BARTable This Weekend: March 19-21
Children's Fairyland reopens this Friday! Photo courtesy of Children's Fairyland.
Welcome spring! As the surrounding regions reopen, so do things to do and places to visit around the Bay. This weekend, while we still offer plenty of things to do from home, you’ll also find some newly opened in-person places to visit. Enjoy the days ahead!
Cindy Blackman Santana is this week's artist at SFJAZZ Fridays at Five. Photo courtesy of The San Diego Union Tribune.
Cindy Blackman Santana: Tony Williams Spotlight | Virtual
A virtuoso drummer whose artistry spans the realms of jazz and rock, see Cindy Blackman Santana as the headliner in the SFJAZZ Fridays at Five. From a Season 5 Gala week of tribute performances in January 2017, this night honors the work of Santana’s mentor and primary inspiration, master drummer Tony Williams. This performance includes an all-star lineup including the Kronos Quartet, Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell, Terence Blanchard, Edward Simon, Matt Penman, and others. The stream begins at 5pm.
Comedy Oakland | Virtual
Laughter continues to be the best medicine! Tune in to this free show at 7pm both Friday and Saturday with more chances to laugh at comedians from the likes of “Comedy Central,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “World Series of Comedy,” and more. Shows are free to watch on Zoom. Experience live online comedy at its finest and giggle yourself into some good weekend feels!
Place/Settings: Berkeley at Berkeley Rep | Virtual
Stories surround us, whether we can see them or not. Ten revered writers with deep ties to Berkeley – including Eisa Davis, Philip Kan Gotanda, Daniel Handler, Aya de León, Adam Mansbach, Richard Montoya, Itamar Moses, Kamala Parks (BART’s own!), Sarah Ruhl, and Sean San José – have all crafted short stories around a place or a setting within the city that is significant to them. Join them as they take you on an aural adventure from Leopold’s Records to Tilden Park, BART stations to cafes. You will also receive, via snail mail, a physical map (or a digital version if you’d like to save a tree) of the locations illustrated by a New Yorker cartoonist, lifting you out of the virtual realm and inviting you to explore the past hidden beneath the present! Audio stories available now - tickets just $10!
Children’s Fairyland | 19th Street
After four months of closed doors, Children’s Fairyland reopens this Friday! An oasis of fun for the littles and bigs alike, this beloved Oakland theme park will now welcome you back and the magic is awaiting! Adults are only allowed through the Fairyland Gates with a child, and kids are only allowed in with an adult – that 70-year old rule makes for a safe, fun place to learn and play! Tickets are available and can be purchased online for specified dates with morning and afternoon shifts to keep everyone safe. Take BART to 19th St and walk ten minutes to 699 Bellevue Ave.
“HellaSecret” Outdoor Comedy Show & Cocktail or Tiki Bar Night | Secret SF and Oakland locations
Get ready for some comic relief at this brought-back series of pop-up (and socially distanced) live outdoor comedy shows at unique spots in each city. Tickets are required and on the morning of each show, an email with the secret location will arrive in your inbox. Enjoy 70+ minutes of comedy from comics with credits that include Cobbs, Punchline, SF Sketchfest, NBC, Outside Lands and more. Tickets run $15-20 and are available for shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (act fast as some shows are selling out!). Tickets for San Francisco can be purchased here and for Oakland here. 21+ only.
Asian Art Museum reopened | Civic Center/UN Plaza
After looking at "Chanel Miller: I was, I am, I will be" from outside on Hyde Street, head inside the now-open Asian Art Museum to wander the galleries. New exhibits include "After Hope: Videos of Resistance," a collection of more than 50 short videos exploring hope in art and activism; "Memento: Jayashree Chakravarty and Lam Tung Pang," which transports viewers to Kolkata and Hong Kong through contemporary works; and "Zheng Chongbin: I Look for the Sky," a collection of the Bay Area artist's site-specific installations. The museum is open Thursday-Monday with reservations recommended. Take BART to Civic Center/UN Plaza and walk four minutes to 200 Larkin St.
SFMOMA reopened | Montgomery St
On Sunday, March 7, SFMOMA reopened its doors with multiple new exhibits. In "Close to Home: Creativity in Crisis," seven Bay Area artists offer their emotional, political, and artistic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and today's social upheaval. See more local works in mural form in "Bay Area Walls," which includes Liz Hernández's new "Conjuro para la sanación de nuestro futuro" (or "A spell for the healing of our future"). Additionally, don't miss two works that explore the United States' history of racism in "New Work: Charles Gaines" and photography-based installations by contemporary artists from around the globe in "Off the Wall." SFMOMA is open with limited hours Thursday-Monday. Reservations are recommended. Take BART to Montgomery St and walk six minutes to 151 Third St.
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) | Powell St
YBCA's outdoor space offers various public works for free, non-ticketed viewing. On view through the end of the month, "The Monument as Living Memory" is an evolving 18-week collaboration by Bay Area artists. Additionally, YBCA and SF Urban Film Festival's joint installation, "Mourning Is An Act of Love," uses video, glass painting, poetry, projections, and non-traditional forms of documentary to consider memorials and grief. Take BART to Powell St and walk five minutes to 701 Mission St.
