We know things are weird right now, and you might not even be working with everything going on, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a chance to enjoy the weekend! Life goes on, and having a little fun and/or some relaxation is still necessary for your mental health. So check out these (safely social distanced) events you can participate in this weekend!
Click on any of the event titles for a link to the event.
Friday, July 17th
Online
12 PM, All Ages
Free
Join us as we celebrate Disneyland’s 65th trip around the sun with a day filled with special Disneyland-centric virtual programming, Disneyland trivia, and a few surprises along the way. We want to bring some of your favorite Disneyland memories to life—virtually!
Disneyland’s 65th Anniversary Special Fri, Jul 17 | noon–5pm Live Programs on Facebook and YouTube, with Live Trivia on Instagram See the full schedule
Start the day with well-known voiceover artists and producing partners, Bill Rogers and Camille Dixon, as they share their own favorite memories of Disneyland, along with some of yours, as you are invited to submit your favorite Disneyland memory for Bill and Camille to read aloud.
Next up, join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Randy Haberkamp for rare home videos from Disneyland’s opening day in 1955. Then join former Imagineer Chris Crump as he discusses his illustrious career at Disneyland; his work over the years with his father, Disney Legend Rolly Crump; and what Disneyland means to him.
Followed by a Q&A. Enjoy a special Spotlight Talk featuring the unique Disneyland model in the museum. Finish the day with special guests and a surprise announcement about our next exciting virtual community exhibition. All aboard for a fun-filled day of magical memories of THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!
Please note that this program will be streamed live on our Facebook page and YouTube channel and pre-registration is NOT required. Some—but not all—of the programs will be viewable on our Facebook page and YouTube channel following the live stream.
Virtual Bay Area Playwrights Festival 2020
Online
5 PM, All Ages
$5-45
The 2020 Bay Area Playwrights Festival running July 17-26, brings together diverse artists from the Bay Area, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and across the United States who simultaneously, from around the world, tell the festivals powerful stories on revolution, love, and self-discovery that resonates deeply with current times. 2020 BAPF features playwrights Tyler English-Beckwith, Stefani Kuo (Guo Jiayi), Jordan Ramirez Puckett, Deneen Reynolds-Knott, and Noelle Viñas running July 17-26, 2020 in VMix live-streamed on Vimeo in an online format available worldwide. playwrightsfoundation.org
2020 BAPF Plays- In To Saints and Stars by Jordan Ramirez Puckett, two women struggle to break the glass ceiling in science and religion, yet the playtime travels through the drama of female friendship. In Mingus by Tyler English-Beckwith, two characters of color in academia fight for success, experience the trauma of failure, and every reveal feels like good jazz. In Derecho by Noelle Viñas, two first-generation Latinx sisters struggle in the world of DC politics and fight against stereotypes and self-doubt as one aspires to run for office. Babes in Ho-lland by Deneen Reynolds-Knott, stylistically and musically captures the spirit of falling in love in the 1990s, as two women of color are tested by class, priviledge, and living with white gaze in an iconically Pittsburgh campus community. Final Boarding Call by Stefani Kuo fantastically captures the disruption of everyday lives through a series of relatable characters fighting for their personal aspirations during the recent Hong Kong protests and asks challenging questions of accountability.
“BAPF brings together over 50 artists including top Bay Area talent with directors for the festival Desdemona Chiang, Margo Hall, Nicholas C. Avila, Jessica Bird Beza and Dawn Monique Williams. Each are seasoned, acclaimed theater artists, deeply connected within the Bay Area community. Laura Brueckner, Leigh Rondon-Davis, Divinia Shorter, and Heather Helinsky will serve as dramaturgs.” says Executive Artistic Director Jessica Bird Beza, “Although the Festival has been around for 43 years, it feels like we are producing it for the first time. We are excited by the possibilities this new format brings to widen access and deepen our community. We are also exploring new technology using VMix to livestream the readings for a higher quality presentation than the popular Zoom.”
The Plays and Artistic Teams
Babes in Ho-lland by Deneen Reynolds-Knott, a play about discovering Black identity and female connection amidst a world that threatens to destroy it, will be directed by Dawn Monique Williams, Associate Artistic Director at Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley who has worked across the US and abroad; and dramaturgy by Leigh Rondon-Davis, they are a performer, visual artist, and dramaturg from both NYC and the Bay Area.
Derecho by Noelle Viñas, a magical realism play that explores how fragmented identity can tear you apart, will be directed by Bay Area Nicholas C. Avila, who has directed at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Dever Center, La Jolla Playhouse, among others; and dramaturgy by Laura Brueckner, freelance dramaturg in the Bay Area and recent Literary Manager at Marin Theatre Company.
Final Boarding Call by Stefani Kuo (Guo Jiayi), an interconnected personal drama on the Hong Kong protests, the fight for freedom, and our need for hope, will be directed by Desdemona Chiang, a veteran director at BAPF and whose work has been seen at the Guthrie Theater, Alley Theatre, South Coast Repertory, Oregon Shakespeare Festival; and dramaturgy by Heather Helinsky, a freelance dramaturg based in Philadelphia and current Literary Manager for Playwrights Foundation who works independently with 35-50 writers each year.
Mingus by Tyler English-Beckwith, an exploration of mentorship within the college system for first-generation students and the struggle for one black woman to find her voice, will be directed by Bay Area Margo Hall, award-winning actor, director, playwright, and educator.
