I reserved this Hall for a Quinceañera. Tony was super nice and helpful. The Hall is big and has a parking lot on the back. Great place and friendly people to communicate with. read more

Humanist Hall - The stage - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Oakland, California

I would have to say, with everything that has Happened the past year.... our family needed this celebration location. The venue was perfect for our Graduation gathering for our boys. The caterer had a full kitchen for use, restroom were clean, the use of the projector and the huge outdoor space and ample parking made this place perfect. read more

Humanist Hall - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Oakland, California

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Not very impressed with this place. Very ran down and over priced. A very close friend had an event here. It was expensive and they jacked the fee up $1000 from when the initial reservation and deposit was made, last minute inconvenient permit required for music and very ran down appearance. Pulled up and there was garbage all along the curb in front, there was a dirty sock, empty Newports box and other debris on the stairs leading to the entrance. This is the first impression. Then, first thing when you walk in...hit right in the face with a strong smell of dirty restrooms. Even with food cooking you could still smell the stench of urine. The back yard looks fabulous in pictures but it no longer looks like that. There was garbage all over, a big pile of debris and pieces of what looked like padding from couch cushions on the ground. Apparently at one point there was a fire pit, now there is broken rocks/bricks of what I assume was one an outdoor fireplace. It is not accessible to people with limited mobility. There is one toilet for men and one for women (again, the bathrooms smelled like urinals, strong pungent stench or uncleaned bathrooms all in your face), no AC and the fan didn't work. The area is very sketchy as well. I wouldn't recommend this venue. read more

Humanist Hall - dilapidated outdoor fireplace and garbage - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Oakland, California

Great venue super spacious with lots of space for different activities add events. However, I was locating it by the back door address given to me and it was baffling. The address number is not the same from the back door and front door and it can easily be misleading. The front door and Main Street side is located inbetween Broadway and Telegraph on 27th street addressed as 390. But the address provided to me was 411 28th taped to big chained gates. Make sure you choose the front street address as I provided above to cancel confusion. Other than that If you knew the place by name then it's very easy to spot. Very colorful outside with name posted large. This place is great for any gathering. It's big enough to decorate and make any occasion special. I appreciate how clean and well kept this Hall is. The back space is nice and large with a fire pit for if things get chilly. The space is stocked with everything essential. Tables and chairs are provided. As well as speaker system and kitchen utensils. Parking is ok in the front kinda iffy in back. read more

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I rented this place for my fathers repast. It was a quick and easy process. The guy I worked with very straight to the point and a great communicator. Easy In and out. Nice spacious space. The backyard is nice for the kids to run around and play or adults to smoke in the back. Everything was spic and span. They provided tables and chairs and just made the experience easier for me! Thank you so much! read more

Date: 1/23/2016 Time: 2:00 PM 58° Partly sunny Humanist Hall is not in a fancy-schmancy building and its interior is simple in design. On one side of the building is the kitchen and an area for food prep set up. The elevated stage is at the opposite end. The reception area is large enough for celebrating special occasions - be it birthdays, weddings, baby and/or wedding showers, celebration of life. The courtyard is in a garden-like setting. Basically, one calls the gentleman, Dave, re: renting and reserving the hall. Setting up and cleaning up is the responsibility of the host and family. Purpose of visit: Husband and I are here for a dearly departed friend's celebration of life. Her family set up the tables, chairs and the lovely floral centerpieces. They also are working the slide show of their mom, aunt, grandmother or great aunt with some old school music - a soulful celebration. (A few times they ask Dave to assist with the sound system.) Friends are preparing and serving the late afternoon supper. Overall, it was a nice send off of a friend whom everyone loved, and for some of us, she became our friend three weeks prior to her departure onto a higher plane. She was a special angel among us. For me and on a personal level, I never knew that Valerie's sister, Wendy, and I were high school classmates over 48 years ago until I was introduced to her at the time...small world. (Oh, the memories she and I shared.) Being there was indeed a special occasion to enjoy, celebrate and renew a friendship. read more

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Decent event space, not accessible. The backyard is beautiful!

