dave Wassel

Ben Wilkinson

Zach Wormhoudt

 

 

The Half Moon Bay Hall of Fame Class of 2013 is .................

Want to go to the 2013 Induction Banquet? Simply go to http://www.hmbcougarboosters.org/hall-of-fame.html and purchase tickets using the PayPal link. This event sold out in 2012, so don't wait until the last minute to buy. Tickets make a great Christmas gift too!

Announcing the 2013 Inductees to the Half Moon Bay High School Athletic Hall of Fame...

 Mr. Dick Calvin: Honored for Coaching Cross Country 1970-1998

 Ms. Sara Fulp Allen: Class of 2003 Honored for Wrestling

 Ms. Lorena Ferreira Harrigan: Class of 1985 Honored for Track & Field and Basketball

 Ms. Katrina Saiia Ledgerwood: Class of 1995 Honored for Volleyball

 Mr. John William Parsons: Class of 2002 Honored for Basketball

 Mr. Matt Ballard: Class of 1992 Honored for Wrestling and Football

 Mr. Michael Seaton: Class of 2006 Honored for Football

Congratulations!!!

Local Cleanup Organized by Residents in response to nothing being done.11/24/12- Pillar Point Shipwreck

Local Cleanup Organized by Residents in response to nothing being done.11/24/12- Pillar Point Shipwreck 



Thank you to Tim West Jr. and Jason Stark for helping organize, publicize  and communicate the efforts for the community on a cleanup day for the wreckage of a ship in Pillar point Harbor. Pass this on, share, and get out to help clean up our home!. 

 PILLAR POINT SHIPWRECK: Tomorrow (Saturday) 11/24/12 Local kids and organizations will be gathering at 12pm in the Maverick's dirt lot to clean up the mess that was left from the wreckage of the ship. These kids have organizeed efforts on their own, and since not much has been done to clean up the mess they are taking matters into their own hands to protect and keep their coast clean. 

TIM WEST Jr. SAYS "The remains were scattered, with debris covering the sand so bad it looks like a dump yard. We will be setting up a bbq so bring some snacks, water, big trash bags (preferably burlap sacks), and lets clean and do what the local gov't, NOAA, surf-rider, save the waves, harbor district, and all other organizations will not acknowledge needs to be done- clean it up"

 Styrofoam, plastic, metal, rope, and tons of wood are everywhere as a potential hazard for not only marine life, but beach-goers and surfers as well. Give an hour or even just one lap with a garbage bag. Hope to see those who care about our Coastside down there helping clean this mess up. Thanks! 

Please pass on this article to all to help bring people out!

Mavericks Invitational Opening Ceremony this Friday- A time to remember

 

Mavericks Invitational Opening Ceremony this Friday

 

Mavericks News

Mavericks Invitational Opening Ceremony is this Friday, November 9th at 2:00 p.m.

All are invited to attend the ceremony at Mavericks Beach.

If you have never been, it is worth the walk down the dirt path to check out and possibly participate in the paddle out where a human circle is formed out in the water and all join hands in an act of respect and remembrance.

Jeff Clark, Contest Director and Mavericks pioneer, said, "The spirit of surfing and life is celebrated every time we join hands in honor of the great sport that we have committed our lives to."

If you are still around the area after dinner and want to meet some of the athletes, come by the Old Princeton Landing for live music and good laughs.

Old Princeton Landing, 460 Capristrano Road, El Granada, Ca 94018.

Surfer: Grant "Twig" Baker
Photo: Art Gimbel

Ship from famous movies- Lady Washington visits Pillar Point Harbor!

Lady Washington stops at Pillar Point Harbor this weekend!

Walk-on tours are a chance for the general public to visit the tall ship that has appeared in several motion pictures, including the 2003 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and the 1994 Star Trek: Generations.

