Community events and activities for the weekend of April 19-21 2012. Got an event we didn’t know about? Please add it in the comments!

Friday, April 19

MOCHA at the Library

3 – 5 p.m.

Elmhurst Library Branch, 538 9th Street, Oakland

A teaching artist will be on hand at the library for an art lesson.

Guerilla Performance Group

4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

East Side Arts Alliance, 2277 International Blvd, Oakland

A weekly event for teens. More information here.

Friday Nights at the Oakland Museum of California/Off the Grid

5 – 9 p.m.

Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607

Food trucks, a live reggae band and extended gallery hours are all part of this weekly event. A family-friendly workshop on how to make your own headdress will also be available. Half price gallery admission for adults, free for children under 18. Admission for members is free. More information here.

Future Fridays: Dr. Felisa Wolfe-Simon

6 – 7:30 p.m.

Chabot Space & Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland

Listen to a lecture from Dr. Felisa Wolfe-Simon—astrobiologist and NASA Astrobiology Research Fellow in residence at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Dr. Wolfe-Simon’s work focuses on what chemical elements can support microbial elements on Earth. Tickets $20 for members, $23 for guests and $29 at the door.

Bicycle Art Salon features Robert Raburn

7 – 10 p.m.

Close to Lake Merritt BART

Join the East Bay Bicycle Coalition for their weekly Q&A, this time with Robert Raburn, BART board member and former East Bay Bicycle Coalition director. Event is free, but by invitation only. To obtain an invitation that gives a more exact meeting location, email bicycleartsalon@gmail.com or call (510) 356-5665. More information here.

Movies in the Park: How to Train your Dragon

Dusk

Redwood Heights Recreation Center, 3883 Aliso Ave.

The movies in the park tradition begins again this Friday at dusk with How to Train your Dragon (PG). Movies begin at dusk. More information here.

Oleta Adams

8 p.m.

Yoshi’s Oakland, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland

Soul/jazz/gospel. Tickets $39 for 8 p.m. show and $35 for 10 p.m. show. More information here.

Oakland East Bay Symphony

8 p.m.

Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland

The symphony will present “Notes from the Middle East,” conducted by Michael Morgan and Daniel Wachs. Doors open 90 minutes before showtime. Ticket prices range from $20 to $90. More information here.

Saturday, April 20

West Street Pathway Ribbon Cutting

Pathway at Virginia

10 a.m.

Celebrate this important project, Saturday April 20, 9:45am on the Pathway at Virginia. The West Street Pathway is a multi-use pedestrian and bicycle pathway along the former Santa Fe Railroad Right of Way between Cedar-Rose Park and Strawberry Creek Park.

Puppet Show: Grandpa Bunny’s Egg-citing Day!

Children’s Fairyland

11 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.

Here is a delightful tale about the seasons, and how poor Grandpa Bunny discovers that he can use the colors of nature to paint eggs for children. Just watch out for Frisky Puppy! Scenery by Annie Wong. Puppets and script by Randal Metz.

ARTIFACT at the Asian Art Museum

Asian Art Museum

2 p.m. – 4 p.m

OMCA Community: Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam Semi-Finals 

7 p.m.

The annual slam, an Olympic-style poetry competition, features hundreds of young writers, emcees, and performers from throughout the Bay Area and Northern California. On this night, poets ages 13–19 battle it out in the James Moore Theater for a chance to represent at the Grand Slam Finals on May 11.

Alblorosie, Jay Yzer, DJ Smokey

The New Parish

8 p.m.

$30/$35

Grass and Brass

Cafe Van Clefs

8 p.m.

East Bay Brass Band

Sals Greenhouse Big Sound Family, Super Cronopio Ben Runnels

Stork Club

9 p.m.

$5 – $10, sliding scales

DJ Hey Love, Featuring Upright Bassist David Arend

Disco Volante

9:30 p.m.

$5

Sunday, April 21

41st Annual Primavera County

7 a.m.

The Fremont Freewheelers announce their 41st annual spring bicycle ride, expecting 1000 riders.  This fully supported ride starts and ends in Fremont and is considered one of the Top 10 early season rides in the country.

