COOL HAPPENINGS ~ rad / unique / authentic ~ Bay Area

• listed by richie rhombus

<<< APRIL >>>[4/18 : SF ] THEYFRIEND Nonbinary Cabaret "A thrilling night of live performance uplifting, centering and celebrating nonbinary identity!" ($15-20)[4/19 : SF, noon-5:30 ] Bicycle day parade bike ride through golden gate park. It will be an immersive day of revelry, shenanigans, poetry, and magic for all" (free)[4/19 : SF 5pm- laterThe Halfter Party (dance party) Half MEOW, half later. Join us for the after party (8-late) for the bitcoin halving meetup (5-8pm) at the SF Foundry. Disco house with world music mixed in. Artists from CATS will bring their magic, sexy vibes.Rules: 1. Do not meow at people without their consent. Not everyone is a member of the meow society. 2. Bring your cat ears. Or make your own LED glow kitty ears at our arts & crafts station!!4/19 : SF The Great Merging Art Show, Join us at Uzay Gallery for The Great Merging, an evening featuring art that seeks to dismantle the conventional understanding of death as a terrifying state, and transform it into a vibrant, safe realm: a re-emerging with the universe. Art by Gabriela Silva Myers Lipton ($20)[4/19 : Berkeley] ¡BAILA! Community.Dance.Party! "Dance the night away at our Latinx Community dance party Live music by Orquesta N'Rumba, vibrant energy," ($15-25)[4/19 : SF, 7:30] A Night of Silents SIlent films with live music. Two rarely seen progressive "silent films" by David Michalak preceded by magician/filmmaker George Méliès with live music by Bruce Ackley[4/20 : Oakland ] Town Life Ecofutures Festival A day of fun workshops and activities, live music, art, and community vibes! #1: Participative Community Installation & Planter invites you to plant seeds of ideas on our collective ecofutures and support local urban farm City Slicker Farm. #2 - Come to our screenprinting Station and make a Town Life poster as keepsake. #3 - Interact with the Bureau of Linguistical Reality to find new ways to define a rapidly changing world.[4/20 : SF ] Bug Day 2024 Check out the incredible extravaganza of insects at the Randall Museum’s popular Bug Day event celebrating everything insect with hands-on science and art activities, games, live music, movies and more. (free)[4/21 : SF, 1-4pm] Sensuous Earth day Stroll and Poetry Affair "Beth & Annie sprinkle and EarthLabSF will be doing an ecosexy walking tour. This is their 3rd annual. This year it’s a “Sensuous Stroll and Poetry Affair” in our their neighborhood, Bernal in San Francisco. The San Francisco public Library is co-producing it with them.[4/21-May5th : Berkeley] APPETITE OBSCURE: TEST KITCHEN "In this workshop we will work in pairs to create a series of food-based interactions. We will get into our bodies and keep things moving, rotating partners every few minutes with each new prompt. No experience or preparation is required, and all ingredients will be provided for you. The goal of this workshop is 1. big fun, 2. creative brainflex, 3. learning tips and techniques from over 10 years of Appetite Obscure. Come kind of hungry but not too hungry. And if you have any particularly fun props or ingredients you want to come share, bring them!" ($5-$20)[4/23: SF, 7pm] Queer Utopian SciFi Reading Group
This is a queer reading group engaging with social theory and science fiction, to encourage thinking about radically different – hopeful – futures.[4/26 : SF ] KHEMIA Opening Night art show us for our second art show, Friday, April 26, 7PM - 1AM for a group exhibition by over 26 artists featuring visual, sculptural, textural, performance, sound art and MORE![4/27 : SF , 9 AM - 12:00 PM] The End of Capitalism as You Know It: the walking tour
