Redwood city has come a long way!!! I love the fact that us residents (non residents too) can enjoy the movies, dancing, performances and festivals at the courthouse square. It's a beautiful place come check it out!
Make sure you Bring a cooler with goods and enjoy the variety of music, movies and events!
Sorry, but as someone born and raised in Redwood City, I have to say MEH.
Don't get me wrong, Courthouse Square is a huge improvement over the nothing we had on this block for years. Getting rid of the crappy, dingy/gloomy old facade and showcasing the historic, original County Courthouse in all its glory is absolutely a wonderful thing.
But the DESIGN. Holy crap, the level of fail in the design is astounding.
There is no shade anywhere which makes hanging out at Courthouse Square absolutely unbearable in the spring/summer/fall, thanks to the fact that the tryhard geniuses who designed the area planned it to be like any one of the more generic stone-'n'-concrete upscale strip mall courtyards that you'll find in the Valley down in SoCal. An entire half a block of open gathering space and they didn't think to plant a single tree or even install a patch of lawn or a flower bed. Sure, you can shelter under a kiosk, but if you're at the Square for an event it's likely that your view of the proceedings will suck.
And while I'm glad that the Square is being used as a community meeting space, most of the events put on by the city do not appeal to me. I mean I'm glad that the free Friday music nights and free Thursday movie nights exist for the people who enjoy them, but they are not for me. The movies tend to be years old and either rated G for the kiddies or just seriously right-wing and not my style. What I mean by that is that they would show movies like Jarhead but never something like Milk (yes, my references are a few years out of date). And as much as out of towners and people who live on the 94062 side of the city might enjoy the novelty of music at the Square, people who live downtown aren't always thrilled to be renting units at inflated Peninsula prices only to have loud rock music blaring just a few blocks away. Nor do I ever think it's fun to sit in a square with a hundred loud, tipsy people listening to the latest dad-rock tribute band.
Also, if you read some of the previous reviews, you'll see that Courthouse Square represents a super-gentrified and sanitized version of what a downtown should be. Previous reviews laud the heavy police presence on busy nights, the lack of graffiti (because graffiti is so scary and offensive to the visual cortex), and the general absence of riffraff. Yes, seeing obnoxious middle-aged dudebros paying for overpriced beer in a plastic cup and rocking out to Dave Matthews Lite is totally acceptable, but heaven forbid you run into a group of young teenagers (of color) or get a glimpse of one of the city's estimated 500 homeless people.
Sorry for the rant, haha! I do think the Square is an improvement on the past. But so many things about it, like the type of attitude it promotes and the type of direction it clearly indicates for the city just doesn't fit with me and the perspective I have as a native. Remember "stop trying to making 'fetch' happen" from Mean Girls? That's exactly the feeling I get when I see the Square: stop trying to make RWC happen.
One cool thing about the square: Occupy Redwood City used to meet at the Square on Friday evenings (they now meet at City Hall). The Square was also the site of a large labor rally back in April of last year. Now THAT's a real awesome use of this downtown community space: bringing back the feeling of the commons, civic participation, and a true town hall feel to the center of the city.
Summer Concerts are so much fun to attend and they have started! Â As we've noticed, lots of people come to set up camp early. Â Everyone is just having a great time. Â There are people of all ages and it is great for the kids. Â It feels very safe, lots of staff working the event. Â I just wish they had more food vendors. Â There are beer tents, but you can also bring your own cooler with you beverages, snacks, and chairs. Â I even have seen a group with what looked like a coffee table the middle of their area. Â They had it made. Â Check out the schedule online for bands that peak your interest. Â We just saw the Santana cover band on June 15. Â Very good!
Review Source:YAY!!! I love love love the courthouse square! It's super nice and beautiful and I love that in the Summer they have FREE entertainments every single night!
I was there for a FREE movie night with some friends... do come early to snag a table and chair.. otherwise, bring your own!
Friday nights (summer) are usually VERY CROWDED (music on the square) and you really want to bring your own stuff to sit on! Lots of people bring their own food and drink and have picnics here :)
I really hope that the city will find a way to keep funding the activities here....it certainly brings businesses to the otherwise sleepy downtown area.
Check out downtown redwood city event page to find what else they are offering here at the courthouse square. It's worth visiting!
This is the happening place for free concerts during the summer months.  All the towns up and down the Peninsula have free concerts during the summer.  Redwood City has them on Friday nights  for quite a few months.  You can bring your own beer and food or purchase something to eat and drink there. It is a blast but it gets very crowded.  I think people get there very early to get good seats.  It really doesn't matter because the music is great no matter where you sit or stand.
