Category — nightlife

Memorial Day weekend is considered the official beginning of summer, California’s finest season, and downtown Oakland’s mix of urbane and natural is the perfect place to ring in the season. Fairyland will be open for a rare Monday, for family fun. A picnic by the Lake could be made up of Korean snacks and bottled teas from EM Market (332 14th St), or champagne and cheese from Ratto’s (821 Washington St). With many restaurants, particularly in Old Oakland and Uptown, offering outdoor seating, downtown is a great place to enjoy your holiday weekend!

Weekend events include:

• Tomorrow is the deadline for artists to submit work for Bay Area Currents, ProArts’ juried exhibition of contemporary works from Bay Area artists. The show will open July 3 at the gallery (15th St at Frank Ogawa Plaza).
• Sunday night at Era (19 Grand Ave), Kev Choice’s soul band performs with DJ Soul Profess, a unique mix of live music and spinning – perfect for dancing!
• Monday afternoon, Linden Street Brewery hosts a Jamaican jerk cook-off benefitting My Yute Soccer camp.
• Monday evening, the Afrorican weekly party will show Ice T’s new documentary The Art of Rap, featuring interviews with many hip-hop legends. The event also features food and happy hour drink specials, starting at 5pm at Liege Lounge (491 9th St).

Next Thursday is the Oakland Indie Awards at the Kaiser Center (300 Lakeside Dr), a celebration of the independent businesses which give Oakland, downtown and the neighborhoods so much vibrancy.

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend, DTO!

It’s Friday the 13th, and after an arresting image of City Hall being struck by lightning made the Facebook rounds today, a sunny day seems more special than usual! Find some of this week’s happenings and new news about the DTO, in this week’s collection of news and views.

• Paradiso Lounge (née Club) reopens with a dance party by Brothers and Sisters, at 2272 Telegraph.
• Damon and the Heathens play at Cafe Van Kleef tonight (1621 Telegraph).
• TONIGHT is the deadline to nominate a business or artist for an Oakland Indie Award.
• Assembly candidate and Peralta Trustee Abel Guillen hosts a block party on Sunday at 19th and Broadway for the opening of his campaign headquarters, with an after-party at Feelmore510.
• Old Oakland’s Endgame (921 Washington) hosts a MiniCon this weekend, a few slots are still available online.
• The Chronicle picks up on the revitalization of 14th and Broadway.
• Oakland Vegetarian Week, which starts Sunday, features special menus from many downtown restaurants (and restaurants outside the DTO).
• The East Bay Express reviews Old Oakland’s oft-overlooked OB’s Cafe (729 Washington St).
• Lost Amusement Parks of the East Bay is the title of a group of photo displays at the Oakland History Room, including Idora Park, Shellmound Park, and Neptune Beach. Upstairs at the Main Library, 125 14th St at Madison.

Next week: update on Broadway and 23rd Street – a new hub for Uptown?