Come along on a free walking tour that posits that treating land/the Earth as something you can accumulate and derive economic value from just because you own it is a bad idea, and a bogus notion of what capitalism ought to be. (free)[4/27 : Oakland 10am-2] Healing Justice - Ancestral healing series for our communities "Join us for 2 community ancestral healing events with ancestral foods, altar-making, ceremonial dance, drumming, live mural painting, herbal medicine-making to support our community’s healing. All activities and food are FREE to the community!" (free)[4/27 : SF 3-5pm ] : Erotic Resisters and Ecosexuals Unite!. A celebration of the erotic performance cultures that have shaped San Francisco, Erotic Resistance: The Struggle for the Soul of San Francisco (UC Press, 2024) explores a milieu that is indelibly intertwined with the Tenderloin’s history: the city's bohemian past and its essential role in the development of American adult entertainment by highlighting the contributions of women of color, queer women, and trans women who were instrumental in the city's labor history, as well as its LGBT and sex workers' rights movements. Authors Gigi Otálvaro-Hormillosa, Annie Sprinkle, & Beth Stephens in-person! Moderated by Dr. Joy Brooke Fairfield (donation, free-10$)4/27: SF PI-QUARIAN PAGAN SPACE DISCO 2084[4/27 : Oakland] SPIRIT: Queer and Femme Afro Dance Party Queer and Femme-centered Afrodiasporic dance party in Downtown Oakland. ($8-13)4/27, SF 10:30am-12 Build a Fairy Home workshop " Please join us to build, customize and paint your very own wooden fairy house! We designed San Francisco style miniature houses for your family to customize. We will have a short laser cutter demonstration, and the rest of the workshop will focus on customizing houses with paint, gems, felt, and small furniture, as adapted to participants' age." ($25)[4/27-28 : SF 11am-6] Shipyard Open Studios Meet over 100 artists, Local food, Live jazz and classical (free)[4/27: SF ] S.F. Mime Troupe Fundraiser 2024 Concert ~ Festival"! The All-day event, concert and festival (20$)[4/27: SF]GHOST__WORLD: a performance for 4 dancers, begins with choreography built out of firsthand interviews with electronics and e-waste workers in South China. From there, a jumble of references come together in this dance piece that considers life as a ghost trapped in a phone. But who is the ghost?($17 (use code SLASHFANS for discount $13 tickets)[4/28 : SF ] The Endless End(shadow and mirror puppetry show) Lydia Greer will demonstrate a short segment of the extended cinema performance version of Facing West Shadows: The Endless End, demonstrating shadow and mirror puppetry (phantasmagoria) and guiding audiences to create their own shadow puppets inspired by the local Bay Area natural world. (free with RSVP)[Now- 4-28 : SF] MÁAZ: Archaeological Discoveries from Earth’s Second Colony (A engaging art installation) Developments in imaging and reality synthesis technologies have enabled archeologist/artists to dig into the premains of the early days of the future Máaz (Mars) colony. Using clues from fossils, potshards and digital records, we have been able to construct a story about the lives of our descendants. ($5,$40)

-<<< MAY >>>[5/1-9 : SF ] International Arts festival celebrates the arts by bringing together a global community of artists and audiences[5/3 : Oakland] hoodslam // Faith in Monsters cosplay pro-wrestling (30$)[5/3 : Oakland ] First Fridays Oakland Art Murmur art night, galleries, music, food, street art[5/3 : SF ] First Fridays Northbeach Art night art night, galleries, music, street art5/4 : SF Stories that Make Us a gathering to meet/chat/hang with some talented filmmakers regarding their work involving creative social movements. ($25 +)[ 5/9 : SF, 8:30pm ] The People’s Palace A free performance installation by Joanna Haigood - performed in five 30 minute cycles from 8:00pm to 10:30pm. Aerialists and performers will interact with the architecture and large scale projections, transforming these symbols into new, more inclusive narratives that more accurately reflect San Francisco’s diverse and dynamic cultures and community. Through performance, music, storytelling, and immersive technologies, The People’s Palace invites the audience to actively engage these new narratives, to see themselves within the broader context of the city, and to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives. (free)[5/9 : Oakland ] Ruckus Revival Circus. Comedy. Carnage. Battle Rap. Burlesque. Interactive mayhem. All of that and MORE “Ruckus is a tent revival for misfits and freaks, those whose artistry or spectatorship has a homespun bent and a bandit streak…a