Earth Day at Jack London Square

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Jack London Square, Broadway and Water

A special Earth Day festival with green-themed activities, exhibits and snacks. Festival will coincide with the regular farmers’ market and attendees can get free popsicles from a solar-powered ice truck, in addition to giveaways, interactive craft stations for children, and more. More information here.

Magician Mike Della Penna

1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland

This magician will leave audiences mystified with his playful magic performance. Park admission $8 for guests over 1 and guests under 1-years-old are free.

Keyshia Cole

8 p.m.

The Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave, Oakland

Her 18-city tour will culminate in her final performance in her hometown. R&B/hip-hop. Tickets range from $45 to $65. More information here.

Ongoing Art Exhibits

We/Customize
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland
February 9 – June 2
From rat rods and lowrider bikes to Kinect and Ikea hacks, people are customizing mass-produced objects as part of artistic and personal expression more today than ever before. Inspired by maker culture, the experimental, participatory, process-oriented outreach project and exhibition We/Customize includes multiple phases from taking OMCA outside its walls and inviting the public to participate. Exhibit runs through June 30, 2013. More information here. 

“New Paintings by Joanna Salska”

Studio Quercus, 385 26th Street

March 1 – April 20

Salska displays her recent paintings and oil on Masonite explore the scars and experiences we accumulate throughout life, as symbolized by broken and disfigured doll heads. More information here.

Vintage Esoterica

March 22 – April 20

Photo, 473 25th Street

An exhibition of 35 photographs from the early 20^th century through the 1990s. Features the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Eve Arnold and Annie Liebovitz, among others. More information here.

Interpreted Landscapes

March 28 – April 27

Slate Contemporary, 473 25th Street

This exhibition features paintings of two-dimensional, fictional environments by Andreina Davis, Eve Arbel and Adam Cardello. More information here.

Suburban Dreams
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland
California photography by San Francisco artist Beth Yarnelle Edwards exploring the relationship between people, their possessions and the domestic world. Exhibit runs through June 30, 2013. More information here. 

Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland
The first comprehensive survey of the artwork of Hung Liu.  Featuring approximately 80 paintings, as well as personal ephemera such as photographs, sketch books, and informal painting studies from private and public collections around the world, the exhibition celebrates Liu’s career accomplishments and includes work completed in China before the artist arrived in the U.S. Exhibit runs through June 30, 2013. More information here.

 

Ongoing community weekend events and gatherings

Classic Cars West Beer Garden
Saturdays from 2 pm til dusk
Classic Cars West, 411 26th Street, Oakland

Featuring grilled sausages, craft beer, music, art and vintage cars. More info here.

Get ‘er Done Day and Community Potluck
Sundays noon – 6 pm, 6 – 8 pm
A PLACE for Sustainable Living, 1121 64th Street, Oakland

Volunteers can work on a variety of tasks including carpentry, seed planting, plumbing work and more to benefit the center. Followed by a “Souper Sunday” community potluck dinner; bring a vegetarian dish or something to add to the “stone soup.” More info here.

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.

Piedmont Avenue Branch Knitting Group
Saturdays, 3 – 4 pm
Piedmont Ave. Branch, 160 41st Street, Oakland

Weekly knitting get-together and help session.

Open Spinning/Knitting Gathering
Every second Saturday of the month, 10 am – 1 pm
A Verb for Keeping Warm, 6328 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

A free get-together to work on knitting, spinning or fiber arts projects, with complimentary coffee and tea. More info here.

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.

MTC Community Garden Hoe-Down
Saturdays 9 – 11 am
Memorial Tabernacle Church: 514 58th 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.

MTC Let’s Walk Together program
Second and fourth Saturdays, 8 am – 10 am
Memorial Tabernacle Church: 514 58th Street, Oakland

A twice-monthly group walk through different Bay Area parks and trails. Meet at the church and carpool to the week’s location. 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.

Chemical Dependency Workshop
Saturdays 10 am – 12 pm
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s MPI Treatment Services: 3021 Summit Street, 5th 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.

 

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: 942 Stanford Avenue, 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.

 

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 to staff@oaklandnorth.net.