A rendering of plans for the West Berkeley shellmound site. The shellmound will be discussed in a presentation by the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust at the West Branch Library on Oct. 22. Courtesy: Chris Walker
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💬 The Sogorea Te’ Land Trust will present the history of East Bay shellmounds, with an emphasis on the West Berkeley shellmound. (Read more about Sogorea Te’.) A Q&A session will be held at the end for those interested in learning more about the land trust, shellmounds and how to support local indigenous communities. Thursday, Oct. 22, 6 p.m. West Branch Library. FREE (RSVP)
🐶 An immersive theatrical experience celebrating the bond at the heart of pet ownership “Our Loving Companions” explores the inexplicable joy and grief that define our relationships with our animal companions. Most shows are followed by a facilitated discussion and audience members are encouraged to bring a small photo of their loving companion, past or present, to add to the production’s art installation at the Marsh’s entryway (which will certainly include photos of just-departed Marsh mascot, Marsha, a very good dog who peacefully and unexpectedly in her sleep last week). Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 22-24, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, 3 p.m. The Marsh. $35-$100
✍️ Berkeley teens with stories to share and poems to present are highly encouraged to apply for the Berkeley Youth Poet Laureate contest. (Read more about this year’s laureates.) A laureate and vice laureate will be chosen to perform at library and city functions, lead a community art project, participate in writing workshops and represent Berkeley in the National Youth Poet Laureate Competition. Applications are due by Oct. 30.
🛹 Skaters can show off their sick tricks at the Halloween Skate Jam, which will include a skate contest, free skate, costume contest and more. Helmets are required for all participants. Friday, Oct. 23, 7-9:30 p.m. 711 Harrison St. FREE (RSVP)
💀 Chicago’s next-generation mariachi ensemble Mariachi Herencia de México celebrates Día de los Muertos with its kinetic fusion of traditional repertoire with influences from other Latin American genres such as salsa, bolero, bossa nova, son jarocho, huapango and cumbia. Friday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m. Zellerbach Hall. $23-$64
🎶 Exploring tunes by Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie and Pat Metheny, New York jazz vocalist Sarah Pillow makes a rare Bay Area appearance celebrating her new album “Wanderer” with vibraphonist Marc Wagon, drummer Jim Mussen and bassist Tony Green. Saturday, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. Monkey House. $20-$40
📖 Pegasus Books is having a warehouse sale of used, overstock and sample books in all subjects, where all books will be $5 or less. Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 726 Addison St. FREE
🎃 Kids can swim in a pool of pumpkins at the city of Berkeley’s floating pumpkin patch. Costumes are encouraged while participating in pumpkin decorating and other fun activities above deck, and each registration includes one pumpkin to take home. Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Event is split into three 1.5-hour sessions.) West Campus Pool, 2100 Browning St. $15-$18
🕯️ The Lawrence Hall of Science will be creating a community ofrenda (altar) for Día de los Muertos and hold two bilingual workshops during the month of October. The first workshop will be on how to create alebrijes, Mexican folk art sculptures of real and fantasy animals using papier-mâché. Sunday, Oct. 25 and 31, 1 p.m. FREE with museum admission
🇺🇸 In light of America’s 250th anniversary, artist Christy Chan will be reading the Constitution backwards to invite questioning of who the Constitution gets to apply to. Chan’s performance will be followed by a panel discussion regarding what our relationship to the Constitution should be in the present day. Saturday, Oct. 24, 1 p.m. Central Library. FREE
🎸 Founded by teenage Berkeley pop rockers Jon Rubin and Tommy Dunbar in the early 1970s, the Rubinoos earned a cult following over the years, and the reconstituted quartet is thriving these days with renewed interest in their back catalog, but for this matinee show the founding pair is focusing on the deep songbook of the Kinks. Sunday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m. The Ivy Room. $10-$15
📘 The New Literary Project — a nonprofit committed to supporting readers, teachers and writers — is holding a Via del NewLit benefit dinner. Admission includes a cocktail hour, hors d’oeuvres, a meal, wine and intimate conversation with the NewLit community. Continue the celebration at NewLit’s Homecoming on Sunday, Nov. 1 at St. Mary’s College of California at Moraga, CA. Proceeds will go towards NewLit’s mission of supporting arts education. Monday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m. Via del Corso. $6000 for a table with 6 guests, limited individual tickets for $500
📚 UC Berkeley critical theorist and author Grace Lavery celebrates the release of “Personal Demons: Possession Narratives of Late Liberalism,” with a Q&A session and book signing following a conversation with UC Berkeley film and media scholar Damon Young. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m. Pegasus Books Downtown. FREE
🎷 Over the past five decades some of jazz’s most celebrated musicians have emerged from Berkeley High Jazz, and the program’s fall concerts offer three opportunities to catch the rising generation of improvisers as they start to take flight. Tuesday-Thursday, Oct. 27-29, 7 p.m. First Presbyterian Church. $10 (18 & under free)
📚 Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof gives a talk “A Journalist’s Path to Leadership on Global Justice and Climate,” an event co-presented by the Rausser College of Natural Resources. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 5:30 p.m. Booth Auditorium. FREE
📚 Local book publisher Heyday Books will be hosting its 20th annual Heyday Harvest, which will showcase its collection of published books and celebrate environmental kinship, Indigenous sovereignty and the power of storytelling to shape a more just and mindful world. Actress, activist and former Berkeley resident Jane Fonda will be presented with the 2026 Heyday Lifetime Achievement Award. (Read our big list of famous Berkeley people.) Wednesday, Oct. 28, 5 p.m. The Freight. $75
📚 Veteran journalist Mark Danner discusses his new book “Crossing the Rubicon: The Betrayal of American Democracy, 2000 – 2026” with Michael Pollan in light of the midterm elections. Wednesday, Oct. 28, 6 p.m. North Gate Hall. FREE
🗓️ 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.
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