U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu, center, celebrates with her gold medal for women’s singles with the silver and bronze winners, Kaori Sakamoto, left, and Ami Nakai, both from Japan, at the Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 19. Oakland is hosting a public rally honoring the hometown champion at City Hall.
Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press
Oakland is preparing to celebrate Olympic champion Alysa Liu with a major public rally at City Hall on Thursday, March 12, welcoming the figure skating star home after her historic performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
The event, organized by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office, will take place at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza and is expected to draw thousands of fans.
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Here’s what to know about attending in person or watching from home.
Where is the Alysa Liu rally in Oakland?
Alysa Liu makes a heart with her hands at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where she won two gold medals for figure skating. The East Bay resident is being honored in Oakland with a public rally on Thursday, March 12.
Stephanie Scarbrough/Associated Press
The celebration rally will take place at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, the civic plaza outside Oakland City Hall in downtown Oakland.
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The plaza sits above the 12th Street/Oakland City Center BART station, making it one of the most accessible public gathering spaces in the city.
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Organizers say the plaza will host thousands of attendees for the event.
What time does the Alysa Liu rally start?
Doors are scheduled to open at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 12. The official program begins at noon and is expected to run until about 1:30 p.m.
Organizers recommend arriving early because the event is expected to draw a large crowd.
Is Alysa Liu expected to attend the Oakland rally?
Olympic champion Alysa Liu performs during the women’s figure skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Oakland is preparing to host a public celebration rally for the hometown star at City Hall.
Antonin Thuillier/TNS
Yes. Organizers say Liu will attend the celebration and is expected to speak to the crowd during the official program.
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Can you still get tickets to the Alysa Liu rally?
No. Organizers say the free tickets were fully reserved shortly after registration opened.
Tickets were required for entry and were limited to two per person to ensure fair access for the community.
Frank Ogawa Plaza is expected to host about 7,000 attendees, according to Visit Oakland.
How can you watch the Alysa Liu celebration from home?
Fans who were unable to secure tickets can still watch the rally through several livestream options.
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Local television outlets — including NBC Bay Area, CBS and KTVU — are expected to broadcast or stream the event.
The rally will also be available through:
KTOP Channel 10 (Comcast)
Channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse
The City of Oakland’s YouTube channel
NBC Bay Area will stream coverage on its website, YouTube and Facebook pages, and through the NBC Bay Area News 24/7 streaming channel on platforms including Roku, Samsung TV Plus and Amazon Fire TV.
How should attendees arrive at the Oakland rally?
Organizers recommend arriving early.
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Security screening will be in place for all attendees, and entry may pause or close once the plaza reaches capacity.
What items are prohibited at the Alysa Liu rally?
The event will have tight security.
Prohibited items include:
Weapons, including firearms and knives
Pepper spray or other defense sprays
Fireworks or explosives
Drones
Professional cameras with detachable lenses or tripods
Large banners or signs attached to poles
Air horns, whistles or megaphones
Laser pointers or signal-jamming devices
Oversized bags, coolers and unsealed beverages will also not be permitted.
Is the Alysa Liu celebration family-friendly?
Yes. Organizers describe the rally as a family-friendly community celebration.
Children under 5 years old do not need a ticket, though space is limited.
Strollers are allowed but will be subject to security screening.
The event will be alcohol-free and cannabis-free, according to organizers.
Food trucks and nonalcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.
How do you get to Frank H. Ogawa Plaza?
An aerial drone view of Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland in 2025. Oakland is hosting a celebration for Olympic gold medal winner Alysa Liu at the plaza on Thursday, March 12.
Jungho Kim/For the S.F. Chronicle
Organizers strongly recommend public transportation.
The plaza is accessible by BART, with riders exiting at 12th Street/Oakland City Center Station and following signs to the City Hall entrance.
Multiple AC Transit bus lines also stop near the plaza, including Tempo 1T, 6, 12, 14, 18, 19, 22, 30, 40, 51A, 72 and others.
Parking garages and street parking are available in downtown Oakland, though transit officials say public transportation may be the easiest option.
Why is Oakland hosting a rally instead of a parade?
According to organizers, Liu asked for a community celebration instead of a parade.
The rally is intended to highlight Oakland’s local culture and artists while welcoming the Olympic champion home. City officials did not specify who else would appear at the event.
Why is Alysa Liu being honored?
Bystanders take photos of artists with Illuminaries painting a mural of Olympic gold-medalist Alysa Liu on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland on Feb. 28.
Dan Hernandez/S.F. Chronicle
Liu, who trained at the Oakland Ice Center and grew up in the East Bay, captured two gold medals at the Milan Cortina Olympics — winning the women’s singles event and helping the United States claim gold in the team competition.
Her victory marked the first Olympic gold in women’s singles for a U.S. skater in 24 years, according to Olympic records.
Mayor Lee said the celebration honors both Liu’s achievement and Oakland’s spirit.
“This rally is a celebration not just of an extraordinary champion,” Lee said, “but of everything our community represents.”