Oakland is an incubator for young talent and it can be inspiring to see these budding artists showcase their craft on legendary stages. This week, saxophonist Ayo Brame, who got his start as a student at Oakland School for the Arts, is playing four shows at Yoshi’s — which has played host to countless jazz greats — to celebrate his 19th birthday. And the Prescott Circus Theatre, an after-school program for elementary and middle schoolers, is offering a spring showcase at the Malonga Casquelourd Center.

Have an event you’d like to see included here? We do our best to stay on top of what’s happening in our community, but we love a tip. Send us a note at azucena@oaklandside.org. You can also use the self-submission form on our events page to add it to our calendar for free.

Hot Ticket in The Town this week: The Ayo Brame Experience at Yoshi’s

Ayo Brame, a young tenor and soprano saxophonist from Oakland, began his musical journey at the Oakland School for the Arts. He has also been part of Oaktown Jazz Workshops and the SF Jazz High School All Stars and has played under the guidance of another talented Oakland artist, Kev Choice. His musical chops have already taken Brame on tour all over the world, but he always comes home to play sold-out shows at Yoshi’s. There are still tickets left for two of his four shows. 
Friday, April 24, 9:30 p.m., and Saturday, April 25, 9:30 p.m., $30, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West

‘Mystery, Magic and Mirth’ with the winners of the Oakland Magic Circle contest

The Oakland Magic Circle is a nonprofit dedicated to the art of illusion. The 100-year-old club, described as the oldest independent magic club west of the Mississippi , hosts a yearly contest and gala. The winners go on to perform various shows across the Bay, including this week’s night of magic.
Thursday, April 23, 7:30 p.m., $33.85, The Sounds Room, 3022 Broadway

Fairyland’s ‘Mad Tea Party’

A few times a year, Children’s Fairyland opens its doors for special events just for adults. For the Mad Tea Party, attendees are invited to dress up as their favorite “Alice in Wonderland” characters. Though don’t worry, a costume is not mandatory. DJ hey Love will be spinning at a black light dance floor in the Merry Meadow. Expect food truck treats, themed cocktails, and the chance to ride the Jolly Trolly, play inside of the Alice in Wonderland tunnel and maze, and explore the entire park sans kids.
Friday, April 24, 6 p.m., $23 and $28, 21 and up, 699 Bellevue Ave.

The ‘Mad Tea Party’ for adults at Children’s Fairyland is a popular event that gives attendees the opportunity to show off their favorite Wonderland costumes. Credit: courtesy of Fairyland
Prescott Circus Theatre Presents ‘Show Love’

For the past three decades, the Prescott Circus Theatre has helped Oakland youth develop their physicality and creativity by teaching them skills such as tumbling, unicycling and juggling. The after-school program for elementary and middle school children got its start in 1985 at Prescott Elementary School in West Oakland in 1985, where teacher Aileen Moffitt began sharing these fun skills with his students. This weekend’s free showcase will feature students from over 10 Oakland public schools. If you can’t make this weekend’s show, the students will perform other shows in Oakland throughout the summer. While the shows are free, donations help to pay for the teaching artists and production costs. 
Saturday, April 25, 2 p.m., free, Malonga Casquelourd Center, 1428 Alice St.

Art and Healing with muralist Xochitl Nevel Guerrero

Xochitl Nevel Guerrero is a Berkeley-born and Oakland-raised Chicana muralist whose work spans five decades. Some of her early work includes a 1977 mural at La Clínica de la Raza in Fruitvale, a collaboration with her father, Raymundo “Zala” Nevel. From now through May 30, some of her work is on display at Eastside Arts Alliance gallery in an exhibit titled “A Breath of Life to Our Seeds of Resistance.” The show includes paintings, masks, screenprints, scratchboard and watercolors that represent her work over five decades. This weekend Nevel Guerrero will host a workshop to teach participants how to use art as a form of healing.
Saturday, April 25, 1 p.m., free, EastSide Gallery, 2285 International Blvd. 

‘Touch Grass’ outdoor event at Snow Park

Hella Plants Market, a pop-up that launched in 2021 and has since expanded to other Bay Area cities, and Town Strides, a run club and wellness collective, are teaming up with BLK, a dating app for Black singles for an outdoor Earth Month event to help the community, especially Gen-Z, to move their digital interactions to the outdoors. The event will include a yoga class, a workshop on sustainable gardening and re-potting, and the chance to connect with other attendees in real life, mingle and network.
Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free, Snow Park, 19th and Harrison Streets

Coming soon to The Town: California Gubernatorial Candidates Housing Forum at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts

If you are a voter who still hasn’t decided who will get your vote, this housing forum may help guide your decision. The state has an open system, meaning, the top two vote getters — regardless of party — will advance to the general election in November. Currently, there are eight contenders left in the race, two Republicans and six Democrats, and this conversation will include each candidate reaching 5% in the latest major poll. The nonpartisan conversation put together by the Housing Action Coalition, The New York Times and the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley will be moderated by Times opinion writer Ezra Klein. State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks will give opening remarks.
Friday, May 8, 4 p.m., $113, Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 East 10th St. 

“*” indicates required fields