About Hecker Pass Outdoor Events Center:
A Versatile Outdoor Venue in the Heart of California. Located adjacent to Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park.
Set against the scenic backdrop of Hecker Pass in Gilroy, California, Hecker Pass Outdoor Events Center offers a flexible outdoor venue designed for gatherings of all sizes. Surrounded by open skies, rolling hills and mature trees, the space blends natural beauty with thoughtfully designed event areas that can support everything from corporate retreats and festivals to private celebrations and community events. Guests move easily between social spaces, activities, dining and entertainment, creating an immersive outdoor experience where fresh air meets fresh ideas.
Venue Highlights
28,800 sq ft shade-covered Arbor Pavilion with ambient lighting
2+ acres of tree-lined grove for large outdoor gatherings and activities
Spaces designed for corporate retreats, festivals, and private events
Ideal for daytime programs and evening experiences under the stars
Convenient Gilroy location near Hecker Pass and Gilroy Gardens
A dedicated recreation space, featuring multi-sport courts, championship bocce, and lawn games that keep guests engaged before, during, and after every event. (Available for 2027 Bookings)
Event Spaces
The Arbor Pavilion
Ideal for large gatherings, while easily adaptable for smaller groups or breakout activities
The Arbor Pavilion is the heart of the venue — a spacious 28,800-square-foot shade-covered pavilion designed to accommodate large gatherings while remaining flexible enough for more intimate experiences. Soft lighting creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere as day transitions into evening. The Arbor Pavilion can be configured for dining, presentations, performances, trade show style pipe and drape, or divided into smaller zones for breakout sessions, activity stations, or lounge areas, making it a versatile hub for any event.
The Grove
An expansive outdoor landscape for large-scale activities and open-air experiences
The Grove is a beautiful two-plus acre tree-lined lawn that offers wide open space for recreation, entertainment, and large-scale outdoor gatherings. This versatile landscape is ideal for traditional picnic activities, overnight camp experiences, sports clinics, concerts, or casual games like soccer and softball. As the sun sets, The Grove also becomes a peaceful place for evening programming such as outdoor movie nights or stargazing. The natural setting provides the perfect balance of openness and shade, creating a memorable environment for both daytime and nighttime events.
The Yard—Coming Soon
Where friendly competition, connection, and unforgettable memories come together.
The Yard is our central activity hub, designed to bring guests together through recreation, conversation, and shared experiences. Whether complementing a corporate retreat, company picnic, festival, celebration or private event, The Yard offers an inviting space where guests of all ages can relax, play, and connect throughout the day.
Designed for flexibility, The Yard features a variety of recreational amenities that can be enjoyed casually or incorporated into organized team-building activities and event programming.
Features include:
A multi-use sport courtcan be configured for basketball, pickleball, volleyball, and badminton.
Two bocce courtsfeaturing Pacific Pearl®, the world's leading all-weather, high-performance bocce surface.
A versatile activity lawn designed for horseshoes, cornhole, tetherball and countless other lawn game opportunities.
Whether guests are challenging coworkers to a game of pickleball, enjoying a friendly bocce tournament, or simply gathering on the lawn between scheduled activities, The Yard creates opportunities for interaction that extend well beyond the main event.
Gather Here. Make an Impact. At Hecker Pass Outdoor Events Center, every great event has a little more meaning. We’re a place to gather, celebrate, connect, and create unforgettable memories—and an event center with a purpose.Hecker Pass Outdoor Events Center is a DBA of Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and inspire families, especially children, to appreciate horticulture and the importance of trees in our lives by providing fun and memories in a beautiful garden setting. When you host an event, you’re helping that mission grow. Revenue generated by Hecker Pass Outdoor Events Center helps support the nonprofit organization’s mission and long-term sustainability.So whether you’re planning a company picnic, community celebration, festival, fundraiser, concert, or one-of-a-kind gathering, your event can do more than bring people together. It can help something special continue to grow.