Oaktoberfest

Saturday was the annual Oaktoberfest celebration in the Dimond. I don't make it every year, but I made a point of going this year because one of the music performers was the legendary Pete Escovedo. The weather was hot, but tons of people came out to drink beer, eat food, listen to music, and generally have a good time.

A video of the Bavarian dancing:


A video of some young people playing with Pete Escovedo's band:


Lots more pictures from Oaktoberfest:

Oaktoberfest 2011

Saturday afternoon was the 4th annual Oaktoberfest in the Dimond. We had perfect weather for this family-friendly event, with the early fog burning off to partly cloudy skies. Three stages featured a variety of music and dancing, and there was a climbing wall, face painting, and crafts for kids.

But naturally the center of things was the Bill Brand Biergarten (named for the late Bill Brand, long-time reporter and beer critic). At the center was Oakland favorite, Linden Street Brewery, with Adam himself serving up People's Common Lager. Next door was a nice discovery for me, Dying Vines. They do their brewing at Linden Street, and were serving up Hop Candi and the tasty Old Brick Bitter. Also serving were Oakland Brewing Company and Pacific Coast Brewing (Oakland), as well as Drake's (San Leandro), Trumer Pils (Berkeley), Anchor Brewing (San Francisco), and others.

There were plenty of yummy food vendors, too, including Fist of Flour Pizza, Guerilla Grub, and more. For more info on the beers and some nice pics, check out the coverage at the Brewed for Thought blog. All in all, a really fun, tasty event!







Lots more photos:

Chinatown StreetFest

Looked like people were having fun at the 2011 Chinatown StreetFest last weekend. After 3 walking tours in 2 days, I was pretty tired, but there was even more energy in Chinatown than usual.








More pictures from the StreetFest:


more great photos and coverage by Reginald James.

Art & Soul Festival

This past weekend was the 2011 Art & Soul Festival. It seemed like crowds were a little smaller on Saturday while I was bike parking with WOBO and EBBC, but there were a ton of people out Sunday when K and I strolled around. People of all ages, colors, shapes and sizes were out having fun. One of my favorite things was watching a variety of couples salsa dance to the music of Edgardo & Candela at the City Center stage. They were having a blast, and it was impossible to watch them and not feel good, too.





Lots more pictures:

Art & Soul 2011

More coverage:
Oakland Local 1
Oakland Local 2
Oakland North
Oakland Tribune

Chinatown oral history project

On Saturday's walking tour of Chinatown, we heard from Roy Chan, the director of the Oakland Chinatown Oral History Project that the next piece was premiering later that day. So after the walking tour was done, I ran some errands, got some lunch, then rode back to Chinatown for the showing of the film.

The Chinatown Oral History Project has been a work in progress for several years. Earlier parts recorded people's memories of Chinatown, and talked with people displaced when Lake Merritt BART was built -- 75 homes, an orphanage for girls, and the Chinese True Sunshine Episcopal Church were destroyed. The most recent piece talked with people who currently use Madison Square. It's the place for Tai Chi, and some people have been using the area for decades.

The project is also cool in that it's stimulating inter-generational dialogue. The people who know the history are naturally older, and the people doing the interviews, filming and editing them are students. The current piece was done by Chinatown students attending various universities around the country, and by Mills College students.

More changes are planned for the area to make a transit-oriented community. Given the past treatment of area residents and various Chinese settlements before that, it's understandable that people are taking a lot of interest in the process. Fortunately the city and BART are being open about the process, and getting lots of community input along the way. BART boardmember Robert Raburn was there to view the film and talk with area residents.

Check out the Chinatown Oral History website for more info, and if you're in Chinatown check out the exhibit itself while it's open. The Oakland Asian Cultural Center is at 388 9th Street in the Pacific Renaissance Plaza building.

More about the planning process:
Urban Habitat
Oakland Local
East Bay Bike Coalition

More pictures:

Chinatown oral history

now with even more Oakland-y goodness!

Check out this great dance video of Turf Feinz, Danse Sous la Pluie, first seen over on OaklandSeen:

The YouTube page says the film is YAKfilms, music by Erk Tha Jerk.

Also cool is Oakland State of Mind from Youth Roots: