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Santa Clara committee narrows 2026 event priorities, backs World Cup festival concept
Summary
The Economic Development and Marketing Committee gathered community proposals and used a dot-vote exercise to prioritize citywide events for 2026, highlighting cultural heritage programming, food-and-beverage events and a proposed "Santa Clara World Cup Festival." Staff will develop budgets and return to the City Council for final approval in Sep.
The Economic Development and Marketing Committee on Aug. 11 prioritized potential citywide events for 2026, singling out cultural heritage and storytelling programs, food-and-beverage activations and a proposed "Santa Clara World Cup Festival, Art Brews and Wine" as top ideas to be developed further.
The committee convened in person and on Zoom to review more than 80 community-submitted concepts narrowed into a dozen categories. After a gallery-walk and a dot-vote exercise, staff reported cultural heritage and storytelling and food-and-beverage concepts received the most support (25 dots each), followed by tech and innovation showcases, live music/performance categories and sports/athlete experience concepts.
Why it matters: Santa Clara is a host site for FIFA World Cup events at Levi's Stadium, and city staff and community groups are planning a coordinated slate of 2026 activations intended to engage multiple neighborhoods, local nonprofits, arts organizations and businesses while creating a single calendar for public information and marketing.
The meeting opened with a public comment from…
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