The Lady Washington, making its first coastal California stop on its 2012-2013 California tour, will visit Half Moon Bay in November. The ship is scheduled to arrive at Pillar Point Harbor on November 9 and open to the public for tours and tall ship excursions on the Pacific Ocean. Here’s the ship’s schedule:

• 11/9: Arrive Pillar Point Harbor.
• 11/10-11: Walk-on tours, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. No reservation required, but $3 donation requested.
• 11/10-11: Adventure Sail, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. $39 all ages.
• 11/12: K-12 educational programs.
• 11/13: Depart Half Moon Bay for Moss Landing.

 Tickets for Adventure Sails are available at www.historicalseaport.org or by calling 800-200-5239. Educators, home school groups, and administrators interested in scheduling a K-12 educational program should call 800-200-5239. Scholarships are available for Title I schools. As well as excursions, both vessels are available to charter for weddings, film and TV productions, corporate events, and other group activities.


An Adventure Sail is a three-hour excursion which includes opportunities to guests to help raise a sail, learn a sea shanty, hear maritime stories, and take the helm of a real tall ship, conditions permitting. Tickets for Adventure Sails are $39 for all ages. To purchase tickets, buy them online or call 800-200-5239.

 

Half Moon Bay Jobs: Admin Assistant!

Coastside Children's Programs (CCP) is looking for a full time Admnistrative Assistant for our administrative office in Half Moon Bay, CA. CCP has 6 programs at 4 sites serving before/after school-age care and preschool from 7am-6pm. We are currently looking for a qualified Administrative Assistant to start immediately. This position is 35 hours a week, Monday thru Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, non-exempt, and eligible for CCP benefits. 

Our ideal Admin will be proficient in: 

• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Managing a database
• Coordinating fundraising events
• Customer service 

This position is an important part or our admin team and central to the agency as a whole. The right candidate must have excellent phone and people skills, be highly organized, reliable, and must be bilingual Spanish. Our nonprofit agency has been serving children and families from diverse multicultural and socio-economic backgrounds since 1975. We administer child development centers that provide quality educational, recreational and skill-building activities through a preschool, and before and after school programs, as well as full-time activities during the summer. Check out our website to learn more about us: www.coastsidechildren.org. 

Our office is just about 20 minutes from San Mateo, Daly City, South San Francisco, and Pacifica! 

To Apply: Fax Resume/Cover letter to: 650-726-5660 (with attn:Ginger) Or Email Resume/Cover letter using the link above.

Half Moon Bay Jobs: big creek lumber

Big Creek Lumber Company, a leading supplier of lumber and building materials in central California, seeks a Manager for our Half Moon Bay lumber yard.

Our Company: Big Creek Lumber is a family-owned and operated lumber and building supplies provider serving professional builders and homeowners in Central California since 1946. We strive to be an employer of choice among job seekers. We seek engaged, motivated individuals interested in producing quality products and developing strong partnerships with our customers to create business success. We provide an informal yet professional work environment, stressing safety, collaboration and excellent customer service. We place a strong emphasis developing our employees and seek individuals who have the interest in and potential for growth opportunities within the company. 

General Description: Oversee all aspects of the operation of a retail lumber yard with the major focus on the development of contractor business. Responsible for the financial performance of the branch. Develop an effective sales team. Select and train key personnel as well as provide assistance and support to all branch employees. Act as a key decision maker and problem solver. Outstanding communication skills are a critical attribute for this position.

Major Responsibilities:

1. People:
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff, 
management, customers and vendors.
• Build and maintain a strong supervisory staff.
• Build and maintain an excellent sales staff.
• Provide training in all areas of retail store operations, 
including customer service, sales, supervision and safety. 
Establish and update training and education programs.
• Help develop career paths for all key personnel as well as create 
a motivational atmosphere for others to succeed. 
• Practice and promote respectful and effective communication.
• Plan and lead supervisory and contactor sales staff meetings on a 
consistent basis.
• Establish and monitor standards of performance for all supervisory 
and sales positions.
• Monitor supervisors to ensure they are taking appropriate action 
and providing timely documentation relative to the employment 
cycle (hiring, training, discipline, etc) with a basic 
understanding of state and federal labor laws.
• Set goals and perform reviews in a timely, professional, effective 
manner.
• Mediate difficult situations involving staff, vendors or customers 
in an effective manner.

