Came out for the 39th annual Downtown Alameda Art & Wine Festival. Free event!…read moreThe weather was amazing, the crowd was intense. Lots of people, strollers, dogs. The festival is about 8 blocks long. There were several food vendors and while some of the lines were long, they seemed to move along reasonably quickly. This year I checked out several of the bands that performed including Zebop, the Spazmatics, Swampers CCR tribute, Long Train Runnin', Soul Essence and Life in the Fast Lane & School of Rock Alameda show band. If you want to drink beer or wine you need to purchase a glass and buy drink tickets. If you have a beer or wine glass from the previous years, you can bring it and use it instead of buying a new one. But they will not serve you in a non festival glass. It was a nice day and I hope to see more artist perform next year!

For a FREE event, this is great! Get out the house, enjoy the sun, live music, and support local…read morevendors! The only thing I would say is the name of the festival is misleading. You feel like you would expect more art and wine booths, but really it's just a street festival/fair. It felt like there were more booths this year than the many years ago, which was nice. More things to see. We like to come early to avoid the crowds. This year (2025) we came on Sunday around 10:30 and parking was a breeze. By the time we left at noon, it definitely got really crowed.

I've heard about the Alameda Classic Car Show on but never had the opportunity to check it out…read more This year, I happened to be on Park St. for an appointment and afterwards I finally visited the car show. This year marked the 26th annual show and there were over 400 classic cars that lined five blocks of Park St from Encinal to Buena Vista Avenues. From 10 - 4pm, you can see antique roadsters, coupes, hot rods and muscle cars from the 1930s to the 1980s. There were some cars that were just beautiful. You want to be a classic car owner? There were a couple that were for sale. I was looking for the '67 Chevelle, a car my Dad owned. Seeing the several on display brought back childhood memories. Also, it was nice seeing the '55 Bel Airs, a classic owned by my dear friend. Now that we are in the EV world, the show also had electric cars on displayed on Central Ave where you can see these non-fossil fuel vehicles on "EV Alley". I'm glad finally made it to the car show. It is a great, free fun event for all ages.

If you're into Old School American Muscle, this is the Car Show for you. Lots of Fords and Chevys,…read moreOldsmobile, Dodge, and Pontiacs are represented well here also. The best things about these cars is that they are actually driven, not just sitting in someone's garage waiting for the next car show. Also some real hot rods were here, loved to hear them roar when they started them up. It's 3 blocks full of classics, I will definitely be coming back!!!

Im happy to say I didn't have to miss out on all my fav festivals in the year. Eat Real food…read morefestival held at Oakland's Jack london Square was unfortunately cancelled this year as so many other festivals due to Covid-19. This is one of the few fest I volunteer for every year and have so many amazing experiences. I got an email last week notifying me that I could still support in a big way for Eat Real to continue...voila...the take home fest box. What a sweet idea to get all the food you still love and give to the community at the same time. Here is what my box included: Chicharon Fried Pork Rinds with Chili Lime Salt from Jeepney Guy Japanese Fried Chicken from Aburaya Take & Bake Chicken and Shrimp Paella from Gerard's Paella Oxtail Taco Kit from alaMar Take & Bake (Frozen) Gumbo Pot Pie from Samara's Southern Creations Set of 3 Macarons from Shades of Sugar Bakeshop: Mint Watermelon: spearmint, watermelon ganache and sloe gin Peach Melba: vanilla, peach ganache, raspberry and bourbon Banana Foster: cinnamon, banana ganache, caramel and rum Hopefully we'll be thru this pandemic soon so we can go back to having a little more fun again...till then.... Keep supporting local bay area business!!!

Overdue review! This…read moreyear was my first time attending the Eat Real Festival. For those who have never been or heard of Eat Real, it is a free event that is a combo of a state fair, food festival, and block party to celebrate good eats, along with bringing awareness to where our food comes from, who grows it, how it is grown, and how to cook it. There were over 50 vendors, and 30 craft beers, wines, cocktails, and nonalcoholic beverages to try! There was also live music and cooking demons, family-friendly activities, and other ticketed culinary experiences. The fiancé and I were able to find street parking nearby, but parking in general around this area is fairly difficult. There were also a lot of people at the event, so unfortunately trying to find a place to sit and eat was challenging. Additionally, lines for some of the food trucks were extremely long. This limited the foods we wanted to try out. Despite all that, the fiancé and I enjoyed the festival as first timers. It was a nice to check out the different vendors and learn about their mission. However, I would take a pass next year.

Got up early so I could attend parade as well. All the years I been attending. I never knew it was…read morea parade. Had to park 15 min. Walk away. It was nice and warm. My SHEIN dress and purse stole the show. So many compliments which was so nice. They didn't have many cherry vendors nor any funnel cakes lol.

Today, June, 6, 2026 we decided to go to the San Leandro Cherry Festival. There wasn't much online…read moreabout it and not too many pictures. But we gave it a try. There were a lot of booths that really had nothing. Unless you like community business stuff. But still a let down. The food was just alright. They had the food in two locations away from each other. My main complaint was the beer booth. It was in one and only one location. Ridiculous. The best part was the farmers market. The fruit was very tasty. And reasonable. It was terribly crowded as well.

