🌞 Longer Days, Early Spring, and Event Highlights
The last full week of February brings a subtle shift, longer daylight, early spring previews, and events that feel a little more lively. If you’ve been waiting for the right week to get back out there, this is it. As always, prices are included to keep planning simple.
📅 This Week at a Glance
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🎨 That Art Party and Watermelon Couch
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🎶 Shake Body: The Official Black Joy Parade After Party
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🍺 Bingo & Beer at The New Parkway
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🎸RPG Sampler Night
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🌄 Above the Claremont (Berkeley)
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🏃Oakland Freedom Run & Community Wellness Festival
Scroll for full details 👇
Spotlight:
🧠 Litquake and Berkeleyside Literary Pub Trivia: 2026 Double Feature
📍912 Gilman St, Berkeley, CA 94710
🗓️ February 23, 2026 | 6:30 pm
💵Starts at $44.52
We’re teaming up with Berkeleyside to bring you not one but two Literary Pub Trivia nights in 2026! Join us February 23 and/or July 27 for all-new questions, fantastic music, and our beloved celebrity host: writer, LGBTQ+ advocate, and 40-time Jeopardy! Champion Amy Schneider! Purchase tickets for either night, or sign up for both and save 20%!
Events This Week
🎨 That Art Party and Watermelon Couch
📍1000 Oak St., Oakland, CA 94607
🗓️ Feb. 26, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
🎟️ $19
ThursDates at OMCA is an adults-only (18+) after-hours series that transforms the Oakland Museum of California into a social hub for creativity and connection. Every Thursday from January through March, the museum sheds its traditional atmosphere for a “warm after-hours glow,” offering a curated mix of art, music, and interactive experiences
🎶 Shake Body: The Official Black Joy Parade After Party
📍266 14th Street, Oakland, CA 94612
🗓️ February 22, 2026 | 9:00 PM.
🎟️ $0-$109.20
Join us Sunday night for Shake Body: The Official Black Joy Parade After Party, a Black History Month celebration powered by United Tribes of Africa (UTA). This event is designed as a bridge, bringing together the broader Black Oakland community with global Black sounds in an environment that feels welcoming, energetic, and intentional.
🍺 Bingo & Beer at The New Parkway
📍474 24th St, Oakland, CA 94612.
🗓️ February 24, 2026 | 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
🎟️ Free
Bingo & Beer at The New Parkway is a weekly, low-stakes community social held on the mezzanine of Oakland’s most famous “picture pizza pub.” Hosted by a local regular, the event transforms the theater’s eclectic, living-room-style space into a lively gaming hall where neighbors and visitors gather for a night of casual competition.
🎸RPG Sampler Night
📍1797 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709.
🗓️ Feb 27, 2026 | 6:30 pm – 11:30 pm
🎟️ $12
RPG Sampler Night at Victory Point Cafe is a curated, “one-shot” gaming event designed to break the barriers of traditional tabletop roleplaying. Instead of committing to a months-long campaign, players can drop in for a single evening to test-drive diverse systems beyond the usual Dungeons & Dragons.
🌄 Above the Claremont (Berkeley)
📍2942 Domingo Avenue, Berkeley
🗓️ Saturday, Feb 28, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
🎟️Free
This moderately paced walk features fine architecture, an unusual view of the Claremont Hotel, bits of history, the neighborhoods affected by the 1991 fire, and, of course, a few paths. There is some uphill and a couple of stairways, but overall, no long, steep uphill walking. It starts in front of the Ellington & French shop at the northeast corner of Domingo Avenue and Tunnel Road and goes back and forth along the Berkeley/Oakland border.
🏃Oakland Freedom Run & Community Wellness Festival
📍Raimondi Park, 1800 Wood St, Oakland.
🗓️ Saturday, Feb 28, 2026 | 8:00 am
🎟️ $25
This is more than a race; it’s a “moving history lesson.” The 3.1-mile flat course through West Oakland passes pivotal landmarks of the Black Panther Party. The energy is high, often featuring local drumlines and a finish-line festival at Raimondi Park with wellness booths and local food vendors.
🍽️ Local Flavor: Southeast Asian Delights
📍3801 Allendale Ave, Oakland, CA 94619 |⏰ Wednesday-Monday 11:00 am – 4:00 pm, Tuesday Closed | 🎟️ $10 – $20
Vientian Cafe is a celebrated, family-owned “hidden gem” tucked into a residential corner of Oakland’s Allendale neighborhood. It is widely considered one of the best spots in the East Bay for authentic Lao and Issan-style Thai cuisine, favoring bold, pungent flavors and traditional preparations over a trendy aesthetic.
The restaurant is famously “tucked away” on a corner surrounded by houses, appearing as a “hole-in-the-wall” from the outside with its humble, lime-green exterior. Cozy Interior: Inside, the space is clean, cozy, and straightforward. While recent renovations have revamped the front entrance and bathroom, the main dining area remains small and can fill quickly with regular patrons.
🏠 Just Listed: East Bay Homes You’ll Love
1268 Sereno Drive, Vallejo, CA 94589
3 BEDS | 2 BATHS | 1,440 SQFT
This move-in-ready home sits on a spacious corner lot in a prime location just minutes from schools, the hospital, and shopping. The property has been extensively refreshed for 2026, featuring a brand-new roof, fresh interior and exterior paint, and new flooring throughout. Inside, the functional layout includes three bedrooms, two updated bathrooms, and a family/game room.
112 Palomar Lane, Vallejo, CA 94591
5 BEDS | 3.5 BATHS | 2,395 SQFT
Multi-generational living at its finest. The ground floor includes 2 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchenette, and its own laundry room with a separate entrance and access to the huge backyard with a built-in BBQ grill. If you’re thinking about future finances, this could also be a way to generate passive income.
141 Dartmouth Ave, Vallejo, CA 94589
3 BEDS | 1 BATH | 1,024 SQFT
Welcome to 141 Dartmouth Ave, a move-in-ready 3-bedroom, 1-bath home in Vallejo offering stylish updates, generous living spaces, and beautifully landscaped outdoor areas. This turnkey property features premium real hardwood bamboo flooring throughout and a bright, spacious living room highlighted by a large picture window that fills the home with natural light.
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🌟 Catch You Next Week…
Here’s to a cozy and engaging week filled with art, music, nature, and community vibes—thoughtfully curated to help you plan with clarity and ease.
Stay local & stay inspired,
Ryan DeAmaral
Co-Writer, Twin Oaks Insider
