Happy Thursday!
Gonna be hot, dry and windy this weekend. AKA fire weather. Is your power getting cut? Find out here.
In this issue:
Oakland throws the Black Panther Party a 60th birthday
Where to trick-or-treat in the East Bay
The best Halloween bars in Oakland
9 minute read today. It’s PACKED.
- see ya at the bottom.
Today’s Partner
New to Oakland? Read this before you pick an internet provider
IMO: Most internet providers belong in some ring of hell. A necessary evil that for no other reason than corporate greed stuffs you so full of fees and charges you’re left with scraps for a wallet.
But that was before I moved to our new place, ditched the *infinity bologna, and discovered Sonic.
I’ve used Sonic for 5 years now and I love it.
It’s affordable
No contract, I pay month-to-month
Fast, up to 10 Gig fiber optic
And it was free to install
These days, I don’t even think about where my internet comes from. I’m never on hold with support. It just works. Imagine that.
If you’re new to the area and feeling stuck with the “X”, take my advice and be like the hedgehog. Sonic baby.
(Full disclosure: this is a referral partner, so you getting better internet supports this newsletter.)
Your Weekend
Things to do in Oakland Oct. 15-18
Hand-picked events for your weekend.
FEATURED EVENT
Shop a Heavy Metal artisan fair at The Crucible next Thursday
Next Thursday, KQED hosts an artisan fair celebrating the industrial arts: fire, metal, and sick riffs (we hope). Shop one-of-a-kind pieces from 10+ local makers like Metalworks SF, Stained Glass Garden, and Rusty Noodle Studios. Or sign up for a hands-on workshop fusing glass or throwing pots. Free festival, workshops are extra. Also a great opportunity to tour the Oakland GEM that is The Crucible. | Next Thursday, 10/22, 5-9pm. 1260 7th St. See Details →
Want more events?
Looking for the full weekend calendar? See every Oakland event happening this weekend →
More from Oaktown Weekly: East Bay Halloween parties · the best East Bay trick-or-treating neighborhoods · every Oktoberfest in Oakland and the East Bay
Town Treats
Where to trick-or-treat in the East Bay this year with kids
And the good news… you don’t have to wait until the 31st to get your kid’s bucket full. Here’s the lineup of upcoming events for all ages.
Benioff Children’s Truck-or-Treat | Oct. 18 [This Weekend]
Touch-a-truck meets trick-or-treat: construction and emergency vehicles, candy, crafts, and games, plus a prize for costumes. Free, no pets. | This Sunday, 9am-1pm. 744 52nd St. RSVP →
Lakeshore Candy Crawl & Harvest Festival | Oct. 24
Crafts, games, a corn dog lunch (hell yeah) and then a Halloween parade that trick-or-treats its way down Lakeshore Ave businesses. | Next Saturday, 10am-12pm. 3534 Lakeshore Ave. See Details →
39th Annual Piedmont Ave Halloween Celebration | Oct. 24
Piedmont shuts down the whole ave to trick-or-treat. Plus stop by a few haunted houses, Piedmont’s pumpkin patch, and catch live local bands at the plaza. Free. | Next Saturday, 11am-1pm. Key Route Plaza, 41st St & Piedmont Ave. See Details →
Rockridge Halloween Parade | Oct. 25
40+ trick-or-treat stops down College Ave, from Broadway to Alcatraz, plus costume contests for kids AND pets. Free. | Next Sunday, 11am-2pm. Starts at the Rockridge Library, 5366 College Ave. See Details →
Chinatown Trick or Treat Trail | Oct. 30
Follow the signs to participating Chinatown businesses, then stick around for the 3:30pm costume contest (top 3 win gift cards). Free. | Friday 10/30, 2-4pm. Check in at OACC, 388 9th St. See Details →
Fourth Street Trick-or-Treat & Halloween Fest | Oct. 31 [Halloween]
80+ Fourth Street merchants will be handing out candy, plus a REAL magic show, face painting, bubble show, and live music. Free. | Saturday 10/31, 3-5pm. Fourth St & Delaware, Berkeley. See Details →
Mad Magic at Children’s Fairyland | Oct. 31
Trick-or-treating, mad science experiments, live shows, and a fun house, all inside Fairyland. Free for members. | Saturday 10/31, 12-7pm. 699 Bellevue Ave. Get Tickets →
Oaktown Eats
Sponsored by Zest Maps
The best East Bay Halloween bars
As much as I like a holiday-themed bar, there’s something about a really good Halloween-themed bar. Drinking with skeletons dangling from the ceiling just sets it all off.
Here are a few:
The Avenue — The undisputed #1. It’s Halloween here 365 days a year.
The Fat Lady Bar & Restaurant — This has come up on other lists, it’s a staple. Turns out, they also get festive for Halloween.
Ruby Room — I’ll drop this one because it’s dark, red, and moodier than most haunted houses.
Mad Oak Bar ’N’ Yard — Spooky rooftop vibes with no cover parties Friday and Saturday of Halloween weekend.
Can’t decide? Text Zest.
Our sponsor and restaurant BFF, Zest, just rolled out Ask Zest, a number you text like a friend who knows every good spot to eat, drink, and hang in the Bay.
Ask anything like “best Halloween bars in Oakland” or “spot to grab a cocktail in North Beach” and it gives you recs.
It’ll even build lists for you to browse. I made this one when I was writing this.
It can tell you what to order or book your table with a connected account. You can even drop it into a group chat and hash out where to eat.
Text anything to (212) 470-6067 to try it. (It’s still in beta, so be nice to the Zesty boi.)
Remember to download the Zest app and follow @Oaktown_Weekly for all our lists and recs.
Town News
Trending stories from the week
Are you losing power this weekend? — PG&E warned ~88,000 customers, including about 11,000 in Alameda, and 4 other counties, that it may cut power to prevent wildfires. Plug in your address here to see if you’re getting cut.
A man tried to kidnap kids from strollers near Lake Merritt — It happened Monday morning at Lake Merritt near Grand Ave and Harrison St. A suspect was arrested, but police have yet to release details.
Sheng Thao’s bribery case kicks off — The former mayor and 3 co-defendants face bribery, fraud, and conspiracy charges. All 4 have pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor’s take: “politics as profit.”
Pet of the Week
Meet Velma from Montclair
Velmaaaaaa…. anyone remember that? Am I a cooked unc for saying that?
Put your pet in a costume. Why? Because it’s adorable AND I’m pulling together a special Halloween edition of Pet of the Week. Hit reply and send me those dressed-up pets.
Town Poll
Halloween is officially 2 weeks out. So settle this for me…
What’s the best Halloween activity?
Last week’s results: Did you go to Oaktoberfest?
No (64%)
Yes (36%)
I assumed no, but A LOT of you went. Right on! I was sad to miss it.
Thanks for reading.
I’m doing something absolutely bonkers tomorrow and trekking to Cow Palace.
Never been and I have not heard one good thing said about it. Wish me luck.
See you in town,
-Kolby
Oaktown Weekly
P.S. Give me a grade, teach👇
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