Exciting news in COYOTE Calendar land! We've heard your calls, and we are heeding them — a COYOTE membership now comes with the COYOTE About Town newsletter! Every Wednesday the juiciest, hottest, coolest, funnest, weirdest and most interesting events we can find will be beamed right to your inbox*. And if you're curious to know what goes into making this calendar each week, I wrote you a behind-the-scenes blog post with my Top Secret Calendar Rules because I love you.
Now, [Daniel Craig voice] ladies and gentleman, the calendar.
This weekend is Doll Fest, a celebration of femmes in punk that you can read more about here. It's also LaunderLand Circus — which was described to me as "Pixar meets circus spectacle with monster laundry, dancing pants, magic portals, and endless laughs." If you're a craft fiend, the Renegade Craft Fair is this weekend at Ft. Mason, and if you're a music lover definitely check out the Afghan Music Residency series at WyldFlowr Arts in Oakland. I'm sorry to report that The Fever is sold out this weekend, but you can still get tickets to Sondheim's Assassins and you can catch Map of Traces by Chan Hau Chun before it closes on April 4th.
This week we've also got kelp, cats, clowns, and several ways to celebrate Trans Day of Visibility. We'll post new events each Wednesday. Go forth and enjoy!
Marin County Farm Day 〰️ Bring the kids to this one, where ranchers, farmers, and other food producers show off their trade and let visitors get hands on. Plus, and perhaps most importantly, seasonal produce samples. Chomp some snacks while your kids get dirty. 〰️ 9am-12pm 〰️ Marin County Lagoon Park, San Rafael 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
BART Mart Artist Alley 〰️ If you think about it, the horse was one of the earliest forms of faster-than-human transportation. Come see a bunch of cool artists making transit-themed (both train and horse) work. And, if you know what Umamusume is (which I... totally do...) bring your phone and join in on some races. 〰️ 4-7pm 〰️ Millbrae BART Station 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
SQUEEZE: Femme Rope Social & Jam 〰️ This one is for the femmes: a group discussion around what it means to be a femme in rope. Is the term "rope bunny" cute or gross? Have you heard people described as "female riggers" and rolled your eyes? Do you wish you knew more femmes who like to tie and be tied? Come for happy hour, stay for play space. 〰️ 6:30-10pm 〰️ Stopgap, SF 〰️ $27+ 〰️ more info
Alone in the Algorithm: Human Connection in the Age of AI 〰️ You'll have to buy me a drink to hear my real thoughts on Jaron Lanier, but for now here's an event in which he's in conversation with Jodi Halpern about the peril and promise of social media. You might agree, you might disagree, but either way they'll certainly say some interesting things on stage! 〰️ 6:30-8:30pm 〰️ BAMPFA, Berkeley 〰️ $32+ 〰️ more info
DJ Grampaphone Presents Battle of the Saxes! A Gramophone Concert 〰️ Yes, that's right, a gramophone concert. Robert Mailer Anderson, aka DJ Grampaphone will spin vintage records on an authentic 120-year old gramophone. Plus, hear Anderson (Grammy award nominated himself) give insight into the history and musicality of the tunes on hand. 〰️ 6-7:30pm 〰️ Mechanics' Institute 〰️ San Francisco 〰️ $7.18 〰️ more info
Radio For Emergencies Workshop 〰️ Maybe the prepper streak has always run through you. Maybe the last few years have awakened it from its slumber. Either way, it's time to learn the radio babes. The Lefty Radio League will teach you radio types, infrastructure, licensing, and (my personal favorite) meshcore. 〰️ 7-9pm 〰️ Bathers Library, Oakland 〰️ FREE (donations appreciated) 〰️ more info
The San Francisco Pancakes & Booze Art Show 〰️ I'm at the art show. I'm at the pancake tasting. I'm at the art show pancake tasting. Also, there will be body painting, because why not. Come see emerging artists, eat your weight in flapjacks, and dance the night away. 〰️ 7pm-12am 〰️ Public Works, SF 〰️ $15+ 〰️ more info
