ABOUT LAVA

The Los Altos Village Association was founded in the early 1960’s by the merchants and property owners who were concerned that the opening of several regional shopping centers would lure customers away from the downtown triangle.  Its sole purpose was to promote, via advertising and special events, the downtown businesses.

Today, that is still the purpose of the Los Altos Village Association (LAVA).  Member dues are used strictly for advertising and additional funds raised through the Los Altos Arts & Wine festival help with administrative costs, expenses for other downtown special events and donations that benefit the community at large.  There are 200 members now, quite a change from the three or four who first envisioned the organization. 

The very first event the association put on was the Easter Egg Hunt and it continues today, largely unchanged and enjoyed by hundreds of children and their parents every year.   Other family friendly events have been added through the years, including the Halloween Spooktacular, Outdoor Movie Nights, the Farmer’s Market and the holiday tree and menorah lighting ceremonies.  All events are designed to bring customers to downtown, sometimes for the very first time!  Please see our Events Calendar for a complete list of events.

Every event requires many volunteer hours and the merchants, property owners and residents all come together to make these special times memorable for all.  Without the many volunteers who give hundreds of hours per year, LAVA would not be able to offer the many events currently on the calendar.

The Association is also involved in other aspects of downtown life.  It’s members participate in several committees that work to improve the downtown area, keep in touch with city affairs and otherwise stay in touch with the pulse of the downtown.  These committees, the Property Owner’s Committee, the City Affairs/Economic Development Committee, the Beautification Committee and the Promotions Committee are all staffed by merchants, property owners and residents of Los Altos who give their spare time to make downtown Los Altos a better place to shop and do business.  The staff of the LAVA office and these LAVA members work closely with other organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and Kiwanis for the betterment of the Los Altos downtown and community as a whole. 

Whether you choose to join the Village Association or shop downtown on a regular basis, we appreciate your support!