July is closing out with an array of events, beginning this Thursday with the Live in the Laurel music series. Three of the events we’re featuring this week are on Saturday, and there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a hardcore sports fan, looking for live music, or need to get acupuncture.
If there’s an event you’d like me to consider for this roundup, email me at azucena@oaklandside.org. If there’s an event that you’d like to promote on our calendar, you can use the self-submission form on our events page.
‘Earth Mama’ opening weekend
While this past weekend was about the “Barbenheimer” craze, a movie filmed in Oakland is making its debut nationwide. Earth Mama is a coming-of-age story that follows Gia (portrayed by Oakland rapper Tia Nomore), a pregnant single mom who lives in Oakland and is navigating the foster care system to regain custody of her two children. The film is directed by British filmmaker Savanah Leaf and has received praise since it premiered as part of the SFFILM festival earlier this year. The movie, currently in limited theaters, will be released nationwide on July 28.
Out now, see local theaters for specific times.
Live in the Laurel series: Royales
The Live in the Laurel music series allows residents and visitors alike to dine, shop, and listen to live music in non-traditional venues along MacArthur Boulevard between 35th Avenue and High Street. This Thursday, Mexican banda group Royales—whose name is derived from Royal and Apricot streets in deep East Oakland, where the group formed—will perform a live set at the Communitē Table parking lot. If you can’t make it this weekend, the series runs monthly through Oct. 28.
Thursday, July 27, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., free to attend, 4171 MacArthur Blvd.
Walking Tour: The Bushrod Park neighborhood’s amazing sports legacy
Oakland historian and author Paul Brekke-Miesner will guide this neighborhood walk, which is part of the Oakland Heritage Alliance walking tours series, to show how Bushrod Park in North Oakland has played an influential role in shaping Oakland’s sports history. Major League Baseball players such as Rickey Henderson, Frank Robinson, Billy Martin, and Vada Pinson played on the park’s field during their youth. Registration is limited to 40 attendees and will close on July 26. Masks and contact tracing are required (more information will be provided upon registration). The walk is wheelchair accessible. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, and bring sunscreen, a hat, and water, as this is a three-and-a-half-hour-long walking tour.
Saturday, July 29, 10 a.m., $15-$20, meetup location provided upon registration
Summer healing clinic at San Antonio Park
This Saturday, San Antonio Park in East Oakland will transform into an outdoor “healing clinic” where staff from the Freedom Community Clinic—an organization that provides both ancestral indigenous healing practices and Western medicine—will be on-site to offer massage therapy, acupuncture, sound and energy healing, and more. There will also be free food provided. The clinic invites Black, brown, indigenous, and immigrant community members to take advantage of these free services.
Saturday, July 29, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., free to attend, San Antonio Park, 1701 E 19th St.
Soul Beat’s 45th-anniversary community kickback
Soul Beat, the Black-owned public access TV station out of Eastmont Mall, is celebrating its 45th anniversary with a multi-generational community event featuring live performances, food vendors, raffles, and live music. DJs will spin music from the decades that the station was in operation, and there will be live musical performances by artists like rappers San Quinn, Prentice Powell, Mani Draper, MacArthur Maze, and many more. The free event will take place at For the Culture, a Black-owned space that opened in 2021 where Mexicali Rose once was.
Saturday, July 29, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., free to attend, For The Culture, 701 Clay St.
