This week, we have lots of traditional events. They’ve either been around for decades or are just starting out: 25th anniversary, a couple of 2nd annuals, decades-old annual, 3rd annual, first-ever, 1st annual, and of course, the ancient annual Autumnal Equinox. We do know how to make our own traditions around the things that are important to us, Oakland: music, art, culture, children’s programs, parks, nature, and so much more. Enjoy!
Friday, September 26
Diesel’s 25th Anniversary Party Begins
3 p.m.
Diesel, A Bookstore, 5433 College Avenue
25 hours of festivities (during business hours) kicks off with a 15% sale on all titles, and the ever-popular Diesel tradition: Pie and Champagne. (They’re keepin’ it classy.) Click here for a full schedule of the weekend’s events! This celebration runs through Sunday at 6 p.m.
2nd Annual Drawn Together Event
6 – 9 p.m.
Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Avenue
Join in this magical evening of live art-making, music, food, and fun at Children’s Fairyland’s storybook theme park. Thirty-five exciting artists from Oakland and the Bay Area will team up to create over 100 pieces of original art inspired by Fairyland. There will be music by “The Cat Man of West Oakland,” Adam Myatt, also known as one half of Oakland electro-pop duo James & Evander. Performance ensemble Mugwumpin will tickle your senses with a collaborative experience of art and live theater. All artwork will be available for purchase for a fixed price of $35 per piece, and all proceeds will help support outreach and art restoration in the park. Space is limited, so get your tickets early and support a great cause! This is one of the rare opportunities to experience our magical park after dark.
Pop-up Poetry Reading: Cheena Marie Lo on Judy Chicago
7 – 7:30 p.m.
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street
Join poet Cheena Marie Lo for a brief poetry reading in the special exhibition Judy Chicago: A Butterfly for Oakland. The reading will take on special significance in proximity to the butterfly: a symbol of transformation that may have different resonance for queer and trans communities today than it had for Judy Chicago during the heyday of second-wave feminism. This in-gallery pop-up talk takes place during Friday Nights @ OMCA, featuring half-off Gallery admission, Off the Grid food trucks, live music, and more.
57th Street Gallery Presents The Charles Hamilton Sextet
8:30 – 11 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.)
5701 Telegraph Avenue
For twenty-eight years, Charles Hamilton was the Director of the world-renowned Berkeley High School Jazz Program. His keen ear, musical understanding, and his ability to interpret great jazz resulted in his mentoring and inspiring some of the world’s most sought-after musicians, in jazz as well as hip hop, rock and other genres. The list of musicians performing with Charles guarantees this will be a show that everyone will want to attend. Musicians are Charles Hamilton, trombone; Tammy Lynn Hall, piano; Marcus Shelby, bass; Erik Jekabson, trumpet; Don Zinn, tenor saxophone; and Leon Joyce, Jr., Drums. For more information and to make reservations, visit www.57thStreetGallery.com.
Saturday, September 27
Annual All-City Survey of Oakland Parks
8:30 a.m.
Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue
OPC will be completing its annual all-city survey of Oakland parks and needs your help to get the job done. Staffing for park maintenance is less than half of what it was decades ago, a fact that threatens the viability of our parks. Thanks to volunteers like you, OPC is able to survey conditions in our parks each year and plead their cases before the Public Works Committee of Oakland City Council. Right now, park stewards are busy doing advance surveys of conditions in some of our parks, and volunteers are needed to survey remaining parks on this day, otherwise known as “Love Your Parks Day.” Enjoy refreshments while teams are formed. There will be a short survey training and then each team will be assigned 3-5 parks to survey. Teams will report back to the Garden Center by noon or earlier. If you plan to participate, email oaklandparkscoalition@gmail.com or visit www.oaklandparkscoalition.org. Please bring your smart phone (you can enter the survey directly on your phone) and/or a camera (photos help tell the story).