Octavia E. Butler Library Science Fiction Festival 〰️ Okay this requires taking your kids on a road trip down to Pasadena but I would feel like I was doing some kind of calendar malpractice if I didn't share this event with you just in case. Celebrate the icon and legend Octavia E. Butler with a series of talks and workshops aimed at kids (ages 8-15) all about science fiction and its impact on the world. In the words of Butler herself: So be it, see to it. 〰️ 3-6pm 〰️ Octavia's Bookshelf 〰️ Pasadena 〰️ FREE (registration required) 〰️ more info
Legacy Legado 〰️ Poets and storytellers come together with five women from East San Jose's somosmayfair for an evening of community building and personal narrative, "reminding us that storytelling is how communities remember, heal, and imagine new futures." 〰️ 6:30-8:30pm 〰️ San Jose Museum of Art 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Bay Area artist Cece Carpio's "Tabi Tabi Po" Closing Reception 〰️ You've probably seen Cece Carpio's murals around the area. But if you haven't made it out to her solo exhibition yet, you can fix that and also experience some extras — karaoke, storytelling, musical performances, and an art market will all be on hand at the closing reception for the show. 〰️ 6-9pm 〰️ SOMArts Cultural Center, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Maker Spotlight: Yun Hai 〰️ Good soy sauce is one of those things you don't realize makes a difference until you try it — and Lillian Lin knows a lot about good soy sauce. Lillian is the co-owner of Yun Hai, a Taiwanese specialty foods distributor. In this talk, you'll learn about Yu Ding Xing, a family-run brewery in Xi Luo, Taiwan, and you'll get to taste a variety of soy sauces and soy pastes. Warning: don't go unless you're ready to become a soy sauce snob. 〰️ 6-7pm 〰️ Preserved, Oakland 〰️ FREE (but please register, space is limited) 〰️ more info
The Way Disabled People Love Each Other 〰️ Come hear Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha read from their new book of poetry, and stay for a fun hang. Plus, Piepzna-Samarasinha will present their community installation the Disability Grief Portal Altar — an opportunity to grieve, connect, and celebrate. "It’s going to be the coziest, loveliest, and most beautiful evening of crip art, love, and community." 〰️ 7-9pm 〰️ Disability Cultural Center, SF 〰️ 😷 COVID SAFE (masks required) 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Pretentious Movie Night: Blade Runner (The Director's Cut) 〰️ If you're the kind of person who always wants to put on the director's cut of movies, this event series is probably for you. Come watch Blade Runner (director's cut), chat with fellow film nerds (yes, even during the movie) and prepare your hottest takes for the afterparty. "We give a pretentious preamble before, and encourage pretentious discussion after." 〰️ 7-10pm 〰️ Syzygy, SF 〰️ $5-$10 NOTAFLOF** 〰️ more info
Chulita Vinyl Club Last Dance 〰️ Sometimes you just need to boogie. Join the Chulita Vinyl Club for a rad set of DJs that will help you get loose, let loose, and forget for a few brief moments the hellscape we all live in. 〰️ 8pm-1am 〰️ Thee Parkside, SF 〰️ $10 〰️ more info
Beholding SF's Birds Pedal by Pedal 〰️ Hop on a bike and see birds (a LOT of birds, the organizers promise 80-100 species) alongside overlooked habitats, new trees, new water, and an ever changing urban ecology. 〰️ 10am-3pm 〰️ meet at McLaren Lodge, Stanyan and JFK Drive, Golden Gate Park, SF 〰️ FREE (RSVP required) 〰️ more info
San Jose Cat Day 〰️ I asked Rahawa's cat to provide a blurb for this one and she said "m039203jfjjjjjjjjjjjjj ;';;'kj';o" so you know this one will be good. There will be cat themed vendors, a cat cafe, DIY crafts, and an art show called "Iconic Cats" so if you've got that Toxoplasma in you come through. 〰️ 11am-5pm 〰️ Downtown San Jose 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Itty Bitty Market 〰️ One of my favorite things in the world is stumbling across a perfect, tiny art market. One of my second favorite things is knowing about them in advance and going. Add this one to your springtime walk and pretend you just serendipitously discovered a treasure trove of handicrafts, jewelry, art, vintage, and more. Kids and pets welcome! 〰️ 11am-4pm 〰️ 1919 Fourth Street, Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
