East Bay Events & Things to Do

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Not everything fun has to take place in San Francisco! Here’s our picks for affordable fun events in Oakland, Berkeley and the rest of Alameda and Contra Costa counties

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See Events For: Today | Sat 8/18 | Sun 8/19 | Mon 8/20 | Tue 8/21 | Wed 8/22 | Thu 8/23

Friday, August 17, 2018
Lake Merritt Hosts US Rowing National Championships \| Oakland Friday, August 17 – All Day \| Cost: FREE* *Free to watch \| Lake Merritt Visit Oakland The city of Oakland and USRowing are excited to host the 2018 USRowing Masters National Championships at Lake Merritt this week, from August 16-19, 2018 (Thursday to Sunday, racing each more...
5:00 pm	Friday Nights at OMCA: Night Market, DJs & Off the Grid \| Oakland	FREE* *Most outdoor activities and entertainment is free and open to the public from 5-9pm. From 5pm to 10pm it's Half-price gallery admission for adults; ages 18 and under are free. Admission for members is always free.
5:00 pm	2018 Greek Festival: Live Music, Performances & Dance Lessons \| East Bay	FREE
7:00 pm	2018 Summer Concert in the Park: Max Cruise \| Pleasanton	FREE
7:00 pm	‘Picnic Flix’ Outdoor Movie Night: “Sing” \| Dublin	FREE
7:00 pm	Bicycle Art Salon \| Oakland	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is required by contacting the organizers via email to bicycleartsalon@gmail.com or phone at 510-230-8270.
7:30 pm	“Dancing Under the Stars” Block Party & Free Dance Lessons \| Jack London Square	FREE
8:00 pm	Fandango Jarocho: Son Jarocho Jam Session \| Berkeley	FREE* *Donations welcome
8:00 pm	Movies Under the Stars “Moana” \| Walnut Creek	FREE* *Admission is free, but you can help support the program with a $2 donation per person.
8:00 pm	Chillarious: Free Comedy & Wine in a Mattress Shop \| Berkeley	FREE
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Lake Merritt’s US Rowing National Championships \| Oakland Saturday, August 18 – 8:00 am \| Cost: FREE \| Lake Merritt Visit Oakland The city of Oakland and USRowing are excited to host the 2018 USRowing Masters National Championships at Lake Merritt this week, from August 16-19, 2018 (Thursday to Sunday, racing each more...
All Day	2018 Peddlers Fair: Vintage, Antiques & Collectibles \| Martinez	FREE
10:00 am	Jack London Square Waterfront \| Free Oakland Guided Walking Tours	FREE* *Reservations are recommended by leaving a message on the Tours’ 24-hour hotline at (510) 238-3234 or via email to aallen@oaklandnet.com
All Day	2018 Fremont’s Festival of India \| August 18-19	FREE
10:00 am	2018 “Bark & Meow” Free Adopt-A-Thon & Block Party \| Berkeley	FREE
10:00 am	Outdoor Nature Yoga & Short Hike \| Fremont	FREE
10:00 am	“Red Bull Conquest” Video Game Battle \| Oakland	FREE
10:00 am	Walnut Creek Area Community Harvest \| Pleasant Hill	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is required.
All Day	2018 Umoja African Festival \| Oakland	FREE
11:00 am	“Science@Cal”: Renowned Scientist Lecture \| UC Berkeley	FREE
All Day	2018 Greek Festival: Live Music, Performances & Dance Lessons \| East Bay	FREE
All Day	Town Fair Plaza Grand Opening \| Fremont	FREE
11:00 am	Oakland Yard Artisan Market \| 420 Flea	FREE
12:00 pm	Second Saturday: Family Festive Gathering \| Jack London Square	FREE
12:00 pm	Jazz, Blues & Funk Fest: Food Trucks & Free Entertainment \| Pittsburg	FREE
1:00 pm	2018 “AugustFest” Beer Festival \| 21st Amendment	FREE* *Admission is free but food and drinks are for purchase.
