COYOTE Calendar: January 29-February 4

Welcome to the COYOTE Calendar. Here are this week's hand picked events, just for you.

First things first: On Friday, the folks of Minnesota have called for a nationwide strike. We've written here at COYOTE about what we all owe those citizens and organizers. This week, we won’t be publishing anything in our usual Friday slot, and we are dropping our paywall completely in solidarity. We encourage readers to find ways to both support folks in Minnesota and to connect with their communities here. 

This weekend there are a bunch of festivals and fairs that look fun. The Tilden Fungus Fair is taking over Tilden Nature Area for two days of mycological meetups. Glowing fungi! Koji fermentation! Dyeing with mushrooms! So exciting. If you're more into the sky than the ground, try the Winged Migration Expo in the North Bay. The SF Slavic Festival is also happening this weekend at the Russian Center in the city, featuring delicious food, lively music, and exciting dance performances. February also begins this week (no, I can't believe it either) and that means that the Lunar New Year events are officially in full swing. Get on your horse (see what I did there?) and head to Oakland Chinatown for the Lunar New Year Bazaar Saturday and Sunday.

To go along with all of that, this week we've also got slime, white rappers, psychics, goth nights, and more. We'll post new events each Wednesday. Go forth and enjoy!

• Mercy’s Antiques Roadshow // If you’re an antiques fiend and want to see what treasures the folks at Mercy Retirement and Care Center have hidden away, come to this Antiques Roadshow-inspired event. A local estate sale expert will be on hand to value things. I’m not going to lie — I’m not 100% sure this event is actually something they think outside community members might come to, but hey, it sounds fun! // 11am-12:30 pm // Mercy Retirement & Care Center, Oakland // FREE but call 510-281-7938 to reserve your spot // more info
• Hanna Morris talks Apocalyptic Authoritarianism // It sort of feels like we are all experts on apocalyptic authoritarianism these days, against our wills. But if you want to hear an actual expert on the topic talks about it, you're in luck. Morris's book takes a look specifically at "how national anxieties following the 2016 presidential election of Donald Trump have shaped American news coverage of climate change in ways that severely limit how it has come to be known, imagined, and contended with." // 6pm // Pegasus Books, Berkeley // FREE // more info
• After Dark: Rolling Through the Bay // The aging punk in me has something grumbly to say about how wild it is to see skateboarding celebrated in a fancy museum — especially given how one of the most iconic street skate spots in the Embarcadero is in danger of being destroyed. But I'm sure that despite that, this night of skateboarding history, culture and art will be fun. // 6-10pm // The Exploratorium, SF // $22.95 // more info

• Baguette Social Club January Social Ride // If "ride my bike more" was on your list of New Years Resolutions, here's a fun way to make that happen — join for a no-drop (aka nobody left behind) ride followed by delicious doughnuts. // 8am // Duboce Park, SF // FREE, RSVP on Strava // more info
• Mushroom walk with cindy // Remember when it rained a lot a few weeks ago? Well all that water has now blessed our area with a whole bunch of interesting mushrooms. Join fungus expert Cindy for a walk around Oakland covering the basics of fungi identification, safe, sustainable, and ethical practices outdoors, the history of foraging and community science, and more. This trail can be muddy and uneven, so this one isn't a great fit for people with mobility limitations. // 10am-12pm // Oakland // // $44-77 // more info
• Good Night Farm // Any event that includes the line "Meet at the pig pen" is an auto-include on the calendar for me. Make the evening rounds at the farm and tuck all the animals in! This one is good for all ages (with a parent). Please tell each pig that they are special and I love them. // 3:30-4pm // Tilden Nature Area, Berkeley // FREE // more info
• Book Talk: Executive Chef Pierre Thiam // Small bites, big thoughts from a James Beard Award Hall of Fame-winning chef Pierre Thiam (a man who always seem to have seven adjectives after his name including author, restaurateur, culinary ambassador, and social activist). Thiam will talk about the food justice movement and his own food inspirations. // 6-7:30pm // Farming Hope's Refettorio, SF // $30+ (free community ticket option) // more info
• The Settlers // Tough but necessary viewing — The Settlers offers an intimate look at extremist Israeli settlers and their expanding attacks on Palestinian communities. After the film, there will be a Q&A with Oakland's Sydney Levy who will "recount his time standing in solidarity with Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest." // 7-9pm // Hillside Community Church, El Cerrito // $10 donation, NOTAFLOF* // more info
• Frak the Person's album release party // San Francisco's favorite white boy rapper and internet humorist, Frak, will be debuting his latest mixtape, Four Square, with his usual mix of of theater, battle raps, comedy and [checks notes] a video game adaptation. // 8pm-12am // The Independent, SF // $25 // more info
• Rebel Kings Oakland Kingceañera/Sweet 16 // Celebrate sixteen years of Rebel Kings Oakland with a birthday Kingceañera to remember, featuring drag, cake, spankings, live t-shirt printing, food, a Mariachi band, and more. Probably the best time we can guarantee on this calendar this week, to be honest. // 9pm // White Horse Inn, Oakland // $15 NOTAFLOF // more info