7/2/17 I performed for a wedding here and found it to be a great venue for both indoor & outdoor activities. With all the trees It stayed cool outside and the acoustics inside were great! -DJ Rockalot read more

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When I stayed in Oakland I'd walk past the tiny steps that ascend into Humanist Hall countless times on my way to BART. Maybe the big brand logos blaring the names of car companies in the surrounding area distracted me from actually acknowledging this little place, but it's a cozy community venue that seems to keep it's "antique" vibe while still having potential for many modern activities. Inside there is a small stage looking over the main open area, a little back section next to the two bathrooms, kitchen with big ol' sinks and a counter top that could easily be used for any kind of snack bar/serving area. It is definitely old, or as the bathroom signs warning you not to stuff trash down the toilets say, "antique", but that gives it some flare. One of my most favorite parts is the four paneled windows overlooking the street, on a rainy day they'll give you that warm nostalgic feeling even for something you've never experienced. Attended the ACROnym Festival here on Saturday, March 12th, 2016. Basically brought in a bunch of big gym cushions and had up to three class sessions of monkeys flying at any given time throughout the day. Limited space had a 80 person cap limit on each session, but throughout the day we had over 150 people easily flow through the space. Venue worked well. This place seems it would be good for smaller, community focused events or social gatherings. read more

Humanist Hall - Flying at the ACROnym Festival, March 2016 @ Humanist Hall - Photo by Good Lux Photography - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Oakland, California

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I have been here for two birthday bashes and it's a great place to have a party. It has a small kitchen, two big bathrooms, a buffet area and a medium sized room with a stage. It's great fun having a party here. Parking is available on the street! read more

The Humanist Hall has an ongoing film series titled "Films of Fact and Life," and this month they are showing all of David Attenborough's "Planet Earth" series, two episodes at a time. The films are all shown in an auditorium on a big screen, and they provide free organic vegetarian snacks. They ask for a $5 donation on their website, but they were not pushy about it at all; they just leave a donation bucket on a table by the door. My only complaints about the Humanist Hall are the trek from SF (it's 1/2 mile from the 19th Street BART station) and the temperature; I froze my ass off there last night! There were no homeless people or hippies in the crowd, just nice older folk and a friendly labrador named Midnight. As for the smell mentioned by the other reviewer, the place is a little musty but not intolerable. It was a long way to go to see a movie that I could've downloaded in an hour, but I would consider going back. read more

I'm definitely a fan. I rented Humanist Hall for a large, milestone birthday party 2 years ago, and Humanist Hall was great. Dave the manager was very clear with directions and expectations, and the Hall was ready for me and clean as promised, with all the tables and chairs and kitchen set as promised. During the event, Dave quietly checked on me as pre-arranged, and made sure that everything was going to plan. I noticed he even discretely changed the toilet paper. It was very easy to use the space, and I loved the amenities that were available. The kitchen suit my needs. We were able to have tables, seating, and a potluck buffet service for about 75 people. In terms of space, the hall is large and has ample room in the yard in back if you want to use it. There's a nice, but smallish stage, with good stage lighting or a motorized screen available. In general, the venue does not come with a ton of frills, but it is extremely functional, and I brought whatever frills I wanted (or didn't want to, as my budget was limited). I was quite aware that the space would be most filled with the joy of the occassion. I didn't need my venue to look like the Ritz Carlton, because I didn't want to rent the Ritz Carlton. I wanted a welcoming yet easy and comfortable space for my event, and Humanist Hall fit the bill nicely. Most importantly, Humanist Hall seems to really put their money with their politics, offering great rental rates for community service, non-profit, and social/health/environmental justice organizations. They hire folks who have the necessary skills to paint or fix plumbing but need more job experience so they can build their resumes and get better paying gigs. Given that I choose to work in non-profit health and social justice work, I really value that Humanist Hall goes the extra mile to make that difference to help the more vulnerable members of our community. Humanist Hall is the kind of business that I like to support, because I know that i'm spending money IN MY COMMUNITY with an agency that values what i value, and creates opportunities for people who need them. For all of these reasons, I will DEFINITELY rent from Humanist Hall again the next time I need a venue for a large gathering. Keep up the good work, Humanist Hall, and especially Dave the Manager. read more

We rented this space for South Asian Sisters' Yoni Ki Baat (Vagina Monologues). It's a great venue for a performance, party, or apparently traffic school (which was taking place before our show). The venue- It's very old school 60s looking building and has this sort of hippy-ish look. There are 150 chairs, but the space can accommodate up to 200. The stage has great lighting, 3 microphones, and equipment to meet most of your a/v needs. There's a garden outside with chairs and a fire pit. The cost- It's a sliding scale starting at $200, which is SO reasonable. The people- Dave was extremely helpful throughout the process. He helped us out with the equipment and was just so nice about everything. read more