“Out Front” Street Dining & Music at The UC Theatre | Downtown Berkeley
Tune in on Saturday for the Cal Bears Spring Game. Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics.
Cal Football | TV
Cal will hold its Spring Football Game this Saturday! The event will be televised live by the Pac-12 Networks starting at 2pm as the Cal Bears take on the UNR Wolf Pack. Due to current health guidelines, there will be no fans in the stands, but this is the chance to see what the Golden Bears have been working on since practice kicked in last month in preparation for the coming 2021 season.
John Cleese & Rob Schneider live in your living room! | Virtual
Join Comedy Legend John Cleese and Superstar Rob Schneider from their living room to yours. It’s 100% live and anything can happen as they squabble, swap stories, talk shop, muck about, and even take some of your questions. You won’t want to miss this interactive mash-up! Tickets for shows on Friday and Saturday cost $15-$150 for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
A Tribute to Patsy Cline: Featuring Margaret Belton | Virtual
Having played the role of Patsy Cline herself in the play “Always… Patsy Cline”, Margaret Belton pays tribute to the incomparable Ms. Cline with her band of outstanding Bay Area musicians. Having immortalized songs like “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “She’s Got You,” “Sweet Dreams,” and “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Cline represents one of the greatest country stars of all time. Catch this tribute on Saturday, at 7pm. Tickets start at $10.
Living Room Dance Party | Virtual
Notoriously recognized as “Obama’s DJ," DJ Mel is hosting a nationwide virtual dance party – because you have the right to fight to dance (safely inside, of course). Join the free dance party from 4-8pm direct from your living room and let the good vibes take over!
Black Laughs Matter Comedy Show | Virtual
Laughter is truly the best medicine so immerse yourself and support Black comics as they come together for "Black Laughs Matter," an online comedy show live from San Francisco hosted by comedian and actor Terry Dorsey. The show begins at 8pm and is free with donations welcomed. Tune in for some feel-good chuckles.
Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market | Embarcadero
The Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market is widely acclaimed for both the quality and diversity of its fresh farm products, and artisan and prepared foods. Some of San Francisco’s best chefs, and most famous farmers, can be seen at the market that is known as one of the top markets in the country. While you’re there, pop inside the Ferry Building to grab a coffee at Blue Bottle and a tidbit to go with it at one of the resident vendors – you won’t be sorry you did! Take BART to Embarcadero and walk five minutes to the Ferry Building.
Head to the Heart of the City Farmer's Market on Sunday. Photo courtesy of the Civic Center Initiative.
San Francisco Symphony Soundbox: Lineage | Virtual
Curated by classical singer Julia Bullock and tracing a uniquely personal and musical lineage through works by composers including Nina Simone, Johann Sebastian Bach, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Francis Poulenc, George Walker, Elizabeth Ogonek, and Esperanza Spalding, a century-spanning of works conversing and tracing a unique musical lineage. Sit back and take in the beauty of this performance on your Sunday or stream whenever from wherever you are. Tickets run $15.
SF Ballet’s Digital Program 03 | Virtual
Created for 21 dancers, Symphony #9 highlights two lead couples and a solo male set against designer George Tsypin’s backdrop of grays and splashes of red recalling works of Socialist realism. Wooden Dimes – Danielle Rowe’s first main stage production for SF Ballet – follows her Gala successes and is sure to delight fans. Closing the program, Yuri Possokhov’s fan-favorite Swimmer brings audiences on a psychedelic multimedia journey through loneliness, love, and 1960’s pop culture. Single stream 72-hour access available for $29 with digital packages available for the remaining season. Upload, sit back, relax and enjoy the ballet from wherever you may be.
Live Comedy on Zoom | Virtual
Tune into SF Comedy Showcase on Zoom with co-presenters, Ronn Vigh and Drew Harmon. New comedians hit the virtual stage every Sunday, as seen on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and more! Free RSVPs are required with donations accepted for the performing comedians.
Heart of the City Farmer’s Market | Every Sunday (& Wednesday)
This Farmer’s Market is a uniquely independent, farmer operated, non-profit farmers market located year-round on Sundays and Wednesdays in San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza. An iconic and beloved community resource, the market supports and sustains small farmers and makes fresh food accessible for all. The market is open every Sunday from 7am to 5pm and on Wednesdays from 7:30am to 5:30pm – rain or shine. Take BART to Civic Center and walk three minutes to UN Plaza/Civic Center.
San Jose Berryessa Flea Market | Multiple weekend dates
The San Jose Berryessa Flea Market is steps from our Berryessa/North San José Station. The Flea Market is a not-to-be-missed San Jose tradition where "one person's junk is another person's treasure." With over 120 acres of shopping, activities, and food vendors, there's bound to be fun around every corner. The market is currently open from Wednesday, Friday-Sunday, 8am-5pm. Walk-in admission is $2-3 depending on which day you go, and the entrance is located near Garden at the Flea and the East Lot.
Let's get social.
What are you doing this weekend? Let us know via social media, @SFBARTable #SFBARTable! Keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see all of the best BARTable (virtual) events, places to eat (grab take out from) and have fun (outside) around the Bay.