• Queer Run SF Weekend Run // Maybe it was running on your new years resolution list but you’re looking for some fellow queers to jog with? This is a no-drop run (so nobody gets left behind) where you can meet the Queer Run Club and get your cardio on. We can’t let the straights have fitness you guys, we just can’t. // 9am // meet in front of the Ferry Building entrance on Embarcadero, SF // FREE // more info
• Women in Wilderness: Nature Journaling // Take a walk with your journal, and channel nature however you want – whether you're a Cheryl Strayed or a Pattiegonia. Nobody's business but yours. // 9:30-11:30am // Camp Ohlone Road Trailhead, Sunol // FREE (RSVP required) // more info
• Ask a Contractor // Don't believe HGTV — it actually is hard to take down that wall. Come hear presentations from an electrician, a plumber, a carpenter, and a pest control technician and then ask your questions in a Q&A. Learn what you can probably do yourself, and what you should absolutely not try without expert help (electrical says hello). // 10am-5pm // Oakland Tool Lending Library // FREE // more info
• Age Sando SF Pop-Up // If you can't afford to go to Japan like every influencer seems to be doing these days, you can still take aesthetic pics with tasty trendy Japanese cream sandos. Vanilla custard w/ crème brûlée, matcha and hojicha flavors available. These sell out fast, so go early. // 11am-5pm // MoDo Hawaii, SF // more info
•  ICE Outta The Bay Community Cookout // Come out and meet South Bay community groups organizing against ICE. Featuring fresh food, legal resources, mutual aid network training, skill shares, and an open mic. Bring your curiosity, skills, and energy to resist fascism in the Bay. "Vamos a reunirnos solo como puede hacer la Bahía!! // 12-5pm // Fairwood Park, Sunnyvale // FREE // more info
• We Ride in Unity // Take a ride to celebrate the life of Alex Pretti, an avid cyclist who was murdered by Border Patrol last weekend in Minneapolis. Fuck ICE, Fuck BP, Alex forever. // 1pm // Multiple locations. For SF: Meet at the Ferry Building; for Oakland: Meet at Rockridge BART // FREE // more info
• Edit Your Town: The Oakland Wiki Edit-a-thon // Did you know that Oakland has a Wiki? It's full of super useful information, and it's completely community created and edited! Join the Wiki-curious and Wiki-veterans for a day full of hands-on work to improve the page by adding new information, fixing errors, and sharing local knowledge. Add what you know, learn from your fellow Oaklanders, and create a long-lasting resource for the region. // 1-4pm // Oakland Main Library // FREE // more info
• Slime Saturday // Slugs, salamanders and worms oh my! Learn about how being slimy is an adaptation to survive and make some slime to take home! All ages welcome, parent participation required for kids. // 1-2pm // Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont // FREE // more info
• Masked Hangout & Game Night // Join your fellow COVID safe baddies for a game night and community hang out. Bring a game, play a game, meet cool people! KN95s or better required, indoor event with open doors and air filtration. // 2-8pm // Los Gatos // 😷 COVID SAFE // FREE // more info
• From Silicon Valley to Gaza: Big Tech Workers Against Genocide // If you're getting a nice fat paycheck from the extremely evil corporations involved in all kinds of violence both here and abroad, you have a moral duty to at least show up to meetings about how to organize and challenge those companies from within. Luckily for you, there is one of those things week! Come hear from tech workers organizing within and across their companies and taking collective action for a free Palestine. // 3-4:30pm // East Bay DSA Office, Oakland // FREE (but please RSVP) // more info
• Stop Flock Town Hall // Across the country, and in the Bay Area, communities have come together to push back against fascist surveillance systems designed to help horrific organizations like ICE do their work. In Oakland the Flock contract has been the focus of ongoing community engagement and protest, despite the city's attempts to push ahead. If you want to learn more about this, and get involved, this is an information session on "the current state of the struggle, followed by breakout groups focused on specific initiatives." // 3-5pm // 1501 Harrison Street, Oakland // FREE // more info
• Sit Tight, Rope Chair Bondage Workshop // Not all bondage is tiny rope bunnies hanging from the ceiling. There are all kinds of ways to engage in restraints, and this course will teach you how to use a chair in your play to offer a little more comfort and stability. // 7-9pm // $25-$70 sliding scale (supplies included) // COVID SAFE 😷 (masks required) // more info

