School buses picked up event-goers at the parking lots at West Valley College and Saratoga High School and unloaded them downtown. Packs of high school and middle school students hung out with their friends, parents roamed the Family Fun Kids Zone with their kids, and everyone sampled the food and jammed to the music.

More than 15 food and restaurant booths were set up on Big Basin Way for the 17th annual Celebrate Saratoga! street party. Six stages with six different bands kept the crowds dancing.

Susana Buddenbohm manned a beer tent busily filling pints. "It's going pretty good," she said early in the night. "We're having fun over here."

As the sun went down and a full moon emerged from the clouds, the Heartbeats played the oldies and drew a big crowd to the last stage on Big Basin Way.

Rafael Molina, from Campbell, sipped a glass of wine with a group of friends. "What's nice about Celebrate Saratoga! is that it's an evening affair," he said. "I'm a night owl so it's the perfect setting for me."

Celebrate Saratoga! drew people from across the Bay Area and the nation. Pam Burrus held a beer and bobbed her head to the music. "I'm from Florida," she said. "I'm having a great time. But I'm cold!"

There was even an astronaut in attendance. Col. Yvonne Cagle, currently in training for a space shuttle mission, showed up with her daughter. "It was pretty phenomenal," she said of Celebrate Saratoga! "A lot of good people and good vibes came together for a good time."

Capt. John Hirokawa of the Sheriffs Department oversaw 20 police officers patrolling Big Basin Way. At 8 p.m. eight more officers showed up to bolster his team. "It's a family event," he said. "We're here to make sure it's a safe event and people get home safely," he said.

Celebrate Saratoga! is held annually by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce. It is organized by volunteers, community members and businesses. Sponsors this year included the Saratoga News, Alain Pinel Realtors, West Valley College and Budweiser.