2:00 pm	3rd Saturday Guided Gallery District Tour: The Artist’s Impulse \| Oakland	FREE
5:00 pm	Summer Beats Free Concert Kick Off: Pride and Joy \| Alameda	FREE
7:00 pm	“Cat People” Comedy Show & Free Pizza \| Oakland	$10
7:30 pm	Win Tix: Iconic ’70s Megastars: Steve Miller Band & Peter Frampton \| Concord Pavilion	WIN
8:00 pm	2018 Montclair Free Outdoor Movie Night: “Black Panther” \| Oakland	FREE
8:00 pm	Retro Junkie 80’s Dance Party \| Walnut Creek	FREE* *$10 cover at door if you do not RSVP on the guest list. Early arrival suggested.

Sunday, August 19, 2018
US Rowing National Championships at Lake Merritt: Final Day \| Oakland Sunday, August 19 – All Day \| Cost: FREE* *Free to watch \| Lake Merritt Visit Oakland The city of Oakland and USRowing are excited to host the 2018 USRowing Masters National Championships at Lake Merritt this week, from August 16-19, 2018 (Thursday to Sunday, racing each more...
All Day	Concord Antique & Collectibles Faire \| East Bay	FREE
All Day	2018 Caltopia: Massive Free Campus Festival \| August 19-20	FREE
All Day	2018 Festival of India & Grand Parade \| Fremont	FREE
All Day	2018 Hot Summer Sundays: Hot Rod & Classic Car Show \| Danville	FREE
11:00 am	Head West Marketplace: Local Artisans & Live Music \| Emeryville	FREE
11:00 am	Sunday Assembly: Communty Sing & Meetup \| Berkeley	FREE
11:00 am	9th Annual Pacific Bus Museum Open House \| Free Admission Day	FREE* *Food and beverage for purchase.
11:30 am	2018 Greek Festival: Live Music, Performances & Dance Lessons \| East Bay	FREE
3:00 pm	Jazz in the Park: Music, History & Jam “Junius Courtney Big Band” \| Emeryville	FREE
3:30 pm	Rumba Party: Afro-Cuban Drums, Dances & Songs \| Berkeley	FREE* *Free, but donations are encouraged.
6:00 pm	“Sunset by the Lake” Country Summer Concert \| Pleasant Hill	FREE
Monday, August 20, 2018
2018 Caltopia: Massive Free Campus Festival \| UC Berkeley Monday, August 20 – All Day \| Cost: FREE \| UC Berkeley Recreational Sports Facility Cal Rec SportsThe largest college lifestyle event in the nation will be held on the UC Berkeley campus, Sunday, August 19 and Monday, August 20. Celebrating it’s 16th Anniversary, the two-day interactive more...
8:00 pm	Free Standup Comedy Night & Pop Up Food \| Oakland	FREE* *Free, but sliding scale donations are requested.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
8:00 pm	Tokens: Stand-Up Comedy for Everyone \| Oakland	FREE* *$5 suggested donation, not required
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
10:00 am	Free Oakland Summer Walking Tours \| Uptown, Lake Merritt & Secret Rooftop Gardens	FREE* *Reservations are recommended by leaving a message on the Tours’ 24-hour hotline at (510) 238-3234 or via email to aallen@oaklandnet.com
7:30 pm	“Moonlight Comedy”: Stand Up Under the Stars \| Oakland	FREE
Thursday, August 23, 2018
6:30 pm	Music & Market Summer Concerts: Kingsbourough \| Concord	FREE
Friday, August 24, 2018
Artist “August Vilella” Surreal Painting Exhibition & Reception Kick Off \| Berkeley Friday, August 24 – 12:00 pm \| Cost: FREE* *RSVP requested \| Berkeley City Club Paintings by artist August Vilella will be exhibited noon to 5:30 pm on two successive days Friday & Saturday, Aug 24-25 with artist in person. Artist August Vilella Friday & Saturday, August more...