• Zine Making Workshop // Zines are the lifeblood of punk and DIY culture, and they’re so fun to make. Come through and learn the ins and outs of making your own little book of images, ideas, and more. Anybody over the age of six is invited! // 12-4pm // Cartoon Art Museum, SF // FREE // more info
• East Bay Artists Circle // Get together with fellow artists, bring a snack, and meet folks working on cool shit in the East Bay. Wherever many artists gather, good things happen. // 1-3pm // 2727 California Street, Berkeley // FREE // more info
• Happy Heavenly Birthday, Oscar // On the 27th of February, Oscar Grant III should turn 40. Instead, we will be celebrating his birthday without him. A new exhibition at the Black Panther Party Museum celebrates his too-short life as part of the 1-800 Happy Birthday project by Mohammad Gorjestani (more on him and his work here). // 6-9pm // Black Panther Party Museum, Oakland // FREE // more info
• The Chain of Spirits // Listen, it's no secret that I'm more of a Scully than a Mulder (Gen Z readers please Google this, I am waiting for The X-Files to have its moment with the youth) but I recognize that some people love this shit so here you go: a psychic medium "who discovered her gift at the young age of 9." Watch her bridge between worlds and link up with a chain spirits or whatever. At the very least, you're supporting a favorite local venue. // 7pm // Ivy Room, Albany // $30 // more info
• An Evening with Nicola Benedetti // Anybody who does an event called "An Evening With" is legit right? You don't get one of those event titles without putting in the time. In this case, the titular violinist Nicola Benedetti will perform with cellist Adrian Daurov, guitarist Plínio Fernandes, and accordionist Hanzhi Wang combining "solo performances and storytelling," and "a selection of romantic, virtuosic, Celtic, and folk-inspired works." Fancy! // 7:30pm // Davies Symphony Hall, SF // $30-165 // more info
• The Box // My goth pals! I have been neglecting you, and for that I am sorry. This is one of California’s longest running goth nights, so maybe you already know about it, but I’ll keep it on our list just in case. // The Blue Lagoon, Santa Cruz // FREE // more info

• Vallejo's Drag Brunch // An extra special Black History Month edition of Drag Brunch featuring five Black queens. We don't have reparations yet, but you can give your dollars in the meantime. // 10am // Bambino's, Vallejo // $10.38+ // more info
• Fugitive Networks: Black Women’s Everyday Politics on Venezuela’s Central Coast // Grow your brain with this talk by Dr. Nadia Mosquera Muriel on the concept of "fugitive networks" and Black Women's political mobilizations in Venezuela — a country in the news a lot recently, but that it seems many Americans know very little about. Pretty much all the talks out of the UCB Geography Department look incredible, so if you miss this one, check out their other offerings. // 3:30-5pm // UC Berkeley // FREE // more info

• Champions of the Culture: Life Graffiti Production // You’ve seen and admired it all over the Bay, but what does it take to actually create graffiti? Come see some iconic Bay Area artists as they make art right before your eyes. Featuring Agana, Ceph, Hyde, Plantrees and more. // 2-6pm // 715 Harrison St, SF // FREE // more info
• Cal Poly Night with the Golden State Warriors // This is not technically a night to celebrate all the polycules in the Bay Area, but nobody can stop you if you want to turn it into that kind of a thing. Find a basketball wife, yell at athletes from Philly, or both! // 7pm // Chase Center, SF // $105-$290 // more info
• INTERZONE Darkwave Goth Party // I am putting a second goth night on this week’s calendar so that the goths do not curse me for my negligence. This one features DJs with names like Hex, AggroFemme, and GOBLYN and also features “midnight cake.” Nobody knows how to do it like the goths, tbh. // 9pm-2am // Club F8, SF // $5 cover before 10:30 // more info

• Meet the Author: Adam Becker // Full disclosure: Adam is a pal so I'm biased here but his recent book More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity is equal parts hilarious, terrifying, and prescient. If you've got a weird cousin or coworker who still, somehow, insists on defending Elon Musk and his ilk's allegedly genius plans for the future, this book and talk will arm you with all the reasons they're totally full of shit. // 6-7pm // Oakland Main Library // FREE // more info
• The Chalice: Archiving Terence McKenna, a conversation with Klea McKenna // Terence McKenna was one of the early Berkeley-based advocates for psychedelic mushrooms. He was a fascinating and strange man full of equally fascinating and strange ideas, and in this talk his daughter is going to reveal her work on a new Terrence McKenna archive full of his letters, lecture notes, journal pages, photos, and butterfly specimens. This one is bound to be interesting, even if you don’t totally follow what everybody is talking about. // 7pm // The Alembic, Berkeley // $33 // 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!

*NOTAFLOF = No One Turned Away For Lack of Funds