Arts and Music Events in Oakland This Weekend
A roundup of events in Oakland from February 26–28 features arts workshops, live music, and Black History Month celebrations suitable for families. For more options, the Funcheap event directory lists dozens of free and affordable activities throughout the East Bay and San Francisco.
- The popular Oakland First Fridays street festival, which draws up to 30,000 attendees each month, grew out of the Oakland Art Murmur, a gallery walk that began in 2006 to showcase local artists. - Oakland is home to more than 50 art galleries and a significant number of arts and cultural nonprofit organizations which, as of 2017, contributed over $83 million to the local economy and employed nearly 1,500 people. - In addition to smaller clubs, the city boasts large historic venues like the Fox Theater, which opened in 1928 and has a capacity of over 2,800, and the Paramount Theatre, a 1931 movie palace that now hosts performing arts for over 3,000 attendees. - Beyond organized events, visitors can explore Oakland's public art through self-guided tours, including a Black Panther history tour and a tour of 99 murals in the Chinatown area. - The city's live music scene is diverse, featuring jazz and Japanese cuisine at Yoshi's, a venue that has been operating since 1979, and punk and metal acts at the historic Eli's Mile High Club. - The East Bay Fund for Artists, created in 2003, has commissioned new works from over 300 local artists by partnering with thousands of community donors and numerous organizations. - Despite the vibrant scene, arts funding has faced challenges; in late 2024, the city eliminated most of its grant program for arts and culture to address a budget shortfall. - For hands-on creative experiences, The Crucible, an industrial arts school in West Oakland, offers workshops in a wide range of disciplines including ceramics, jewelry making, and stone cutting.
