Poster For Santa Clara County Fairgrounds

Image Via Professor Poster

For many years, the Fairgrounds Grandstand Arena held huge concerts with famous performers like Big Brother and the Holding Co, Ravi Shankar, the Doors, Creedence Clearwater, Santana, Taj Mahal and Rickie Nelson.

The Fairgrounds was also home to the two Northern California Folk-Rock Festivals held in 1968 and 1969.

The ’68 festival featured:
Country Joe and the Fish, The Grateful Dead, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Youngbloods, The Electric Flag, Kaleidoscope, Taj Mahal, and Ravi Shankar.

The ’69 festival featured:
The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Jefferson Airplane, The Chambers Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon, Spirit, Canned Heat, Buffy Sainte-Marie, The Youngbloods, Steve Miller, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Taj Mahal, Noel Redding, Lee Michaels, Blues Image, Santana, Aum, Elvin Bishop, Poco, People!, Lynn County, the Loading Zone, Sweet Linda Divine, Cat Mother, Doc Watson and the New Lost City Ramblers.

The venue also hosted the Aquarian Family Festival, which was a free three-day music festival held here on May 23 – 25, 1969. Some of the performers included Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Moby Grape, Joy of Cooking, Chocolate Watchband, Throckmorton, and Boz Scaggs.

Other Notable Concerts Played At The Santa Clara County Fairgrounds:

6/15/2019 – Suicidal Tendencies
8/4/2018 – Eddie Money
10/10/1999 – Sammy Hagar
8/2/1999 – John Kay & Steppenwolf
7/31/1991 – Stray Cats
8/9/1990 – The Guess Who
8/3/1990 – Tower of Power
7/29/1990 – Joe Cocker
8/10/1989 – Blood, Sweat & Tears
8/28/1988 – B.B. King
8/11/1988 – The Turtles
8/10/1985 – The Tubes
2/9/1974 – Lynyrd Skynyrd
11/17/1973 – Foghat
10/19/1973 – Sly & the Family Stone
6/17/1972 – The Doobie Brothers
2/26/1972 – Fleetwood Ma
1/29/1972 – Deep Purple
11/26/1971 – Cat Stevens
7/12/1971 Chicago
5/1/1971 – Badfinger
2/12/1971 -Van Morrison
4/26/1970 – Jethro Tull
4/5/1970 – The Moody Blues
5/25/1969 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
5/24/1969 – Jefferson Airplane
4/26/1969 – Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/1/1969 – Iron Butterfly
5/19/1968 – Eric Burdon & The Animals
5/19/1968 – The Doors
5/19/1968 – The Youngbloods
5/18/1968 – Big Brother & the Holding Company
2/11/1967- Love
7/30/1965 – The Beach Boys
7/30/1965 – Sonny & Cher

Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
344 Tully Rd.
San Jose CA 95111