{"id":184720,"date":"2026-02-19T15:45:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T15:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/184720\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T15:45:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T15:45:14","slug":"lunar-new-year-youth-orchestra-concert-free-wood-chips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/184720\/","title":{"rendered":"Lunar New Year, youth orchestra concert, free wood chips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Never miss local events!\u00a0Sign up for Berkeleyside\u2019s arts and culture newsletter, The Scene<\/a>. And check out our roundup of affordable things to do anytime in Berkeley<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"Teance is hosting a Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday, Feb. 21. Courtesy: Teance<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udde7 Teance\u2019s Lunar New Year Celebration will include lion dance performances, food and gift vendors, tai chi classes, complementary red tea, and much more. Saturday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 1036 Grayson St. FREE<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd The City of Berkeley wants your input on which mental health and substance use disorder services are most important for our community. Feedback from Berkeley residents will help shape a three-year plan for behavioral health services. Join one of several virtual and in-person meetings in February, or fill out a virtual survey by March 4; see the City of Berkeley website<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\uddd7 Channel your inner lizard at Mosaic Boulder\u2019s annual rock climbing competition, which will include competitions for climbers of all genders, casual climbers and climbers looking to compete on the USAC Collegiate level. Saturday, Feb. 11, and Sunday, Feb. 12, 2369 Telegraph Ave. $20-$50 (registration required)<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83e\udeb5 Need wood chips for the upcoming spring season? Free wood chips will be available for pickup at four Berkeley parks, and city park staff will be available to assist with loading wood chips onto personal containers and vehicles. Thursday, Feb. 19, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Aquatic Park, Glendale La Loma Park, Great Stoneface Park and Willard Park. FREE<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfb6 Berkeley Playhouse presents \u201cOnce,\u201d a musical set in Dublin, Ireland where an Irish busker and Czech immigrant find connection over the course of a week through their shared love of music. From Feb. 20 to March 5. $19-$45<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd41 Do you know a child who loves music? This family-friendly orchestra performance features musicians who will perform Haydn\u2019s Toy Symphony, with audience participation encouraged. Bring a percussion instrument or noise-making toy to play along! Saturday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m. Oxford Elementary auditorium. FREE (RSVP encouraged)<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd41 Veteran drummer James Gallagher, who divides his time between Manhattan and the Bay Area, brings a combo into the library for an afternoon Jazz Lounge gig. Saturday, Feb. 21, noon. Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch. FREE<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfad Alternative Theater Ensemble presents the staged reading \u201cWhen They Ask If We Were Real,\u201d a global performance project that has grown through workshops on three continents, including local collaborations with the Berkeley Public Library, bringing people of different generations and cultures together to share stories, questions, and imagination in the age of A.I. Saturday, Feb. 21, 2 p.m. West Branch. FREE<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"The Young People\u2019s Symphony Orchestra (YPSO) is holding a winter concert on Saturday, Feb. 21 at First Church Berkeley. Credit: YPSO<\/p>\n

\u2744\ufe0f The Young People\u2019s Symphony Orchestra is holding a winter concert, \u201cEchoes of the Northern Lights.\u201d The program will feature Jean Sibelius\u2019s \u201cSymphony No. 1\u201d and William Grant Still\u2019s \u201cThrenody: In Memory of Jean Sibelius.\u201d Saturday, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. First Church Berkeley. $20 (free admission for students)<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd7a\ud83c\udffd Choreographer Kyle Abraham\u2019s company A.I.M makes its Cal Performances debut with three works at the intersection of Black and queer culture danced to live performances by a brilliant jazz ensemble featuring vocalists Charen\u00e9e Wade and Crystal Monee Hall. Saturday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. & Sunday, Feb. 22, 3 p.m. Zellerbach Hall. $33-$89<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83e\uded8 Bay Area bean lovers can bond at this casual bean meetup and potluck. (Read our story on Madeline Schapiro, the bean-fluencer behind the event.<\/a>) Sunday, Feb. 22, 1-3 p.m. Willard Park. FREE<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd41 Albany-based Japanese percussion master Haruka Fujii joins a quartet of Berkeley Symphony musicians for \u201cRoots and Resonances,\u201d a program showcasing contemporary works for percussion and strings by some of today\u2019s most innovative voices, including Fujii, Samuel Adams, Salina Fisher, Michio Kitazme, and Osvaldo Golijov.\u00a0Sunday, Feb. 22, 4 p.m. Piedmont Center for the Arts. $40<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0\ud83d\udcda Berkeley author, activist, street medic and consent-centric relationship educator Kitty Stryker discusses her newest book, \u201cLove Rebels: How I Learned to Burn It Down Without Burning Out,\u201d in conversation with Sezin Devi Koehler, author of \u201cMuch Ado About Keanu: A Critical Reeves Theory.\u201d (Read our story about the book<\/a>.) Tuesday, Feb. 24, 6:30 p.m. Pegasus Books Downtown. FREE<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfb6 Trombonist and retired Berkeley librarian Pat Mullan co-leads Melba\u2019s Kitchen, a band dedicated to the rich trove of compositions and arrangements created by Melba Liston, the only female horn player to work in top jazz orchestras of the 1940s, \u201950s and \u201960s. The Freight\u2019s dance floor is open for this swinging 100th birthday celebration. Sunday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. The Freight. $39-$44<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcd6 Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience is an intimate portrait of June Jordan, a prominent and late poet, activist and UC Berkeley professor known for her commitment to justice and self-determination for all. The performance will feature Jordan\u2019s poetry, interviews, other writings and a six-actor ensemble. Tuesday. Feb. 24, 7 p.m. The Freight. $40-$75<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f Arrr, you scurvy seadogs, award-winning author Rachel Rueckert, a part-time Berkeley resident, returns to Mrs. Dalloway\u2019s to launch \u201cThe Determined,\u201d her historical novel based on the real experiences of two of the most infamous women from the Golden Age of Piracy, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. All freebooters, buccaneers, and marauders who roam the seven seas are welcome. There will be exclusive swag to give away and booty aplenty for thems that come in costume. Tuesday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. Mrs. Dalloway\u2019s Bookstore. FREE<\/a><\/p>\n

\u270a\ud83c\udfff The Jazzschool\u2019s Black History Month brown bag discussions continue with saxophonist Howard Wiley talking about the deep history of the Bay Area jazz scene and the civil rights movement. Wednesday, Feb. 25, 12:30 p.m. The Jazzschool. FREE<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f\u00a0See more things to do\u00a0in\u00a0Oakland<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Richmond<\/a>.\u00a0And check out our big list of\u00a0affordable things to do<\/a>\u00a0anytime in Berkeley.\u00a0Sign up for our\u00a0weekly arts and culture newsletter<\/a>, The Scene.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s an event you\u2019d like us to consider for this roundup, email us at\u00a0the-scene@berkeleyside.org<\/a>. The deadline to submit events for Around Berkeley is end-of-day Monday. If there\u2019s an event that you\u2019d like to promote on our calendar, you can use the self-submission form on our\u00a0events page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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