To our members:

These winter months are turning out to be busy in Downtown San Jose, with plenty of promotional opportunities for businesses. Check out several ideas below for ways to increase foot traffic, customer awareness and sales.

And -- have a good President's Day weekend!

• Winterfest
• More promotional opportunities
• Back-to-work barometer
• Meetings and workshops
• City, county announcements
• Street Life activities in pictures
• Call Groundwerx to clean sidewalk messes
• Parking tip
• Downtown is hiring
• Downtown in the News
• Links

San Jose Jazz presents its 2023 WINTER FEST Starting Thursday and continuing through March 3.  This year's Winter Fest will be extra meaningful. It is co-curated by Am I Jazz? Festival, the leading-edge jazz programmer in Kyiv, Ukraine. San Jose Jazz Winter Fest 2023 highlights the intimate stories of Ukrainian artists fighting to keep their cultural identity intact for generations to come.

As usual, SJ Jazz does a great job integrating downtown businesses into both its winter and summer festivals. SJZ Winter Fest encompasses the South First Street arts district in downtown San Jose with venues SJZ Break Room, The Continental and Mama Kin Bar & Restaurant, plus the one-of-its kind Tabard Theatre at San Pedro Square. In addition, A Ukrainian Film Festival also takes place at 3Below Theaters, 288 S. Second St,. throughout Winter Fest with six evenings of film. The event also features an exhibition of paintings by Ukrainian artist Lesia Khomenko who brings her series, Unidentified Figures, to the "Unzipped Pavilion" on South First Street across from the California Theatre and next to the SJZ Break Room.

The festival also has an amazing list of sponsors. SJDA wants to thank them for their support -- not only do they support the event, they are helping to promote downtown San Jose and its business community. Let's hear it for City of San Jose, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, California Arts Council, Westbank, ICA San Jose, Nova Ukraine, and Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco. Media Sponsors: KCSM, Metro, and DownBeat.

Be sure to welcome residents, locals and visitors -- some coming from halfway around the world! Each of them are adding to our local economy and our city's energy, vibrancy, reputation and legacy. 

Download the press release from sanjosejazz.org/festivals/winter-fest/

SJDA will help promote your St. Patrick's days events
San Jose Downtown Association will help promote your St. Patrick's Day events and specials.  Check out SJDA's St. Patrick's Day page; both celebration promotions and events will reach our Downtowner Online subscriber list; and we'll publicize the events on our social media. Send us the info. 

Participate and get Lucky the Leprechaun in your window!
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and this March SJDA will paint the town green. Join us for a fun and festive Leprechaun Hunt to create excitement downtown and drive people into your business as they look for Lucky the Leprechaun all around downtown. Customers will snap photo(s) with Lucky and post on social media using the hashtag #DTSJLucky or upload it to our webpage using the QR code on the sign for a chance to win $100 in gift cards to participating downtown businesses. Businesses can participate by signing up by March 1 using this form. Participation is free but limited to the first 100 businesses.


Earthquakes season opener March 4
Businesses around San Pedro Square may want to have specials around the Earthquakes season opener March 4.  The Quakes' new coach, Luchi Gonzalez, and top players including a new signing from the top German league, Carlos Gruezo, will meet fans at Season Hype party March 2 at Blanco in San Pedro Square from 6-9pm.  We’re anticipating a full house, with live DJ, autographs, fundraisers, and more!  RSVP here.

The Earthquakes are also running more than a dozen events throughout San Jose leading into the game, especially with the  250+ small businesses in the Team 408 program. More details coming.

Notre Dame High School offers page
Want to reach Notre Dame High School students before and after school?  If your business would like to offer a 10 to 20 percent discount for Notre Dame students, faculty and staff, please click here to fill out the form so we can include your business on our Notre Dame Special Offers digital flier. Showing a valid Notre Dame school ID, name badge or simply wearing a Notre Dame uniform or shirt should be the only requirement to receive these special offers. 

SJSU offers page on sjdowntown.com
SJSU students and faculty are checking out the SJSU Offers page on sjdowntown.com for discounts, The page receives more than 100 unique visits each week.  If you have a new offer or want to update your present offer, go to this form.

Sharks pay tribute to Patrick Marleau Feb. 25

There's still time to make plans for your business to welcome attendees of the Feb. 25, event at SAP Center at San Jose to celebrate Patrick Marleau and the retirement of his No. 12 jersey.
The celebration will include pre-game activities:  

Event                                                                                       Time
Patty Fest on Barrack Obama Boulevard                                 3:00pm – 4:15pm
SAP Center Sharks365 Member Early Entry                            3:45 pm
SAP Center General Fan Entry                                                4 pm
Patrick Marleau Number Retirement Ceremony                  5:35pm – 6:15pm
Pregame warmups                                                                    6:44pm – 7:00pm
Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks game begins                         7:23pm

The Sharks would like local restaurants, bars and pubs to attract guests to their establishments prior to the game by promoting food and drink specials in recognition of Patrick Marleau and his accomplishments. Please remind those attending the ceremony and game that the Marleau No. 12 Retirement Ceremony time begins at 5:35pm. To help elevate the overall event experience for our guests and your customers, the Sharks encourage downtown partners to prepare for early arriving Sharks fans by having all available vehicle parking locations open and staffed for event attendees. 

ParkSJ will have its standard SAP pre-pay of $10 starting at noon and running throughout the day until game time. Customers, pre-game attendees and fans can now RESERVE a space in the Market and San Pedro Garage on game and event days. Check out the new capabilities of ParkSJ.org. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to Downtown San Jose to ensure guests are ready in their seat inside SAP Center to enjoy the pregame number retirement ceremony. Contact Jim Sparaco, Director, Publications at jsparaco@sjsharks.com if you need more information