A Bluegrass Festival Fundraiser 〰️ Come see some bluegrass and raise money for a good cause. Plus, a great excuse to visit a very cute little town. And if you're really feeling inspired, it could be a bonafide banjo moment — bring your acoustic instruments for a jam session. 〰️ 12-6pm 〰️ Port Costa School 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Clothing & Book Swap and Zine Making Station 〰️ Clean your closet out and walk away with new slick pieces to show off now that spring is fully here. Or, bring those books you keep meaning to put in a little free library, and find a new favorite comfort read. Plus, hang out and create a mini zine in celebration of community (supplies provided). 〰️ 1:30-4pm 〰️ Medicine for Nightmares, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Hole Party 〰️ Show up. Dig a giant hole. Fill in the hole. That's... the party. I don't know man, but it sounds somehow both fun and symbolic. Sisyphus could never. 〰️ 1pm 〰️ Ocean Beach, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Spring Community Dye Party 〰️ Spring is upon us, and with this class you can emerge from your winter hole in a new, hand dyed garment like some kind of enlightened cult escapee. Learn how to identify plants that can be used to dye fabric, how to extract and use that dye, and how to upcycle garments you have or find. All materials provided, no experience necessary. 〰️ 1-3:30pm 〰️ Lakeside Park Garden Center, Oakland 〰️ $66+ 〰️ more info
Sparks #2: Materials 〰️ Join Asma Ghanem (Palestinian artist, experimental musician, and writer) and Sung Kim (carpenter) in a conversation & performance centered around creation and liberation. This is one of those experimental cross-disciplinary events that's hard to describe in a pithy calendar energy, but that I'm pretty sure has the potential to blow your mind. 〰️ 5pm 〰️ Temescal Arts Center, Oakland 〰️ suggested donation at the door 〰️ more info
Golden State Storm Home Opener 〰️ The Bay Area has a women's tackle football team now! Spoiler alert: I'm writing a story about them and the complicated feelings I have about rooting for women in sports while also feeling nervous about women (and, specifically, their brains) in this sport, in particular. But either way, these athletes have worked their asses off for this, which is worth rooting for. 〰️ 7pm 〰️ Laney Field, Oakland 〰️ $27.62 〰️ more info
Thorns Tattoo Birthday Party 〰️ One of my favorite tattoo shops is turning seven! Which, in tattoo shop years, is a respectable middle age at this point (especially after so many shops have closed in the last few years). Roll through for snacks, cocktails and mocktails, karaoke, and more. "Bring your friends, lovers, family, chosen family, frenemies, exes, and anyone you think might be in need of a good time ;)." 〰️ 7pm 〰️ Thorns Tattoo, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Run For Palestine 〰️ Close our Ramadan with a run for a good cause. Also, this fundraiser is officially Zakat-eligible! May your good deeds have good deeds. And even if you don't run, there will be delicious treats and coffee from Jaffa Coffee, who is donating 10% of all beverages and pastry sales to Middle East Children’s Alliance. 〰️ 9am 〰️ Jaffa Coffee Roasters, Berkeley 〰️ donations requested 〰️ more info
The Great Community Soup Bowl 〰️ [bangs a pot] FREE SOUP! Bring a friend and your extra soup stomach and get down on a warm bowl featuring vegetables grown by participants in our Grow With Us program. Also featuring: DJ Tae spinning songs to soup to and endless good vibes. 〰️ 11am-4pm 〰️ Paradise Community Garden, Hayward 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Holy Fools Day Parade 〰️ Sometimes it feels like we are all at the mercy of the Church of Clown (derogatory), but in this case there is a Church of Clown (literal) that is actually here to be funny and not, hypothetically, start a nuclear war. Too much? Sorry. Go see some literal clowns about it. Bring props and you too can be down to clown (or, in the words of Apple's AI summary, "clown event still possible"). 