Season of Hope concerts return to St. Joseph Cathedral in San Jose

"The free concert series was originally launched in 1996, featuring a variety of performances over 23 days including choirs, opera singers, harpists, dancers, jazz bands and more, all recruited by Henry Schiro, who led the San Jose Jazz Society at the time. The series evolved over time, but it remained a real gift, providing people with another reason to come downtown during the bright holiday season."

"Each concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and is scheduled for an hour. The concerts are still free, but donations will support the Cathedral Social Ministries, handled by Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County. The Silicon Valley Arts Coalition was the key driver in bringing back the series, which was supported by a grant from ParkSJ and sponsorships from the San Francisco 49ers, LifeScience PLUS and Noon Arts & Lectures."

Season of Hope at St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica in downtown San Jose launched in 1996 and featured 23 days of choirs, opera singers, harpists, dancers, jazz bands and performers recruited by Henry Schiro. The series evolved but remained a holiday attraction that drew people downtown and gave arts organizations exposure to audiences. The series paused during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, returned for a 25th season in late 2021, then went dark for two years before a single centennial concert. The series now expands to four free concerts Dec. 14–17 with donations supporting Cathedral Social Ministries. The revival involved the Silicon Valley Arts Coalition, a ParkSJ grant and sponsors including the San Francisco 49ers, LifeScience PLUS and Noon Arts & Lectures.

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