Oakland Community Events

Dress up for the Meow + Howl-O-Ween Drive-Thru!

Halloween at East Bay SPCA! Free for all. Say HOWL-O to East Bay SPCA shelter dogs. Masks required.

Dogs and Cats most welcome! How often do you hear that? Free prizes and treats for the kids – 2 and 4 legged. Wear your costumes and mask. You’ll remain in your vehicle and take a tour through the event, visiting with staff and adoptable critters.

Saturday, Oct. 31, 1-3pm

East Bay SPCA: 8323 Baldwin in Oakland

Drive thru and enjoy!

  • Costumed kids (and pups!) can drive by for a fun pupstop and say Howl-O to East Bay SPCA animals
  • Candy and non-food treats will be available for kids
  • Fun East Bay SPCA activity book to take home
  • Plus, optional treats to take home for dogs and cats
  • Pet costumes available for suggested donation

Can’t make it to Howl-O-Ween? You can help the EBSPCA out with a donation. Whether you are fostering one litter of kittens, buying a bed to keep a shelter dog off the ground or making a donation matched by your employer, your action counts! It takes all of us to keep East Bay dogs and cats healthy and in good homes. Find out how to play your part today. And to keep their pantry full! You can donate, volunteer or foster. Details here.

Did you know? The East Bay SPCA has helped injured, lost and abandoned animals since 1874! They serve Alameda and Contra Costa Counties at sites in Dublin and Oakland.

Images courtesy of EBSPCA website and FB. Ginger’s World drawing by her friend Peter Hobbs Di Grazia.

Ginger approves of this event! She once was a shelter dog.

By |2020-10-28T17:14:57-07:00October 28th, 2020|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Shoppers Get Ready! Oakland Museum Opens its Fantastic 2020 White Elephant PREVIEW Sale on Sunday!

Are  You a Serious Shopper? The Biggest & Best 2nd-Hand Sale Returns to Oakland!

WHEN: Sunday, January 26, 10am – 4pm

WHERE: In a 96,000 sq ft warehouse at 333 Lancaster Street in Oakland (map and directions)

WHAT:

  • An early chance for you to discover great finds, from clothing, jewelry, books, and tools to art, sports equipment, furniture, household items  and more
  • You get first dibs before the public sale on March 7 and 8!
  • A shopping hub for you as OMCA celebrates 61 years of generous volunteers, donors and shoppers
  • All sale proceeds benefit the Oakland Museum of California

The 2020 White Elephant PREVIEW Sale is organized and presented by the Oakland Museum of California’s Women’s Board. According to White Elephant volunteer Julie Henshaw, “All the departments look awesome! We have a lot of amazing, beautiful and unusual merchandise – more than ever before. Lots of cool collectables – something for everyone whether you need it or just have to have it!”

Buy your tickets online for $18 until midnight January 24, 2020. Tickets will be sold at the door for $20. Children under 12 are free.

More details.

 

 

 

By |2020-07-08T20:53:09-07:00January 24th, 2020|Tags: , , |0 Comments

Listen to Live Bands. Drink Beer & Wine. Help Build a Plaza

Montclair Beer, Wine & Music Festival 

WHEN: Saturday, June 15th 12noon – 6pm

WHERE: Mountain Blvd. @ La Salle in the open air of Montclair Village (2000 Mountain Blvd. between Medau Pl. and La Salle Ave.) in Oakland