To Saints and Stars by Jordan Ramirez Puckett, an exploration of the intersection of science and faith and the power of a lifelong friendship will be directed by Jessica Bird Beza, Executive Artistic Director at Playwrights Foundation and Associate Director on the Broadway musical Come From Away; and dramaturgy by Divinia Shorter, a born and raised DMV dramaturg and writer who was previously Literary Associate at Adventure Theatre MTC.
The Festival offers public readings livestreamed and hosted on Vimeo in addition to panel discussions on Facebook Live, Youtube, and directly on Playwrights Foundation’s website. Tickets are available now on a sliding scale of $5-45 for wider accessibility.
Admission: Public readings livestreamed on Vimeo. Tickets purchased at wwww.playwrightsfoundation.org.
Saturday, July 18th
Online
9 AM, All Ages
Free
On behalf of the ICMA Foundation(founded by Shri. Mahesh Kale), we would like to extend an invite to the newly-christened ICMA Cares Initiative: #IsolatedYetTogether, featuring a mini-concert series as well as Artist Appreciation Awards (2020). This mini-series will be broadcasted on ICMA Foundation’s Facebook and Youtube channels.
We look forward to you joining us on one of these platforms Saturday, July 18 at 9 am PST for the ninth episode in this series and come back to bask in these beautiful melodies every Saturday after.
We hope that you will stay safe and stay musical with us since we are, indeed, all in this together!
Online
7 PM, All Ages
$1
We’ve converted our hilarious monthly open-mic storytelling show into an online event. Put your name in the virtual “hat” for a chance to tell a true story from your life, 5 minutes or less. For the past 5 years, Spontaneous Storytelling has been one of the most fun, most unique events for connecting with new people in the Bay Area, and now it’s happening right from our living room to yours!
How it works:
Check your email (and spam or junk mail folder!) for the Secret Zoom Link, on the night of the show.
Spontaneous Storytelling is an open-mic true storytelling night with an icebreaker game at the beginning. All stories are just 5 minutes long and personal and TRUE.
Hosted by Julie Soller, creator of StorySlam Oakland, and Inanc Ino, comedian and award-winning storyteller.
There is no set theme. The audience will provide suggestions that are optional. Stories will be told by members of the audience, and by the hosts and special guests.
We are going to try our famous Icebreaker Game at the beginning of the event from 7:00 to 7:30. Meet new people and learn something interesting about them. The game is also how we warm up for storytelling. We will use Zoom breakout rooms.
It’ll be a huge experiment because we’ve never done this game online before — could be fun, could be a fiasco! We’ll have to try it to find out!
After the game, submit your first and last name via Zoom Chat if you want a chance to tell a true story from your life. Names will be selected by the super fun RANDOM NAME PICKER WHEEL. Or just sit back and enjoy the show.
Sometimes there are special guests like comedians and award-winning storytellers.
You can tell any true story you like — as long as it is TRUE, about YOU and 5 minutes or less. No notes or reading allowed, ever! We’ll have a volunteer timer to let you know when your time is almost up.
Stories are intended for mature audiences and may contain swearing, adult themes, or whatnot. We don’t know until we hear them. Young children and people with sensitive ears are not advised.
***The hosts have the ability to mute and remove anyone who engages in behavior that is disrespectful to others.***
Pay-what-you-can donation based. Your support helps keep independent arts events like this going during the Pandemic. Please donate what you can.
For tips on how to tell a story over Zoom, go to http://www.storyslamoakland.com/zoom.html
For more fun storytelling events, subscribe at http://www.storyslamoakland.com
Sunday, July 19th
All Day, All Ages
Free
The Stern Grove free outdoor music festival was initially scheduled to take place on Sundays from June 14 through August 16, 2020. It is the first time in the Festival’s long history that it has been canceled.
This summer, in place of canceled performances, the Festival is creating Best of the Fest, a virtual video series featuring highlights from the Festival’s vast library of concert footage from the past 13 years.
Hosted by TV and radio personality and seasoned emcee Liam Mayclem, Sheila E. (2012), Pink Martini (2013), The Doobie Brothers (2015), and George Clinton (2016) are among the musicians to be included in the weekly concerts.
Best of the Fest will also feature artist interviews, scenic footage of the Grove, and special guests. It will be posted on the Festival’s website, YouTube channel, and Facebook page every Sunday from June 14 through Sunday, August 16.
Beginning Sunday, May 31, visit sterngrove.org for each Sunday’s lineup.
In addition to Best of the Fest, the Festival will be offering a virtual arts education program utilizing many of the teaching artists who would have participated this summer. Classes in music-making and dance will be offered online on the Festival’s YouTube and Facebook channels.
Online
9 AM, All Ages
Free
Come eat, drink, shop, play, connect and be local at the Outer Sunset Farmers Market & Mercantile, a festive open-air, year-round weekly market featuring local farmers, ranchers, food artisans, merchants, makers, artists and organizations on a closed-to-traffic 37th Avenue between Ortega and Pacheco.
Outer Sunset Farmers Market & Mercantile Every Sunday at 9 am – 3 pm 37th Avenue at Ortega, SF
The Outer Sunset Farmers Market & Mercantile is a weekly market featuring farmers, ranchers, food artisans and vendors, makers, merchants, artists, and local organizations. OSFMM is proudly presented by Sunset Mercantile in collaboration with District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and People of Parkside Sunset.
Our open-air market will launch with a thoughtful and comprehensive COVID-19 safety plan. The plan will include guidelines, protocols, and a modified program of activities that will evolve along with this situation but will reflect at all times the goal of helping to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of the community, vendors, and staff.