It’s rare that we’re so torn between staying city-side and moving around the Bay.
In SF this week: an epic night of music and food at Nightbird, a beachside Oktoberfest in Golden Gate Park, and, of course, the return of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Across a bridge: Lauv in Berkeley, an Italian street food fest in Silicon Valley, and the Mill Valley Film Festival. All over: Black Art Week events. What that means for you? Decisions, decisions.
Go on a multi-sensory tour of food, music, and history. Gelinaz is coming to Nightbird—a unique fusion of taste and sound featuring the cuisine of Kim Alter, live sets from three local musicians, and a roving walk from Linden Room to main dining room, all inspired by different eras; Monday, 6pm. // Nightbird, 330 Gough St. (Hayes Valley); reservations at opentable.com
Kick off Black Art Week. MoAD is debuting its first edition of Nexus, a yearly celebration that aims to illuminate the richness of the Bay Area's Black artist community. Expect a week packed with panels and artwork debuts, plus the Black Cowboys parade and festival; Tuesday through Sunday. // Full schedule and locations at nexus-sfbay.com
Show Lauv some love. His “One Night Only” tour is coming to Berkeley for, you guessed it, one night only; Wednesday, 8pm. // The Greek Theatre Berkeley, 2001 Gayley Rd. (Berkeley); tickets at thegreekberkeley.com
Hear a concert from the heart. Oakland’s Heart Matter, a jazz duo featuring vocalist Amy D. and multi-instrumentalist Dillon Vado, is bringing a lineup of intimate songs and fan-favorite covers in collaboration with SFJAZZ; Thursday at 7 pm. // 836M, 836 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square); details at 836m.org
Check out the Mill Valley Film Festival and be the first to see the buzzy works from more than 200 filmmakers hailing from more than 50 countries; Thursday October 3 through Sunday October 13. // Schedule and details at mvff.com
Tour the Peerless Coffee Museum. A coffee company so renowned it recently got its own Oakland holiday, Peerless Coffee's curated counterpart is opening its doors to the public for one day. Sign ups are only in person in the café, so get there before spots are gone; Thursday, 2pm to 4pm. // Peerless Coffee and Tea, 260 Oak St. (Oakland); details at peerlesscoffee.com
Bundle up for outdoor movie night. Proxy screenings near Patricia’s Green are back with a showing of Bas Devos’ Here. DIY your refreshments from your pick of nearby eateries; Friday, 7:45pm. // Proxy, 432 Octavia St. (Hayes Valley); details at proxysf.net
Bask in the glory of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, San Francisco’s epic free festival, with a lineup of legends including Cat Power, Glen Hansard, and Emmylou Harris; Friday through Sunday. // Golden Gate Park; schedule and details at hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
Bring some hula into your life. With a full ten-piece musical ensemble, Kupukupu tells the story of Princess Lāʻieikawai, Hawaiian style; Friday and Saturday at 7pm, and Sunday 2pm. // Presidio Theatre Performing Arts Center, 99 Moraga Ave. (Presidio); tickets at presidiotheatre.org
Do Oktoberfest the San Francisco way. Live music, Bavarian bites, fresh brews, and a stein-holding competition, all overlooking our foggy coast; Friday, 6pm to 9pm. // Park Chalet, 1000 Great Hwy. (Golden Gate Park); tickets at parkchalet.com
Discover more of the East Bay arts scene. The Emeryville Art Exhibition features over 200 works in all media from 154 local artists. Get a first look at the show at their opening reception party; Friday, 6pm to 9pm. // Public Market Emeryville, 5905 Shellmound St. (Emeryville); details at emeryarts.org
Get funky with a koji workshop. Learn about the ancient fungi behind umami-rich miso, soy sauce, and sake with a hands-on class in fermentation; Saturday, 10am to noon. // The Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (Upper Market); tickets at eventbrite.com
Celebrating 50 years, the Castro Street Fair is a full day of shows and spirit.(Courtesy of @castrostreetfair)
Dine al-fresco in a special farm-to-table collaboration dinner with the executive chef of Folktable Restaurant, Casey Thompson, and Kendall-Jackson executive chef, Tracey Shepos Cenami. Expect flowing wine and extra-fresh ingredients; Saturday, 5:30pm. // Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Gardens, 5007 Fulton Rd. (Santa Rosa); tickets at kj.com
Chow down on cibo da strada. That’s Italian for "street food," and it's what you’ll find at Eataly’s Street Food Fest—along with live pasta making, music, drinks, and more; Saturday, 2pm to 6pm. // Eataly, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. (San Jose); RSVP at eataly.com
Head to the Castro for their biggest street fair of the year. Enjoy live DJs and bands, plenty of dance and drag, and even a flash of acrobatics at the event's 50th anniversary; Sunday, 11am to 6pm. // Castro and Market St. (Upper Market); details at castrostreetfair.org
Go zero waste with a cultural twist. Sustainably-minded Filipino chefs, farms, and wineries are coming together for Lamon, a zero-waste Filipino food and wine summit featuring workshops, tastings, cooking demos, and a plant-based feast; Sunday, noon to 5pm. // Southeast Community Center, 1550 Evans Ave. (Bayview) tickets at lamonsummit.com
Keep Hardly Strictly's good times going with a benefit concert featuring Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Chuck Prophet and Cumbia Shoes, Bill Kirchen, Austin de Lone, and the Lost Planet Airmen; Sunday at 8pm. // Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St. (Tenderloin); tickets at gamh.com
Sip coffee and shop curated vintage clothing, home decor, and more at "Just Another Market"; Sunday, 9am to 4pm. // 419 10th St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Relive history, benefit democracy. A live, staged reading of the critically-acclaimed play, Running for My Life: 23 Women in Congress Recall the Capitol Riot, will benefit Rock the Vote; Sunday at 7 pm. // The Bayfront Theatre, 2 Marina Blvd, Bldg. B (Marina); tickets at eventbrite.com
Vote on the most Oakland cocktail at Oakland Style's Music and Mixology event on October 9. The Town's top mixologists compete, you get to enjoy tastings and treats, and proceeds benefit Community Kitchens. // Tickets at eventbrite.com
Thank you to our partners at Visit Oakland.
Enter a world of imagination and innovation. Maker Faire brings together thousands of creators, innovators, tinkerers, artists, engineers, and enthusiasts October 18-20. // Tickets at makerfaire.com
Thank you to our partners at Maker Faire.