dazzling, inspiring and celebratory display of talent.” ($23 +)[5/9 : SF ] SL❤️TS michelle tea and friends (poetry/lit event)[5/10: East bay, 7:30pm] East Bay Bike Party! location (tba) (free)[5/10-11] Get a Grip! The Stagehand This solo clown show uses physical comedy and circus acts rarely seen in the US such as: plate spinning, jar juggling, 12ft bamboo pole umbrella manipulation. If you don't know what those things are, you better come find out! Be whisked away to a distorted realm of this oddly eccentric "underdog" and their authentic and strange reality! ($25-30)[5/11 : SF ] HYBRID FUTURES Land, Genomics, and Technology Exploring the entanglement of humankind, nature, and technology through cyborg-eco-feminist science-fiction, rooted in real discoveries. @Telematic Media Arts, SF, 323 10th St. @ Folsom SF[5/10 : SF, 5-10 ] Bhangra and Beats Night Market-2024 Season Kick Off Reinvigorating three city blocks, the Bhangra and Beats Night Market returns to create a lively cultural hub and marketplace. Running from 5 pm to 10 pm, attendees can dive into an electrifying experience, blending the lively rhythms of South Asian Bhangra music by the Non Stop Bhangra collective with a rich tapestry of popular Bay Area music genres showcased across two stages: The Bhangra and Beats Stage and the World Music Stage. (free)[5/14 : SF ][ The Wholesome circle Join a monthly social club centered around your three centers of intelligence: the mind, the heart & the body. Discover More of yourself through a set of interactive activities curated to help you experience what neuroscience says about emotional intelligence and relationship building. ($15-20)[5/14 : SF ]Happy Endings A monthly mixtape of poetry, stories, and comedy, This time on the topic of: Late Bloomers: Getting better with age, coming out “late”, divorce, reinvention, second acts, third acts, metamorphosis, being the last to something, ect[5/17 : SF ] The Queer Prom: The Enchanted Garden "Ready for a spellbinding evening? Please join us at The Enchanted Garden, where you’ll be transported to a world of twinkling lights, gorgeous drag, live performances, music, a fun photo booth, and more. Don’t forget to don your fairy wings, elf ears, and sparkling outfits—all faeries welcome!" (free)[5/17 : SF] Recology Art show The Artist in Residence Program at Recology San Francisco is thrilled to announce exhibition dates for current artists-in-residence Nicolaus Chaffin, Bryan Keith Thomas, and CCA MFA candidates Kelley Finley and Deena Qabazard. Friday, May 17, 2024 from 5-8pm with performance at 7pm
Saturday, May 18, 2024 from 12-3pm Tuesday, May 21, 2024 from 5-7:30pm with artist talk by Kelley Finley & Deena Qabazard at 6pm (401 Tunnel), Bryan Keith Thomas at 6:30pm (503 Tunnel), and Nicolaus Chaffin at 7pm (503 Tunnel).[5/21 : Oakland] Broken Bone Bathtub: the Documentary is about Siobhan O’Loughlin’s moving one-woman show which she performed in the bathtubs of private residences. Screening followed by discussion with the film maker.[5/24,25 : SF. 9:30Pm,8pm ] MR CHONKERS Solo performance show, Kind of a clown show though not really. Absurd. Simple. Outrageous. Stupid. Fun ($25)[5/24: SF, 8p, 9:30p] A Retrospection: A solo clown play at Church of Clown in San Francisco by Claire Woolner “A frantic and bewildering mash-up of clowning and performance art that is far more accessible and emotional than should be possible’ ($25+)[5/24-26 : SF] Psyched! Radio Tenderloin Music and Arts Festival, spanning May 24th to May 26th. Joining forces with the Tenderloin Community Benefit District and the Office of Economic & Workforce Development, this dynamic three-day event illuminates over 100 local bands, DJ’s, writers, comics and artists across diverse venues. Celebrating the Tenderloin’s rich cultural legacy while amplifying awareness of its ongoing struggles, the festival serves as a poignant tribute to resilience and community spirit.[5/31 : SF] Puppet Summit Puppet storytellers from 3 coasts, join for an interactive weekend of avante garde vingettes, giant puppet building ( with you) and experiementing and play. This is an event that is somewhere between a conference, a party, and a festival.

