Good Morning! Oakland’s own Tommy Orange — author of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize finalist There, There — was chosen as a 2025 MacArthur Fellow. 

This year, the “genius grant” awarded 21 fellows alongside Tommy with $800k, no strings attached. Well deserved. And if you haven’t read There, There, stop reading this and pick it up.

In other news:

• The Wardrobe Project returns to Rockridge BART

• Autumn Lights at the lake

• Inside the new law targeting all those abandoned Bay shopping carts

- Let’s get to it.

P.S. Next week, we’re sharing a lineup of Oakland Halloween parties for adults (21+) and kids. If you’ve got a rec, hit reply and send it our way. ty. ty.

Your East Bay Event Lineup

Each week, we bring you a curated list of events for families, couples, and everyone in-between. Got an event you’d like to promote? Send us a reply.

All Weekend

The 89th Walnut Festival in Antioch

If there’s one thing this week’s rain confirmed it’s that summer is OVER. But there’s still a chance to catch a classic family-friendly fairground festival before the year ends. The Antioch Walnut festival returns for the 89th iteration at it’s new location: The Antioch Fairgrounds. | Thursday to Sunday, times vary. Antioch Fairgrounds, 1201 W. 10th St., Antioch. See Details →

14th Annual Autumn Lights Festival

If you haven’t stumbled into The Gardens at Lake Merritt, consider this your invitation. The 7-acre garden stays open late this weekend for their annual Autumn Lights festival which features a variety of light installations by local artists and burners makers. | Friday to Sunday, Oct. 16-18, 6-11pm. The Gardens @ Lakeside Park. See Tickets →

Friday

Cal Bears vs. UNC Tar Heels

If you’re gonna catch a Cal football game, this one might have the most drama. Catch Coach Belichick and the Tar Heels as they take on the Cal Bears and their phenom, freshman quarterback, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. | Friday @ 7:30pm Cal Memorial Stadium, Berkeley. See Tickets →

Saturday

The Wardrobe Project @ Rockridge BART

If you’ve every passed by Rockridge BART on a 3rd Saturday and thought, “What in the Gen Z is going on here?” Let’s get you up to speed. The monthly vintage flea market returns this weekend hosted by The Wardrobe Project. | Every 3rd Saturday, 10am-5pm. Rockridge BART Parking Lot. See Details →

Berkeley Harvest Festival

This free festival features live music, a food contest, a community seed swap, and a “kid zone” complete with a zip line — not to be outdone by the “tot zone” featuring a sand pit and face painting. Also, what in-the-Berkeley is a seed swap? | Saturday, 11am-4pm. Cedar Rose Park, Berkeley. See Details → 

The Donut Fun Run in Alameda

It’s a dual-event competition: a timed 5k race around Alameda’s Seaplane Lagoon Promenade followed by a (optional?) donut eating contest. Winner takes home a $500 prize. Everyone else: a wicked good runner’s high. | Saturday @ 9am, Seaplane Lagoon Promenade. Register Here →

Stories from The Bay

Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention to launch academy in 2027 — The department has partnered with LA-based nonprofit Urban Peace Institute to train unarmed civilians in de-escalation and preventing retaliation after violent crimes.

UC Berkeley investment arm purchases 16-story hotel in downtown Berkeley — The purchase price of ~$176M is a hefty discount from the previous value of $218M in 2023, a sign of the East Bay’s waning lodging industry.

Oakland airport says “Nah” to partisan TSA video — OAK has joined 8 other airports in declining to show the new TSA video featuring Kristi Noem, in part because the Oakland airport has no screens to show the video on.

The pilot program cleaning up Bay Area’s urban streams — Nearly 10% of California’s unhoused (18,700 people) live near waterways where pollution is a growing issue. A new pilot program is partnering with unhoused individuals to clean waterways and educate on stewardship.

Who knew shopping cart theft was so bad? — A recently signed CA bill gives local governments more teeth to fight all those abandoned shopping carts. Seriously, just in San Jose around 2,000 shopping carts were recovered across the city and waterways last year.

Town Pet of The Week

Want to celebrate your pup? Send us a reply with a pic of your pet. Their name too!

Aaaand, that’s all folks.

Thanks again for reading, and please, send me your Halloween party plans. We’re pulling together a roundup for next week. Every recommendation helps!

See you out there,

-Kolby
Oaktown Weekly

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