〰️ 11am 〰️ Church of Clown, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Resisting Hate: building safety within ourselves and our communities 〰️ There is SO MUCH to be angry about right now. But sometimes, being fueled purely by hatred (even righteous) can be soul crushing. How do we move towards liberation, care, justice, and more, without being eaten alive by anger? This is a place to explore "healing and connective offerings to deepen and build community amongst one another as division, isolation, and mental unwellness become more and more pervasive." 〰️ 12-2pm 〰️ Moments Cooperative & Community Space, Oakland 〰️ 😷 COVID SAFE (masks required) 〰️ $5-20 sliding scale, NOTAFLOF 〰️ more info
Fútbol on film 〰️ What does it mean to be a soccer fanatic? It probably means that you’d roll your eyes and tell me that “actually, it’s football.” This program of films showcases the highs, the lows, and the ways in which football shapes communities, and is in turn shaped right back. I’m missing this because I have a soccer (sorry, football) game to play in, so go see it for me. 〰️ 12pm 〰️ Roxie Theatre, SF 〰️ $16.62 〰️ more info
Trans Day of Visibility Art, Resistance & Mutual Aid Fair 〰️ Join a handful of rad San Jose orgs to celebrate TDOV with music, a market, a clothing swap, and a slate of community and mutual aid orgs. They're also looking for donations (see their post for what, specifically) which is a great way to support your trans homies in this, frankly, really fucking bleak time. 〰️ 1:30-5:30pm 〰️ San Jose Peace & Justice Center 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Project Hope Palestine: Photo Exhibit & Zoom with Journalists in Gaza 〰️ There are still journalists on the ground documenting the genocide in Gaza, and this event offers an opportunity to hear from and support them directly. See photos, music, and poetry from a mother living in the tents in Gaza, still surviving despite it all. 〰️ 1:30-4pm 〰️ UC Gill Tract Community Farm, Albany 〰️ FREE (donations requested) 〰️ more info
Bean-up 〰️ I, much like Bill Foster, am always thinking about those beans. And if you too are a bean sicko, it's time to meet your people. Bring a bean to share, and be ready to legume to your heart's delight. 〰️ 1-3pm 〰️ Willard Park, Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Beat the Devil Screening 〰️ I am notoriously uncultured when it comes to films, but even I know who Humphrey Bogart is. And he is in this one! Also something about uranium mining in Kenya? And it's kind of a parody of The Maltese Falcon? (Film people, I'm so sorry.) But here's one thing I do know: this showing is a new uncut 4K restoration. Which is good. 〰️ 1pm 〰️ Orinda Theatre 〰️ $14 〰️ more info
The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Forest 〰️ You know that meme where the guy is trying to talk to a girl and she's not impressed? That's me, at the party, trying to talk to people about bull kelp. Did you know that bull kelp grow into huge sixty-foot giants each year and they die off? Wait, where are you going!? For my fellow kelp-heads, you're going to want to check out this new beautiful illustrated book full of bull kelp by Josie Iselin & Ellen Litwiller. 〰️ 4pm 〰️ Book Passage, Corte Madera 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Passover Solidarity Seder 〰️ Join the Jewish Progressive Coalition for a seder that uplifts the shared safety of Jews, Palestinians, and all communities represented in the Bay Area. Now more than ever, we must recognize that liberation must be shared in order to be true. 〰️ 6-8pm 〰️ First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Francisco 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Reprographix Benefit Show 〰️ I fully believe that zines are a load bearing element of creative life in any city, and this event helps raise money for a real triple-threat of local print shops and zine distributors: Reprographix, Brown Recluse Zine Distro, and the Oakland Print Shop. Featuring zines for sale, live music, DJ sets and more! 〰️ 7pm 〰️ Oakland Secret, Oakland 〰️ 😷 COVID SAFE (masks required) 〰️ more info
