COYOTE Calendar: December 10-December 17

Welcome to the COYOTE Calendar. Here are this week's hand-picked events, just for you. This week we've got wood carving, participatory musical performances, two different zine fests, and a Flat Earth talk. We'll post new events each Wednesday. Go forth and enjoy!

This weekend is the second of East Bay Open Studios and you can find the map of who's open here. There are also a boatload of holiday markets to check out, which we've been keeping a list and map of here. The Another Hole in the Head Film Festival is still going and has a lot of great stuff this week in particular.

• Cioppino Night at the Salty Pearl 〰️ It's cioppino season, and luckily you can get top-tier stew this week at the Salty Pearl's dedicated cioppino night featuring scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp, and local halibut. And if that isn't enough for you (we won't tell the ocean police) they've also got two dozen $1 oysters available. 〰️ 5pm-9pm 〰️ The Salty Pearl, Oakland 〰️ $55 (reservation required) 〰️ more info
• Frankenstein (1931) on 16mm 〰️ Cleanse your palate of the bad taste that the new (terrible, sorry) Frankenstein left by returning to the original classic. And this isn't just any showing — it's a rare 16mm screening. "Witness the texture, flicker, and film-grain magic that defined early horror cinema." 〰️ 6:30pm 〰️ Balboa Theatre, SF 〰️ $17.95 〰️ more info
• Blitzmas! A Very Ruckus Holiday Show 〰️ I'm just going to quote from the flyer for this one y'all: "A fresh risen Jesus taking to the air, the Grinch becomes a pole dancer, pagan rituals go feral, Santa busts battle raps and more! Come watch comedy, circus and carnage collide as only Ruckus can deliver, performed by one of the most electrifying casts you’ll ever see live." Do you need more? 〰️ 8pm 〰️ The Continental Club, Oakland 〰️ $23.18 〰️ more info

• Inami Woodcarving: Japan’s 250-Year Tradition of Wood Sculpture 〰️ If you've ever marveled at an intricate piece of Japanese woodcarving, you were probably admiring an Inami piece. Learn more about this 250-year-old art form through lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on opportunities. 〰️ 5:30pm-7:30pm 〰️ KOHO Co-Creative Hub, SF 〰️ FREE (registration required) 〰️ more info
• Syrian Pop-up Dinner 〰️ Roll through for Arabic pop and Syrian flavors you won't soon forget. 〰️ 5pm-9pm 〰️ Studio Aurora, SF 〰️ more info
• Claws of Mantis at Oh G Burger 〰️ Four-course tasting menu featuring "Funky Viet" flavors like lemongrass pork collar, bruléed banana with peanut brittle, and beef cheek gnocchi. 〰️ 6pm 〰️ Oh G Burger, Oakland 〰️ $65 〰️ more info
• Street Spirit Fundraiser 〰️ Help keep Street Spirit going and have a good time while you're at it. Party on the patio to West Coast Blues Society, bastiengoat, and Bored Lord. 〰️ 6:30pm-11:30pm 〰️ Eli's Mile High Club, Oakland 〰️ $33.85+ (but nobody turned away for lack of funds) 〰️ more info
• Deck the Halls | The Transgender District's Holiday Party 〰️ Come celebrate another year of trans folks not ever going away no matter how much this administration might want us to. Featuring beats by BEV CHILLZ, performers, snacks, and a silent auction. 〰️ 6pm-9pm 〰️ Trellis Coworking and Event Space, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Savoring the Score - Music Meets Food Through Sensory Storytelling 〰️ No need to sneak food into the concert (who, me?); at this one, they provide it for you. Each musical piece is paired with an original dish "crafted to evoke specific memories, emotions, and sensory impressions, guiding the audience through a cohesive arc of storytelling." 〰️ 7:30pm-9:30pm 〰️ Hillside Club, Berkeley 〰️ $70 〰️ more info
• Seafood City Retrofit Christmas Party 〰️ Fish fry party! An evening of sounds, community, and kababayan Christmas energy. 〰️ 8pm-12am 〰️ Seafood City, Daly City 〰️ more info

