The Berkeley Horticultural Nursery will host two free classes in January on how to grow fruit trees at home. Credit: Joanne Furio
🎨 People of all ages and art abilities are welcome at the “Winter’s Night” paint and sip event. Art materials will be provided, and drinks will be available for sale. Thursday, Jan. 15. 6 p.m. Gilman Brewery. $45
🇭🇺 The Hillside Club is screening “Democracy Noir,” a documentary created by Academy Award-nominated Berkeley filmmaker, Connie Field. FIeld will be present to discuss the making of this movie about the dismantling of the Hungarian government by Victor Orbán, which has provided a playbook for Project 2025. Thursday, Jan. 15. 7 p.m. 2286 Cedar St. $12-$17
🎷 Berkeley tenor saxophonist Laurel Fink plays a benefit concert and food drive for the East Oakland Collective with her quintet featuring bass star Marcus Shelby, Berkeley-reared drummer Nadav Beary, and special guest vocalist Micaiah Dempsey of Melodious. Thursday, Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m. The Sound Room. $30
💼 The 2026 DADA tiny art show is making a pit stop at Berkeley during its 2026 world tour. All featured works of art are 3 inches or smaller and fit into a single carry-on suitcase, and one piece was created by Oakland artist Jennifer Arzt. Opening reception open to all on Friday, Jan. 16 from 4-8 p.m, available to view Jan. 17-24 by appointment. 1684 University Ave. FREE
📷 Photographer Barbara Boissevain and Dr. Nicole Ardoin discuss the ongoing restoration of the South Bay’s industrial salt ponds and the intersections of art and science as captured in Boissevain’s book “Salt of the Earth.” Friday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. (Works on view through Feb. 13.) Brower Center. FREE
🍄 Join an informational hike with a local biologist to learn about edible mushrooms and plants, as well as what is not edible and poisonous. Saturday, Jan. 17. 10 a.m. Centennial Dr. $85
🎹 Making his Jupiter debut, San Francisco-reared, New York-based pianist Gabriel Schillinger-Hyman performs with his trio (and special guest Stephane Clement on trumpet), ranging through a book of original tune, standards and arrangements of works by Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Cedar Walton, Keith Jarrett, and others. Friday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. Jupiter. FREE
🌿A Berkeley Herbal Center staff members leads an herb walk through Strawberry Creek Park and Poet’s Corner, ending in Bancroft Community Garden. Saturday, Jan. 17, 10 a.m. Berkeley Herbal Center. $35
🍎 The Berkeley Horticultural Nursery will hold two classes on how to plant, grow, and prune fruit trees at home. Saturday, Jan. 17 and Jan. 31. 11 a.m. FREE
🎵 The North Branch Library is hosting a K-pop Party where you can play your favorite music videos, meet other fans, and decorate a photocard frame, bracelet, and/or picket. Saturday, Jan. 17. 1-2 p.m. North Branch Library. FREE
🍏 Spiral Gardens has a community farm that welcomes anyone to volunteer and take home fresh produce from every Sunday, weather permitting. 1-5 p.m. 1468 Oregon St. FREE
🎶 American mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey makes her Cal Performances debut accompanied by pianist Myra Huang on a program that combines Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe song cycle with songs in English, French, and German by Kurt Weill, Cole Porter, Charles Trenet, Francis Poulenc, and Erik Satie. Sunday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m. Hertz Hall. $67-$72
🎹 If you’ve ever been curious about the Hammond B3 organ, this is your chance to get up close and personal with a wild beast of an instrument, as veteran master LJ Holoman (Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Howard Wiley) gives a free master class as part of a series presented by the Jazz Organ Fellowship. Whether you’re an instrumentalist, vocalist, enthusiast, or simply seeking to deepen your knowledge and appreciation of great music, this seriesoffers an opportunity to learn directly from leading practitioners. Sunday, Jan. 18, 4 p.m. The Jazzschool. FREE
🕺 Learn to line dance at Central Library, where you’ll learn easy dances set to the tune of various musical genres — from country to hip-hop and modern pop. Tuesday, Jan. 20. 1 p.m. FREE
📚 Berkeley psychologist and translator Anita Barrows, whose award-winning poetry has been published, among other places, in three chapbooks from Berkeley’s Quelquefois Press, discusses her latest poetry collection “Some Figs” with KPFA host Dennis Bernstein. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 6:30 p.m. Pegasus on Solano. FREE
📚 Filmmaker and author John Sayles reads from and discusses his new wide-ranging new historical novel “Crucible” about Henry Ford’s global ambitions as he built his auto manufacturing empire. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m. Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore. FREE (RSVP encouraged)
🌱 A botanical drawing night promises a “low key night of drawing in community.” Bring your own art supplies, and the instructor will provide light instruction in drawing and botany, as well as a subject to draw. Wednesday, Jan. 21. 6 p.m. 2121 California St. FREE
🎸 A recently formed Bay Area supergroup, Spaghetti is an improvisation-laced ensemble featuring guitarist Jim Campilongo, Latin Grammy-nominated accordionist/pianist Sam Reider and the volatile Berkeley rhythm section tandem of drummer Scott Amendola and bassist Mat Muntz exploring tunes by Duke Ellington, Astor Piazzolla, Hank Williams and beyond. Wednesday, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. The Back Room. $25
🗓️ See more things to do in Oakland and Richmond. And check out our big list of affordable things to do anytime in Berkeley. Sign up for our weekly arts and culture newsletter, The Scene.
If there’s an event you’d like us to consider for this roundup, email us at the-scene@berkeleyside.org. If there’s an event that you’d like to promote on our calendar, you can use the self-submission form on our events page.
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