Friday Nights at OMCA with The Futurelics
Live Musical Performance by The Futurelics, DJ Set by Young Ellabaker, Hands-on Art Activity, Drag Storytime with Per Sia, and “Inside Black Spaces” Pop-up Talk and Walkthrough
October 3 from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
This Friday Night at OMCA, join us for a special takeover in celebration of Nexus: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week 2025. In partnership with the Museum of the African Diaspora and local Black artists and organizers, OMCA’s campus will come alive with music, movement, and conversations rooted in Black creativity, resistance, and cultural legacy—all connected to OMCA’s current special exhibition, Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain.
On the Garden Stage, The Futurelics, a dynamic band blending funk, blues, house, jazz, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, will give an unforgettable set that honors big band culture while looking boldly to the future. Over in the Amphitheater, Young Ellabaker delivers an electrifying, genre-blending DJ set that keeps the energy high and the dance floor open to all.
Families are invited to take part in Drag Storytime with Per Sia, featuring The Día de Los Muertos Story: Celebrating the Never-Ending Bonds of Family by Andrea Jāuregui De La Torre, as well as a hands-on art activity inspired by the themes of Black Spaces and community storytelling.Inside the Museum, join us for Inside Black Spaces, a powerful Gallery Chats experience that begins in Oak Street Plaza and moves into the exhibition. Curator Dania Talley, architect June Grant (blinkLAB architecture), and activist Dominique Walker (Moms 4 Housing) will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain, while exploring urgent topics including housing justice, displacement, and Black community resilience i
Program Schedule:
5–9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket
5:15 pm Drag Storytime with Per Sia | OMCA Garden
5:30–7:30 pm Hands-on Art Activity | OMCA Garden
5:30–7:30 pm Gallery Chats | All Galleries
6–6:30 pm Black Spaces Pop-up Talk | Oak Street Plaza
6:30–7 pm Black Spaces Exhibition Walkthrough | Great Hall
6:30–7:30 pm Live Music by The Futurelics | Garden Stage
6:45-8:50 pm DJ Set by Young Ellabaker | Amphitheater
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About Friday Nights:
Join us for Friday Nights at OMCA, where Oakland comes together! Every Friday from April to October, bring your crew for an unforgettable night of free live music and activities for the whole family. Bring a blanket and settle down on the lawn, or take advantage of exclusive late-night access to our galleries and special exhibitions (Museum ticket needed for gallery access).
Hungry? Grab a bite from any of the ten Off the Grid food trucks lining 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets, offering a delicious mix of rotating flavors. Beer, wine, mixed drinks, and non-alcoholic beverages are also available for purchase. Once you’ve fueled up, head to the OMCA Garden, where picnic tables and blankets await you to enjoy your meal. With lawn games, engaging museum programs, and a vibrant community atmosphere, it’s the perfect setting for making memories at one of Oakland’s most iconic spots.
OMCA also offers a $10 flat-rate parking in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm. Please note that outside alcohol is not permitted, and event details and performances are subject to change.
Accessibility
Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to providing programs that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of our community. Wheelchairs, sensory inclusive devices, and additional amenities are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis at the Ticketing Desk. To request other accommodations, like American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Spanish or another language interpreter, please email [email protected] at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.
Performers
Off the Grid Food Truck Lineup
Performer BIOS
The Futurelics are sacred keepers of the flame for big band culture and Afro-Indigenous musical mystics. They honor funk, blues, house, jazz, Afro-Cuban music, and Afro-Dominican palo. The Futurelics prioritize artists’ well-being and co-create a sustainable ecosystem of sovereign artists.
Per Sia comes with a pedigree from weekly performances at the late, iconic Esta Noche. Her trajectory has gone on to include art curation, stand-up, television, and maybe a quinceañera or two, in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and México. Per Sia is currently a regular performer in the nationally acclaimed “Drag Story Hour” as well as an educator in residence at an after-school arts program in the San Francisco Unified School District, profiled on KQED Arts, National Public Radio, and CNN.
With thirteen years behind the decks, Young Ellabaker started DJing in Baltimore after college and has since become a staple in the Bay Area music scene. A resident DJ and booking manager at Fluid510, she’s played at major festivals like Oakland Pride, SF Pride, Life is Living, Soulovely, and in Juneteenth celebrations in Baltimore and Stockton.
Sponsors
Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.
