Street Smarts Community Bike Festival
MusicStepping Across: Blavet, Couperin, Rameau, Telemann, Bach
9/11 Barefoot Chamber Concerts opens its 2026–27 season with an intimate program ranging from pieces for two players to chamber music for several (a Paris Quartet by Georg Philipp Telemann), and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, performed by locally loved The Yarrow Consort at Saint Mary Magdalen Church Parish Hall in Berkeley. And yes, you can take off your shoes. barefootchamberconcerts.com
FundraiserBoots and Bling: Teen Esteem Impact Dinner Auction
9/12 Lace up your boots and add some sparkle to your denim for Teen Esteem’s annual fundraiser at the Farmhouse at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. The evening includes a cocktail hour, roping demo, silent auction, and horseshoe tournament, followed by dinner and a live auction, then dancing under the stars with a live DJ. Tickets: $75. teenesteem.org
CommunityPractical Magic 2 Magickal Market Pop-Up
9/12 The Alameda Theatre hosts a free community market celebrating the opening weekend of Practical Magic 2 with a gathering of local artisan vendors and fellow movie fans. Dress your witchy best and gather your coven. The market is free and open to the public from 5–9 p.m.; movie tickets are sold separately through the Alameda Theatre. featheredoutlaw.com
FamilyStreet Smarts Community Bike Festival
9/12 Families are invited to ride and learn at this free community event at Iron Horse Middle School in San Ramon. Highlights include a Safety Bike Skills Course, guided helmet fittings, hands-only CPR training, crafts, face painting, live music, and a visit from local first responders. Pre-register children under 12 for a chance to win $300 toward a new bike. Drop by anytime between 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Free. sanramon.ca.gov
SpeakerDr. Paul Sereno: Astonishing Dinosaurs
9/17 Known as the “Indiana Jones of Paleontology,” Dr. Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago brings his latest Sahara expedition to the Blackhawk Museum in Danville for a thrilling discussion: His team unearthed 55 tons of fossils, including a Spinosaurus skull and previously unknown species. Part of the Changemaker Speaker Series. blackhawkmuseum.org
Paul Sereno, right, in Niger.
Mike Hettwer