About Siesta Valley Bowl

About Us

Siesta Valley Bowl is a 750-cap outdoor amphitheater in the Berkeley-Orinda Hills, just 20 minutes from San Francisco and 10 minutes from Oakland. For more than three decades, the site was home to the California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes); when Cal Shakes closed in 2024, a small group of East Bay musicians, artists and entrepreneurs came together to give it a new life. Today, Siesta Valley Bowl operates through a public-private partnership with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD): nonprofit Siesta Valley Foundation leases and stewards the ten-acre property, while Siesta Valley Bowl, Inc. serves as the concessionaire and promoter for commercial concerts. Since reopening in spring 2026, the Bowl has welcomed artists and audiences from across the Bay Area to experience great performances in one of Northern California’s most remarkable natural settings. And we’re just getting started.

Why We Brought It Back

We are a small team of musicians, artists and entrepreneurs who raised our families in Lamorinda. Over the years, each of us found our way to the Bruns Amphitheater, whether for a Cal Shakes performance or a special musical event, and we all had the same reaction to the uniquely Californian landscape and natural beauty of the Siesta Valley.

When word came of the end of Cal Shakes, we had the same thought: this was a chance to do something meaningful in our community and bring unforgettable musical and cultural experiences to our backyard in Orinda. Tucked into the hills just minutes from downtown, Siesta Valley feels worlds away — a little oasis where great music and an extraordinary natural setting come together.

What We're Building Now

Our proposal was accepted by EBMUD in the fall of 2025, and we got to work planning, fundraising and bringing new life to the property. On June 5, 2026, we welcomed the public back for the first ticketed concert at the newly named Siesta Valley Bowl.

Since then, one of the greatest joys has been watching people discover the Bowl for themselves — incredible artists, a spectacular setting and the simple pleasure of experiencing live music together under the open sky. And we're just getting started.