Friday Nights at OMCA: California Natural Sciences Gallery Reopening | Oakland

Submitted by the Event Organizer

“Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid” Block Party + DJs (Oakland)

Reconnect with family, friends, and community during Friday Nights at OMCA. These free events provide a gathering place each week, including live music, hands-on activities, Off the Grid (OTG) food trucks, and late-night access to our galleries and special exhibitions with a Museum ticket. Limited flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage for $10.

Friday Nights at OMCA are back and ready to kick off the season in style on April 5, 2024.

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid

Between April and October, every Friday, 5—9 pm
Special Events resume April 5, 2024
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland
FREE (for food truck access and outdoor activities)

– Optional late-night museum admission for purchase

How To Get There

• BART: OMCA is at the corner of Oak and 10th Street and is located one block from the Lake Merritt BART Station.
• AC Transit: OMCA is accessible by a number of AC Transit bus lines. OMCA is at the corner of Oak and 10th Street. An accessibility ramp is located at the main entrance on Oak Street between 10th and 11th. For more information, visit actransit.org.
• Free Bike Parking: Free, on-street bike parking is available outside the Oak Street entrance to the Museum. Limited free covered bike parking is available in the OMCA Garage during garage hours, and on Oak Street Plaza, which is on the third level of the Museum, during Museum hours
• Street Parking: Free street parking of often available.
• Garage Parking: Event parking is available at the Museum Garage, with a $10 flat fee starting at 5 pm.
• Get Driving Directions

Off The Grid Mobile Food Creator Lineup

Details coming for the 2024 season

 

Friday, May 31, 2013
“Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid” Block Party + DJs (Oakland)

What to expect on May 31, 2013:

11 am to Midnight:

• Galleries of California Art, Gallery of California History, and special exhibitions open all day, including we/customize’s final weekend (Level 2 and Level 3)
• The OMCA Store, open all day with unique, local, and artisan gifts (Level 2)
• The swanky East Bay Express lounge where you can kick back (Level 1)
• Japanese Sogetsu Ikebana flower arrangements with native plants (All Levels)

Noon to 7 pm:

• Members Only Preview of the Gallery of California Natural Sciences (Level 1)
• Members Only Lounge (Café, Level 2)

5-7 pm:

• Solo acoustic musician strolling throughout the Museum (Garden)

5-8 pm:

• Family-friendly Gold Panning—keep all you find (Garden)
• Cat and animal face-painting for the young and young-at-heart (Garden)
• Makers & Tasters Series featuring designer Sasha Duerr of Permacouture, demonstrating slow fabric dyeing with natural dyes (Garden)

5-9 pm

• Twelve gourmet food trucks from Off the Grid featuring local cuisine (10th Street)
• A rockin’ DJ spinning surf music to get the party started (Amphitheater)

5-11:30 pm:

• Blue Oak café beer gardens, featuring California beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks (Koi Pond and Garden)

6-6:30 pm:

• Oakland Public Library Storytime for families (Garden)

7-7:30 pm:

• Grand reopening ceremony for the Gallery of California Natural Sciences (Garden)

7 pm to Midnight: 

• Gallery of California Natural Sciences open to the public (Level 1)

7:45-8 pm:

• California Creature Costume Contest: come dressed as your favorite California species to win a prize (Garden)

8-10 pm:

• Live band playing surf music and retro tunes (Garden)

10:30 pm:

• Encore screening of the Oakland Internet Cat Video Festival #catvidfest, produced by the Walker Art Center (Garden)

 

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.