2. Sales Management
• Meet branch sales and margin goals to ensure the success of the 
branch.
• Train, motivate and inspire team to increase BC's market share and 
improve their closing rate, margin and sales volume challenge 
sales team to increase their skills and increase their output. 
• Coach the sales team to make cold calls and consistently follow up 
on quotes. 
• Travel minimum monthly with outside sales staff to meet the 
following goals:
• Have face-to-face meetings and develop relationships with our 
key customers
• Work with outside sales staff to improve sales and marketing 
skills
• Learn firsthand what is going on in the market place 
• Have regular team meetings to address strategic issues, general 
information and team building. Constant tactical mini-meetings 
should occur on a regular basis.

3. Financial Performance: 
• Oversee the cost-effective purchasing of lumber and panel products.
• Maintain a net profit that ensures the long-term financial health 
of the branch.
• Meet or exceed gross and net profit goals.
• Manage expenses by increasing productivity, controlling inventory 
and closely monitoring business trends.
• Develop and maintain systems for accounting and inventory control.
• Ensure a balanced emphasis on customer service, productivity and 
safety.

3. Marketing the Company:
• Present a positive image of safety, cleanliness, professionalism 
and promptness to our customers.
• Promote the branch in a way that fits the core beliefs and values 
of the company.
• Promote the branch in the community by making regular contractor 
job site visits and getting involved in events that provide Big 
Creek with positive visibility. 
• Contribute new ideas.
• Develop and retain excellent ratings for all customer service 
categories (phone service, yard and store service, estimating, 
delivery and merchandising).

Other duties and characteristics:
• Demonstrate good organizational skills.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the branch, the company 
and the industry.
• Consistently improve interpersonal, communication and management 
skills.
• Have good basic computer skills and the ability to effectively use 
data to improve decision-making.
• Have a basic understanding of accounting principles and financial 
reports.
• Act as a role model and coach to supervisors and staff.
• Facilitate the open, timely flow of information that supervisors 
and employees need to be productive.
• Use all appropriate resources available to enhance effectiveness. 
• Demonstrate leadership in safe work habits and excellent customer 
service.
• Deal with stress in a professional manner that does not negatively 
impact the operation. 
• Participate in meetings, including pre-meeting preparation, honest 
and active participation during the meeting and prompt execution 
all agreements made in meetings.

Compensation
• Annual salary range: $57,000-70,000
• Performance-based annual bonus program
• Group medical and dental coverage for employees and their 
dependents (employee coverage 85% employer paid; dependent 
coverage 75% employer paid)
• Voluntary vision care program
• Group term life insurance for employees
• 160 hours paid personal time off
• 8 paid holidays per year
• Profit sharing and 401k plan
• Employee assistance program

If you have the skills and experience we seek, please apply for this job today. To apply via fax, please send us your cover letter identifying the position you are interested in and your resume/work experience to (866)828-4171 or to apply via email, you may submit your cover letter and resume/work experience by using the link provided.
Hiring Organization: Big Creek Lumber Comapny 

Mavericks Big Wave Surf Competition Opens Nov 9 -March 31st!

The copetition window this year will be from nov 9 - March 31st the biggest window Mavericks has ever had.Ideal conditions failed to materialize last season, just like in the 2010-2011 season, and the contest was not held. Mavericks Invitational is a big wave surfing event. The one-day, invitation-only surfing competition is held at the legendary Mavericks surf break.Where 24 of the best big wave surfers are given 24 hours notice to arrive and go big, once competition is called on by the Mavericks commitee.

In Beautiful Half Moon Bay, Ca.


Last year the event had a festival on the last day of the event that was filled with great entertainment at Harbor Village and this year the group hopes to do it when the event is called on!





Information from Half Moon Bay Patch

The opening of the big-wave surfing contest at Mavericks is scheduled for Nov. 9, surfer and organizer Jeff Clark said.