My friends and I came to see the S. Asian Sisters' performance of Yoni Ki Baat here. The space is very grassroots and older looking, but it was perfect for a performance of this type. If you're looking for a venue for a community meeting, play, party, or performance, this is your spot. There's a kitchen for preparing and selling food as well. The hippie signs boasting love for all the people of the world lining the walls also put a smile on my face.. read more

This place smells...Hippies and the homeless are flowing in and out regularly. I actually haven't been there in a few years but I doubt it has changed at all. I bet it's still the old, "weathered" space I remember it to be. I like it though. This venue has "character." It's own by the Fellowship of Humanity but it's available for progressive/hippie-ish meet-ups, music shows, films, and...study groups? There's a nice yard area too. I attend some anti-war and anarchist meet-ups here in my rebellious salad days. It's pretty cool if you're into that sort of thing and don't mind the smell. read more

Plenty of space for an art auction and band performance I attended tonight. Reminded me a bit of an old-school high school gym - but in a good way. Lots of light and space to walk around the auction tables. Bar pass-through area that could have been really tight if there was a huge amount of people waiting for drinks....but flowed well. Didn't stay for the band so can't comment on the acoustics. Plenty of parking and close to all the action for Art Murmer, if you happen to go on a first Friday. read more

Best place to go watch films, i come here all the time for their film festivals. Feels like youre at home with a relaxed atmosphere. Not to mention the location in Oakland in nice and down to earth. Most events here the people are diverse yet mature . I always seem to leave here making a new friend, but hey i guess thats everywhere I go read more

Be very wary if you are considering renting from Humanist Hall. I reserved the hall to rent 3 weeks prior to my workshop date. Dave, who handles the rentals, said that if I didn't get enough people to sign up for my workshop, I'd get my money back. I was very clear in asking if there was a deadline or a definite number of days before my event that I'd need to cancel to get a refund. He said no, they're pretty easy going. I needed to cancel and let Dave know a few days before my reservation date and he said, "I'm going to hold on to your money." His reason was, "We can't pay bills right now, so I'm going to keep your check." Luckily I paid a half down deposit of $100, but still, that's a lot of money. I originally decided to rent with Humanist Hall because it was low risk, but in the end it wasn't and Dave lied about giving me a refund. The rental policy is very arbitrary and so is their contract. Be sure everything is outlined if you want to rent their space, but just avoid it altogether. If I could give Humanist Hall and especially Dave no stars, I would, but that's not an option on Yelp. read more

Humanist Hall is gorgeous, non-pretentious, affordable, warm-feeling, exciting, and easy to work with. The manager is friendly and helpful, and my event was great. Highly recommended! read more

We just attended at wedding at Humanist Hall and found it to be a charming place with a very warm, friendly vibe. The building seems very well maintained at this point. The floors, plumbing, and surfaces are all in good shape, and the walls glow with delightful color. As a folk dancer I am a bit of a connoisseur of old halls like this, and this one just felt good to be in in every way. The back yard is a real bonus -- an inviting place with lovely shade trees, just right for taking a breather from the festivities, or having a quiet conversation. We were attending the wedding from out of town, so I won't be able to return to the hall regularly; but if I lived in the Bay Area, I would definitely seek to hold my own and my group's events there. Finally, I particularly want this review to serve as an update to previous reviews, as I think the hall owners have done an excellent job of refurbishing the space. The floors did not squeak, and the hall did not smell in any way! read more

i love the humanist hall!! i have been to several events here and been involved with organizing things i love about it: they have a huge back yard. it is wheelchair accessible from the back entrance, too. the paint colors inside make me happy. the kitchen is big and such a bonus for a rented event space. david is really laid-back and awesome when you are organizing your event through him. they have tables and chairs you can borrow! their wingnutty website. things i don't love: there's not a lot of free parking outside. gotta have your event on a sunday! read more

We had our wedding reception here in 2004 and was so happy with it. The garden worked well for the kids and the kitchen was a nice size. I am glad to see it being rented out again. read more

Used this venue for a clothing swap/craft fair I had in December. I love this venue. It's basic with a stage and very easy setup. They have plenty of tables and chairs for events. Dave is very helpful. Only negative would be parking. You basically have to park on the street and to find the handicap entrance is a little hard. The price at the time was more than reasonable. read more