Portola Valley Town Center

07/15/2024

This Thursday is the first Concert of the Portola Valley Summer Concert Series 2024

Thursday July 18, 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM – Fog City Swampers is a high energy classic rock cover band playing a variety of classic rock tunes sure to get people movin' and groovin’.

The Portola Valley Summer Concert Series is an annual three-part concert series that takes place on Thursday evenings after the Farmers Market in the months of July, August and September. The events are organized by the Portola Valley Cultural Arts Committee, and funded by the Town of Portola Valley.

07/09/2024

Portola Valley Summer Concert Series 2024 - 3 Fabulous, Free, Outdoor Concerts in Portola Valley!

The Portola Valley Summer Concert Series is an annual three-part concert series that takes place on Thursday evenings after the Farmers Market in the months of July, August and September. The events are organized by the Portola Valley Cultural Arts Committee, and funded by the Town of Portola Valley.



2024 Summer Concert Series Schedule

7/18/2024, 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM – Fog City Swampers is a high energy classic rock cover band playing a variety of classic rock tunes sure to get people movin' and groovin’.

8/8/2024, 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM – Freddy Clarke & Wobbly World is a jazz, afro-cuban, funk, world music band that brings together talented musicians from around the world.

9/5/2024, 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM –Bundy Browne & Guitar Gypsy are PV local musicians playing a jammy, bluesy mix of originals and covers influenced by Americana and R&B.

06/17/2024

Emergency Communications & Radio Day: Be Prepared and Stay Connected!

Saturday, June 22 , 2024, 10 AM- 3 PM
Fire Station 8, 135 Portola Rd, Portola Valley, CA 94028

Join us at Woodside Fire Protection District Station 8 for an exciting and informative event, Emergency Communications & Radio Day! This is your chance to enhance your emergency preparedness with expert guidance.

https://ow.ly/wg4050RRGtl

06/13/2024

Tomorrow - Coffee with the Mayor and Supervisor Ray Mueller

The Town of Portola Valley invites residents to attend "Coffee with the Mayor and Supervisor Ray Mueller" on June 14, 2024, at 10:00 AM in the Portola Valley Community Hall.

This event provides an opportunity for community members to engage with Mayor and San Mateo Sarah Wernikoff and County Supervisor Ray Mueller. Residents are encouraged to attend, discuss community issues, share their thoughts, and contribute ideas for the future of Portola Valley. We look forward to seeing you there and fostering open communication within our community.

06/05/2024

Save the Date!
Emergency Communications & Radio Day: Be Prepared and Stay Connected!

Saturday, June 22 , 2024, 10 AM- 3 PM
Fire Station 8, 135 Portola Rd, Portola Valley, CA 94028

Join us at Woodside Fire Protection District Station 8 for an exciting and informative event, Emergency Communications & Radio Day! This is your chance to enhance your emergency preparedness with expert guidance.

https://ow.ly/CvvE50RRGK6

05/29/2024

SAVE THE DATE - JUNE 14
The Town of Portola Valley invites residents to attend "Coffee with the Mayor and Supervisor Ray Mueller" on June 14, 2024, at 10:00 AM in the Portola Valley Community Hall.

This event provides an opportunity for community members to engage with Mayor and San Mateo Sarah Wernikoff and County Supervisor Ray Mueller. Residents are encouraged to attend, discuss community issues, share their thoughts, and contribute ideas for the future of Portola Valley. We look forward to seeing you there and fostering open communication within our community.

05/14/2024

Portola Valley Horse Fair
Saturday May 18th, 11 am - 2 pm
Portola Valley Town Center
765 Portola Road

Fun and Free activities for the whole family

Carriage Rides
Petting Zoo
Pony rides
face painting
Learn from the Pony Clubbers
Find out where to ride horse in the area
Practice roping a dummy steer

Sponsored by the Portola Valley Trails and Paths Committee

https://ow.ly/X68O50RGmhh

02/15/2024

The Portola Valley update for February 15, 2024 is now available.

