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Events

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Upcoming Events

Friday Nights | Live Music by Dos Four, hands on nature print making, bubbles with The Bubble Lady and sets by DJ Lady Ryan

OMCA campus

Kick off the first Friday Nights at OMCA of the season with the whole fam! Enjoy a rhythmic night full of feel-good music for all ages! Dos Four pulls from a blend of Caribbean and Afro-Latin sounds like Salsa, Cumbia, Salsa Choque, Latino House and more that will be  sure to get you moving.

Free

Friday Nights | Live Music by CABANIJAZZ PROJECT, interactive dance experience with Shadja and set with DJ Benet

OMCA campus

Friday Nights at OMCA keeps going strong with another Friday of music and community! Get further inspired with the dance movements of Shadji Simone Correia whose unique style of performance movement draws audiences in to react and to create a collaborative experience between art, audience, and performer. The night will be further fortified with a feel-good set from DJ Benet.

Free

Spring Teacher Night at Friday Nights at OMCA

We celebrate you, teachers! Join us for OMCA’s spring Teacher Night, when you can hang out and enjoy the Museum— on us. Check out the posters and graphic prints that highlight political and social justice issues in Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya, and then screen print your own tote bag during a special drop-in workshop for teachers. Head to the OMCA Garden to hang out and enjoy the rhythms and music of Punjab, India with Non Stop Bhangra, one of the best dance parties in the Bay Area. Enjoy late-night gallery access and Off the Grid food trucks.

Free

Friday Nights | Non Stop Bhangra Community Dance Party, Spring Teacher Night and DJ set by Black

OMCA campus

Get into the rhythm this Friday Night at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra known as the best dance party in the Bay Area. A celebration of the rhythms and music from Punjab, India, Non Stop Bhangra comes back to Friday Nights at OMCA bringing high energy, vibrancy, and color. Featuring dance lessons, performances, DJs, live drummers and more, it’s a joyful release for the whole family and all the teachers being celebrated at our Spring Teacher Night! The night will be set with the skillful DJ spinnings of Black sure to keep the good times flowing.

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA | Live Music with Alphabet Rockers, Drag Storytime with Per Sia, Wire Sculpture Making, Gallery Chats, and DJ set with Siyah

OMCA campus

Pump up the joy this first Friday at Friday Nights at OMCA! Join us as the intergenerational hip hop group, Alphabet Rockers, explores elements of hip hop and leads audiences to shared moments of joyful expression, uplifting affirmations, and celebratory movement. Drag Storytime keeps the empowering energy flowing as drag artist Per Sia brings Tyler Feder’s preschool picture book, Bodies are Cool, to life with an exuberant read-aloud alongside bright and friendly illustrations to captivate all.

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA | Live Music by Fantastic Negrito & Friends

OMCA campus

Friday Night’s at OMCA presents an electrifying evening with Oakland’s own Fantastic Negrito as he takes the stage alongside some of his favorite musicians in the Bay Area. Join us for an immersive performance that plays with the boundaries between funk, rock, soul, and blues to produce  a unique and captivating experience. More boundaries are broken as Let’s Lab with KD the Poet makes the mundane fantastic as he centers everyday life in his blend of soulful lyricism and tempered production. The night will be further filled with the groovy blend of rap, soul, R&B, and Afrobeats emanating from Bay Area DJ Mani Draper, all excellent energy to intercut with engaging discussion facilitated by the Gallery Chats taking place in our Special Exhibition, Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya.

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA | Awesöme Orchestra with Kishi Bashi & K-Pop Dance Lesson with Robin Lee of Groobeu

OMCA campus

Join OMCA this Friday night as we host Awesöme Orchestra and 100+ musicians for an evening filled with internationally acclaimed guest artists and local composers! Bringing music out of the concert hall and into the wider Bay Area community parks, streets and rock venues, Awesöme Orchestra takes film and video game scores and brings them to life. Both a performance and an invitation, the Awesöme Orchestra invites you to their website for info about how to participate. This Friday Nights at OMCA further invites you into the performance with K-Pop Dance Lessons with Groobeu & Robin Lee as they teach one of NewJeans’ choreography to one of their most popular songs, “Hype Boy!” This will be a supportive space as they walk through each movement, try the choreo many times, and split into smaller groups to give everyone a chance to showcase their new moves!

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA |  Carnival Takeover w/ MasFX and VibeHauss

OMCA campus

Friday Nights at OMCA kicks off Oakland Carnival weekend with a bang! In celebration of the vibrant cultures of the Bay Area the night starts at the Garden Stage with a Soca Meets Samba Dance Workshop, a fun, all-levels, all-ages dance class highlighting some of the most popular moves from each genre. Immediately after, the MasFX Carnival Dance Experience will perform a portion of their 2024 showcase that leads into a party worthy blend of Soca, Reggaeton, Dancehall, Afrobeats, Baile Funk, Hip-Hop, House and more with a set from  VibeHauss DJ’s. The Amphitheater will be activated too and will transport you to Trinidad and Tobago with the smooth vibrations of Cardinal Calypso Steel Pan Band. 

Free

Arts Education Curriculum Slam

OMCA Lecture Hall 1000 Oak, Oakland, California

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is excited to invite educators and enthusiasts alike to join in a night of celebration and inspiration at the Curriculum Slam. Co-presented with the California Art Education Association and Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area, this event shines a spotlight on the innovative practices educators bring to their classrooms.

Inspired by the format of quick-paced presentations like PechaKucha, the Curriculum Slam offers a platform for educators to share creative practices across the arts and education community. Participants will have the opportunity to showcase how they integrate creativity, critical thinking, and innovation into their teaching.

Free for teachers

Ongoing & Annual events

Evening hours Thursday After Hours

Experience Thursday After Hours 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! 

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Evening hours Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid

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.

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Gallery Events Gallery Chats at OMCA

Join us for Gallery Chats, an opportunity to chat with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable OMCA Facilitators.

 

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Third Sundays Spotlight Sundays

Every third Sunday, OMCA invites visitors to Spotlight Sundays, a series of conversations, performances, and experiences that showcase California visionaries.

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First Sundays First Sundays

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.

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Community Celebration Lunar New Year

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.

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Community Celebration Día de los Muertos

In collaboration with OMCA’s Día de los Muertos Committee, we honor Day of the Dead every October and November.

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Community Event White Elephant Sale

The Oakland Museum Women’s Board started the White Elephant Sale over sixty years ago. The annual event is not-to-be-missed.

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Gallery Events Group Chats

Knowledgeable facilitators share insights and help make meaning with your group in OMCA’s galleries.

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