Music is a universal language. It builds trust, empathy, and real human connection. Picture families laying out picnic blankets, children dancing freely, and strangers becoming friends as they sway to the same rhythm.
That’s the vision behind Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose – a nonprofit founded in 2016 to build community through music and revitalize St. James Park as a safe and inclusive destination for people of all ages and backgrounds. Since 2022, thousands have enjoyed Levitt’s pop-up concert series in the park, bringing the lawn to life through safe, inclusive and joyful experiences.
We are moving towards our dream of building a permanent Levitt Pavilion in St. James Park, in partnership with the Levitt Foundation and City of San Jose. This plug and play, state of the art performance venue will offer 40-50 free concerts a year, and be available for use by schools, local arts groups, nonprofits and civic organizations, making it a true cultural asset for the entire city.
A LEVITT PAVILION IN SAN JOSE WILL:
- Add $14.3 million annually to the Downtown San Jose economy*
- Make St. James Park safer through 50 free concerts and community rentals each year**
- Employ 50 regional music acts annually to perform on the Pavilion stage
- Give schools, arts groups, and producers an affordable, plug and play outdoor venue to use
We are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation, drawing on the proven success of Levitt venues and concert sites in partnership with the Levitt Foundation, which has helped over 50 cities across the country reclaim neglected spaces through the power of free, live music.
In Partnership with:
“Using free concerts as a catalyst for bringing people together is pure brilliance. The Levitt Foundation’s proven model of 50 free, family-friendly concerts a year will help us change the face of St. James Park—and change the way people of San José think about the arts, nature, and each other.”
— Rep. Sam Liccardo, United States Congress, 16th District
For more information on how you can support the build, please contact Director of Strategy Suzanne St. John-Crane: suzanne@levittsanjose.org.
*Per the National Independent Venue Association’s economic impact calculator and Americans for the Arts 2022 study in San Jose.
**92% of St. James Park visitors feel “safe or very safe” coming to the park when there is an event. (San Jose Downtown Association 2025 Starlite Cinema Survey)