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12/18/2023

Conservation Committee - What’s Blooming Now? December

Wavyleaf Silktassel
Garrya elliptica

A striking locally native shrub with both landscape and habitat appeal is the Wavyleaf silktassel or Garrya
elliptica. Native to the Coast Range up to Oregon, this moderate to fast-growing shrub, can grow to 10-12’H x
6-8’W. They grow in both clay and serpentine soils, are drought-tolerant and can take full sun or part shade.
These plants can be pruned to tree or shrub form, revealing an attractive rough bark, which make a great
visual or physical barrier.

Wavyleaf silktassels are dioecious, meaning that individual plants are either male or female. Both males and
females have silktassels (catkins) however those on male plants are showier. There are two readily available
cultivars of male plants with particularly long tassels - ‘James Roof’ and ‘Evie’ which prefers drier conditions
and is a denser and more compact plant. Female plants have shorter silktassels but they mature into grapelike
clusters of fruit very attractive to birds, they are also commercially available, but less so than the males.

12/08/2023

Conservation Committee Tip of the Month
Time to sow wildflower seeds

Now is the perfect time to sow wildflower seed for a beautiful display of native wildflower diversity in your own yard. Best to sow before January, these early rains have given germination a good start.
Loosen the soil a bit before sowing and tamp down after. A good initial sprinkling will help them settle in place.

Keep the area w**d free and moist (not wet) if we don’t get rain for a few weeks.
Below find photos of just a few of our local native wildflowers that are available by seed.

12/07/2023

Portola Valley Update December 7, 2023

Town Hall Closed for the Winter Holiday
Town Hall Hours
Revised Housing Element Release Notice
Hawthorns Property Public Access Working Group (PAWG) Meeting 4: Design Discussion Continuation
Home Safety Tips during the Holiday Season
Winter Storm Preparedness and Sandbag Station in Portola Valley
Wildfire Preparedness Committee Tip -The CAL FIRE Wildfire Action Plan
Conservation Committee - Time to sow wildflower seeds
Sustainability Tip - What’s up with Sustainability in Portola Valley? Possibly more than you know!
Christmas at the Firehouse December 13th
Message From Portola Valley School District - Trees at Corte Madera
Gun Buyback Set for Dec. 9 in Belmont
Portola Valley Blood Drive - January 6th
Upcoming Events

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11/29/2023

Tip from the Sustainability Committee - What’s up with Sustainability in Portola Valley? Possibly more than you know!

https://www.portolavalley.net/departments/sustainability/sustainability-tips

11/21/2023

Tip from the Wildfire Preparedness Committee - In winter storms, who ya gonna call?

After so many years of drought, the Winter of 2023 gave us an unprecedented number of fallen trees, power outages, blocked storm drains and flooding. This coming winter looks to be more of the same. In the first rain of the season, an oak tree blocked Meadowood Drive! So please be prepared and follow the Town’s guidance.

Read More:

After so many years of drought, the Winter of 2023 gave us an unprecedented number of fallen trees, power outages, blocked storm drains and flooding. This coming winter looks to be more of the same. In the first rain of the season, an oak tree blocked Meadowood Drive! So please be prepared and follo...

11/16/2023

The Portola Valley Update for November 16, 2023 is now available.

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11/13/2023

What’s Blooming Now? November - Fall is for Berries

Most flowering plants are done by this time of year, but there is a wonderful display of berries if you look.

Most prominent locally are Toyon, whose berries are turning red right now, but many other locally native shrubs sport late summer/fall berries. These include Coffeeberry (Frangula californica), Wild rose (Rosa spp.), Blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), Grape (Vitus californica) and Holly-leaf cherry (Prunus illicifolia) as well as those shown below. Many of these can be seen in the Town Center native plant demonstration garden.

Think about adding several to your landscape –they provide year-round habitat, nectar for insects in the spring and the berries provide food for birds and small mammals throughout the fall and winter – they’ll love you for it and you’ll love watching them.