Review Source:I love my town! The downtown area especially... It used to be a very boring place, but now it's become a true Peninsula destination.
Within a few blocks of the Courthouse there are dozens of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and two theaters, with ATMs and free parking available. There's plenty of free entertainment on the Square during the summer, during which outdoor drinking is allowed! The area is very clean - no graffiti, no garbage, and no whinos. Redwood City PD patrols heavily, and the Sheriff's Office is a block away so the area is very safe.
A couple of minor negatives: The movie theater is a popular hangout for teeny-boppers, so at times you may encounter a group of loud punk kids. The Caltrain station is nearby, so the sound of train horns can get a little annoying. But all in all, this is a great place to visit...
You remember that scene in (500) Days of Summer where Joseph Gordon-Levitt walks around and is having the best day EVER? The scene with the dance sequence to Hall and Oates "You Make My Dreams Come True" and the little birds from Cinderella?
No? Watch this video: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8tJoIaXZ0rw&s=f68f26d65c6787925b359e93153789d2f9cb096064aa11a415b1f00daa50f498" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
Courthouse Square reminds me of that scene.
At night, there are little lights everywhere and it's pretty romantic.
Love the music in the park and movies during the summertime!
Smack dab in the middle of Redwood Coty, this spot is the quintessential small town center.
Came here tonight for an outdoor movie. It was the perfect way to unwind after a crazy weekend. They even provide a few chairs and tables, just in case you forgot to bring your own.
Come here and see this cute little RWC gem.
I was so impressed by this venue! Not being from Redwood city I wasn't sure what to expect, because I never spend time there. But the outdoor movie night I attended was so enjoyable... They already have some tables and chairs for public use, but people definitely bring their own as well (there is not enough for everyone). it is all concrete so if you only have a blanket, plan on booty lock halfway through the movie.. And plan on sitting way up in the front so you aren't blocked by everyone else. Bring your own food or get it from a local joint, and if you forget some nice beverages.. grab some to you're right! They serve beer, wine, sodas, water, etc. The screen for the movie was great size and the film is in HD! Can't go wrong!
Review Source:my hubby & I got hitched at the courthouse here in RWC, and took some wedding photos here at the Square. Â It was a gorgeous day out, and there were lots of other people milling around, but we had a blast taking our photos. Â Some of them turned out awesome, i've had tons of compliments on our photos and a lot of the people out and about were super friendly and kept smiling at us.
The Square would also be a chill place to just grab a good book, a cold drink and hang out for a quiet afternoon :)
Love it here! Â Love it. Â Whenever we are walking together day or night... rain or shine... Festival, Farmers Market, or for no good reason at all... I can't help but daydream about raising a family here in Redwood City. Â
The people are down to earth, the town is clean, whoever plans the events here has what it takes to pull together excellent vendors and a great crowd to enjoy it all with.
Seeing children riding their little bikes in the square, couples holding hands, people standing around with their drinks chatting and people watching... great music playing in the background...
Oh and there isn't graffiti here! Â Man, I don't miss San Jose at all. Â The police officers are friendly here and the square is clean. Â
It also amazes me that a city in the Bay Area can have beautiful little bistro sets sitting around in a town square that people actually respect and take care of as they enjoy them. Â Great town, Good people!
I love this square and the many community events that happen here all summer..
Today as I lunched I sat watching a father daughter dup perform some real retro numbers and I checked the many events coming up, the dance lessons on tuedays, the music concerts on fridays and the family events through the weak and lo! Joy was in the air!
The city has done a great job at creating a community feeling through these events..I can't wait for the free salsa lessons the last tuesday of this month :)
The creation of the Courthouse Square as a center for community activities in RWC is one of the best uses of space that I've ever seen. Â Used all year round, programs are just great and my wife and I look forward to the summer concerts every year. Â Dancing with your community is marvelous!!!
