The best holiday lights in the East Bay

This Weekend: Jaji flash tats, cheap drinks, and a return to the alley

Author

Kolby Hatch
November 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

And just like that, it’s Thursday. Savor Oakland — the “consumer brand” of Oakland’s Restaurant Collective — kicks off it’s inaugural Cocktail Week today which will run ‘til next Sunday, Nov. 23.

Not to be confused with Oakland’s Restaurant Week, Cocktail Week is a celebration of Oaklands vibrant cocktail scene. Cuz’ who doesn’t love discount martinis?

The best deals:

  • $8 martinis @ Acre, daily from 4-6pm

  • $5 off all cocktails @ Athletic Club, M-F, 4-6pm

  • $7 Highball @ Mushin Social Club, daily

You can check out the whole lineup of events and discounts at Savor Oakland.

What else is goin’ on:

  • Sunset Groove returns to Grizzly Peak

  • Temescal Alley is full of vendors Saturday. Like full, FULL

  • Meet the new Berkeley animation studio, Kuku

- Keep at it

Best of Oakland

19 Holiday Light Celebrations in the East Bay

Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda

We just dropped a complete list of 19 places to see holiday lights in the East Bay including Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, and more. Sharing the list below — minus the links, cuz the email gods do not like that.

Oakland

  • Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony | Nov. 29, 5:45-8PM | Jack London District

  • "Magic of Christmas" Lighting Concert | Nov. 29, 6PM | Temple Hill Auditorium

  • Holiday Circle of Lights | Dec. 1 - Jan. 1 | Mountain View Cemetery

  • Lights Up! | Dec. 3, 6:00 PM | Piedmont Community Hall

  • Tree Lighting & Holiday Parade | Dec. 5, 4:30 PM | 1333 Park Ave, Emeryville

  • Fairy Winterland | Dec. 13 - 28, Weekends, 12pm - 7pm | Children’s Fairyland

Berkeley

  • Lights on Fourth Street | Nov. 4 - Jan. 1, Nightly | Fourth Street Shopping Center

  • Indoor Tree Lighting @ Claremont | Dec. 3, 5:30 PM | Claremont Club & Spa

  • Holidays @ Tilden Steam Train | Dec. 6 - Jan. 5, Weekends | Tilden Park

  • The Sundar Shadi Holiday Display | Dec. 13-26, 5PM | 7501 Moeser Lane, El Cerrito

Alameda

  • Holiday Tree Lighting Festivities | Nov. 28, 4 - 6PM | South Shore Center

  • Christmas Tree Lane | Dec. 1-31, Nightly ~5:30pm | Thompson Ave.

  • Lighted Yacht Parade | Dec. 6, Starts @ 5:30PM | Oakland/Alameda Estuary

Hayward/Fremont

  • Holiday Celebration and Tree Lighting | Nov. 29, 5-8PM | Pacific Commons, Fremont

  • Mt. Eden Mansion Lights Up Celebration | Dec. 2, 5:30-7:30PM | Mt. Eden Mansion, Hayward

  • McConaghy House Lights Up Celebration | Dec. 3, 5:30-7:30PM | McConaghy House, Hayward

  • Meek Mansion Lights Up Celebration | Dec. 4, 2025, 5:30-7:30PM | Meek Mansion, Hayward

Other East Bay Lights

  • City of Newark Annual Tree Lighting | Dec. 5, 5:30-7:30PM | Newark Civic Center

  • It’s a Wonderful Night Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration | Dec. 5, 5-9PM | Downtown, San Leandro

Hey, was this forwarded to you? Subscribe here and never miss an issue. tyty.

November 13-16

Your East Bay Event Lineup

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

Thursday

TCHO Chocolate Dinner @ Millennium

No dinner plans tonight? Join Chef Eric as he craft 4 savory chocolate dishes for a special TCHO Chocolate dinner. As of sending this reservations are still available. | Tonight from 5-7pm, Millennium, Rockridge. See Details →

Friday

Soiled Dove under The Big Top

Who’s not a sucker for a dinner-circus? The Bay’s Vau de Vire presents Soiled Dove featuring, get this, Joan Baez. Yes, Bobby D’s OG muse. Catch performances and (optionally) dine on a signature 3-course spread. 21+ Only, kids | Friday, Doors @ 7:20pm. The Big Top, 2151 Ferry Point, Alameda. See Details →

Saturday

Temescal Alley Holiday Fair

Oakland’s beloved alley is hosting a holiday fair this Saturday. Featuring local vendors, food, and artisans up and down this bish. In fact: The organizers made it very clear in their latest post, the event is FULL. | Saturday, 11am-5pm. Temescal Alley. See That Post →

Oakland Cocktail Week @ Jaji

Flash tattoos, live DJ set, and “hella autumnal cocktails.” If this is what we have to look forward to for Oakland Cocktail Week, sign me up. 21+ Only. Sorry kids. | Saturday, 8pm-Late. 422 24th St. See Details →

Berkeley Central Library Chess Tournament

The fastest way to a smart kid is tossing them to the chess wolves. Three age categories will be competing: youth, teen, and adult. This writer would get smacked by all three. Perfect for a rainy Sat. | Saturday, 11am-5:30pm. 2090 Kittredge St. See Details →

Sunday

Grizzly Peak Sunset Party

We’re big fans of the Sunset Groove events. Vibes alway look immaculate and the locations are unbeatable. The group returns to Grizzly Peak Sunday afternoon for another evening of outdoor DJ sets | Sunday 3-6pm. Free RSVP for Location. See Details →

Stories from The Bay

Teen shot at Oakland’s Skyline High School — Two suspects have been arrested and the victim suffered non-life threatening injuries. OPD arrived within 2 minutes of being called to apprehend the suspects.

Walnut Creek’s new listening bar Stereo41 opens — The brain-bar-child of the same folks behind World Famous Hot Boys are opening a Hi-Fi listening bar in Walnut Creek tonight.

Move over Pixar, meet Kuku Studios — Just a hop, skip away from Pixar, a new Berkeley animation studio is set to release it’s first feature length film tomorrow Nov. 14 on Netflix — “In Your Dreams”. Movie night Friday?

You made it to the end. Good on ya.

But, hey, bad news. I didn’t get any pet pics this last week. Send ‘em in folks. We love ‘em.

Also, we’re very close to a small, but meaningful, subscriber milestone at Oaktown. If you can, forward this email to a friend and say, “subscribe my guy.”

You are a star.

-Kolby
Oaktown Weekly

P.S. If you could have one gift card to any spot in Oakland, where would it be from?

Reply wit it.