{"id":430261,"date":"2026-08-12T01:02:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T01:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/430261\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T01:02:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T01:02:12","slug":"5-oakland-events-from-august-12-to-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/430261\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Oakland events from August 12 to 19"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a busy arts week in the Town, with lots of exhibits and lit talks. Japanese Filipinx multimedia artist Julia LaChica has a show at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center in Chinatown, and Manna Gallery has a show up featuring Vallejo-based abstract painter Jeanne Lorenz. Also, if you\u2019re worried about the tens of thousands<\/a> of banned books in recent years, author Maggie Tokuda-Hall will be at the main library branch to talk about efforts to combat this troubling trend. Also, former Oakland librarian and author Dorothy Lazard will be talking about her new book \u201cBehind the Desk at the Main\u201d at The New Parkway Theater.<\/p>\n

Have an event you\u2019d like to see included here? We do our best to stay on top of what\u2019s happening in our community, but we love a tip. Send us a note at azucena@oaklandside.org<\/a>. You can also use the self-submission form on our events page<\/a> to add it to our calendar for free.<\/p>\n

Hot Ticket in The Town this week: Short film showcase and conversation with Cinemama<\/p>\n

This short film showcase will feature \u201cBl\u00fa Honey\u201d by Richmond filmmaker Dont\u00e9 Clark and \u201cWelcome to the Neighborhood\u201d by Oakland filmmaker Pam Uzzell, two films that explore identity, place and resilience. The screenings will be followed by a conversation with Clark, Cinemama<\/a> executive director Niema Jordan,and urban cultural preservationist Rashida Chase.\u00a0
Sunday, Aug. 16, 1 p.m., $10<\/a>, OMCA, 1000 Oak St.<\/p>\n

\u2018From Ochazuke to Adobo\u2019 exhibit at OACC<\/p>\n

It is the last week to check out San Francisco queer Japanese Filipinx multimedia artist Julia LaChica\u2019s current show, \u201cFrom Ochazuke to Adobo,\u201d at Chinatown\u2019s Oakland Asian Cultural Center. The installation explores themes of food as memory, recipes as archive, and reconstructed stories of migration and caregiving.
Through Saturday, Aug. 15, 12 to 5 p.m., Oakland Asian Cultural Center, free, 388 9th St.<\/p>\n

Meet the Author: Maggie Tokuda-Hall at the Oakland Public Library main branch<\/p>\n

Maggie Tokuda-Hall is an author and the founding member and former president of Authors Against Book Bans<\/a>, a coalition of authors, editors and others fighting to preserve the freedom to read. Tokuda-Hall will be at the library to talk about her work with the coalition, the current threat of book bans and what people can do to help.
Thursday, Aug. 13, 6 p.m., Oakland Public Library main branch, 124 14th St.<\/p>\n

\"\"In her new book, \u201cBehind the Desk at the Main\u201d out on Aug. 18, celebrated Oakland librarian and public historian Dorothy Lazard offers an insider\u2019s look at the modern American library. Through personal stories and decades of experience, Lazard demystifies the work of librarians and reveals how libraries serve as vital hubs\u2014and defenders\u2014for knowledge, connection, and civic life. Credit: courtesy of Hey Day Books<\/p>\n

\u2018Are you with me NOW?\u2019 exhibit at Manna Gallery<\/p>\n

Jeanne Lorenz<\/a>, a Vallejo abstract painter, unveils her new solo exhibition, \u201cAre you with me NOW?,\u201d at Manna Gallery on Aug. 15. The exhibit will include new vertical acrylic abstract paintings that emerged from an expansive daily drawing practice. The show will be on display through Sep. 19, with an artist\u2019s reception on Saturday, Aug. 22 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15, 12 to 5 p.m., Manna Gallery, 473 25th St.<\/p>\n

Lit talk with Dorothy Lazard<\/p>\n

Author and former longtime Oakland librarian Dorothy Lazard anchors a series of events from now through Nov. 5 around the Bay Area to promote her new book \u201cBehind the Desk at the Main,\u201d<\/a> out Aug. 18 from the Berkeley publisher HeyDay Books<\/a>. The memoir is about her long career as the main librarian at the Oakland History Center inside the main branch of the Oakland Public Library and the role libraries and librarians play in our civic life. Next Wednesday, Lazard will be in conversation with KQED journalist and author Alexis Madrigal to talk about why civic institutions matter more than ever in the current political climate.
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 6 p.m., $12.51<\/a>, The New Parkway Theater, 474 24th St.<\/p>\n

Coming soon to The Town: The Family Series at Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts<\/p>\n

From October through May, the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts will host \u201cThe Family Series.\u201d Among the four-part series\u2019 kid-friendly events are \u201cThe Rock and Roll Playhouse Plays Music of the Beatles and More for Kids,\u201d on Oct. 25, an interactive event that includes music, games and storytelling. The final event in May, \u201cThe Very Hungry Caterpillar\u201d interactive show, based on the popular children\u2019s book, will feature handcrafted puppets and original music. The center is offering a discount to anyone who buys tickets for more than one of the shows in the series.
Sunday, Oct. 25; Sunday, Dec. 20; Thursday, Jan. 21; Saturday, May 8, 2027. See website for times and ticket pricing<\/a>, 10 E. 10th St.<\/p>\n

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