Some of the season's best entertainment bargains are also some of the valley's best-kept secrets—nearly every community in the Silicon Valley is inviting residents to bring a picnic blanket and enjoy music or theater at a local park for free this summer. While some of these summertime concerts aren't advertised outside the communities where they're held, residency isn't a requirement.

The reasons for the limited publicity are simple—communities don't want hordes of people coming to their summer concerts, either due to limited park space or because the concerts are intended to evoke a small-town feel.

"Our concert series is kind of like a little piece of the Midwest," says Barbara Jones, supervisor of the Summer Concert Series in Campbell. "It's like a small town. It's a really safe place for parents and their children."

While some concerts are aimed at families and take place at the dinner hour or during weekend afternoons, other events, such as the summer music series at downtown San Jose's Plaza de Cesar Chavez, are geared toward after-work crowds or college-age audiences. The entertainment at these free events ranges from Shakespeare in the Park in Cupertino to roots reggae in downtown San Jose.

— Campbell Summer Concert Series. Thursdays, through Aug. 22, 6:30-8 p.m. Orchard City Green, at the intersection of Central Avenue and Civic Center Drive, Campbell. Scheduled: Fred McCarty & Company (July 18), Blu Crocodiles Rock N' Roll Band (July 25), The Joe Ferrari Big Band (Aug. 2), The Hitmen (Aug. 8), SAGE (Aug. 15), The Jenny Kerr Band (Aug. 22).

— Children's Theater in the Park. Fridays, through Aug. 16, 6:30 p.m. ParkStage, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, Castro and Mercy streets, Mountain View. Scheduled: The Hobbit (July 19), Stone Soup (July 26), Dr. Doolittle (Aug. 2), The Trial of Goldilocks (Aug. 9), Crimestoppers (Aug. 16).

— Free Shakespeare in the Park. Fridays-Sundays, Aug. 9-25, 7:30 p.m. Memorial Park, at the corner of Mary Avenue and Stevens Creek Boulevard, Cupertino. Scheduled: The Winter's Tale.

— Music in the Park. Thursdays, through Sept. 5, 5-8:15 p.m. Plaza de Cesar Chavez, Market and San Carlos streets, San Jose. Scheduled: Roomful of Blues (July 18), Dave Meniketti (July 25), Echobrain (Aug. 1), Mike "Spiderman" Robinson (Aug. 8), Reggae Revolution (Aug. 22), Luce (Aug. 29), Pete Escovedo (Sept. 5).

— Music in the Plaza. Sundays, through Aug. 25, 5-7 p.m. Because of repair work on the town plaza, this summer's concerts take place at the civic center, 110 E. Main St., Los Gatos. Scheduled: West Bay Opera (July 21), S.F. Klezmer Experience (July 28), Sidesaddle & Co. (Aug. 4), SAGE (Aug. 18), Mariachi Tapatio and Alika Del Nayar (Aug. 25).

— Summer Concert Series 2002. Thursdays, through Aug. 15, 6-8 p.m. The amphitheater at Memorial Park, at the corner of Mary Avenue and Stevens Creek Boulevard, Cupertino. Scheduled: Shabang (July 18), Sidesaddle (July 25), Molly's Revenge (Aug. 1), Kapalikiko (Aug. 15).

— Summer Jazz 16. Thursdays, through Aug. 15, 6-7:30 p.m. Clock Tower Plaza, Stanford Shopping Center, 680 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto. Scheduled: Lizz Wright (July 18), Gerard Carelli Quartet, featuring Larry Dunlap (July 25), Anton Schwartz Quartet (Aug. 1), Sylvia Cuenca (Aug. 8).

— Music in the Glen Concert Series. Thursdays, through Aug. 8, 6:30-8 p.m. Willow Glen Elementary School, corner of Lincoln and Minnesota. Schedule: The Blu Crocodiles (July 18), The Hitmen (July 25), The Harvilles (Aug. 1), The Mark Russo Big Band (Aug. 8).