Birding talk, Berkeley Poetry Festival, sunset hike

An acorn woodpecker photographed by Bob Lewis will share ornithological photos from his travels to Madagascar, Borneo, Hawaii, Indonesia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and Cuba at the Brower Center on Thursday, March 12.

🐦 A board member of the Farallon Islands Foundation, Bob Lewis has taught birding classes in the Bay Area for over 25 years. In his “Around the World in 80 Birds” presentation, he shares ornithological photos from his travels to Madagascar, Borneo, Hawaii, Indonesia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and Cuba. Thursday, March 12, 7 p.m., the Brower Center. FREE (registration required)

🚗 Berkeley residents who drive can take a survey from the City of Berkeley to help shape a variety of proposals for how the City would manage on-street parking near transit stations, on its busiest streets and in business districts. Survey is accepting responses from now to Wednesday, March 18 at 5 p.m.

💉 The City of Berkeley is hosting a free measles vaccine clinic for children who qualify for the Vaccines for Children Program, including those who are uninsured, underinsured, Alaska Native and/or Native American. RSVP is required, as spots are limited. Thursday, March 12, 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. West Berkeley Family Wellness Center. FREE

🌇 Spring and its later sunsets are here; go on a hike to soak up the rays! This staircase sunset hike will take you on ten paths and through five city parks. Friday, March 13, 5:30 p.m. Hike starts at the bottom of Indian Rock Path at the northeast corner of Solano Ave. and The Alameda. FREE

👹 With an original score and libretto by Philip Glass inspired by Jean Cocteau’s classic 1946 film “La Belle et la Bête,” Nicole Paiement’s Opera Parallèle makes its Cal Performances debut with a dreamscape production that blurs the line between cinema and opera. Friday-Saturday, March 13-14, 8 p.m., Zellerbach Hall. $49-$110

🌸 The Claremont Library hosts a monthly cozy craft session with all materials provided. This month, learn to create bookmarks with dried pressed flowers. Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m.-noon. FREE

🏳️‍🌈 Queer Berkeleyans and allies can connect with Portland readers in a monthly online LGBTQIA+ book club, featuring prominent queer characters and themes in a variety of genres. This month’s book selection is “Hot Girls With Balls” by Benedict Nguyễn. Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Zoom link is available after registration. FREE

📘 Author Nadine Takvorian will speak about her first and latest autobiographical graphic novel, “Armaveni: A Graphic Novel of the Armenian Genocide.” Takvorian illustrates how her mom would love to tell her stories as a child, except the story of how Takvorian’s parents escaped the Armenian genocide — until one fateful day. Saturday, March 14, 6:30 p.m., Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore. FREE (RSVP encouraged)

🎶 Jazz mandolinist and vocalist Tom Bekney returns to the Tipsy Yeti restaurant with guitarist Chris Grampp, Fred Johnson on drums and vocals, and special guest Jeff McNish on bass. Saturday, March 14, 7 p.m., Tipsy Yeti, 2512 San Pablo Ave. FREE

🚲 Waterside Workshops will have a day-long celebration to launch a new community-centered cycling initiative, Street Level Cycling Club. Activities will include group bike rides, youth bike programming, a tsunami preparedness education session hosted by the City of Berkeley and remarks by Mayor Adena Ishii. Saturday, March 14, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. FREE

🌱 Community-led farm Spiral Gardens will host a workshop where you can create biodegradable paper embedded with marigold seeds — just in time to welcome the spring. All supplies will be provided, and RSVP is not required. Sunday, March 15, 1-3 p.m. 2850 Sacramento St. FREE

🎶 Belt your heart out at a sing-along to dozens of multi-generational classics — from “Blowin’ in the Wind” to “We Shall Overcome” — and get a kick out of inspiring backstories and fun pop quizzes. All ages are welcome! Sunday, March 15, 1-3 p.m. The Freight. $35-100

🇲🇱 Focusing on musical traditions from Mali, along with songs from Israel and Egypt, this intriguing triumvirate features Malian innovator Mamadou Sidibe on n’goni and vocals, Eliyahu Sills on bass, ney, bansuri, oud and vocals, Kele Nitoto on percussion and vocals, and special guest vocalist Ashel SeaSunz and others. Sunday, March 15, 7 p.m., The Back Room. $29-$35

🎸 Now based in Greensboro, NC, Berkeley-reared guitar wizard Charlie Hunter has become a major force in the studio, producing acclaimed projects by artists like Jubu Smith, Candice Ivory, and Ella Feingold, while leading and co-leading various groove-steeped combos. As part of a West Coast tour he returns to Berkeley with a wide-ranging trio featuring drummer Marcus Finnie and saxophonist Nate Clark. Sunday, March 15, 7 p.m. The Freight. $39-$44

🔥 The Persian Center’s 22nd Annual Chaharshanbeh Suri, a pre-Norooz celebration of fire and renewal harkening back directly to Iran’s Zoroastrian roots, takes on added weight this year as the community gathers to remember lives lost during the ongoing conflict, while affirming the belief that light, life and dignity will ultimately prevail. Tuesday, March 17, 6-10 p.m., Persian Center. FREE

📚 Novelist and disability studies scholar Brian Trapp discusses his new book “Range of Motion,” a novel that follows two twin boys from infancy to the cusp of adulthood, in conversation with Oakland author and Berkeley City College instructor Tomas Moniz, whose debut novel “Big Familia” was a finalist for a 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award. Tuesday, March 17, 6:30 p.m. Pegasus Books Downtown. FREE

🎤 The 2026 Berkeley Poetry Festival presents a Nazelah Jamison-emcee’d open mic and poetry reading with featured readers including Darius Simpson and Wendy S. Thompson. Wednesday, March 18, 6:30 p.m., Pegasus Books Downtown. FREE

📘 As part of its Culture Makers event series, Berkeleyside’s sister newsroom The Oaklandside is hosting a conversation that’s sure to quench the thirst of local bibliophiles featuring local authors Jasmine Guillory and Carolina Ixta, and longtime publisher and Nomadic Bookshop founder J.K. Fowler. Thursday, March 19, 6:30 p.m. New Parkway Theater. $17.85 for early-bird tickets.

🗓️ 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. The deadline to submit events for Around Berkeley is end-of-day Monday. 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.

Birding talk, Berkeley Poetry Festival, sunset hike

Tags: