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

The flurry of spring weekend events is slowing down, but there's still a lot on offer. This weekend Planting Justice is offering up a three-day event featuring linocuts, effigy building, and soup (the three genders). It's also playoff time for The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association and I know most of you got roller derby in our quiz about sports, so go check out some top-tier jamming and blocking! (If you need a primer on the sport, we got you.) This week we've also got tapestries, astrology, truck meet and greets, and heavy metal burlesque. We'll post new events each Wednesday. Go forth and enjoy!

🎉🎉🎉 NEW FEATURE! 🎉🎉🎉

Hot Ticket Alert

Every week, I have to sadly cut exciting events from the calendar because they sell out before I can tell you about them. Recently these have included a strawberry festival, several parties, a slug–themed hike, an egg–carton making workshop, a public transit pub quiz, an event with Rita Moreno, all of Oaklash, and more. So to try and make sure you don't miss out on these hot, hot events we're introducing a new segment for each calendar entry called Hot Tickets In Your Area. The calendar is free to all, but these extra juicy event reminders will be exclusive to paying members after this week. If you want to support COYOTE and get the tips on the hottest tickets in town, become a member today!

• May 21st 〰️ Crip Ecstasy x Rot Festival at The Stud, SF 〰️ tickets
• May 21st 〰️ Lez Wrestle: Super Lez Brawl at The Foundry, SF 〰️ tickets
• May 24th 〰️ Grown N' Thirsty at Missouri Lounge, Berkeley 〰️ tickets
• May 29th–31st 〰️ Free Key Forever at the First Congregational Church of Oakland 〰️ tickets
• May 30th–31st 〰️ The Queer Choir Spring Showcase Event at Montclair Presbyterian Church 〰️ tickets
• May 31st 〰️ Wood Street Bay Area Premier at the Roxie Theatre, SF 〰️ tickets
• June 21st 〰️ Garden of Memory show at Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland 〰️ tickets
• Baddies Who Crab's June event is already sold out before I can even put it in this new box for getting things before they sell out! If you want to catch those tickets, I'm told the best way is to get into the WhatsApp chat, so start there if you want in on this cute little group of crabbers in SF.

• Bike to Wherever Day 〰️ Some people bike to work. Some people bike to the bar. Some people hurl themselves down cliffs on their bikes with no regard for their soft human flesh. But really, the true spirit of biking was the friends we made along the way. And there's no better way to celebrate that, than by checking out your local Bike to Wherever Day event! 〰️ multiple locations and start time, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Nicole Wong Author Talk 〰️ Mahjong is hot right now (in ways that are both cool and, in some people's eyes, veering a tiny bit into cultural appropriation, something you'll get to read about on COYOTE soon!). If you want to wade into the world of Mahjong — either as a newcomer, someone who watched their elders play, or a seasoned tile tickler — there's no better guide than Nicole Wong, founder of the Mahjong Project and author of Mahjong: House Rules from Across the Asian Diaspora. Come out and learn, play, and connect with your community. 〰️ 5:30–7:30pm 〰️ Berkeley Public Library, North Branch 〰️ FREE but registration required 〰️ more info
• Meet the Author: Margaret Juhae Lee 〰️ In Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History, Author Margaret Juhae Lee combines investigative journalism, oral history, and archival research to uncover the lost history of her grandfather — a student revolutionary imprisoned in 1929 for protesting Japanese imperialism. Come hear her speak about the process of writing the book, and how she tackled big questions about family history and memory 〰️ 6–7:30pm 〰️ 😷 masks encouraged and provided 〰️ Oakland Main Library 〰️ FREE, please register 〰️ more info
• Live Music and Storytelling with The Sampaguitas 〰️ I keep a playlist of music I dig that I learned about from researching this calendar, and The Sampaguitas just went on it so fast. A trio of absolutely gorgeous voices singing Filipino folk songs and their own originals in three-part harmony. Come hear them sing, tell stories, and explore what it means to be in a “third culture” between worlds. 〰️ 6–7pm 〰️ Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch, Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Tech Workers Coalition Book Club 〰️ Meet up with fellow tech workers interested in labor organizing, liberation, and resistance, and talk about the book White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun. If you're a tech worker and aren't already connected to the TWC, check out the Bay Area chapter. There's a South Bay social coming up too for comrades down there. 〰️ 6:30–8pm 〰️ Syzygy, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• distant water by Beth Piatote with Alex Saum–Pascual 〰️ Come see local poet, playwright, and Nez Perce scholar Beth Piatote talk about her debut collection of poetry "exploring the way Nez Perce language embodies the inseparable connection of land, sound, and spirit." Piatote's 2020 short story collection The Breadworkers is incredible, so if you haven't read that one yet, put it on your list too! 〰️ 7pm 〰️ Pegasus Books, Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info

• Beginning Tapestry 〰️ I'm the kind of guy who has a favorite tapestry (forget the unicorns, the Apocalypse Tapestry is where it's at). If the idea of an ancient, beautiful, hands-on craft excites you but you don't know where to begin, perhaps this class is for you! You'll leave the class with a small loom with your samples on it, plus a handout with resources. Next stop: 140 meters of apocalyptic visions. 〰️ 10am–3pm 〰️ San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles 〰️ $130 (all materials provided) 〰️ more info
• The Exceptional Botanical Diversity of the Siskiyou Crest 〰️ Did you know that the Siskiyou Crest has one of the highest concentrations of officially designated botanical areas on National Forest lands in the country? Do you even know where the Siskiyou Crest is? Don't worry, I didn't either, I just looked it up. Come see this presentation that explains it all with gorgeous photos and expert knowledge. Put the "you" in Siskiyou. (Sorry.) 〰️ 3–4pm 〰️ UC Berkeley Botanical Garden 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Strawberry Shortcake Flea 〰️ Here's a depressing fact: The creator of the iconic Strawberry Shortcake gets zero royalties from her work on the character. She signed a work-for-hire contract back in 1979 for the design and hasn't seen a penny since. Injustice! Anyway, she won't make money from this strawberry shortcake-themed flea either, but now you know how important protections for freelance workers are. Come shop your feelings about that here, check out the photo booth, bring your friends (and pets), and have a good time! 〰️ 4–9pm 〰️ Temescal Brewing, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Trans Grief & Joy Open Mic 〰️ "Come celebrate the beauty and expansiveness of the trans community." Bring your songs, poems, stories, whatever you can fit into a five-minute slot. Open to all, but open mic slots are for trans, nonbinary, two–spirit, and gender expansive folks. Half the proceeds will go to TACT (Trans Advocacy & Care Team). 〰️ 6–8pm 〰️ Nomadic Bookshop, Oakland 〰️ $5–10, NOTAFLOF* 〰️ more info
• BLOCK PRINTING CLOTHING WITH HEY DIVA 〰️ Bring clothes you want to give a makeover (wash it first, and your best bet is natural fiber like cotton, linen, or silk) and learn how to use block printing techniques to spice up old garments. 〰️ 6pm 〰️ Mission, SF 〰️ $48 〰️ more info
• Bathers Library Spring Fund Raiser 〰️ The hippest East Bay intellectuals (you know they all have are.na accounts) is having a fundraiser party. Come through and help the team keep putting on reading groups, artist critique groups, free artist residencies, community events, workshops, performances, screenings, open library hours, exhibitions, installations and more. 〰️ 7–10pm 〰️ Bathers Library, Oakland 〰️ suggested donation 〰️ more info
• La Doña album release show 〰️ The queen La Doña has a new album coming out and you can celebrate its release with a show featuring her and Boricua duo Buscabulla. True to form as an educator, she's offering discounted tickets for students, so anybody with a .edu email can reach out to UC Theatre about that. This one will be fun. 〰️ 7pm 〰️ UC Theater, Berkeley 〰️ $45+ 〰️ more info

