The beat drops at OMCA this Friday with two DJs bringing bold sounds and big energy. Choose your vibe with two live DJ sets that bring intention and serious rhythm to the night. On the Garden Stage, NOODLES delivers a DJ set featuring a genre-bending mix of hip-hop, R&B, electronic, and global sounds. Known for her bold style and creative vision, she’s rocked everything from underground clubs to international festivals.
Join us this Friday to get into an epic groove with the Grammy-winning ALPHABET ROCKERS. Transforming the stage with powerful rhythms and messages, this electric team creates Hip-Hop that sparks change and encourages belonging. Co-led by Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Soulati Shepherd, their interactive set invites all ages to move, reflect, and build community together.
Highlights include a teacher workshop, free gallery admission for teachers, Off the Grid food trucks, and live music during Friday Nights at OMCA. More details and schedule coming soon!
Kick off this Friday Night with an unforgettable blend of music, dance, and community celebration! Experience Awesöme Orchestra on the Garden Stage with special guest DIA LUNA, as they premiere live arrangements from her genre-defying art-pop catalog. Part open rehearsal, part performance, this all-ages experience invites you to witness how orchestral music comes to life with rich vocals and lush arrangements.
Experience an electrifying live set from Yeny Valdés & TeamBahia, bringing the vibrant sounds of Cuba to life through a high-energy mix of timba, salsa, son, and tropical fusion. Led by the powerhouse vocals of Yeny Valdés—former lead singer of the legendary Los Van Van—the group lights up the stage with soul, rhythm, and irresistible joy. Rooted in tradition and reimagined through a modern lens, their performance invites everyone to dance, celebrate, and feel the heartbeat of the Caribbean.
Friday Nights at OMCA has the stage set for you to experience the vibrant energy of Soulovely, the beloved Oakland dance party uplifting queer and trans BIPOC joy through genre-blending sets, live performances, and radical community spirit. Founded by Aïma the Dreamer, DJ Lady Ryan, and Emancipation, this high-vibe experience transforms the OMCA Garden into a space of movement, music, and unapologetic celebration.
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.
Friday Nights at OMCA is turning all the way up with an evening packed with culture, connection, and straight-up fire performances. The Garden Stage will light up with an unforgettable live set from LaRussell. That’s right, this Vallejo-born phenomenon known for his sharp lyricism, viral freestyles, community-first ethos, and epic presence will take the stage with The Yee Section & CO-LLAB Choir and light up Oakland’s favorite block party! *This is going to be a major vibe, and space is limited, so be sure to lock in your entry to the Garden early.*
This Friday Night at OMCA, experience an unforgettable evening of soulful sound, creative expression, and dance-floor energy. Ouida takes the Garden Stage with her powerhouse nine-piece band, blending the grit of UK-inspired R&B and soul with warm jazz textures, bold brass, and soaring pop melodies. With husky, nostalgic vocals and lush arrangements, her performance channels deep emotion and vibrant celebration—offering a glimpse into the future of contemporary soul.
This Friday Night at OMCA, the Garden Stage will come alive with a powerful performance by Gabriela Sepúlveda, known as “La Nueva Reina Del Regional,” accompanied by the all-women ensemble Mariachi Bonitas de Dinorah. Together, they deliver a heartfelt tribute to Mexican tradition—honoring love, memory, and family through timeless mariachi classics and passionate storytelling. With vibrant vocals, emotional depth, and a shared reverence for heritage, their performance invites the community to gather, reflect, and celebrate.
This fall, OMCA invites you to the 31st annual Día de los Muertos Community Celebration, honoring the vibrant traditions of this beloved cultural holiday.
This Friday Night at OMCA, we’re summoning spectral vibes for a Halloween edition of Oakland’s favorite block party—filled with psychedelic sound, communal celebration, and underground spirit. Celebrate the season with hands-on art making and trick-or-treating throughout the Garden—perfect for visitors of all ages.
Experience ThursDates at OMCA – your weekly night out at the Museum rich with cocktails, culture, and community. Mingle at Town Fare Cafe by Chef Michele McQueen, where you can enjoy drinks and light bites against a backdrop of music, or explore the galleries which come alive at night with a mix of pop-up performances, chats, live drawings, and more– just for adults!
Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid, Oakland’s favorite free weekly block party is back, April—October!
Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday 5—9 pm for live music, hands-on activities, Off the Grid (OTG) food trucks, and late-night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.
Join us for Gallery Chats, an opportunity to chat with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable OMCA Facilitators.
Every third Sunday, OMCA invites visitors to Spotlight Sundays, a series of conversations, performances, and experiences that showcase California visionaries.
Every first Sunday of the month, General Admission to OMCA’s Galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences is free and tickets to Special Exhibitions in our Great Hall are offered at a discounted price of $6.
Interested in bringing a group to engage more deeply with our gallery content? Sign up for a Group Tour where knowledgeable facilitators share insights and help make meaning with your group in OMCA’s galleries.
The Oakland Museum Women’s Board started the White Elephant Sale over sixty years ago. The annual event is not-to-be-missed.
OMCA celebrates the Lunar New Year and explores the shared connections between the diverse Asian cultures of the Bay Area. These family-friendly programs will include both virtual and in-person offerings that celebrate and honor Lunar New Year traditions through storytelling, performances, activities, cooking demonstrations, and more. OMCA holds space for our AAPI communities to come together and uplift each other with both in-person and virtual healing circles.
In collaboration with OMCA’s Día de los Muertos Committee, we honor Day of the Dead every October and November.