Celebrate Oakland!

Even if the cooler than normal weather doesn't quite feel like it, summer is in full swing. In Oakland, that means lots of festivals!

First up is the National Night Out (NNO), tomorrow, Tuesday, August 3rd. There are hundreds of parties around Oakland; there's hopefully one near you. My council member, Jean Quan, sent out a list of NNO parties in district 4, but I can't find the updated version on her website, nor can I find a list of NNO parties in Oakland. If you're looking for one near you, ask a neighbor, check the city of Oakland NNO page, or call 238-3091.

Next is The East Bay Express' Best of the East Bay Party in Jack London Square, Friday, August 6th, from 5pm-11pm. It will feature "best of" winners from Oakland and all over the East Bay. It's free, and you can ride your bike there (free valet bike parking from EBBC!) or take the new Broadway shuttle.

New festival on the block is FreshFestival 2010 in Mosswood Park on August 14th. Oakland blog OaklandLocal is helping sponsor it. A good writeup at The Oakbook.

edit: Add to the list the 11th annual Laurel Street Fair. Music, food, vendors, fun for kids, and more.

In a few weeks is Oakland Art & Soul in Downtown / City Center, August 21st and 22nd. I enjoyed last year's Art & Soul, and this year looks to be a fun time again.

The week after that is the Eat Real festival in Jack London Square, August 27th-29th. K and I had a great time at last year's Eat Real. This year's is supposed to be even bigger and better!

Looking further ahead, there's Oaktoberfest in the Dimond on October 9th.