"The opening ceremony is a special ceremony to gather the tribe, this family and community of surfers, to join hands and bless the event," said Clark. "It's a chance to bring the competitors and Mavericks community together on a non-contest day, away from the spotlight and commotion of a contest. It's a time for us to come together in the spirit of family and remember why we do what we do."

According to Mavericks Big Wave Invitational organizers, the contest waiting period will officially run through March 31, 2013.

Clark and fellow surfers are hoping for big waves this season at the spot known for its massive swells less than a mile off the San Mateo County coast near Pillar Point Harbor.

Ideal conditions failed to materialize last season, just like in the 2010-2011 season, and the contest was not held.


The 24 competitors, among them Chris Bertish, of South Africa, Matt Ambrose, of Pacifica, 2005 champion Anthony Tashnick, of Santa Cruz, and 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, have been selected to be judged on how they can handle the Mavericks.

The opening of the contest season coincides with last week's release of the film "Chasing Mavericks" starring Gerard Butler as legendary big-wave surfer Jay Moriarty's mentor Rick "Frosty" Hesson.

The movie, originally titled "Of Men and Mavericks," was shot throughout Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay last fall and winter, including at Mavericks, where Butler was briefly trapped underwater during filming in December 2011.

He was rescued by emergency responders from the Coastside Fire Protection District and suffered minor injuries.

Half Moon Bay International Marathon partners with Brazzle Berry!

The Half Moon Bay International Marathon (HMBIM) and BRAZZLE BERRY Half Moon Bay are teaming up to sponsor a Volunteer Drive for the upcoming HMBIM race. On Saturday, August 25, HMBIM staff will be on hand at the BRAZZLE BERRY Frozen Yogurt store's flagship location in Strawflower Village in Half Moon Bay to answer questions and to make it easy to sign up volunteers. In return, everyone who signs up as a volunteer will receive a FREE 5 oz serving of BRAZZLE BERRY frozen yogurt.

The Volunteer Drive will take place from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Saturday August 25, at Strawflower Center, 80 North Cabrillo Hwy. Suite M, in Half Moon Bay.  Volunteers of the HMBIM join with many others from the community to make the event happen, receive a FREE HMBIM shirt, and enter into a chance to win one of several local business giveaways.

"BRAZZLE BERRY is proud to support and be a part of the 2012 Half Moon Bay International Marathon event," said Barry Brazzle (or Dave Seaton?), Chief Berry Officer. "We recognize the amazing contribution the HMBIM is making again in 2012 and we are happy to entice people to come join in the fun with the best frozen yogurt around!"

"The HMBIM is very appreciative of BRAZZLE BERRY's support to sponsor the Volunteer Drive," said Eric Vaughan, HMBIM Executive Director. "In 2012 we're contributing over $1mm of direct economic benefit to the Coastside and the greater Bay Area by supporting the athletes who are traveling to the race, and we want the community to come join the fun and volunteer!"

The 2nd running of the sold-out HMBIM, to be held September 23, 2012,  features 1000 athletes from 35 states and 6 countries, along with world renowned athlete and author, Dean Karnazes, as the official guest of the race. The all volunteer force works together to ensure the race exceeds everyone's expectations, and sets a great example for Half Moon Bay as a community event. Full information on the event is available on the Web at http://halfmoonbayim.org.
 
About the Half Moon Bay International Marathon:

Featuring "26.2 Miles of Running Heaven", the Half Moon Bay International Marathon (HMBIM) was founded in 2011 to showcase the unique beauty of the California coast along with some of the best weather a marathon athlete could ever hope for. The inaugural event in 2011 featured athletes from 25 states and 4 countries and sold out in two months despite very little promotion. An official Boston Qualifier event sanctioned by the USA Track and Field organization, the HMBIM also focused on creating an eco-friendly event to consider the precious coastal community and worked to attain official status with the Council for Responsible Sport, receiving the coveted Gold Certification from this organization in the Event's very first year. The HMBIM features a full and half marathon and 10k and 5k events all on the same day.

