{"id":474929,"date":"2026-09-25T04:10:32","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T04:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/474929\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T04:10:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T04:10:32","slug":"fall-events-in-oakland-a-day-of-the-dead-festival-a-pumpkin-patch-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/474929\/","title":{"rendered":"Fall Events in Oakland: a day of the dead festival, a pumpkin patch, and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

The city of Oakland doesn\u2019t slow down in the Fall. This year\u2019s autumn calendar is jam-packed with events in West Oakland like the Life is Living festival and the Oakland Black Cowboy parade at DeFremery Park, the day-long Dia de los Muertos festival in Fruitvale, and Oaktoberfest in Dimond. There\u2019s something to do in almost every corner of The Town.<\/p>\n

Mark your calendars so you don\u2019t miss out on all the fun!<\/p>\n

Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch<\/p>\n

Now in its 30th year<\/a>, the Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch<\/a> is ready to welcome visitors. Owner and operator Jon Goldstein can help you find the perfect pumpkin, Halloween decor, or sell you tickets to the patch\u2019s haunted house, which has both a kid-friendly and adult versions. The pop-up remains open through the first week of November. And don\u2019t worry, no pumpkins go to waste: any leftovers are devoured by the animals at the Oakland Zoo.\u00a0
From mid-September to the first week in November, free to enter the pumpkin patch, $10 for the haunted house, 4414 Piedmont Ave.<\/p>\n

Fall series and Ferry Lawn concerts at Jack London Square<\/p>\n

Jack London Square is hosting two series with live music. The first takes place every Saturday through Oct. 3<\/a>, at the plaza near Scott\u2019s Seafood. The second is two shows<\/a> happening in October. Oakland musician and educator Kev Choice is featured at the Oct. 11 concert. Both series are free.
Saturday, Sept. 26, and Oct. 3, 6 to 8 p.m., free, plaza near Scott\u2019s, and Sunday, Sept. 27 and Oct. 11, 3 to 5 p.m. free, Ferry Lawn<\/p>\n

St. Vartan Annual Armenian Food Festival<\/p>\n

For over 100 years, a large Armenian community has called Oakland home. In 1926, when Armenians established their church here, so did the Ladies Aid Society, a group of parishioners who carried forward and shared Armenian culture. For the past seven decades<\/a>, the ladies of the church and its parishioners have opened their doors to greet other Oakland residents for a two-day festival filled with tasty treats like sarmas. Don\u2019t forget to check out \u201cgrandma\u2019s attic\u201d to score some vintage goodies.
Friday, Oct. 2, 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 3, 12 p.m. to 11 p.m., $10, St. Vartan Armenian Church, 650 Spruce St.<\/p>\n

Oaktobefest in the Dimond<\/p>\n

Every October for the past two decades, the intersection of Fruitvale Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard transforms into a beer-lover\u2019s paradise. This year, the Dimond District\u2019s two-day festival will include over 100 craft brews, 5 stages of music including youth performances by student-led groups from Head-Royce School, Oakland School for the Arts and Berkeley High, a performance by Orchestra Gold on the main stage, and a turf dance competition.\u00a0
Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, beverage package options, Fruitvale Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard<\/p>\n

\"\"A family pets a horse during the Oakland Black Cowboy Association\u2019s annual festival at Defremery Park in 2024. Credit: Amaya Edwards for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

Oakland Black Cowboy Parade<\/p>\n

The Oakland Black Cowboy Association, a nonprofit, founded by Lonnie Scoggins, promotes the legacy of the Black cowboys in the Wild West. For the past 52 years, Scoggins\u2019 group has been holding its annual parade in DeFremery Park. The Black cowboys want to ensure that younger generations have access to this part of Black History<\/a> in the Town. This year\u2019s festival includes<\/a> vendors and activities for kids \u2014 and of course friendly cowboys riding horses.\u00a0
Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., free, DeFremery Park, 1651 Adeline St.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oakland History Center Fall Series<\/p>\n

The Oakland Public Library\u2019s Oakland History Center and the magazine department are teaming up for a stacked calendar of 9 events<\/a>, kicking off on Oct. 3 to announce the winner of the history diorama contest<\/a>. The series includes an exhibit to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party, a discussion on the 15th anniversary of Occupy Oakland, and much more.
The series kicks off on Saturday, Oct. 3, see website<\/a> for a list of all dates, Main Library, 125 14th St.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oakland Style Week<\/p>\n

Downtown\u2019s Rotunda building takes center stage every year to kick off Oakland Style Week. The week kicks off with a mixology competition from local restaurants and continues with fashion shows, art events, and culinary experiences all around town.\u00a0
Wednesday, Oct. 7 to Sunday, Oct. 11, see website<\/a> for the list of events<\/p>\n

\"\"The Autumn Lights festival is one of the most popular fall events in Oakland. Credit: courtesy of Autumn Lights Festival<\/p>\n