NARRATIVE Approaching and passing the West Oakland BART…read moreStation giants and giantesses constructed from metal begin to fill the skyline. As the sun sets, fire tongues lick and leap from metal sculptures. Robots lumber and throw flames. Leather pants, and fire tools abound to the marvel and disbelief of the attendees and to the satisfaction of the artists and performers. CONTACT INFORMATION The Crucible 1260 7th Street Oakland, CA 94607 Phone: 510-444-0919 Email: info@thecrucible.org HOURS Wednesday-Saturday, 2nd week in July 8 pm - midnight * Fire & Arts Soiree is held on Saturday. PRICE RANGE Luxurious (but worth it!) or ask to volunteer! SUMMARY After 7 years of watching this flaming spectacle from the freeway and that BART-way I finally decided to volunteer to get a grounds-eye view of the goings-on. From the gorgeous Serpent Mother to the stories upon stories of metal sculpture gods and goddesses surrounded by a flaming garden of spectacle, art, robotics, pyrotechnics, demonstration, and interactivity (DANCE DANCE IMMOLATION!), the entire site is alight with elements that entice and delight all ages. Last night I served as a youth escort and worked with another youth escort to introduce the little 5 years olds to the fire arts and explain how it all worked. Their eyes (as well as mine) opened wide at the wonder of so much fire, noise, music, performances, and characters that abounded on the grounds. The Fire Oddesey combines dance, theater, opera, live and recorded music, humor, acrobatics, aerobatics that filled the bleachers and held the audiences delight. All hail the Fire Arts Festival and the Crucible for an excellent event! SERVICE Awesome. Well organized from the layout to the volunteer experience and the participant logistics. RESTROOMS Port-o-potties with handwashing stations! (Always appreciated.) SUGGESTION More demonstrations of the how these pieces were created or perhaps a pre-festival gallery walk where we can ask the artists how these pieces were created!

So, there were some big improvements to the previous year's FAF. First, it is in a much larger…read morespace. You had to shuttle from Bart this year, but that looked very organized. I drove this year, and parking was very easy and the security for the event was on top of everything. Second, they do have a few new exhibits... not many, but the Pendulum of Fire, which I think is new, just rocked. On Saturday, it did full loops and it was amazing to photograph. Third, they did seem to improve the bathroom and food situations. Now, I'll speak from the photography side of things. First, I would recommend going on the earlier days as it is difficult to maneuver through the Saturday crowds. I love the ease of being able to get credentialed for the event, but you still have to battle people just walking in front of your shot. Since they paid the same price as you, you can't really get upset at it happening, but it did ruin some nice shots. Second, I did feel that I was repeating my shots from last year. The new exhibits were great, but after 2 hours of shooting I felt like I had exhausted my captures. Last, for some reason, I was not as impressed with the stage entertainment as I was last year. I can't really explain. Don't know if it was the acoustics or what, but it just seem to be off. I think I might be in the minority. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicksaveandabeauty/sets/72157621569257643/

** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. **…read more I know this wasn't technically the annual Temescal Street Fair, but I don't believe the event on Sunday, October 25, had an actual name. It was referred to as a picnic which made sense if you took advantage of the neighborhood restaurants offering outdoor seating. Jamie W. and I did by having our first real outdoor dining experience together right outside of Daol Tofu & BBQ, a relatively new Korean spot that made an excellent Bo Ssam for two with tables that were properly distanced from each other. Even more than that though, this urban picnic offered us an opportunity to roam the neighborhood and take notice of all the ethnically diverse array of eateries at our own pace. I actually found the absence of mobile amusement rides, performance stages, and free salsa lessons blessings in disguise. This was held in response to Oakland's Flex Streets initiative, where restaurants and shops take over closed blocks for brief periods of time. During these challenging times, I welcome these picnics and hope more are scheduled. RELATED - Exploring Temescal? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2I0RAHj

This is a big Street Fair!! I decided to take BART here, a super convenient way to go, just get…read moreoff at MacArthur station, and it's literally around the corner. I also took my bicycle, lots of bike parking here also. Lots of food choices here, and I like how all the businesses in the area are open also for even more choices. There are 2 music stages, the one at the end had salsa going when I got there, with everybody doing the salsa. Lots to see, buy, and taste, I'll definitely be back!!!

They did it again. Another fabulous annual event at the amazing festival of lights. This is our 3rd…read moreyear in a row and we always have a blast. We always stop to shop from various artists and pick up a thing or two. We love watching all the light installations and enjoy grabbing a bite to eat. Can't wait for next year

Way better than I expected! Loved checking out the colorfully illuminated art displays this past…read moreSaturday, and endless pathways weaving through the beautiful gardens filled with gorgeous flowers and greenery, along with ponds, small waterfalls, adorable bridges, and even bee hotels (or airbeeNbees). My favorite features include the neon bonsai exhibit (which even had koi fish made out of lights), the luminescent grand piano with ambient melodies entertaining visitors, and the trail of quirky and assorted gourds (especially the bunny themed!). Great for couples, but also family-friendly, with several kids' activities on site. A food court included about 6-8 food trucks and a small seating area (we enjoyed some yummy empanadas from Javi's Cooking). The decor for the event was not cheap-looking, and the setup was unique and charming, with various art forms uniquely demonstrated. It was definitely great value for a pleasant evening in an enchanting atmosphere. Yes there was a long line for entry, but it was totally worth it, and I recommend dedicating at least one and a half hours to get the most out of your experience.

Only went to this festival in 2023. Things were secretly modern and there was a way of purchasing…read morestuff at it. Didn't stick around for the whole time, but it was worth attending. Hopefully it will return next year.

I've been to the Art & Soul Festival more times than I can remember, way before I started Yelping…read more I remember it starting a few years after they canceled the Festival At The Lake. Lots of food vendors, stages, etc, but the best thing I like about this Festival is the Oakland vibe. Every time I go, it reminds me of Festival At The Lake or Hip-Hop On The Green. Especially near the main stage when the main artists are doing their thing. This year was no different. Yes, the $15 entrance fee and $5 parking was higher than last year, but it was worth it to me, I don't mind paying if I'm enjoying myself. Keep doing you Oakland!!!