• Black Bathers' Day at Good Hot 〰️ Black folks come through to this special full–day hangout full of music, community, food, and some free stuff! 〰️ 9:30am–8pm 〰️ Good Hot, Richmond 〰️ $5–10 sliding scale, NOTAFLOF* 〰️ more info
• The Great Lafayette Read-In 〰️ BYOB (Bring Your Own Book) and read amongst other reading lovers at this read–in! There will be coffee, snacks, and plenty of books in case you don't have one you're into at the moment. 〰️ 9am–12pm 〰️ Lafayette Library 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• City equipment and services showcase 〰️ Do you have a kid obsessed with trucks? Are you yourself obsessed with trucks? Come see Berkeley's fleet of service vehicles up close and personal. "Climb into the driver’s seat of a garbage truck. See inside a storm drain using a closed–circuit camera. Learn how a Vactor truck sucks up sludge. Come see excavators, traffic sign trucks, and more." 〰️ 9am–1pm 〰️ Strawberry Creek Park, Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Bus Stop's 126th Anniversary Block Party 〰️ This bar is older than the 1906 SF earthquake! It's older than traffic lights, and bulldozers, and the cheeseburger! It's older than teabags! Come celebrate 126 years of the Bus Stop with an all–ages block party. There will be DJs, a petting zoo, face painting, drinks, and merch on offer. 〰️ 12–8pm 〰️ Bus Stop, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Parallel Universes 〰️ This one is for the kids with big imaginations: a special exploratory writing workshop focused on institutions and public infrastructure that shape our society, using creative writing to tackle questions like "How do these structures affect people? How could they be transformed? And what features could we have that are wild, fantastical (but humanly possible), and more fun for everyone?" For kids age 12–18. 〰️ 2–5pm 〰️ Oakstop, Oakland 〰️ Sliding scale 〰️ more info
• Oakland Roots Home Town Heroes Night 〰️ Join the Bay Area soccer community in celebrating the life of Anthony Ant, a pillar of the East Bay music scene who died earlier this year. Come to the game early for some jams before watching the Roots take on local rivals Sacramento Republic. 〰️ tribute jam at 3pm, game at 5pm 〰️ Oakland Coliseum 〰️ $24+ 〰️ more info
• As Above So Below 〰️ Gather under the night sky for an evening of celestial chill and connection. "Designed to recollect the indigeneity of astrology, empower BIPOC land reconnection, and support ancestral healing, we invite you to join us in reflection on identity, time, and the cosmos." The organizers note that you should come prepared with your birth chart, but let's be real, if you're coming to this you probably already know it! 〰️ 5–10pm 〰️ Oakland 〰️ $23.18+ NOTAFLOF* 〰️ more info
• Neighborhood Sports Club Grand Opening 〰️ The long awaited new Neighborhood Sports Club home field and space is opening! You can read about the years-long process behind this event right here on COYOTE. Come celebrate this new space with good food, good tunes, and good vibes. 〰️ 5–10pm 〰️ Neighborhood Sports Club, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• The Eden Gallery Art Exhibition & Fashion Show 〰️ Wear your best interpretation of Eden (garden of delight, Barbara, your pick) and join art lovers in this celebration of the ecological connection we have with the planet and biophilic design. Think: resilience, rebirth, and the cycle of life. 〰️ 6–9pm 〰️ KOHO Co-Creative Hub, SF 〰️ $20–65 〰️ more info
• De Aqui y De Alla: Resistance & Resilience 〰️ Join a panel of artists talking about their work exploring stories of resistance and resilience through the long and beautiful tradition of woodblock printing. 〰️ 6–8pm 〰️ Acción Latina, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️
• Clay Pot Class & Dinner 〰️ There are very few places that do street food quite as well as Hong Kong, and now you can learn one of the secrets: clay pots. Come learn how to use and maintain one of these traditional pots, eat some delicious clay pot rice, and, coolest of all, you get to go home with one to use and cook in at home! 〰️ 6pm 〰️ Bazaar Sonoma, Forestville 〰️ $95 〰️ more info

• The Cardboard Collecting Show 〰️ Unfortunately for me this is not actually for people who hoard (definitely going to be useful in the future) cardboard boxes. Apparently this is for trading cards (Pokémon, One Piece, Magic, Riftbound, K–pop, etc). If you've got those and want to learn, compete, and decorate with fellow card sharks this one's for you. 〰️ 9am–5pm 〰️ Guildhouse, San Jose 〰️ $5–20 〰️ more info
• Spotlight Sundays: Earthseed Screening with People’s Kitchen Collective and Emory Douglas 〰️ Watch a special screening of the documentary Earth Seed: A People’s Journey of Radical Hospitality, which documents a pilgrimage through California visiting with "people and places building models for survival and our collective future." After the film, head out to OMCA's garden and hear from Jocelyn Jackson, co–founder of People's Kitchen Collective, and Emory Douglas, former Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party. Plus, food from fellow worker–owned collective Understory. 〰️ OMCA, Oakland 〰️ 1–4:30pm 〰️ $1–30 sliding scale 〰️ more info
• Backyard Birding 〰️ Come learn about all the birds you might see in your backyard, how to identify them, and the roles they play in the local ecosystem. No birding experience necessary, just come curious. 〰️ 1pm 〰️ Civic Center Library, Livermore 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• The Kakehashi Project Taiko & String Festival 〰️ Witness the world premier of a brand new work for a taiko and strings ensemble called Heartbeats. "The new commission will explore various time periods crucial to the Japanese American experience such as Executive Order 9066, Civil Rights movement, and the Redress & Reparations movement." 〰️ 3:30–7pm 〰️ Kensington Community Center 〰️ $25.31 in advance, $27 at the door 〰️ more info
• Pedal to the Metal Burlesque 〰️ Burlesque, but make it metal. You're going to see and hear so many kinds of grinding at this one, and you're going to like it (or else). 〰️ 6–9pm 〰️ Eli's Mile High Club, Oakland 〰️ $20 〰️ more info
• Neil Rolnick & Alex Oliva Plonsey Scheme 〰️ This one is for my experimental music freaks (complimentary). I honestly have no idea what's going to happen at this but the description says it involves an 8 foot ladder, x–ray skeletons, musical improv, bagpipes, dolls, lazy susans, and "bits of cheap percussion." Go see weird art! It builds character. 〰️ 7:15pm 〰️ Dresher Ensemble Studio, Oakland 〰️ $20 NOTAFLOF* 〰️ more info
• Two–Spirit & Indigequeer Community Workday 〰️ Get hands on with fellow two–spirit & IndigeQueer folks tending the land, working in community, and learning new skills. Food and tools provided, just come ready to get dirty. 〰️ 9am–1pm 〰️ Hummingbird Farm 〰️ San Francisco 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Vallejo Garden Tour 2026! 〰️ Vallejo is full of gorgeous gardens, and now you can take a tour of them along with fellow plant people. "Come enjoy beautiful blooms, learn gardening tips, and meet fellow green thumbs." 〰️ 10am–4pm 〰️ Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum 〰️ Vallejo 〰️ $44.52 〰️ more info
• A Hundred Coffees Brewed 〰️ Good coffee, tea, and homemade pastries at this fundraiser series for local mutual aid and liberation projects. There will be merch, prints, local artists, and more. A great way to meet folks doing work for the cause. 〰️ 10am–4pm 〰️ Oakland 〰️ FREE (but bring money to donate if you can) 〰️ more info
• Fossil-Free Future Festival 〰️ For thirteen years local organizers have been coming together to mark Anti–Chevron Day in Richmond, calling for the end of an extractive economy. Now more than ever, those calls are critically important. The day will feature an Indigenous opening ceremony, a concert, a giant statue rolling through the streets of Richmond, and more. 〰️ 11am–2pm 〰️ Keller Beach, Richmond 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• UC Santa Cruz Powwow 〰️ Join folks on Uypi and Amah Mutsun lands for a social gathering in honor of Sophia Garcia–Robles, that aims to "uplift Indigenous traditions through dance, song, art, and community—centering cultural pride, continuity, and connection across generations." All are welcome. Be cool. 〰️ 11am–6pm 〰️ UC Santa Cruz 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info