• Chestnut Bakehouse Popup 〰️ Pick up tasty treats before they sell out! Worth getting out of bed into the chilly morning for this one. 〰️ 9:30am-12pm 〰️ Local Economy, Oakland 〰️ more info
• Oakland Creates Art, Comics and Zine Fest 〰️ Come celebrate the ten-year anniversary of Oakland Creates with a zine-making workshop, cartoon character design demonstrations, panels, and more. 〰️ 11am-5pm 〰️ Oak Stop, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ 😷 COVID SAFE (masks required) 〰️ more info
• East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Fest 〰️ Zines all the way down this Saturday! The EBABZ is one of my favorite events of the year. Come through and meet cool artists and makers, get yourself some zines, and soak up the great vibes. 〰️ 12pm-5pm 〰️ David Brower Center, Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ 😷 COVID SAFE (masks required) 〰️ more info
• Lichen Walk 〰️ Friends of mine know that I'm a lichen head, and I'm always trying to tell people how cool these weird little symbiotic baddies are! Join Dr. Klara Scharnagl, the Jepson Herbarium Curator of Lichenology, on a walk to learn about where lichens can be found and the diversity of lichens right under our noses. 〰️ 1pm-3pm 〰️ Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Berkeley 〰️ FREE (RSVP required) 〰️ more info
• Free Key Choir 〰️ Most of the tickets to this winter concert are already sold out, and there's a good reason. This is one of the best shows of the year and I always try to make it. The theme for this round is Incantation and you might have to say one to get tickets by the time this post goes up. 〰️ 2pm-4pm 〰️ First Congregational Church of Oakland 〰️ $21.40+ 〰️ COVID SAFE (masks required) 〰️ more info
• Family-Friendly Winter Fun Agar Art – Painting w/ Microbes! 〰️ I'm sure all the parents out there are very familiar with a certain kind of "painting with microbes." This one is less likely to get you hand, foot, and mouth disease. Make colorful agar art with engineered glowing microorganisms and learn about the wild and amazing world of DIY biology. 〰️ 2pm-4pm 〰️ Counter Culture Labs, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• 50 Years Bright 〰️ It's the 50th anniversary of Oakland's Asian Branch Library! Come celebrate at a fun, family-friendly event featuring a mix of Cantonese disco and songs in Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and more. There will also be cupcakes. What more could you ask for!? 〰️ 2:30pm 〰️ Asian Branch Library, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Whooo's Out at Dusk? 〰️ If nothing else, this event can teach you an amazing new word: crepuscular, which describes animals more active at dawn and dusk. If you attend this event, you can find some of those crepuscular critters yourself. 〰️ 4pm-5pm 〰️ Coyote Hills Regional Park, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Verse in Fog 〰️ "Four poets, one city, endless inspiration." Come see four poets read, live improvisational piano, and exclusive screenings of award-winning poetry films. What is a "poetry film" you ask? Only one way to find out. 〰️ 6:30pm 〰️ Decentered Arts Studio, SF 〰️ $12.51 〰️ more info
• Lucie R, Danishta Rivero, Lauren Sarah Hayes, and Rot Diet 〰️ I won't lie to you, a lot of the phrases in the description of this show confuse me. I don't know what "the rapid unscheduled disassembly of sound" means, or what a "sound sculptor" does that's different from any other musician. And yet, reader, I am intrigued. Perhaps you are too? 〰️ 7:30pm 〰️ Former Land and Sea Gallery, Oakland 〰️ $10 (NOTAFLOF) 〰️ more info
• Nancy Vogl & Friends: A Celebration for the Bay Area Lesbian Archives 〰️ Celebrate the past, present and future of The Bay Area Lesbian Archives — a collection that documents the lives and work of pioneers, activists, and "everyday lesbians who found ways to live open and authentic lives." 〰️ 7:30pm-9:30pm 〰️ La Peña Cultural Center 〰️ $22.61 〰️ more info
• Familia-r: The Vaquera/x/o Through A Mexican-American Lens art opening and pachanga 〰️ Photographer Michael Papias spent five years documenting "the ceremonies, advocacy, and daily fight to keep Latine horse riding traditions alive in the colonial landscape known as Los Angeles." The exhibit features fifty photos, all shot on 35mm and 120mm film. 〰️ 7pm 〰️ Medicine for Nightmares, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• 3rd & Palou 〰️ In 1966, Hunters Point locals rose up in response to the police killing of a local teenager. Now, you can see a play based on the events that "merges personal narrative with collective memory, grounding the story in the very neighborhood where these events unfolded." 〰️ 7pm-9pm (and again on the 14th, same time) 〰️ The Ruth Williams Opera House, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Bay Area Current Holiday Party 〰️ Our comrades over at BAC are having a party to celebrate six months of their excellent labor journalism. Free food and drinks! Bring a pal. 〰️ 8pm 〰️ Tamarack, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info

