History
In 1963, a children's clothing store owner wanted to attract shoppers back to Downtown Los Altos as the expansion of big shopping centers drew local residents elsewhere. Partnering with two other store owners, they hosted an Easter Egg Hunt on Main & State Streets. This event is still held today. In the early 1970s, the organization became a 501(c)6 non-profit and named itself the Los Altos Village Association. In 1979, LAVA held its first Arts & Wine Festival as a fundraiser to support ongoing advertising and promotional efforts for the merchants. While starting small, today, the event fills the Downtown triangle, hosting more than 350 artists, three stages, a KidZone, six wineries and 35 food vendors. More than 400 community members volunteer at the festival.
Specialties
The Los Altos Village Association (LAVA) is the business owners' organization serving Downtown Los Altos since 1963. The organization began with a single annual event and today hosts more than 45 days of events each year, bringing the customers to the downtown triangle. At the Los Altos Village Association our ongoing mission is to create a vibrant downtown not only for Los Altos residents, but for all of Silicon Valley.