WHAT: 7th Annual Montclair Beer, Wine & Music Festival

  • Live performances by local bands on the Mister Beever’s Paws & Claws stage
  • Music Lineup
  • Pedal powered music by Rock the Bike – riders are festival volunteers
  • Play Palooza Fun Zone provided by Toni Mikulka of Giant Puppets Save the World (interactive performance art)
  • Unlimited tasting packages featuring over 40 craft beers and artisan wine ($30 in advance; $40 at the entrance day of). Purchase your tickets at MontclairVillage.com 
and take home your commemorative glass!
  • Wine & Beer tastings include Alameda Island Brewing, Altamont Beerworks, Dr Hops Hard Kombucha, Drake’s Brewing, Farmstead Wine & Cheese’s international varietals, Gowan’s Cider, Old Kan, Rock Wall Wines and more!
  • The best part is that proceeds from the festival directly support the Village Plaza Capital Campaign, a $750,000 fundraiser to create a public plaza for community engagement, public events, cultural arts and youth enrichment by rebuilding Antioch Court. Donor Bricks directly support the Plaza and can be purchased at MontclairVillage.com where you can find more event details.

Montclair Village is a charming and vibrant community, nestled in the beautiful, tree-covered Oakland Hills.

By |2020-07-08T21:00:56-07:00June 13th, 2019|Tags: , , |0 Comments

Get the Oakland Vibe at the 18th Annual Art + Soul Festival!

WHEN: Sat. & Sun., July 28 & 29, 12noon – 6pm

WHERE: Downtown Oakland adjacent to the 12th St./City Center BART station

Entrances at: 
  • 14th St. & Broadway 
  • 16th St. & San Pablo Avenue
  • Promenade beside City Center West Garage (off MLK Jr. Way between 12th & 14th St.)
  • 11th St. & Jefferson

WHAT: 18th Annual Community Art + Soul Festival

  • National Recording Artists
  • Hot Local Bands
  • Blues & Gospel Showcases
  • Urban Dance Stage
  • Turf Dance Battle
  • Salsa Dance Stage & free lessons
  • Oaktown Jams Stage
  • Artisan Marketplace
  • Local Craft Beer + Wine + Food
  • Street Performers
  • Johns Brothers Piano Co.
  • Family Fun Zone
  • Kinetic Arts Circus Stage – 14th & Jefferson
  • Four music stages: Lineup
    • Art + Soul Main Stage -11th & Jefferson
    • Clay St. Stage – 14th & Clay
    • Oaktown Jams Stage – 12th & Clay
    • Plaza Stage – in front of Oakland City Hall

Experience the Oakland vibe!

The Pointer Sisters will be honored and given a key to the City of Oakland.

As Art + Soul celebrates its 18th birthday, Oakland will present its rich musical heritage, culinary cultural diversity and bluesy spirit. This  fun, friendly community festival showcases famed musicians, art mural paintings, a Fun Zone for kids, food, beer, wine and arts and crafts.The festival continues its annual tradition of hosting a live Gospel Showcase on the Clay Street Stage on Saturday and the West Coast Blues Society on the Clay Street Stage on Sunday.

Catch a special homecoming concert by The Pointer Sisters plus Grammy nominees Alphabet Rockers, Lyrics Born, Jazz Mafia, a full-throttle lineup from the West Coast Blues Society, a salsa stage, urban dance showcase, Turf dance battle along with the artisan marketplace and family fun.

The Artisan Marketplace is full of hand made creations – jewelry, paintings, clothing, art magnets, stationery, clocks and more. Local nonprofits will also have booths, giving you the opportunity to ask questions about their organizations and causes.

Art + Soul is conveniently located in downtown Oakland adjacent to the 12th Street/City Center BART station.
 

 

 

 

By |2018-07-27T11:34:56-07:00July 27th, 2018|0 Comments

Meet the Artists on the Sidewalks of Montclair & Discover Unique & Whimsical Treasures!

  • When:  Fri. & Sat., June 22-23 -10am – 6pm; Sun., June 24 – 10am – 5pm
  • Where: Montclair Village – La Salle & Mountain Blvd.
  • What: Montclair Village Summer Art Walk Boutique – A Handcrafted, Art Alfresco Experience

65 Bay Area artists celebrate art in the outdoors on the sidewalks of Montclair against the scenic backdrop of the Oakland Hills. Visit the event, connect with the artists and find a unique treasure among all the handcrafted works to take home. And it is free!