• BLARG Workshop Open Studio 〰️ It's no secret that we at COYOTE are fans of Janelle Blarg, and now you can witness her unique brand of magic firsthand at her very first open studio. There will be art, vintage stuff, and custom portraits! 〰️ 11am-5pm 〰️ Blarg's Workshop, Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Mägo x Sodo Donuts collab 〰️ Fuck sugar cookies, sufganiyot are the true rulers of the holiday treat tray. And now you can get some fresh and funky takes on the traditional Hanukkah donut at this popup. Pre-order now and make sure you can get the goods. 〰️ 11am-1pm 〰️ Mägo, Oakland 〰️ more info & preorder
• Chinatown Records & Friends Cantopop Dance Day Party 〰️ Take a trip to Hong Kong at this dance party featuring Cantopop hits, tasty snacks, and local makers. The DJ's parents used to run a Chinese bakery just down the street, so it's a true holiday homecoming. 〰️ 1pm-4pm 〰️ Open Test Kitchen 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• A Sacred Kinship: Reciprocity and Rematriation 〰️ "What does it mean to be a guest on Indigenous people’s land? How can we step into kinship, accountability, and right relationship with each other and the places where we live? How can we participate in the shift from separation and supremacy to a new chapter grounded in soil, sacredness and solidarity?" Corrina Gould (Co-Founder & Director of Sogorea Te’ Land Trust), Ariel Luckey (Development Director of Sogorea Te’ Land Trust), and Wildchoir come together to begin offering up answers to those questions. 〰️ 4pm 〰️ 401 26th St, Oakland 〰️ $12.51+ 〰️ more info
• Farewell Party at Friends and Family 〰️ Have you ever been to a memorial service for a restaurant? That's what this is — the folks behind Friends and Family are having a night to celebrate the last five years. "We want to know all the messy beauty, sentimental sap and special memories you experienced within these walls." Wear your best memorial attire. 〰️ 5pm-8pm 〰️ Friends and Family, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• A Conversation with Alicia Silverstone, Plus a 30th Anniversary Screening of “Clueless” 〰️ Here's a confession buried in the calendar to see if any of you actually read these entries: I've never seen Clueless. I know. I'm sorry? But maybe you have and you want to spend your hard-earned cash seeing Alicia Silverstone talk about how she solved all those mysteries in the movie (that's what it's about, right?). 〰️ 7pm-9:30pm 〰️ San Jose Civic, SJ 〰️ $120+ 〰️ more info
• Bianca Lexis and Joselo at Moongate Lounge 〰️ Please click on the "more info" for this one to see the flyer I can't stop thinking about (complimentary). Music, tacos, drinks by Moongate, and some something something from a fun guy. 〰️ 8:30pm 〰️ Moongate Lounge, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info

