Community altar outside of La Peña Cultural Center’s Día de los Muertos event in 2022, where neighbors and community members brought photos of their loved ones to place on the altar. File photo: Ximena Natera, Berkeleyside/CatchLight
🕯️ Celebrate Día de los Muertos by joining a ceremony and community ofrenda (altar). Afterwards, browse arts and handmade goods for sale and partake in some live music and a jam session (bring your own instrument to join along), kids’ activities and a dinner menu. Saturday, Nov. 1, 6-9 p.m. La Peña Cultural Center. $10-$20 sliding scale.
🧗 Mosaic Boulders is hosting a rock climbing dyno competition, aptly named Dynoween. Get a raffle ticket for every dyno (a rock climbing problem that requires you to leap in order to reach the next hold) completed for the chance to win prizes. A costume contest will also be held. Thursday, Oct. 30, 6-9 p.m. Free for members, $20 day pass for non-members
🇧🇷 A major Brazilian star still introducing himself to North American audiences, Rogê is a charismatic singer/songwriter hailed as the leading samba soul artist of his generation in Rio. Thursday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m. The Freight. $34-$39
⛰️ Berkeley Rep’s newest show, “The Hills of California,” is a comedy about a set of singing sisters returning to their childhood home in a seaside town. Use code “OCT31” for 30% off your ticket for the Oct. 31 show, and come dressed in costume that day for a free cookie. Shows run from Oct. 31 to Dec. 7. $24-$116
🍭 Kids can trick-or-treat at over 80 shops at Fourth Street, and people of all ages can partake in live music, a bubble show and magic show, face painting and a station where hairstylists can decorate your hair with colored hair spray, plastic spiders, and more. Friday, Oct. 31, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Between University Ave. and Virginia St. FREE
🎃 Don’t want candy but still want to trick-or-treat? Children and their families/caregivers can come to any Berkeley Public Library branch to get some Halloween treats while supplies last. 3-5:30 p.m. FREE
🎻 A Halloween double bill turns Gilman Brewery into a chilling dance party with the all-women Shake it Booty hitting at 7 p.m. followed by cellist/vocalist Rebecca Roudman’s Dirty Cello at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, Gilman Brewery. $25
🍺 Featuring Julian on drums, Steve on bass, and Colin on electric piano and accordion, the East Bay-raised Hogan Brothers return to Jupiter their long-running final Friday residency, delivering a delectable repast of funk-laden jazz (or jazz-tinged funk) for Halloween revelers. Friday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m. Jupiter. FREE
🧟 Enjoy a killer night of music and drinks at the 23rd annual Murder Ballads Bash at The Starry Plough, featuring ten different artists and bands of various genres. Come in your finest funeral attire and participate in the costume contest. Friday. Oct. 31, 8:30 p.m. $16 advance, $20 at the door.
🪩 Want to enjoy a rave without camping outdoors or dealing with stadium parking? Come party at a spooky and horror-themed rave where “Cool is dead!,” hosted by those who throw Shrek Raves and Big Bubble Raves. Friday, Oct. 31, 9-p.m. Cornerstone Berkeley. $27-$37.
🎤 If you’re a poet and want to show it, the city says take your hat and throw it. It’s now taking applications for Berkeley’s next poet laureate, a two-year position. The laureate will get a $5,000 honorarium provided they write one original poem related to Berkeley, appear at least two public reading events over the two-year term, and recite poetry at up to 10 city and/or library events. The library is also accepting applications for its related youth poet laureate program. (Read more about the city’s poet laureate program.) The deadline for both is midnight on Oct. 31.
🌽 The Berkeley School of Theology and the Center for Food Faith and Justice presents the Harvest Festival, a family event featuring food, music, and games. Saturday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. McGee Avenue Baptist Church. FREE
🚲 Bike East Bay is hosting the first of a two-part Urban Cycling workshop, where participants will learn how to ride bikes safely on the road, avoid bike theft, equip a bike and prevent common crashes. Reserve a ticket early, as spots are limited. Saturday, Nov. 1, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch. FREE
🗑️ The Lorin Business Association and Shotgun Players host Community Clean Up! — a day for South Berkeley families to help spruce up the neighborhood while enjoying coffee, pastries and community spirit. Sunday, Nov. 2, 10 a.m.-noon. Adeline & Alcatraz. FREE (registration encouraged)
🍂 Tom Killion, who unveils a woodcut print commissioned by UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley as part of his exhibition California Treescapes, will be on hand for an artist’s open house. Sunday, Nov. 2, noon-4 p.m. UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley. FREE (with regular admission)
🇨🇦 Folk Music Award-winning Toronto singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Abigail Lapell hits Berkeley as part of a West Coast tour focusing on her latest album “Anniversary,” a gorgeous collection of original love songs and ballads. Sunday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. Hillside Club. $23.18
📚 Vanessa Chang, director of programs at Leonardo, the International Society for the Arts, Sciences, and Technology, discusses her new book “The Body Digital: A Brief History of Humans and Machines from Cuckoo Clocks to ChatGPT” with Kara Platoni, a senior editor on NPR’s Business Desk. Tuesday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore. FREE (registration encouraged)
🗞️ Berkeleyside editor-in-chief Zac Farber will talk about what goes on behind the scenes in our newsroom and how we’ve developed a loyal and engaged community of readers. Wednesday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m. Berkeley City Club. $5 for BCC members and students, $10 for non-members.
🗓️ See more things to do in Oakland and Richmond. And check out our big list of affordable things to do anytime in Berkeley.
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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