No ICE in San Jose benefit show for Ulises Peña Lopez 〰️ Last February, ICE arrested, brutalized, and then deported Ulises Peña Lopez, a member of the South Bay community. Come help raise money for Lopez's ongoing medical treatments. Featuring music from Christian Francisco, Luck Fever and Later Alligator. 〰️ 7pm 〰️ San Jose Peace & Justice Center, San Jose 〰️ $15-30 NOTAFLOF 〰️ more info
Trans Day of Visibility 〰️ Take a little lunch break and celebrate trans and gender nonconforming folks with some special guest speakers and important info about gender affirming care services in Santa Clara County. You can also tour the Wellness Center space if you're curious what's on offer there. 〰️ 12-1pm 〰️ colleQTIve: 2SLGBTQIA+ Wellness Center, San Jose 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Security Party 〰️ I don't need to explain to you why you might want to think about getting smarter about your digital security. If you're paralyzed by where to even start, this event is a good primer — they'll begin with your phone, and then zoom out to the bigger picture policy fights on the ground right now. 〰️ 5-6pm 〰️ ONLINE 〰️ 〰️ FREE (registration required) 〰️ more info
Ham El-Waylly talks Hello, Home Cooking 〰️ Food nostalgia can be dangerous. Was your grandma actually a good cook? Or was childhood simply a simpler time and that lasagna was also there? Either way, Ham El-Waylly has actually good nostalgia-adjacent recipes that won't break the bank including "cinnamon toast crunch made out of pita." I'm listening, and probably burning everything, but still listening. 〰️ 6:30pm 〰️ Omnivore Books, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Erotic Ecology Workshop 〰️ My Earthy freaks, we picked this one for you. "This workshop explores erotic ecology as a framework for understanding the relationship between sensory awareness, embodiment, and the living world." Slow down, listen to yourself and the Earth, and "reflect on aliveness as a relational and collective experience." 〰️ 6:30-8:30pm 〰️ The Alembic, Berkeley 〰️ $20 〰️ more info
We’re Having Much More Fun* 〰️ Join editors Judith A. Peraino and Tom McEnaney as they celebrate the release of their new book We're Having Much More Fun: Punk Archives for the Present from CBGB to Gilman and Beyond. The book features an absolute murderer's row of punk icons (including my forever queen Anna Joy Springer) writing about what it was really like in those dark, dank rooms of punk. After the talk, head to Mabuhay Gardens, legendary punk venue, for an afterparty with music and special guests. 〰️ 7pm 〰️ City Lights, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Leafy Greens for Hedonists 〰️ Leaf perverts, your time has come. Get in on the greens at this cooking class all about cabbage, chicory, chard, and more. "You’ll learn how to balance bitterness, build bold dressings, get real texture, and season like you mean it." Impress your next gathering of meatheads with some surprisingly fleshy fronds. 〰️ 6-9:30pm 〰️ 18 Reasons, SF 〰️ $205 〰️ more info
Chips, Pickles & Pinot: An April Fools’ Tasting Adventure 〰️ An April Fools food tasting sounds like a slightly dangerous event to take a chance on, but the organizers of this one promise all treats, even if they seem like tricks at first. Combinations you think can't possibly work (wine and pickles?), but that the organizers promise are worth a shot. 〰️ 6-8pm 〰️ Book Society, Berkeley 〰️ $45 〰️ more info
67th Ever Bay Area Pun-Off 〰️ Please don't ask me how long it took me to try to come up with a funny pun to use for the pun event description. I failed, okay. It's too hard! The pressure is too much! Besides, I'm pretty sure that every person reading this immediately knows whether they want to go to a pun-off or not. Show up, or don't; I'll be too busy pretending not to laugh at bad puns to notice. 〰️ 7pm or 9pm 〰️ The Faight Collective, SF〰️ $28.52 〰️ 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!
Reo Eveleth is an award-winning reporter and writer who has covered everything from fake tumbleweed farms to million-dollar baccarat heists. Their work has been nominated for a Peabody, an Emmy, and an Eisner Award.
