This weekend in Oakland

Community events and activities for the weekend of May 13 – May 15.  Got an event we didn’t know about? Please add it in the comments!

Friday May 13

Oakland Greek Festival
Fri & Sat 10 am – 11 pm
Sun 11 am – 9 pm
4700 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland

Greek food, coffee, pastries, dancing, lectures, choirs, cathedral tours and more. Admission $6, kids under 12 free. Festival begins Friday and continues through Sunday.  More info here.

The Jazz Mafia
Doors 8:30, show at 9
The New Parish, 579 18th Street, Oakland

A special celebration of Steve Wonder’s birthday. More info and ticket prices here.

West Oakland Cleanup
9 am – 2 pm
California Hotel, 3501 San Pablo Ave, Oakland

As part of the Great American Cleanup, volunteers will help improve medians, parks and sidewalks. More info here.

Oakland Indie Awards 2011
6 pm, awards ceremony at the Lakeside Theatre
6:30 – 1o pm party  at the Garden Room & Lakeview Terrace
Kaiser Center, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland

Local businesses and artists will be honored for their work. The party afterward will feature live art demonstrations, a DJ playing Oakland music, an appearance from the Oakland Outlaws rollerderby team, international food, and more. More info here.

Oakland East Bay Symphony presents Kurt Weill’s Street Scene
8 pm
Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland

The concert version of Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, with lyrics by Langston Hughes and Elmer Rice, which won the Tony for Best Original Score. Performance features the Oakland Symphony Chorus and members of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. John Kendall Bailey will give a pre-concert talk at 7 pm. More info and ticket prices here.

Fridays with MOCHA
3:30 pm
Oakland Library Asian Branch, 388 9th St., Ste. 190

MOCHA artists are visiting different Oakland library branches — kids can come create art with them. More info here.

“Hay Fever” at the Oakland Standard
Oakland Museum of California
6:30 – 9 pm
1000 Oak Street, Oakland

An evening focusing on the back-to-the-land movement with workshops and lectures on topics like homebrewing and wild-crafting. Music by Ethiopian jazz fusion band Sun Hop Fat and square dancing with Jordan Ruyle and the Squirrelly Stringband. Free for OMCA members, half-priced for everyone else after 5 pm.  More info here.

The Cars
8 pm
The Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave, Oakland

Legendary 1980s synth-rockers The Cars tour to support their new album, Move Like This. All ages show, more info and ticket prices here.

Saturday May 14

Koreatown-Northgate Culturefest
11:30 am – 5 pm
Telegraph Ave. from 24th-27th Street

Three blocks of Telegraph will feature food, music and entertainment that reflects the diversity of the Koreatown-Northgate neighborhood. Entertainment includes performances from Ballet Folklorico Costa de Oro, the Prescott Circus, FatChance BellyDance and more. More info here.

Piedmont Avenue Elementary School Spring Carnival & Silent Auction
11 am – 3 pm
4313 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland

A free spring celebration featuring games, face-painting, a bouncy house, a rock wall and vendors booths. View the catalogue for the silent auction here.

Celebrating Elephants Day 2011
10 am
Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland

A day of special elephant-related events at the zoo, including a tour of the elephant barn (additional $5 fee), elephant-related information stations and observation opportunities, and two performances by the animal-free Circus Finelli. More info here.

Hella Gay Oakland Dance Party
Doors at 9 pm
The Uptown, 1928 Telegraph Ave, Oakland

Dance party featuring GStar, Astro and other DJ’s spinning electronica, house, hip-hop and more. $7 cover. More info here.

Hand Bound Books for Beginners
3:30 – 5:30 pm
Rock Paper Scissors, 2278 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Berkeley artist Elizabet Wendt leads a class in making your own notebooks or journals. $15 to $30 sliding scale donation. More info here.

Montclair Friends Book Sale
11 am – 3 pm
Montclair Branch, 1687 Mountain Blvd, Oaklnad

Used book sale to benefit the Friends of the Montclair Branch. Donations of books in good condition can be left at the library during branch hours.  More info here.

Spring Cleanup and Gardening Party
noon – 3 pm
Elmhurst Branch, 1427 88th Ave, Oakland

Volunteers will clean up the library’s outdoor space, plant flowers and receive a free hotdog lunch. More info here.

Tai Chi class for kids
3:30 pm
Oakland Library Lakeview Branch, 550 El Embarcadero, Oakand

A dance instructor leads a tai chi class for kids. More info here.

Sunday May 15

Bike Church 3rd Anniversary Party
1 – 5 pm
Manifesto Bicycles, 421 4oth Street, Oakland

Oakland bands Winifred E. Eye, Glaciers, Pre-Legendary and the Dreamers celebrate the third anniversary of the Sunday gathering of the biking community. The event will feature live music as well as on-site screen printing and a limited-release poster.  More info here.