Life is Living festival<\/p>\n

Since 2008, the Life is Living festival, started by the People\u2019s Kitchen Collective<\/a>, has taken over DeFremery Park with an array of live music, free food, family-friendly activities, and community services, all in the heart of West Oakland. The free community festival takes inspiration from the Black Panther Party\u2019s survival programs, including free food,. This year\u2019s theme is \u201cA Party for Self-Defense.\u201d
Saturday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., free, DeFremery Park, 1651 Adeline St.<\/p>\n

Autumn Lights Festival<\/p>\n

Now in its 15th year, Autumn Lights is one of the most popular festivals in Oakland and it tends to sell out quickly every year. The festival serves as a fundraiser for the Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt. Don\u2019t miss out on seeing the Gardens at Lake Merritt transform into an illuminated light display<\/a> that weaves the beauty of nature with 75 locally-produced installations.
Thursday, Oct. 15 to Saturday, Oct. 17, $12.51 for ages 17 and under, $28.52 for adults<\/a>, 666 Bellevue Ave.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Black Panther Party\u2019s 60th anniversary<\/p>\n

The Huey P. Newton Foundation<\/a> is planning four days filled with events<\/a> including a gala and a community day at DeFremery Park to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party.\u00a0
Thursday, Oct. 15 to Sunday, Oct. 18, see website<\/a> for schedule of events and locations<\/p>\n

Oakland Symphony 2026-2027 season<\/p>\n

The Oakland Symphony<\/a> will kick off its season with a special concert featuring special guest vocalist and OSA alumnae B. Deveaux. The orchestra will be led by the symphony\u2019s music director Kedrick Armstrong.\u00a0
Friday, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m., see website for ticket prices<\/a>, Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway<\/p>\n

\"\"Ashely Thopiah in \u201cLuna Mexicana\u201d (left), and Graham Lustig\u2019s \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d (right). Credit: Jordan Park (left) and John Hefti (right).<\/p>\n

Love Life Week<\/p>\n

In 2016, the city adopted the motto \u201cLove Life\u201d to honor Lo\u2019Eshe Adanma Lacy, a 16-year-old student killed by a stray bullet in 1997. Oakland musician and educator Kev Choice is the city\u2019s \u201cLove Life Week\u201d advisor, and you\u2019ll see him around town at community events promoting this guiding principle<\/a>. The initiative asks Oakland residents to do something positive to uplift the city: host an event, clean up your neighborhood, or buy a stranger a cup of coffee. Oakland will release the final details about events on Thursday, Oct. 1
Monday, Oct. 19 through Sunday, Oct. 25, see website<\/a> for more info and locations<\/p>\n

Driveway Follies Halloween puppet shows<\/p>\n

A Halloween marionette show, started in 2007<\/a> by the late artist and puppeteer Larry Schmidt in his Trestle Glen driveway, has continued to mesmerize kids and adults alike every year. Besides the spooky entertainment it provides, Driveway Follies<\/a> helps preserve the nearly lost art of marionette puppetry<\/a> with back-to-back shows beginning at sundown. Adults are encouraged to attend the nighttime shows. Also, the event organizers encourage attendees to wear a well-fitted mask to prevent the spread of flu or COVID.\u00a0
Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31, back-to-back shows starting at dusk, 3854 Greenwood Ave.<\/p>\n

Oakland Ballet 2026 season<\/p>\n

The Oakland Ballet<\/a> is kicking off its 61st season, under the guidance of artistic director Graham Lustig<\/a>, with its yearly Day of the Dead show \u201cLuna Mexicana\u201d with two shows. Then, in December, with two performances of \u201cThe Nutcracker.\u201d
Friday, Oct. 30, Sunday, Nov. 1, Saturday, Dec, 19 and Sunday, Dec. 20, see website<\/a> for tickets, Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway<\/p>\n

D\u00eda de los Muertos in Fruitvale<\/p>\n

One of Oakland\u2019s biggest annual festivals, Fruitvale\u2019s Day of the Dead<\/a> always includes colorful community altars honoring loved ones, live music, food, and vendors. But this year\u2019s street fair will have something new: a 34-foot sculpture catrina handcrafted in Mexico that will adorn the Fruitvale Transit Village through the first week in November.\u00a0
Sunday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, International Boulevard between Fruitvale Avenue and 41st Street<\/p>\n

7th annual Glowfari at the Oakland Zoo<\/p>\n

This family-friendly event showcases hundreds of animal lanterns all throughout the zoo. This year, it includes new themes including San Francisco Bay, Montana\u2019s plains, the Florida Everglades, and Hawaiian rainforests, all to highlight the biodiversity of these special places and show how species interact with their habitats.
Friday, Nov. 6 to Sunday, Jan. 31, 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., tickets will go on sale starting Tuesday, Oct. 20<\/a> at 9 a.m., Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Rd.<\/p>\n

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