Brought to you by the Conservation Committee

11/02/2023

Portola Valley Update for November 2, 2023 is now available

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10/24/2023

Tip from the Wildfire Preparedness Committee

New Marshal, New WFPD Fuel Mitigation Ordinance

There’s a new Marshal in town! Fire Marshal, that is 🙂. Our long-time hero, Fire Marshal Don Bullard, is retiring from WFPD in December, and new Fire Marshal Kim Giuliacci is succeeding him. Kim is conducting face-to-face meetings so that she can get to know the needs of WFPD residents.

Read more here: https://ow.ly/mhq850Q0imE

10/19/2023

Portola Valley Update - October 19, 2023

This week's update:
- Discover the Untold Tales of Portola Valley in Charlie Krenz's Latest Film
- What's Blooming Now- California Fuchsia
- Town Hall Lobby Hours
- Hawthorns Property Public Access Working Group Meeting 3: Design Discussion
- Portola Valley School District Ribbon Cutting- Oct 20
- Order Your Discounted Rain Barrel Before October 22nd!
- West Nile Virus Cases in Birds Continue to Rise
- Upcoming Events

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09/08/2023

Final Summer Concert of 2023

Thursday, September 14th from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at the Town Center.

Come join us for an evening of music with New Monsoon on the Performance Lawn by the Library. Food Trucks will be at the Farmers Market. Please also feel free to bring blankets, lawn chairs and a picnic basket with your favorite snacks and beverages.

New Monsoon is a San Francisco rock quintet that blends exhilarating acoustic and electric instrumentation in an irresistible blend of sophisticated song craft, inventive musical exploration and down home rock-n-roll.

09/07/2023

What’s Blooming Now? September
Tarw**ds

Two local (previously abundant) late summer bloomers are Elegant Tarw**d (or Spring Madia), Madia elegans - https://calscape.org/Madia-elegans-(Spring-Madia) and Hayfield Tarw**ds, Hemizonia congesta - https://calscape.org/Hemizonia-congesta-(Hayfield-Tarw**d)

They are both annuals that love open grassy areas and are tolerant of disturbed and very dry conditions. Although from different genera they both have foliage with sticky hairs and a fragrance reminiscent of tar.
Both show a wide degree of variability – they can be yellow, but some Hayfield Tarw**d are white. Elegant Tarw**d has red markings around the disk of the flower, while Hayfield Tarw**d does not, but may have purple stripes on the undersides of the petals.

These are both available as seed from several vendors.
Indigenous people of California ate flour ground from the seed of these and other types of tarw**d.

08/29/2023

Tip from the Wildfire Preparedness Committee - FAIR plan discounts; recognizing risk

https://ow.ly/VmJs50PFE4k

08/17/2023

Portola Valley Update for August 17, 2023, is now available.

In this update:
Tonight Summer Concert Series - August 17th
Road Closure Zotts to Tots Race - Sept 23
Emergency Preparedness Committee - Evacuation Work
Sustainability Committee Tip - Energy Efficient Federal Tax Credits
Conservation Committee Tip of the Month - Stinkwort
Wildfire Preparedness Committee Tip - Volunteer Opportunities
Hawthorns Area Public Access Working Group Site Tour
Town Hall Doors Closed on Fridays
Road resurfacing along Alpine Road in Ladera
Upcoming Events

See the story

08/15/2023

Tips from the Wildfire Preparedness VCommitte - Volunteer Opportunities

At the SMC Disaster Preparedness Day, there were 2 county organizations looking for volunteers.
Learn More: https://ow.ly/85fJ50PzzAv

08/14/2023

This Thursday
Portola Valley Summer Concerts - August 17th

Join us for the second in a 3 part summer concert series with an evening of music with Fleetwood Macrame, on the Performance Lawn by the Library. Food Trucks will be at the Farmers Market. Please also feel free to bring blankets and lawn chairs and a picnic basket with your favorite snacks and beverages.

