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Events

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Upcoming Events

Friday Nights at OMCA | Dance Battle w/ Telice Summerfield

OMCA campus

Come through to Friday Nights at OMCA to be a part of a magical moment rooted in Oakland! OMCA is excited to host WHO GOT THE MOVES, a turf dance battle with community leader Telice Summerfield. Featuring not only various competition structures including 1v1 battles, youth battles, and an all style tournament, but also a free prize giveaway with a chance to win free food at some of Oakland’s best restaurants, this event is set to fill the OMCA Garden space with authentic Oakland culture. The second of its kind and once again driven by Telice’s passion for community, the turf battle is also meant to support the exposure, connection, and collaboration of Oakland businesses and organizations. This unforgettable Friday Nights at OMCA will be backdropped with killer beats from DJ Nick Fury who blends Hip Hop, Afro Beats, House, and Bounce to craft a sonic atmosphere where everyone feels the beat and moves as one!

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA with Kev Choice Ensemble

OMCA campus

Come bring the family on a rhythmic journey through the many sounds of the Black diaspora this Friday Nights at OMCA! Kev Choice and his all-star ensemble of musicians kick up a vibe as they spotlight past, present, and future Bay Area artists with a unique musical blend of Funk, Hip Hop, Jazz, Soul, and Classical styles. Further ignite that good spark set by Kev’s conscious and introspective lyrical beats with an inspiring reading of Jonah Winter’s, Mother Jones and Her Army of Mill Children by none other than the captivating Per Sia.

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA with Audiopharmacy World Hip Hop Ensemble

OMCA campus

This Friday Nights at OMCA the Garden stage will be transformed into a multimedia musical experience! Audiopharmacy crafts an enchanting soundscape by combining Hip Hop, Soul, and Jazz with global music genres and turntablism and then pairs it with Indigenous chanting and knowledge, movement, and visual projection that come together to cultivate healing and unity to inspire change.

Free

Member Gallery Chats: Felicia Montes: Behind the Botanica

OMCA Gallery of California History 1000 Oak St, Oakland, California, United States

Join healing arts practitioner, Felicia Montes of Mujeres de Maíz & La Botanica del Barrio as she takes you through a tour of her installations in OMCA latest special exhibition, Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peoples. Felicia will share the inspiration, background, and stories behind the pieces with song, spoken word and special heart medicine.   

Free for Members

Spotlight Sundays: Making Music and Medicine for Health and Healing

OMCA Garden 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, California, United States

Join healing arts practitioner and featured artist in OMCA special exhibition, Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peoples, Felicia Montes of Mujeres de Maíz and La Botanica del Barrio for Barrio Botanica & Beats a bilingual herbal medicine demonstration on making and using natural, holistic and healing methods and traditions. Montes will share the custom of flor y canto or flower and song, as she is joined by the Xicana musical group, In Lak Ech in a ritual ceremony. 

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA with La Misa Negra

OMCA campus

The grooves are too powerful this Friday Nights at OMCA! The Garden stage is set to amplify the electrifying sounds of La Misa Negra. An 8 piece band from California, La Misa Negra is known for their horns, accordion-driven riffs, and a fierce rhythm section that power an infectious high-energy Afro-Latin cumbia sound.

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA with CABANIJAZZ PROJECT

OMCA campus

This Friday Nights at OMCA we are thrilled to welcome back CABANIJAZZ PROJECT to our garden stage. Led by Grammy Award-winning composer and conga player, Javier Cabanillas, CABANIJAZZ PROJECT is a seven-piece band of highly talented musicians that play a unique and captivating blend of Jazz harmonies and Afro-Caribbean dance rhythms. After being featured with networks such as NPR and PBS and is a fan favorite in the San Francisco Bay Area, this national and local favorite is projected to totally transform the stage!

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA with Cuicacalli Ballet Folklórico & La Familia Peña Govea

OMCA campus

Bring the whole family and dive into the vibrant rhythms of Mexico with Cuicacalli Ballet Folklórico and Familia Peña Govea this Friday Nights at OMCA! This amazing mash-up will bring Aztec Dance, Zapateados, Faldeos, and Sombreros to life on the garden stage and transport you through the magical culture of México with a captivating blend of music and dance.

Free

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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