Another freebie: It began 46 years ago as the Prune Festival, but don’t let that scare you. This annual event in downtown Campbell has nothing to do with increasing your daily intake of fiber or potassium (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Its origins in the 1970s were more along the lines of celebrating the region’s history as a significant supplier of fruit, via the farming and canning industries. But these days, it’s called the Boogie Festival and it’s all about the music. Free music. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, more than 30 musical acts will perform on three stages and an area called “DJ Central.” You’ll find everything from the roots-rocking “Black Crowes-meets- Janis Joplin” Pearl Alley Band to the multi-genre dance/party band The Rockafellas; not to mention pop and surf rock (The Iconics); jazz and blues (Lauren Halliwell and the Dirty Sound); Americana (Anthony Arya Band), Southern rock (Vitalsign Band) and a wide mix of pop, rock and R&B (Cocktail Monkeys). You can also check out the 120 artisan booths or the wide variety of entertainment acts on the Community Stage (which on Sunday will host a battle of the bands). There will also be food and drink booths as well as a KidZone with fun stuff for the young ‘uns. A complete list of performers and other attractions, plus details on parking and other key information is available at campbellboogie.com/.
Classics on tap: Two Bay Area dance companies are tackling a classic story this weekend. One has been a ballet for nearly 150 years; the other is getting a new adaptation. In San Jose, New Ballet is taking on “Swan Lake,” arguably the most famous ballet in history, even if it bombed in its initial performances. Supposedly drawn from Russian and German folk tales, although its precise origin remains a question, “Swan Lake” is anchored by Tchaikovsky’s memorable score, which will be performed live by the New Ballet Orchestra. Performances are 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Hammer Theatre Center in San Jose. Tickets are $25-$111 at newballet.com. Meanwhile, Diablo Ballet presents the world premiere of “Alice in Wonderland,” created by acclaimed choreographer and former dancer Brian Enos, whose works have been performed by dozens of leading companies. The dance, featuring music by Prokofiev and Shostakovich, debuts on a program with Gerald Arpino’s “Reflections.” Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek. Tickets are $30-$58; go to diabloballet.org.
Freight’s great shows: The Freight & Salvage Coffee House, founded nearly 60 years ago and often referred to as The Freight, is known as a folk music joint. But if you think that means the iconic music club serves up guys in overalls plucking banjos and rehashing old “Hee Haw “ routines, you need to get better acquainted. This weekend, for example, points to the wide-ranging and rich lineup that makes it among the most interesting and beloved music clubs in East Bay history. On Thursday and Friday, it hosts legendary Cuban guitarist and singer-songwriter Eliades Ochoa, whose involvement with Cuaterto Patria as well as the Buena Vista Social Club have helped cement his multi-generational reputation as one of Cuba’s most revered performers. The dance floor will be open for both shows, which means there are no assigned seats. Both performances kick off at 8 p.m., tickets are $54-$59. On Saturday and Sunday, talented and versatile guitarist Bill Frisell returns,backed by his band Good Dog, featuring pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz (a frequent Frisell collaborator), bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen. Show times are 8 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $54-$74. Go to thefreight.org
Traversing the globe in song: For only his second formal time at the podium, Joseph Castro, newly minted artistic director of the Livermore-based Valley Concert Chorale, takes the ensemble on “A Choral Journey” that they are dubbing “The Sound of Hope and Love.” Many different cultures are represented in the program, which will be sung in English, Spanish, Hebrew, Latin and other languages, with Castro promising, “Every season of life will be represented in our music selections.” Eric Whitacre’s “Five Hebrew Love Songs,” with string quartet accompaniment, is in the lineup, as are Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” Stacy Gibbs’ and Richard Burchards’ “Eternal Hope,” Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Shawn Kirchner’s “I’ll Be on My Way” and more. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Resurrection Lutheran Church (a new venue for the Chorale at 7557 Amador Valley Blvd. in Dublin) and 4 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Pleasanton. Find tickets, $30, at valleyconcertchorale.org.
Showcase for a developing star: At age 20, Wisconsin-based cellist Amelia Zitoun already has a string of performance medals as long as her arm, including most recently, second prize in the prestigious International Klein String Competition for 2024. As a result of that honor, she is $3,500 richer and has an upcoming solo turn with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, where she will be featured in Luigi Boccherini’s Cello Concerto No. 7 in G Major. Also on the program, which is conducted by Anthony Quartuccio, are William Susman’s 2006 “To the Forgotten of Hurricane Katrina,” his zydeco-infused response to that horrific disaster, and Antonin Dvorak’s five-movement Serenade for Strings in E Major. Performance time is 7 p.m. Sunday at St. Francis Episcopal Church in San Jose, and tickets, $15-$75, are available at sjco.org.
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