Oakland on Two Wheels
Oakland Museum of California
10 am – noon
1000 Oak Street, Oakland

Oakland Museum docents lead a bike ride every third Sunday. Free, but participants must be at least 12 years old. Bring a bike, a helmet and a repair kit. More info here.

Gold Rush Family Day
Oakland Museum of California
1 – 4 pm
1000 Oak Street, Oakland

Special activities and museum gallery tours about the California Gold Rush, with gold panning and music by the Goldrush Sisters. More info here.

Church of Craft
noon – 1 pm Sunday School, 1 – 5 pm crafting
Rock Paper Scissors, 2278 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Drop-in crafting — bring your own DIY project. More info here.

Ongoing community weekend events and gatherings

Talks

Wildlife Theater
Saturdays at 11:45 am and Sundays at 1:45 pm
Oakland Zoo: 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland

Every Saturday, hear a story and meet an animal with the Oakland zoo staff.  On Sundays, there are more animals to meet and a chance to learn cool nature facts.

Toddler Storytime
Saturdays 10:30 – 11:30 am
Oakland Main Library, Children’s Room, 125 14th Street, Oakland
and Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College Avenue, Oakland

Every Saturday, children ages three and under can listen to stories, sing songs, and enjoy family play time. More info here.

Bay Area Poets Coalition Open Reading
First Saturday of every month, 3 – 5 pm
Strawberry Creek Lodge: 1320 Addison Street, Berkeley

All ages are welcome to come participate at the Bay Area Poets monthly open reading.  Each poet or reader has between three and five minutes to present his or her pieces.  Just coming to listen is also fine.  Please only park on the street.  Check in at the front desk and you will be directed to the meeting location.  More info here.

“artiFACTS”
First Sunday of every month, 3 pm
Auctions by the Bay Theater: Alameda Point Naval Air Station, Alameda

“artiFACTS” is a monthly talk about the art of collecting and a preview of the monthly estate auction, which takes place the following Monday.  More info here.

Farmers markets

Old Oakland Farmers Market: 9th Street between Broadway and Clay, Oakland

Fridays 8 am – 2 pm, year-round
.  More info here.

Kaiser Permanente Oakland Farmers Market: 3801 Howe Street, Oakland

Fridays 10 am – 2 pm, year-round.  
More info here.

Grand Lake Farmers Market: Splash Pad Park at Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue

Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm, year round.  More info here.

Phat Beets Produce Market: 5717 Market Street, Oakland

Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm.  
More info here.

Temescal Farmers Market: 5300 Claremont Avenue, Oakland (at the DMV)

Sundays 9 am – 1 pm, year-round.  
More info here.

Jack London Square Farmers Market: Webster & Water Streets, Oakland

Sundays, 9 am – 2 pm, year-round.  
More info here.

Meetings

LOUD Youth Group
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 4 – 6 pm
Pacific Center: 2712 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley

LOUD Youth Group is a drop-in group for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) youth.  Tuesdays focus on arts and crafts, writing, and music.  Thursdays focus on hot topics and guest speakers.  Fridays focus on queer moves and video games.  More info here.

Bay Street Stroller Strides
Fridays 9:30 am
Old Navy: 5625 Bay Street, Emeryville

Come join other mom’s as they incorporate power walking, jogging, body toning, and strength and flexibility training into their morning walks with their babies.  First class is free.  Cost: $120 for a 10-class pass.  More info here.
Chemical Dependency Workshop
Saturdays 10 am – 12 pm
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s MPI Treatment Services: 3021 Summit Street, 5^th Floor, D Wing, Oakland

Whether you are dealing with alcohol or drug abuse yourself, or helping a family member or friend through the addiction, everyone is welcome at Alta Bates’ Dependency Workshops.  Call 510-652-7000 for more information.

MTC Community Garden Hoe-Down
Saturdays 9 – 11 am
Memorial Tabernacle Church: 514 58 Street, Oakland (enter through the driveway)

Come join the weekly garden work party!  Whether you are a novice or an expert, all levels of gardening are welcome. Bring your gloves and gardening tools.

Scrabble Club
Third and First Saturday of every month, 1 – 4 pm
It’s Your Move Games and Hobbies: 4920 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

The club meets two to three times a month and hold a monthly tournament.  Cost: $1 to join the club and $25 for six games at the tournament.  More info here.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
Sundays 8:30 – 10 am, Thursdays 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Summit Campus, Merritt Pavilion
350 Hawthorne Avenue, Oakland, in the “Fir Room.”

A program based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are no dues, weigh-ins, or fee, but pre-registration for this free program is required. The program is provided through Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the East Bay. Call (510) 523-4361 for more information.

Got an Oakland event to share for next weekend’s events listing? Send info including address, time, and ticket price for events taking place in Oakland between May 13-15 to staff@oaklandnorth.net.