Friday Nights at OMCA with Orchestra Gold

Friday Nights at OMCA | Live Music by Orchestra Gold, TropiCali Dancehall Lesson w/ Aimee, DJ set by Teao Sense, Gallery Chats, Care Van: Personal Care Stations

Join us for another sensational installation of Friday Nights at OMCA! This Friday, OMCA is honored to welcome Orchestra Gold to the OMCA Garden stage. Spearheaded by the dynamic Mariam Diakite—known for her raw, hypnotic vocals and poetic Bambara lyrics—Orchestra Gold pays homage to Malian musical traditions while crafting a fierce new sound with heavy swinging rhythms, a funky fresh brass section, and cosmic guitar licks. Their most recent album, Medicine, mobilizes dance-inducing music to invoke the spirit and spread healing and community. DJ Teao Sense and their highly eclectic stylings with music from all over the world also celebrate how our diversity can create powerful and groovy waves. 

The TropiCali Dancehall Lesson w/ Aimee will keep your mind and body activated as this workshop focuses on not only the signature steps of Dancehall, but also its culture, history, and context. As you sweat it out on the dance floor, don’t miss your opportunity this election year to garner community care and civic awareness with Care Van at OMCA by artist Autumn Breon. In partnership with OMCA and For Freedoms, Care Van will be providing free chair massages from Hit the Spot and a chance to bedazzle your smile with tooth gems from Dulce Diente on a first come first served basis, as well as a mindful coloring station. Care Van will also be inviting visitors to anonymously record their questions about ballot measures and voter barriers which will be answered at a town hall on August 18 at OMCA. 

In addition to an outstanding event experience, every Friday Nights at OMCA also offers guests a well-rounded gallery experience with Gallery Chats. Unlike the traditional museum tour, Gallery Chats invites visitors to chat, ask questions and connect with our OMCA facilitators who combine content knowledge with lived experience to encourage meaningful dialogue and fresh interpretations of our exhibitions. 

Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm. Learn more about getting to the museum.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5—8:00 pm Care Van: Personal Care Stations | Oak Street Plaza and Glimmer Terrace

5:30—6:30 pm TropiCalli Dancehall Lesson w/ Aimee | Amphitheater 

5:30—7:30 pm Gallery Chats  | Gallery of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences

6—7:30 pm Orchestra Gold  | OMCA Garden

6:45—8:50 pm DJ set by Teao Sense  | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm. Learn more about getting to the museum.

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.

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.