12:00 pm	Rooftop Garden Concert: Latin Band \| Oakland	FREE
1:00 pm	2018 “Brickshow”: Large Lego City Exhibit & Playroom \| San Leandro	$5
5:00 pm	Friday Nights at OMCA: Night Market, DJs & Off the Grid \| Oakland	FREE* *Most outdoor activities and entertainment is free and open to the public from 5-9pm. From 5pm to 10pm it's Half-price gallery admission for adults; ages 18 and under are free. Admission for members is always free.
5:30 pm	Harmony Project Bay Area Recital w/ SF Symphony’s Violinist \| Berkeley	FREE* *Donations appreciated; RSVPs requested
6:00 pm	2018 Egyptian King Tut Festival: Friday \| East Bay	FREE
6:30 pm	City-wide Scavenger Hunt For The Family \| Albany	FREE
6:45 pm	Free Port of Oakland Harbor Tours & Giant Cranes \| Oakland	FREE* *RSVP Required
7:00 pm	2018 Summer Concert in the Park: Magic Moments \| Pleasanton	FREE
7:30 pm	“Dancing Under the Stars” The Jackson Legacy (Glow Motion Dance) \| Jack London Square	FREE
9:00 pm	“Comedy Soup”: Music, Comedy, Free Beer & Popcorn \| Oakland	FREE* *Free with an RSVP to soupcomedyrsvp@gmail.com, Suggested donation of $5-$10 per person at the end of the night.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
RSVPs Open for September: Free Redwood State Park Days \| Second Saturdays Saturday, August 25 – 8:00 am \| Cost: FREE* *Free with the promotional pass. Passes can be downloaded at FreeRedwoodsDays.org \| California Redwood State Parks California State Parks To celebrate 100 years of saving California’s iconic redwood forest, Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks are offering more than 16,000 free vehicle day-use passes to more more...
9:00 am	A’s “Play Ball” Sandlot-Style Baseball Festival \| Oakland	FREE
10:00 am	Free Oakland Walking Tours \| Oakland’s Churches & Temples	FREE* *Reservations are recommended by leaving a message on the Tours’ 24-hour hotline at (510) 238-3234 or via email to aallen@oaklandnet.com
All Day	31st Annual Chinatown Streetfest: Saturday \| Oakland	FREE
All Day	2018 Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival \| Berkeley	FREE* *Free festival, but bring money to buy chalk and chocolate. Chocolate tickets are $1 each, Box of Chalk is $10.
All Day	8th Annual Polish Street Festival \| Martinez	FREE
All Day	2018 Egyptian King Tut Festival: Saturday \| East Bay	FREE
All Day	The Crucible’s Open House: Ocean Cleanup Project & Demonstrations \| Oakland	FREE* *Free, but bring money for food & drinks.
12:00 pm	Artist “August Vilella” Surreal Painting Exhibition & Reception Final Day \| Berkeley	FREE* *RSVP requested
1:00 pm	2018 “Brickshow”: Large Lego City Exhibit & Playroom \| San Leandro	$5
9:00 pm	Win Tix: Hubba Hubba Revue’s Uptown Cabaret \| The Uptown Nightclub	WIN
Sunday, August 26, 2018
31st Annual Chinatown Streetfest: Sunday \| Oakland Sunday, August 26 – All Day \| Cost: FREE \| Oakland Chinatown Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce‎ Come to the 31st annual Chinatown StreetFest, spanning eight blocks of Chinatown, with more than 200 booths showcasing a myriad of delicious foods and unique Asian products, to experience the traditions more...
