Santa Clara committee, community stakeholders workshop to shape 2026 event theme and priorities

City staff, members of the Development and Marketing Committee and community stakeholders met in a public workshop to begin shaping Santa Clara2026 economic development and community engagement plans, narrow a citywide theme for the year of major events, and set priorities for city-led and partner events.

The session presented results from a community value survey and a spatial mapping exercise, asked participants to help choose a short list of core value statements and slogan options for 2026, and outlined an event-categorization framework and a call for proposals for sponsored events. Staff said the work is intended to align local events and partner activities with the city2026 visibility around major incoming events.

Staff briefed attendees on two key pieces of background input: a word cloud summarizing community values and a mapping exercise that showed most proposed activity clustered around the stadium area and downtown. Staff described three event categories to be used going forward: city-led events (large-scale events organized and resourced by the city), sponsor-partner-led events (produced by external organizations in collaboration with the city, with partner funding and operational capacity) and community-led events (smaller, locally organized activities supported by city coordination). Staff also proposed a simple scale (large, medium, small) to indicate expected city resource needs.

Participants worked in small groups to rank suggested base value statements and slogan drafts. Staff collected votes by raised hands; each person was given three votes. During the session staff recorded some tallies (for example, one count referenced in the meeting was "12 votes" for a draft line), and staff said they would compile the results after the workshop. Staff made clear they are seeking high-level proposals at this stage rather than fully developed event plans and provided an event-proposal template and a matrix on each table listing suggested events, category (small/medium/large), suggested locations, potential dates and possible organizers.

The committee also conducted routine business at the start of the meeting: a motion to approve the June Development and Marketing Committee minutes was made, seconded and approved on voice vote (the transcript records "All those in favor? Aye.").

Staff asked anyone with ideas for sponsor partnerships to submit brief proposals before the next meeting; the group said staff would circulate materials and an event template by email for online participants. Staff stated the intent to bring a vote on city-led events at the next meeting after participants return the table matrices and fill the provided template.

During public and stakeholder introductions several organizations and individuals identified themselves on the record, including Diana Ding of Dingding TV and Silicon Valley Community Media, Jaya Gautam with the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, and multiple local community leaders and nonprofit or business representatives who participated in group exercises. Near the close of the meeting staff announced a temporary public art installation, "Nebula Rider," to be displayed at City Hall Plaza from July 16 through Nov. 14 (staff noted the display "may be extended").

No ordinance, resolution, contract award or budget action was taken in the workshop; the session focused on planning, community input and next steps. Staff will compile the vote tallies for the theme/value exercise, circulate materials to participants (including online attendees), and return to the committee with a list of city-led events for a vote at a future meeting.