Fleetwood Macrame is a Bay Area, tribute band covering all the hits of one-and-only Fleetwood Mac. They sound so much like Fleetwood Mac that if you closed your eyes, you would think it was the real thing.

08/14/2023

Conservation Committee -Tip of the Month
Stinkwort or Stinking Fleabane (Dittrichia graveolens)

https://ow.ly/sTE550PyRFr

08/08/2023

Tip from the Wildfire Preparedness Committee - Large Animal Evacuation

If you have a horse or other large animal, there is a lot of good advice from SMC LAEG, the San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group. They urge that you not only be prepared with Go bags and documentation, but that you also practice, practice, and practice evacuation with your animal, especially at night.

At the SMC Disaster Preparedness Day, the LAEG distributed a flyer on Defensible Space for Animals, which is included in this tip. It’s not on their website yet, and the distances are not drawn to scale, but it has good ideas on making your animal structures safer from wildfire.
During the CZU fire, the LAEG and others evacuated 1,500 animals to the Cow Palace and other sites. The LAEG is more coastal and holds its meetings in Half Moon Bay, but they seek more volunteers, especially in the Woodside and Portola Valley areas. Please check them out.

https://ow.ly/aqCa50Pv6pO

08/04/2023

Portola Valley Summer Concerts - August 17th

Join us for the second in a 3 part summer concert series with an evening of music with Fleetwood Macrame, on the Performance Lawn by the Library. Food Trucks will be at the Farmers Market. Please also feel free to bring blankets and lawn chairs and a picnic basket with your favorite snacks and beverages.

Fleetwood Macrame is a Bay Area, tribute band covering all the hits of one-and-only Fleetwood Mac. They sound so much like Fleetwood Mac that if you closed your eyes, you would think it was the real thing.

Fleetwood Macramé

08/03/2023

The Portola Valley Update for August 3, 2023, is now available.

- Neighborhood Cleanup Day - Saturday, August 5, from 8 to 11 am
- Summer Concert Series - August 17th
- Save the Date for the Annual Town Picnic and Zotts to Tots Race - Sept 23
- Conservation Committee What is Blooming Now - Coyote Mint
- Wildfire Preparedness Committee Tip
- Town Hall Doors Closed on Fridays
- County of San Mateo’s 19th Annual Disaster Preparedness Day
- Save the Date - Portola Valley Arts Fest
- Styrofoam Collection
- Upcoming Events

07/31/2023

What’s Blooming Now? July

Coyote Mint - Monardella villosa

Is your yard in need of some summer color? Look no further than this terrific, locally native ground-cover in the Mint family. It gets no more than 2 feet tall and 3 across and needs virtually no water once it’s established. It has a minty fragrance, soft grey-green leaves and is deer-resistant. It is the perfect “tuck-in” plant, especially where it’s too dry for other plants. It will take some shade and a little summer water (if well-drained) but needs plenty of sun to bloom vigorously. Tolerates serpentine soils.

The beautiful purple flowers last into the heat of the summer and attract butterflies and other pollinators at a time when many other flowering plants are spent.

Native Americans used it for stomach upset, sore throat and respiratory symptoms and it can be steeped into a mint tea. Its fragrance is amazing.

Coyote mint is available commercially and grows well from seed if you can find it. Plan to include it in your fall planting plans. Your local California native plant nursery can help and provide any advice that you might want.

More information can also be found here: https://calscape.org/Monardella-villosa-(Coyote-Mint)?srchcr=sc64c1fd071db68

brought to you by the Conservation Committee

07/25/2023

Tip from the Wildfire Preparedness Committee
Upcoming Safety and Preparedness Training

It’s been a long time since WFPD’s EPiC (formerly known as CERPP) has been able to offer in-person classes in CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). From Thursday Sep-7th to Oct-19th at 6:30-9:30 PM
Learn more: https://ow.ly/L8xH50Pl1Zi

Seven Thursday nights 6:30-9:30pm Sept 7th through Oct 19th and One Sunday 9:00am-4:00pm October 22 for Skills Day & Simulation