All Day	54th Annual Niles Antique Faire & Flea Market \| East Bay	FREE
All Day	2018 Egyptian King Tut Festival: Sunday \| East Bay	FREE
11:30 am	Free Seasonal Cooking Demo & Tasting \| Jack London Square	FREE
1:00 pm	2018 “Brickshow” Final Day: Large Lego City Exhibit & Playroom \| San Leandro	$5
3:00 pm	Sunday Jazz, History & Jam Session “Denise Perrier” \| Oakland	FREE
7:00 pm	Full Moon Tibetan Chanting Ceremony \| Berkeley	FREE
Monday, August 27, 2018
7:00 pm	Nerd Nite East Bay: Geeky Lectures in a Bar \| Oakland	$8* *$8 in advance; $10 at the door. Doors at 7 pm; Show at 8 pm
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Dirty Old Women Read Erotica \| Oakland Tuesday, August 28 – 7:30 pm \| Cost: FREE \| The Octopus Literary Salon Older women: Wise enough to tell the truth about sex – what they want, what they’ve done, what makes them hot. Dirty Old Women celebrates erotic writing by self-identified older women more...
8:00 pm	Last Tuesdays Comedy at The Layover \| Oakland	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is requested.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
10:00 am	Oakland Free Guided Walking Tours \| Chinatown	FREE* *Reservations are recommended by leaving a message on the Tours’ 24-hour hotline at (510) 238-3234 or via email to aallen@oaklandnet.com
12:00 pm	Free Lunchtime Concert: Hella Fitzgerald Speakeasy \| Oakland	FREE
7:30 pm	“Moonlight Comedy”: Stand Up Under the Stars \| Oakland	FREE
Thursday, August 30, 2018
6:30 pm	Music & Market Summer Concerts: Foreverland \| Concord	FREE
8:00 pm	Outdoor Waterfront Flicks: “Black Panther” \| Jack London Square	FREE
Friday, August 31, 2018
“Dancing Under the Stars” Black Panther “Dance the Power in You” \| Jack London Square Friday, August 31 – 7:00 pm \| Cost: FREE \| Jack London Square Jack London SquareFrom experienced dancers to newbies, everyone is invited to an evening of rhythm, grooving and dancing under the stars. Dancers will kick-up their heels and pack Jack London Square more...
7:00 pm	2018 Summer Concert in the Park: Public Eye \| Pleasanton	FREE
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Bank of America Free Museum Weekend Saturday, September 1 – All Day \| Cost: FREE* *Free for Bank of America or Merrill Lynch Card Holders. Some venues may be closed on certain days; please confirm directly with participating museums. \| San Francisco Bay Area Holders of Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit cards and debit cards get free admission to seven Bay Area museums and two Sacramento museums for the first full weekend each more...
9:00 am	Sick Plant Clinic \| UC Berkeley Botanical Garden	FREE* *Garden admission is free only if you're attending the Sick Plant Clinic.
10:00 am	Jack London Square Waterfront \| Free Oakland Guided Walking Tours	FREE* *Reservations are recommended by leaving a message on the Tours’ 24-hour hotline at (510) 238-3234 or via email to aallen@oaklandnet.com
10:00 am	“Healthy Parks Healthy People”: Monthly Nature Walks \| Bay Area	FREE
All Day	“Festac” Labor Day Weekend Art & Culture Block Party \| Oakland	FREE* *RSVP Required
5:00 pm	Summer Beats Free Concert Final Day: Sun Kings \| Alameda	FREE
6:30 pm	Spontaneous Storytelling & Free Drinks Night \| Oakland	FREE
8:00 pm	Craft Beers & Free Comedy Night \| Oakland	FREE
9:05 pm	Free A’s Post-Game Fireworks Show \| Oakland	FREE* *Free to watch the fireworks outside of the Coliseum.
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Bank of America Free Museum Weekend Sunday, September 2 – All Day \| Cost: FREE* *Free for Bank of America or Merrill Lynch Card Holders. Some venues may be closed on certain days; please confirm directly with participating museums. \| San Francisco Bay Area Holders of Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit cards and debit cards get free admission to seven Bay Area museums and two Sacramento museums for the first full weekend each more...
All Day	2018 Brazilian Day & Lavagem Festival \| Berkeley	FREE* *Free, but donations are appreciated.