Review Source:Have gone to the Redwood City Thursday free summer outdoor movies and have had a great time.  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ci.redwood-city.ca.us%2Fevents%2Fmovieschedule.html&s=d049c1249d26e95dc6fbd538faf5bd3f97134d7c9bac46df4eaaa63426adb667" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.ci.redwood-ci…</a>  During the week there are free events going on, Shakespeare, dance classes and the music.  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.redwoodcity.org%2Fcalendar%2F&s=ce1d0bb3a2d7a573733edc741775c3f0ae6100d30e5babfbb716c0b8f67afa1e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.redwoodcity.o…</a>  Have sat next to the fountains on the steps which they shut off during the movie and the cement is warm from the sun.  There are snacks like sodas, hot chocolate and popcorn and cotton candy on sale under the gazebo.  The restrooms are fairly clean.   Have bought local to go food from nearby restaurants.  You have to get there an hour before if you want to  snag bistro table and seat.  Many family's show up with their own chairs and blankets and their kids in PJ's.  Some make it a night with friends bringing their own chairs, wine and cheese.  Once we even went to the Century movie theater across the street to buy real popcorn with butter to watch the outdoor movie.  When the nights get colder I bring a thermos of hot drinks and a blanket to cover.  It is fun and cozy.  It can get noisy with the kids and babies. Some people smoke...bleh...Plenty of street and business lot parking around the area.  Close down Broadway for more room to sit in the street with your own chairs.
Review Source:Boo ya kaza !!!
They got tables with umbrellas set 24 hrs a day ...
bring your food , your wine , your beer  .....your  kids  ...eh  maybe leave your kid at home in front of a video game ( I kid , I kid !)
fun for all the family , even pets ....
music, restaurants , bars ......BETTER  setting than Palo Alto and Mountain View's  downtowns ....
be here and be or Courthouse Square !
I Yelp-commend this place.
Yeay, RWC, finally a great civic project, and if this does not revitalize downtown, nothing will. Â They did a great job on the plaza, plenty of nice tables, fountains, kiosks which hopefully will fill up soon to sell food and such, lots of free activities. Â Great place to get some food to go and just hang out.
Review Source:Well being a Redwood City resident, it's time once again to don my RWC cheerleader outfit (it's very tight under the arms) and sing...uh chant the praises of the revitalized downtown area. One of the centerpieces is the RWC Courthouse Square. Â Does anybody realize how much stuff is going on here during the summer? Let's review:
--- Music on the Square: Free outdoor concerts every Friday from 6-8 p.m.; May to early October
--- Movies on the Square: Free outdoor movies (PG-13 and below) on the big screen every Thursday night, starting at sundown; June to August
--- Shakespeare on the Square: selected Saturday evenings, starting at 7 pm; preceded by a local string quartet starting at 5:30
--- Dancing on the square: Dance series every Tuesday night from June to September
--- Other various weekend events, including the PAL Blues festival and Target Family days, which include music, storytelling and activities.
The scheduling for all the above events can be found at the RWC special events site. Here's the link:
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.redwoodcity.org%2Fevents%2F&s=8e921d10a04918ddeb2c2fa546b81e8c9637140c4a1dce36e3923a90d9b374e1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.redwoodcity.o…</a>
Hungry? Thirsty? These events include vendors selling refreshments, including beer and wine. Â Plus there are a variety of quickie restaurants within a block, including taquerias, pizza joints, bakeries, sandwich spots and even dessert-based cafes.
Five stars for being free, outside, family-friendly, walking distance to Caltrain, and adjacent to the beautiful San Mateo County courthouse. Did I mention these activities are all FREE? Â Last time I checked, Free was good.
Definitely a great place to take your lunch on a nice day. The co-worker and I decided to do a hot dog run (hitting up two places for comparison) and brought out food here. Now for the dead of winter it somehow managed to be 62 degrees and sunny. Since we had a later lunch we had the square, the fountains, and the nice day all to ourselves. Let me tell you, it was a bitch trying to motivate myself and go back to work.
Review Source:Courthouse Square is shaping up to be the cultural center of Redwood City. Â The fountains are lovely and the square looks clean and well kept. Â Even the sidewalks look new. Â
It's a great place to enjoy lunch (there are plenty of wooden Smith & Hawken tables and chairs) and during the summer, musicians perform just about everyday. Â They've also had free outdoor movie nights, dancing on the square and art shows. Â The farmers' market takes place here on Saturdays (April - November). Â They display community art here too. Â
Courthouse Square is flanked by the old Fox Theater building (now a venue for live music), several art galleries and the Redwood City Courthouse (built in 1910, now the San Mateo County History Museum). Â It truly feels like the center of Redwood City. Â
The courthouse is two stories, topped by a stained glass dome and bell tower. Â Eagles and crests adorn the rooftops making it quite a lovely, stately building. Â Inside you'll find mosaic tile floors and a grand staircase. Â Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for seniors and children. Â Entrance to the gift shop is free and you'll find books about local history and toys for kids.
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