# Event Details - **Event Name**: Great Valley Gathering - **Event Start and End Date**: Fri, 02 Oct, 2026 at 04:00 pm – Sun, 04 Oct, 2026 at 10:00 pm - **Event Description**: Great Valley Gathering: FREE Three-Day Festival Presented by ACTA & Smithsonian Folklife FestivalAbout this EventGreat Valley GatheringA Free, Three-Day Celebration of Central Valley Culture, Living Traditions, & CommunityOctober 2–4, 2026 | Courthouse Park | Downtown FresnoFREE and open to the public! ?The Great Valley Gathering is coming to Courthouse Park in downtown Fresno from October 2-4, 2026. This is a free, three-day public event celebrating the living traditions, music, dance, storytelling, craft, and foodways that shape California’s Central Valley.Produced by the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) and rooted in the region’s rich agricultural history, the festival highlights a broad range of cherished expressions from diverse communities—Indigenous, immigrant, occupational, sacred, and more. Our inaugural festival will bring together culture bearers and communities from the Tulare Basin to the Sacramento Valley for a weekend filled with music, dance, food, storytelling, art, hands-on experiences, and more.Fresno was selected as one of approximately 40 gatherings across the country to participate in the Smithsonian’s “Of the People” initiative in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary through cultural exchange and civic engagement.What to Expect? Live Music & DanceExperience performances representing the many cultures of the Central Valley, including Indigenous Mixtec, Armenian, Laotian, Mexican, and more.? The Great Valley CypherDon’t miss Saturday night’s culminating celebration featuring Fresno hip hop legend Fashawn and special guests from across genres.? Native WaysMeet and learn from multigenerational Native culture bearers, including language keepers, basket weavers, singers, storytellers, acorn food specialists, and more.?️ Community DishesDiscover the flavors and stories behind the Central Valley’s diverse culinary traditions.?️ Community ConversationsHear stories and perspectives from culture bearers and community members exploring themes of gathering, migration and immigration, Native stewardship, and futurism.? Hands on HeritageGet up close with living traditions and skilled artisans, including lowrider engravers and painters, cowboy boot makers, Hmong textile artists, and more.? “We Hold These Truths” BoothShare your own self-evident truth and become part of a special project connected to the Smithsonian, with recordings archived as part of this national initiative.Festival ScheduleFriday, October 2 | 4–10 p.m.Food and performances begin at 4 p.m., followed by the Opening Ceremony at 5:15 p.m. Enjoy an evening concert featuring three bands performing regional Mexican music.Saturday, October 3 | 10 a.m.–10 p.m.Explore programming across four stages and additional festival areas throughout the day, culminating in the Great Valley Cypher featuring Fashawn and special guests.Sunday, October 4 | 11 a.m.–6 p.m.Celebrate the final day of the festival with more music, dance, storytelling, food, and art.Join the GatheringThe Great Valley Gathering is a festival of the people, by the people, and for the people of the Central Valley.Come experience our past, our present, and our future this October at Courthouse Park!? Courthouse Park1100 Van Ness Ave.Fresno, CA 93721? October 2–4, 2026?️ FREE for all three daysFor the latest festival information, visit https://gathering.actaonline.org/ or https://www.instagram.com/caltradarts/.#greatvalleygathering #elconviviodelvalle https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/4db12f00-bc27-11f1-9913-21574437e213-rimg-w740-h740-dc080808-gmir.jpg https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/4dc441d0-bc27-11f1-9913-21574437e213-rimg-w987-h740-dc98a8b8-gmir.jpg https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/4dd99e90-bc27-11f1-9913-21574437e213-rimg-w1111-h740-dc080808-gmir.jpg https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/4df14540-bc27-11f1-9913-21574437e213-rimg-w555-h740-dc080808-gmir.jpg - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/fresno/great-valley-gathering/100002000661925676 - **Event Categories**: festivals, entertainment, music, art, storytelling, concerts, performances, it, live-music, dance, music-festivals - **Slot details of has slots**: - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 5 - **Event Highlights**: - Age Limit: All Ages - Duration: 6 hours - Location: Courthouse Park - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Fresno - **state**: CA - **country**: United States - **location**: Courthouse Park - **lat**: 36.7360164 - **long**: -119.7896309 - **full address**: Courthouse Park, 1100 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Great Valley Gathering - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events4/banners/7f1260b98e4658c05e4e3dcec1d33a28c61666472d88a3539188beb6c084d25b-rimg-w1200-h600-dca83818-gmir.jpg?v=1789212664 ## Comments - [Frances Herrera | 2026-10-02 17:41:29] I’m p I - [Frances Herrera | 2026-10-02 17:42:15] I’m pretty sure I’m going to go but not sure if I’m going tonight or tomorrow or Sunday I would like to go all three days! ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Great Valley Gathering being held? - **A:** Great Valley Gathering takes place on Fri, 02 Oct, 2026 at 04:00 pm to Sun, 04 Oct, 2026 at 10:00 pm at Courthouse Park, 1100 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Great Valley Gathering? - **A:** Great Valley Gathering is organized by Alliance for California Traditional Arts. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Great Valley Gathering is ideal for festival lovers, culture enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a vibrant, immersive community experience. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Fresno, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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