>>> WEEKLY >>>[Mon-nights : SF] Circuit hacking Monday, @ noisebridge (free)[Mon-nights : SF] Gettin Knit:Knitting Nights Get together on with some very talented and creative knitters. If you can knit (or crochet hooker) or if you want to learn come on by and enjoy the company of like minded folk.[Mon-nights : Oakland, 7:30 ] Women and non-binary coding night @ The Sudo room at Omni Commons (free)[Mon-nights : Oakland, 7-11pm ] [Live west coast blues] The big vic, no cover @ Elis Mile high club - 3629 Martin Luther King Jr Way[Tues-nights : Oakland, 7:30 ] Hardware Hacking Tuesdays @ The Sudo room at Omni Commons (free)[Tues-nights : SF ] SF Writers Workshop drop-in workshop: (free)[Tues-nights : SF ] Contact improv jam at Counter Pulse(5$)Wed-Fri. (11:30am to 5pm), and Sat. (11:00am to 3pm)
The Solano Human project
Can you save humanity from AI while strolling on Solano. It's a city-walk / outdoor-escape-room / alternate-reality-game adventure ($13)[Wednes-nights : Oakland ] Improv Jam, Come together and play. Improv warm ups and scenes. Anyone is welcome to participate (free)[Wednes-morning/Satur-morning : SF ] Garden for the Environment Come volunteer at Garden for the Environment and get your hands dirty! Help keep the garden healthy and thriving and learn to garden.[Thurs-nights : Berkeley ] Contact improv jam at The Finnish Hall] (7$, NOTAFLOF)[Thursnights : Oakland ]THURSDAY NIGHT
PANTHER PROWL free, family-friendly event every Thursday night at the DeFremery Park basketball courts from 6pm to 9pm. It's an official Oakland Parks & Rec program where the community comes together to skate in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment. There is a rotation of live DJs from the community providing the music and snacks and drinks are provided by members of the community to share with all at no cost.[Fri-nights : Oakland, 5:30-9:30] DAYS LIKE THIS, A community dance party in Oakland bringing joy. @ Lake Merritt Pergola (free)[Fri-nights, Satur-nights, Sun-nights SF] Infinite Wrench, The Neofuturists Ensemble write and perform thirty original plays in sixty minutes. ($20)[Fridays, Saturdays : SF] visit the David Ireland house ($20, NOTAFLOF[Fr-nights: SF, 5:30-7pm] Bollywood Nights at Downtown Rooftop Park: Learn fun, choreographed moves. all-levels Bollywood dance to eclectic music from India while providing an empowering cultural experience. free and open to the public. @ Main Plaza 425 mission[Saturdays : Berkeley, 4-5pm] Inspiration for Perspiration free dancing[Saturdays : Berkeley, 10a-5pm] Aftel Archive of Curious Scents Museum of scents ($25 entree)[Saturdays/Sundays : Berkeley, 11a-6pm] Tilden Park Steam Trains Rideable small locomotives, through redwood forests, tunnels, and miniature towns $3.50[Saturdays] [Land, Villains, and Revolutionaries walking tours](almost every Sat. ; SF) [(https://www.thecommonssf.org/walking-tours.html)Sun-nights 4-6pm until Clown And Improv Drop In Series Embrace your primal nonsense with clowning. In this eight week drop-in series, Dana Merwin and April Garro introduce basic principles of clown — physicality, emotional expression, audience engagement — to make you a more dynamic improviser and more joyful human.<<< MONTHLY >>>[3rd Mondays :SF] Monthly all-ages Queer Bowling event! Come and bowl for free while enjoying bites from local food pop ups, discounted drinks, DJs, and drag ($10)(2nd Tuesdays: SF] San Francisco Botanical Garden’s Free Day[ First Thurs-nights : SF ] First Thursday Art Walk explore Downtown and Tenderloin galleries.[Last Thursdays : Oakland] Out of Focus TV presents AV Club @ Shapeshifters Cinema A/V Club is a chill hang for folks who want to meet and share film/video/sound/music projects in progress, or recently completed projects—open screening-style. Bring something to show, or just come to watch some cool work, meet some new people and join in conversation.[First Fridays : Oakland. Art murmur in Oakland, Art gallery openings, art booths, street dance, food vendors.
[First Fridays : Northbeach SF] Art night](https://www.instagram.com/northbeachfirstfridaysofficial/) art night, galleries, music, street art[2nd Fridays: East bay, 7:30pm] East Bay Bike Party! location (tba) (free)[2nd Fridays: SF, 6-9pm] SF’s Lowrider Cruise of the Mission (Every 2nd Friday) Check out the Bay’s polished and decked out lowriders cruising Down Mission Street 20th and Mission[2nd Sundays: Oakland 1:30-4:30] Mixed-Media collage workshop with Rock Paper Scissors artists, at Oakland Main Library 125 14th street.[1st Saturdays : SF ] [4/6: SF 12pm] MAPP Mission Arts Performance Project MAPP is a familia, a community and a series of arts, music and activist events encompassing several venues as well as public spaces, street corners, bart stations, cafes, bars, taquerias, homes all over La Mission.[4th Sundays: Oakland] Rollin with the Homos (rolling skating and drag)[Last Sunday : Kensington] : Beatles Thingy : Beatles Karaoke with live accompaniment @ Kensington Circus Pub, Kensington. *Also Happens first Tuesday of the month @ Rite Spot, 17th & Folsom 7:30-9:30, FREE!

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<<< WHAT IS THE COOL HAPPENINGS? >>>Cool happening lists things under $30 or free, as to be accessible to diverse people. The list hopes to share local culture, mix different groups together, and provide special things to do for people seeking creative activities.The lists prioritizes rad/unique/authentic and is curated by a kind of intuitive magic, so not every type of thing will get listed. To get your event listed, submit below. Thank you