Among the celebrated artisans participating in this year’s event:

Mixed Media

Dani Arrecis of Oakland starts her mixed media portraits from a collection of odd and unique things. Over the last ten years Dani has amassed a significant collection of art. “Each piece is unique and has a story to be told and these little trinkets inspire each and every work I create.” From rolls of caution tape to vintage Monopoly game pieces, Dani has applied them in such a way that encourages viewers to see the beauty behind everyday objects. “I deliberately choose floral fabrics that are audacious and bright, or may even remind you of your grandmother’s old couch,” she adds.

Dani created a series of selfies inspired by strangers she met walking around Oakland. “Each face represents an interaction that allowed me to see a bit of myself in them or vice versa, so respectively, the portraits are merger of myself and the stranger that I identified with. Staying true to my mixed media background I used vibrant floral fabric that I felt embodied the personality of the given stranger and embellishments that embodied my own.”

Bird Vest By Lorna

Hand Painted Designs by Lorna (in Napa) are one-of-a-kind hand painted garments and accessories effusing creativity. Her line includes jackets, vests, pants, tops, dresses, handbags, and pillows. Ever since the age of 12, Lorna has been fascinated with fabrics and color, “I locked myself away in the bedroom with my mother’s Singer Featherweight sewing machine. And then with pattern and paints in one hand and an enduring passion to create, I discovered my unique talent for hand painted designs as I experimented with paints and cotton fabrics.” Inspired by the beauty and ambiance of Napa, Lorna says she has the privilege of bringing joy, beauty and a little bit of fun to those wearing her whimsical collection.

Because every piece is hand made, some garments will vary slightly. This makes each piece a unique work of art. Lorna’s tagline: “Dare to wear whimsy!”

Painting

Berkeley Hills by Oakland Artist Enrico Antiporda

Enrico Antiporda of Oakland creates vivid oil paintings including Caribbean and Asian Pacific landscapes, nudes and still life. His newest paintings were inspired by French Fauve artists and can be described as a merging of pop art and folk art. “I create colorful, whimsical paintings,” says Enrico. “They are meant to be enjoyable and uplifting. If a painting makes my customer smile and feel good whenever he or she looks at it, then I would have done my job as an artist.” He also is an author. Check out the story about Jimbo, the Homeless Cat.

Jewelry

Mi Jung is a graduate jewelry designer from the Gemological Institute of America.

Mi Jung Penzien of Alameda visualizes her jewelry as wearable art. She aims for simplicity in her jewelry which incorporates sterling silver and gems. “I like to create pieces that are not defined by tradition or boundaries, to free our minds and connect our hearts,” she says. “The process of creation from conception to completion is intimate and meditative. Each material has its own life.”

Mi Jung believes that “Jewelry is nothing if not a reminder. Or an escape. Beauty in life is being able to enjoy what draws us in. To adorn, also to express who we are.”

Ceramics

Dog Treat Jar with Golden Retriever ‘Ball Dog’

Susan Troy was born and raised in Berkeley. She creates functional and whimsical ceramics, striving to bring the poetry of nature, the magic of color, and the warmth of humor into every day life. Much of her decorative work is painted freehand onto raw clay, fired, glazed, then fired again to create a smooth, food safe and watertight surface. “The challenge of transferring painting techniques on paper to the ceramic surface has been a long and often frustrating journey, but also a rewarding one,” she says.

The Montclair Village Summer Art Walk takes place in the Montclair business district on Mountain Avenue at LaSalle, off highway 13, between Park Boulevard and Thornhill Drive. For more information, contact the Montclair Village Association at (510) 339-1000 or Pacific Fine Arts Festivals at (209) 267-4394, www.pacificfinearts.com. You can also see more information on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Classic Books contain secret compartments to hide jewelry and other valuables

 

 

By |2018-06-22T10:36:12-07:00June 22nd, 2018|Tags: |0 Comments

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