• Berkeley Geography Exit Talks 〰️ At COYOTE we are on record as being extremely huge fans of geographers. If you want a taste for why, here's a great free way to cram your brain with a lot of super interesting stuff — the Geography Department's outgoing graduate students are giving short talks on their work. 〰️ 10am–5pm 〰️ UC Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• North Bay Get Down 〰️ Every month in the North Bay you can get down with some funky beats from DJs, bands, and if you're really feeling it, your own instruments. Come to dance, jam and have a good time. 〰️ 6:30pm 〰️ The Big Easy, Petaluma 〰️ pay what you can 〰️ more info
• Bay Area Applied Mycology May Social 〰️ Meet your mycological match (platonic or otherwise) at this meetup of fellow mushroom lovers. There will be a scavenger hunt with prizes and snacks. And they note: "Feel free to bring something to share (just not prepared with wild foraged mushrooms, please. Long story.)" I swear I didn't make that part up. 〰️ 6–8pm 〰️ Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
• Free Congo x Chip Activists 〰️ Come learn about semiconductor supply chains, trade policy, diasporic Congolese communities, protest art and more at this mixer and gathering. There will be food, drinks, and more. 〰️ 6:30pm 〰️ Tamarack, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info

• Oakland Ballers Opening Night vs. Missoula PaddleHeads 〰️ Baseball is back in the Bay Area! Come out, bring your family, and root for the team that isn't going to be taken away or ruined by a billionaire. 〰️ 6:35pm 〰️ Raimondi Park, Oakland 〰️ $22+ 〰️ more info
• Prints and Pints 〰️ One fun thing about writing the calendar is seeing the various trends bubble up among artists and activists. Right now, linocut and mahjong are very hot. Get in on the former, have a beer and a burger, and find out why slicing up some rubber is so fun. 〰️ 7–10pm 〰️ Two Pitchers Brewery, Oakland 〰️ bring supplies or use theirs by donation, NOTAFLOF* 〰️ more info
• C U Next Tuesday Market & Show 〰️ Is May the gayest month? Trick question, every month is as gay as you want it to be (which is hopefully very gay). Roll through for music, flowers, art and drag show that centers two Spirit, non-binary, and trans performers to support a local mutual aid recipient. 〰️ 7pm 〰️ Mother Tongue Cafe & Bar, Oakland 〰️ FREE, bring donations if you can 〰️ more info

• How Flowers Made Our World 〰️ David George Haskell (two time Pulitzer finalist, NBD) joins Alexis Madrigal to discuss his new book How Flowers Made Our World: The Story of Nature’s Revolutionaries. Talk flowers, surrounded by flowers, and learn how blooms changed the entire course of Earth's history. 〰️ 5–6:30pm 〰️ UC Berkeley Botanical Garden 〰️ $40–45 〰️ more info
• Oakland Review of Books Happy Hour 〰️ Join our pals over at ORB as they gather to ponder, offer, and shine their orbs. Books will be discussed. The West Bay will be referenced. Everybody will be extremely nice. 〰️ 4pm 〰️ Heart and Dagger, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ 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