upcoming Oakland events

Friday is the First Friday in February, so there are Art Murmur events galore. And it being Friday, there's Off the Grid at the Oakland Museum. And February is also Black History Month, so there are a variety of events for that coming up. I've listed a few; for a more complete list check out the Oakland Wiki's page on Black History Month.

Friday

Off the Grid at OMCA - Friday, 5-9pm. The Off the Grid food truck pod comes to the Oakland Museum for an evening of food and fun.

Art Murmur - Friday, 5-10pm. Dozens of galleries. Lots of artists. Tons of people. It's the monthly chance to check out new art in uptown, eat from food trucks, and join the happenings. There are also Art Murmur events in Old Oakland, near Jack London Square, and more. (free)

Gallery Event: A Match Made in Oakland - Friday, February 1, 7pm. Blackball Universe hosts an artist reception and the opening of A Match Made in Oakland. (free)

Peace, Pies & Prophets: I'd Like to Buy an Enemy - Friday, February 1, 7pm. Join First Presbyterian Church of Oakland for an evening of theater, laughter, dialogue and an auction of homemade pies (!!!!) as we engage in discussion about peace, justice, and the American way. This performance, produced by Ted & Company, is part of a national tour, Peace Pies & Prophets, and is a fundraiser for the Positive Peace Warrior Network and Christian Peacemaker Teams. $12 donation, no one turned away due to lack of funds.

Innovators - Transforming the Landscape of Black America - Friday, 5-10pm. Come out to the 3rd annual Warehouse 416 Black History Month Exhibit and experience the legacy of Oakland Art. This year's show, Innovators is a special treat, focusing on an incredible group of artists, spanning four generations, who are continually breaking new ground in their work. Runs through February 23rd. (free)

Saturday

Black History Month tours - 10am, Saturday, February 2; Wednesday, February 6; Saturday, February 23. Explore downtown Oakland and learn how Lionel Wilson, Delilah Beasley, Robert Maynard, Byron Rumford, Marcus Foster and others changed Oakland and changed California. Read about last year's tour. (free)

Black History Month community garden work day - Saturday February 2, 11:00am-2:00pm. Join Bay Localize, the People's Grocery Urban Ag Crew, and Chestnut neighbors for a work day at the Chestnut Garden Corridor! (free)

Sunday

Free First Sunday at OMCA - Sunday, February 3, 11am-5pm. First Sundays are FREE! The Oakland Museum of California is free all day the first Sunday of every month. (free)

Oakland Wiki Sunday Edit-a-thons - Sundays, 1-5pm. Bring a computer or note-taking materials to hang with your fellow Oaklanders as we research and add content to the Oakland Wiki. This week's will meet at Sudoroom, 22nd and Broadway. (free)

Wednesday

Vintage porcelain at the Pardee Home - Wednesdays, 2nd Saturdays, 2nd Sundays. View the historic Pardee Home and the collection of porcelain collected by the globe-trotting Mrs. Pardee. You can take the tour for $5 or have the tour and tea for $25. Read more at World of Mailman. ($5/$25)

ongoing events:

• Art Murmur (1st Friday)
• Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
• Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)
• Off the Grid at OMCA (Fridays)

looking further ahead:

Wish You Were Here: A Private Collection of Historic Oakland Postcards - Thursday, February 4, 7-8:30pm. Join local postcard collector and architect, Peter Espe, as he shares his collection of historic Oakland postcards and provides perspective on how this beautiful ephemera informs our understanding of the city's built environment. ($10/$15)

Half Life: Celebrating 30 Years of Working for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament - Sunday, Februrary 10, 5pm-9pm. Special Guests Dennis Kucinich, Daniel Ellsberg, Rep. Barbara Lee, and Rose Aguilar. "Reframing the Nuclear Discourse in the Current Geopolitical Climate." Optional "A Taste of Oakland" Special Reception. ($15-$100)

Film Showing and Program for Black History Month - Wednesday, February 20, 12-1:30pm. In conjunction with the Anza Trail traveling exhibit, join the Anza Trail, Peralta Hacienda, and the Oakland Black Cowboy Association for a showing of the Anza Trail Film, followed by a discussion of diversity in Early California. Oakland City Hall Hearing Room 2. (free)

Black History Tour in Mountain View Cemetery - Free 2 hour tour through Mountain View Cemetery highlighting African Americans who are buried there, including Jenny Prentiss (who raised Jack London), Byron Rumford, Lil' Bobby Hutton (of the Black Panthers) and more. February 23, 10AM, at Mountain View Cemetery. (free)

OMCA White Elephant Sale - March 2-3. It's the annual fundraiser for the Oakland Museum of California. It's bigger than big, it's huge! (free)