Hayward, California has a population of over 150,000 residents. It is known as the "Heart of the Bay" because of its close proximity to Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose. Hayward's largest shopping destination is the Southland Mall, which is home to JC Penney and Macy's department stores.
Hayward is renowned for holding regular parties and carnivals, and has gathered a reputation for its packed calendar of events and festivals. Every January, Hayward holds a celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. In May, the city hosts a popular Cinco de Mayo Celebration. From June to September, Hayward hosts Downtown Street Parties on the third Thursday of each month.
The city also holds a Fourth of July Celebration, Blues Festival and Zucchini Festival during these summer months. Rounding off the festival calendar, on the Thursday after Thanksgiving, Hayward kicks off the Christmas season with their "Light Up the Season!" event.
To provide its residents and visitors with easy Internet access, Hayward has created a free Wi-Fi hotspot that covers a large portion of the city's downtown area.
