Best Upcoming Charity Events In The South Bay

Gilroy Garlic Festival (credit: Getty Images)

With several 5k races and the first Silicon Valley Gives Day behind us, upcoming charity events, galas and festivals in the South Bay are centered around San Jose. Don't miss super fun events from garlic fries to jazz trombone to a turkey trot; it's all for a good cause.

A bit of garlic breath is worth it for good food, good fun and giving back. When another 100,000 people attend the giant 36th annual gathering, they'll be helping to meet the objective: "...to provide benefits to local worthy charities and non-profit groups by promoting the community of Gilroy through a quality celebration of garlic." Topped off by last year's $350,000 donated to 167 organizations, more than $10 million has been raised and distributed since 1979. Come get your free garlic ice cream.

This three-day event attracting tens of thousands annually is celebrating its 25th anniversary. San Jose Jazz Summer Fest boasts 11 stages featuring fusion, straight-ahead jazz, Latin, Salsa, R&B and blues by international stars and emerging artists. Proceeds benefit music education programs including Progressions from elementary school age, High School All Stars, Summer Jazz Camp and NextGen Stage, providing students with a performance showcase with internationally acclaimed artists.

Traditional dancing, delicious ethnic food, live music, a kid zone and even a raffle for a 2014 Mustang (car, not horse) are part of the fun this year, as once again, thousands are expected. Note that on June 21, 2014, The Assyrian Aid Society of America presents the seventh annual Mesopotamian Night theatre performance of "The Little Lantern" by the Presidio Dance Theatre, presented at San Jose's California Theatre. Proceeds go toward projects to help Assyrians in the ancestral homeland of Bet Nahrain in Northern Iraq.

Chefs Scott Cooper of Le Papillon and Maurice Dissels of Birk's Restaurant lead a team of prominent local chefs and vintners on this 13th annual occasion. Supporters enjoy the offerings of outstanding cuisine, wine tasting presented by the best local labels and live entertainment, all created especially for the evening. Bidding on a unique assortment of auction packages raises funds for the March of Dimes, a nationwide non-profit that seeks to improve the health of infants and expectant mothers.

Working to "reduce the Latino student achievement gap in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); convene and engage the Latino community; and, train Latino leaders to serve as board members of Silicon Valley non-profit organizations" is the mission of this non-profit called Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. The gala, now in its 25th year, will raise money to help cultivate a stronger Latino community in Silicon Valley. Check in with the HFSV's website for updates on ticket purchasing.

Serve it up your way. Run or walk, cover 5k or 10k, enter the kids' race, the wheelchair race, the family race or the costumed race. There's a veteran's prize and a fittest fireman, quickest cop cup. Know someone famous? There's a celebrity cup, too. It's a Thanksgiving Day tradition to give thanks by helping Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, the Housing Trust Silicon Valley, Healthier Kids Foundation Santa Clara County and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County. The event has already raised more than $4 million for these beneficiaries.

Laurie Jo Miller Farr loves walkable cities. A tourism industry professional and transplanted New Yorker by way of half-a-lifetime in London, she's writing about the best of the bay and beyond for Yahoo, USA Today, eHow, and on Examiner.com.