About BRAZZLE BERRY:


BRAZZLE BERRY is committed to providing an unparalleled consumer experience by offering self-serve yogurt in a clean, natural and relaxing atmosphere. Motivated by the healthy alternative that all natural yogurts offer, and inspired by the Brazilian culture and commitment to the acai berry, BRAZZLE BERRY strives to establish a dominant market leadership position in the health food sector within five years.

While the rapid growth of the self-serve yogurt industry has put little differentiation between true healthy alternatives and phony impersonators, BRAZZLE BERRY believes in serving only the highest quality, all-natural and freshest ingredients.

Rouge Boutique Half Moon Bay

 
Come and shop in a nostalgic ambiance. Enjoy a fabulous selection of all the latest women's clothing, accessories, jewelry, music, humorous gifts and men's shirts.

Main Street Goldworks

542 Main Street
Half Moon Bay,CA 94019
(650) 726-2546
http://www.mainstreetgoldworks.com
Established in 1987 Main Street Goldworks is a family business providing excellence in craftsmanship and creativtiy, service and value. Custom design and repair are areas of expertise and they have an exquisite collection of designer jewelry. As members of the exclusive Independant Jewelers Organization (IJO), the largest training and buying jewelers' organization in the world, they strive to provide their customers with the brilliance they deserve and are able to purchase jewelry at the best prices in the industry and pass that savings on to their customers. This family of professional jewelers has trained at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts.

Half Moon Bay Wine and Cheese

 

421 Main St
Half Moon Bay,CA 94019
(650) 726-1520
http://hmbwineandcheese.com
Since 1998, The Half Moon Bay Wine & Cheese Company has been the source for the finest collection of wines, cheeses and gift baskets on the San Mateo County coast.

We carry more than 800 boutique and specialty wines from all over the world, including a selection of hard-to-find local Santa Cruz Mountain wineries and more than 120 California and Oregon Pinot Noirs.

Jungletraders

 424 Main Street
Half Moon Bay,CA 94019
(650) 560-9955
http://www.jungletraders.net
Jungletraders is a gallery specializing in furniture made from recycled African railwoods and African art from virtually the entire continent. Although the gallery occupies only a little more than 1,300 square feet of space at 424 Main Street in downtown Half Moon Bay, it showcases literally thousands of artifacts, masks, statues, and furniture made from rich African hardwoods. The gallery is supplemented by an enormous warehouse which has many times over again as much inventory as can be contained within the gallery itself.

Coastside Books

432 B Main Street
Half Moon Bay,CA 94019
(650) 726-5889
http://www.coastsidebooks.com

Serving Half Moon Bay since 1972, Coastside Books has a carefully edited selection of current fiction, biography, history, science and nature, spiritual books and Children's literature.

They're known for carrying some of the best cards by small artists and design companies. Find eclectic titles for bargain prices on their cart out front.

Coastside Books has a great downtown location on Main Street in the historical downtown near coffee shops, restaurants and other great stores.

Shops and Shopping in Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay, located just 30 minutes south of San Francisco, is home to some of the San Mateo County coastside's best independent shops and stores of all kinds. Come for a stroll downtown, check out the Pillar Point Harbor, or explore the Strawflower Center. Have a look in our first-class bookstores, and gift shops. Discover gourmet cookware local wine tasting venues, fine jewelry, yarns from all lover the world, home furnishings. Need a squeaky toy for your dog? Custom golf clubs? A perfect gift for any woman? It's all here.

While you're out and about, stop for a cup of coffee, or a bite to eat at one of the fine restaurants. Whether you're here on a day trip or staying at one of the many wonderful Half Moon Bay hotels and inns, you're sure to find something special in one of our shops.

Looking for more activities in Half Moon Bay? Check out our selection of classes and workshops on the coast.
We'll see you here!

Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival

 

The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is an annual festival held in the coastside community of Half Moon Bay, California for one weekend during pumpkin harvest season. It is one of the oldest and largest local festivals in California. Proceeds go to local civic causes and to the beautification of the downtown area of Half Moon Bay. There is no admission charge for the event.