Oakland World Percussion Festival
9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
East Bay Church, 4130 Telegraph Avenue
The 3rd annual Oakland World Percussion Festival is Northern California’s largest one-day percussion event. Enjoy free drum and dance performances from world-renowned percussionists (including five-time Grammy-nominated John Santos), participate in an all-inclusive Community Drum Circle, sample diverse cuisine, and visit the International Marketplace’s selection of world music and art. Special workshops with individual artists are available for an additional cost. For more information, visit TotalRhythm.com/OWPF.
OHA Presents “A Moving Experience: Kingfish Dive Bar, Looking Back and Forward”
9:45 a.m. – noon
Kingfish Bar, 5227 Claremont Avenue
This Oakland Heritage Allicance building tour is about saving an historic Oakland Dive Bar from demolition by moving it, lock, stock and barrel, around the corner. This event features a presentation of the fascinating history of the Kingfish by architectural historian Stacy Farr, followed by a recounting of the process of moving an unusual and complicated, though relatively small, building through city streets to its new location, by Chris Andrews, the architect on the project. Click here for tickets and registration.
The ABC’s of MOCHA: Arts, Books, Communities
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Mueseum of Children’s Arts, 1625 Clay Street
MOCHA will be hosting this free event, which coincides with the start of LEAP (Library, Education, Art Program), a weekly after-school art program at eight Oakland Public Library branches. The event is celebrating the ABC’s–Arts, Books, Communities–and will feature a participatory mural and hands-on bookmaking projects with MOCHA artists, along with bilingual read-alouds with Raising a Reader.
Oakland Music Festival
Noon – 8 p.m.
Downtown, various venues
Oakland Music Festival 2014 (OMF) arrives in Downtown Oakland for its second annual event. OMF is an indoor and outdoor music, art and food event aiming to foster and support both the local music community and the diverse food and spirit craftsmen that give Oakland its distinct flavor. Highlighting the diverse community of Oakland and the greater Bay Area, this community event brings together all ages and backgrounds, including many of the areas influential tastemakers that have helped elevate Oakland’s cultural capital and garner national acclaim for the city. OMF features multiple stages hosting local and established artists and DJs spanning genres of Hip-Hop, Electronic, Rock, Alternative and World music. Tickets are available here.
Free Earring Making Workshop
1 – 3 p.m.
Rock Paper Scissors Collective, 2278 Telegraph Avenue
Put your imagination to use and design your own stylish earrings! RPS encourages you to bring your own trinkets or jewelry that need repair to fix them or give them a new twist. Materials will be provided, though please bring your own small pliers if you have them! Space is limited to 15 people, so please come early to save your seat. Come with a passion for art and add your own personal touch to what you create, while having fun with us along the way.
Screening: John Brown’s Body at San Quentin Prison
2 p.m.
Taylor Memorial UMC, 1188 12th Street
You are invited to a free screening of this acclaimed documentary. A multiracial group of men in San Quentin prison perform an epic, life-changing drama of slavery, insurrection, civil war, the struggle for freedom and the persistent impact of racism in this powerful narrative of redemption. The director and participants in the San Quentin workshop will be present for discussion of critical state and local ballot initiatives to reduce mass incarceration, increase economic dignity, improve public education, and promote violence reduction in our communities. Rev. Dr. Donna Allen of New Revelation Community Church will be host pastor, along with OCO leaders Demetrius Wright and John Jones. City Team’s Rev. Ben McBride will issue a call to action in support of November 4 ballot initiatives.
Final Fridays Films of Resistance & Solidarity Presents Cine + Mas Latino Film Festival
7 p.m.
EastSide Cultural Center, 2277 International Boulevard
Featuring short films Chub, Beep, Tengo Talento: Jennyselt Galata of Yoruba Andabo & Sailen (Afro-Cuban Folklore), Tengo Talento: Julio Padrón y El Nino Jesus (Cuban Jazz) and Tengo Talento: Yrak de Doble Filo & Darwin de Golpe Seko (Hip Hop Cubano). The screening will be followed by a public discussion with filmmakers. For more information, click here.
Fall Equinox at Chabot
7 – 10 p.m.
Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Boulevard
What happened to summer? Our longer days have quickly turned into longer nights. Celebrate the changing of seasons with a fall carnival suited for you night owls. Relive your childhood through classic autumnal activities such as pumpkin carving and squash bowling, indulge in local seasonal ales, live music and entertainment from the Octopus Literary Salon! Tickets are available here.
57th Street Gallery Presents Jazzi Jan and Friends
8:30 – 11 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.)
5701 Telegraph Avenue
Jazzi Jan has a powerful vocal style capable of handling smooth and sultry ballads to belting blues and gospel moans. Her repertoire includes music from the late great divas, such as Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. Jazzi Jan sings with a life-affirming energy and intensity found in few other artists. She has the ability to make the lyrics come alive, combining exquisite elegance and effortless delivery. Be prepared to take the ride. For more information and to make reservations, visit www.57thStreetGallery.com.
Sunday, September 28
Hive Health Workshop: Honey Bee Health, Diseases, and Treatments
11 a.m.
Pollinate Farm and Garden, 2727 Fruitvale Avenue
Join Pollinate for a workshop on hive health with Alameda County Beekeepers Association member and local hobbyist beekeeper and bee breeder Alan Kramer. Learn how to tell whether your colony is healthy or suffering from a honeybee pathogen. If your colony is not doing well, learn how to recognize what is affecting it and your options for bringing it back to health. This class covers the basics of assessing the health of your colony of honeybees through a basic hive inspection. This will include the signs of a healthy hive and the signs of the most common diseases and infestations of honeybee hives. Because Varroa Destructor mites are one of the most common parasites, impacting virtually every honeybee colony in the Bay Area, the workshop will include special focus on assessing levels of Varroa infestation, signs of severe Varroa infestation (Parasitic Mite Syndrome or PMS), and treatment options for Varroa mites. Other common bee diseases and typical treatment options will be discussed, and the workshop will include a hands-on health inspection of a backyard bee colony. Register here.
Tuesday, September 30
Oakland City Council and Oakland Redevelopment Agency Meeting
5:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers, Third Floor, Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza
The City Council is the governing body of the City of Oakland, and consists of eight members who are elected directly by the citizens of Oakland: one representative from each of seven districts, and one at-large representative. The Council sets goals and priorities for the City, as well as approving the City budget, adopting ordinances to help the City serve its citizens, and appointing members to various boards and commissions. The City Council meets 2 – 3 times per month, on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesdays. A downloadable agenda is available here. For more information, click here or call (510) 238-7370.
Thursday, October 2
Oakland City Council Rules and Legislation Committee
10:45 a.m.
Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Hearing Room 1
The Rules and Legislation Committee usually meets at this time (although it is recommended to confirm the day and time, as this is subject to change). A downloadable agenda is available here. For more information, click here or call (510) 238-7370.
Longfellow Community Association
Meeting
7 p.m.
NOOCS (North Oakland Charter School), 1000 42nd Street
This public meeting consists of residents of the Longfellow community working together to enhance its beautiful, dynamic, and diverse community, and nurture a friendly, safe and attractive neighborhood that everyone can be proud of. Committees include Transportation and Land Use, which deals with such issues as traffic calming and speed bumps; and the Neighborhood Safety Committee, which addresses the creation of neighborhood watch groups. For more information, email longfellowcommunityassociation@gmail.com or visit longfellowcommunityassociation.org.
World Trust’s First Annual Benefit Celebration
7 p.m.
Impact Hub Oakland, 2323 Broadway
This event is a celebration benefiting World Trust, a racial equity organization based in Oakland. The theme is, “Tomorrow is Today: Creating a Just and Equitable World for All,” and promises a special evening of community, dialogue, film, an exciting live auction, hosted bar, tasty bites from local purveyors, dancing, and great music. All proceeds support the racial equity work of World Trust Educational Services. Tickets may be purchased here.
To list an event for October 3 – 9, send the details to meg@oaklandlocal.com by noon on Tuesday, September 30.