• Guided Mushroom Foray 〰️ Daniel Goldberg (aka Feral Ecology) has a few spots left for this special mushroom foray to learn about edible mushrooms, the super NOT edible lookalikes, and what you can do with the former. Send him a message on Instagram for more info & to reserve a spot. 〰️ Pt. Reyes 〰️ more info
• Berkeley Master of Design (MDes) 2025 Graduate Exhibition 〰️ One of the best parts of living near a university is seeing (often unhinged) student projects. I hope to find absolute madness, alongside probably genius at this graduate exhibition. 〰️ 4pm-7pm 〰️ UC Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Oaxanukkah Dinner at Comal 〰️ If you're wondering, yes, Oaxanukkah is a combination of Oaxaca and Hannukah. Chef Matt Gandin is offering up two multi-course, family-style dinner featuring dishes I promise you haven't seen before. 〰️ 6:30pm 〰️ Comal, Berkeley 〰️ $116.93 〰️ more info
• Edith's Final Fling: An Industry Goodbye Party 〰️ I thought about leaving this off the calendar because maybe if I don't acknowledge it it won't happen. But alas, Edith's is truly closing up shop, and they're hosting a final goodbye party full of bites and beverages. 😭 〰️ 6pm 〰️ Edith's Pie, Oakland 〰️ FREE (but donations appreciated, please RSVP) 〰️ more info
• Banff Mountain Film Festival 〰️ I'm no longer allowed to accompany my partner to this event because a few years ago I scoffed too loud at one of the films (sorry not sorry — it was two white guys doing foolish stuff in the wilderness and then being shocked at the consequences). But most of the time these are beautiful and exciting and totally worth checking out. 〰️ 6pm-9pm 〰️ Palace of Fine Arts, SF 〰️ $28.52 〰️ more info
• Flat Earth author talk 〰️ No, not that kind of flat earth talk. This one is a novel, called Flat Earth, by Anika Jade Levy. "A generational portrait in which relationships are transactional, men are vampiric, and women have limited time to trade on their youth, beauty, and talent." I promise to never put a real flat earth talk on the COYOTE calendar. 〰️ 7pm 〰️ Clio's, Oakland 〰️ $7.18 〰️ more info

• Bay Area Film Night 〰️ One night, four films. Watch them before they disappear forever. 〰️ 6pm 〰️ Grand Lake Theater, Oakland 〰️ $20 〰️ more info
• Tessier Wine Dinner at Benchmark Pizza 〰️ Pizza and wine might not be groundbreaking, but it's fucking good. Join local winemaker Kristie Tacey who will walk you through four curated wines as you munch on some delicious pizza. Things don't have to be more complicated than that. 〰️ 6pm 〰️ Benchmark Pizzeria, Kensington 〰️ $108.55 〰️ more info
• Tupper & Reed's 5th Annual Nog Off 〰️ Eggnog is amazing, fight me. I'm excited to try variations on the traditional nog, and I'm even more excited to vote for my favorite. 〰️ 7pm-10pm 〰️ Tupper & Reed, Berkeley 〰️ $23.18 〰️ more info
• Build Your Own Rubber Flogger Workshop 〰️ Upcycling isn't just for Live Laugh Love Etsy babes; it's also for the kinky among you, too. Turn old bike tubes into your very own customized impact toy with the help of siren, designer, and fetishwear icon Lilith Spillz. No prior crafting (or flogging) skills required. 〰️ 7pm-9pm 〰️ Kinkstore, SF 〰️ $55 〰️ more info

• Unsilent Night 〰️ Come be a part of a collaborative, communal musical creation. Each person (like you) plays one of four pre-recorded tracks, and the group moves together along a 45-minute route (no steep hills!) through the city. While Unsilent Night has been performed for over 20 years by over 175 cities, this is the first time the San Francisco Public Library is hosting it. 〰️ 6pm 〰️ SFPL Golden Gate Valley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• 3D Scanning Workshop 〰️ Learn how to 3D scan stuff, and the cool things you can do with that scan. "Bring a treasured item that connects you to the memory of a beloved" and you'll learn how to create composing portraits in 360-degree interactive views. 〰️ 6:30pm-8pm 〰️ Queer Arts Featured, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Womb House Books December Book Club: The Bell Jar 〰️ What better book to be miserable in the dark with than The Bell Jar? There may be someone there wearing a hat that says "The Bell Jar is a comedy." Your choice if you want to fight them about that or not. 〰️ 6:30-8:30pm 〰️ Womb House Books, Oakland 〰️ $10-20 〰️ more info
• NOIR CITY Xmas 2025 〰️ In case you were feeling like everybody was just a little bit too jolly, the Film Noir Foundation is presenting I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes, a 1948 film that involves a man throwing his dancing shoes at a cat. But dark and gritty. You'll see. 〰️ 8pm 〰️ Grand Lake Theater, Oakland 〰️ $17.51 〰️ more info

You can see all of COYOTE's past calendar picks here. If you have an event you'd like to see on a future COYOTE Calendar, email us at calendar@coyotemedia.org. If you attended and enjoyed any of these events, we'd love to hear about it in the comments!