The annual event is held in October. Columbus Day Monday is the Safeway World Champion Pumpkin Weigh-in contest. The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is a two day event held the following Saturday and Sunday each year. Festival hours are from 9 AM to 5 PM both Saturday and Sunday.

Locations

The festival is located in downtown Half Moon Bay on Main Street between Miramontes and Spruce Streets. The Great Pumpkin Parade is held at Noon on Saturday and runs East along Miramontes, North on Main St, and West on Mill Street. There are two Music Stages, one at the South entrance and one located next to the Food Court in the IDES grounds. A Family Stage is located at 620 Main Street. The associated Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-In is located on the IDES Grounds at 735 Main Street on Columbus Day, the Monday prior to the festival.

History

The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival began in 1971 with the formation of the Main Street Beautification Committee. The group was formed to raise funds for the revitalization of Main Street, which was beginning to show signs of decay. With an abundance of pumpkin patches in the area, the committee organized an old-fashioned harvest-style pumpkin festival. The first festival attracted 30,000 people. That year only one non-profit organization offered food for sale. The festival now includes dozens of local non-profit groups operating food and game booths, selling everything from pumpkin pie to linguisa sandwiches. Proceeds go to various civic and local causes and have included the construction of two parks, multiple scholarship funds, the installation of old-fashioned downtown street lights, the underground wiring of Main Street, and the renovation of City Hall.

The James Johnston House

 The James Johnston House, located on a rolling Half Moon Bay hillside overlooking the Pacific, is an architectural gem hidden in plain sight. It is also one of the rarest historic houses on the California coast, a "Yankee-style" white saltbox building constructed by Johnston for his wife, Petra Maria de Jara, between 1853-55. After languishing in a state of poor repair for years, local conservationists formed a foundation in 1971 to preserve this amazing structure, which is open the third Saturday a month from 11 AM - 3 PM for guided tours. There is also an annual holiday boutique two weekends in November where the rooms are all decorated and local vendors sell arts and crafts.  If you are lucky enough to be in the area when the house is open, you will be treated to a fascinating glimpse into Bay area history during the decades that followed the California gold rush.

Most people will drive by on Highway 1 without ever noticing this famous "white house of Half Moon Bay." We only stumbled across it while shopping one Saturday on Main Street and followed a few signs directing us to the parking lot on Higgins-Purissima Road (close to the HMB fire station). The rooms inside this gleaming white, green-shuttered homestead are furnished with some original items donated by the family as well as contemporary pieces from the late 19th century. Stop and admire the rose garden, the mother-in-law's personal chapel, the Victorian parlor, the kitchen and pantry, and the upstairs bedrooms. There is also a short video to watch and photos from the renovation process. The surrounding fields are still being farmed, making this place seem like living history. The tour guides, many of whom dress in period costume, are incredibly nice to visitors and staff a small gift shop that helps to raise money to support the on-going restorations. The foundation's web site provides all the relevant details for planning your visit and gives additional insight into the history of the Johnston family and the renovation process.

Another historical property from the 1850s is just down the road: the Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park , which has a unique 2-story dairy barn that makes for a pleasant short hike when the weather is right.

The James Johnston House sits on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, east of Route One, just south of the city of Half Moon Bay. Isolated, its silhouette is a remarkable sight against the rolling hillsides golden brown until the winter rains turns them green. The classic New England saltbox (two stories in front, one in back) was built by '49er pioneer James Johnston between 1853-1855, for his Californiano bride, Petra Maria de Jara. One of the first white men to visit the Coastside, Johnston (1813-1879) saw Candelario Miramontes's magnificent Rancho de San Benito and in 1853 purchased 1,162 acres from Guadalupe Briones, Miramontes's widow, for $14,000. His grand scheme and dream of a proper Yankee house, the center of an eastern-style dairy ranch, became real as he sent his brothers, Thomas and John, back to Ohio to round up a herd of eastern dairy cows and with brother William drive them across the country to "Spanish Town."