We are kicking off Women’s International Month with a slate of events showcasing, you guessed it, women. Also, the National Weather Service predicts no rain after Wednesday night and a slight chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday.
If there’s something you’d like me to consider for this weekly list, email me at azucena@oaklandside.org. And if you want to promote something on our calendar, you can use the self-submission form on our events page.
Diamano Coura hosts the 29th annual Dance and Drum Conference
Diamano Coura West African Dance Company, the not-for-profit community African arts organization located inside the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, is hosting a four-day dance and drum conference with events all around town. The conference will include classes and performances to showcase and preserve traditional West African music, dance, theater, and culture of the diaspora. The dance and drum workshops will be held at Oakland High School from Thursday, March 7, to Sunday, March 10. The student workshop series at Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts is on Friday, March 8, and a performance showcase at Laney College Odell Johnson Performing Arts Center is on Saturday, March 9.
Thursday, March 7, $15-$285, see website for exact times and locations.
Cost of Living – Oakland Theater Project
Oakland Theater Project is launching its 12th season with Cost of Living, the 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony-nominated play by Martyna Majok and directed by Emilie Whelan, who also directed Gary last season. The story follows two adults with disabilities, Ani and John, and their caregivers, Eddie and Jess. The play challenges the preconceived ideas and misconceptions of people living with disabilities and the challenges encountered by caregivers. Masks are required at every Friday show and are optional for the others.
Thursday through Sunday until March 24, $10-$60, 1501 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
International Women’s Fest
The Oakland-based nonprofit Sol Sisters, whose work involves empowering women through education, networking, and promoting sisterhood, is hosting an International Women’s Fest just in time to celebrate Women’s History Month. The event will include a women-led marketplace with more than 20 businesses and an educational panel with guests to be announced. The event will take place at the ground level of Square, formerly the Capwell’s and Sears department stores.
Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m to 2 p.m, $30, 1955 Telegraph Ave.
Oakland Residents Host Second Annual Nowruz Market
This Persian New Year event celebrates the arrival of the Spring Equinox. It will feature over twenty local vendors selling traditional SWANA (South Southwest Asian North African) foods, handmade jewelry and cultural artifacts, visual art, and more. The organizers are a group of queer SWANA community members dedicated to helping showcase local vendors and raise awareness of social justice causes. Last year’s inaugural event took place in Berkeley and was successful despite the rain. The organization will also donate part of the profits from the entry fee toward humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
Saturday, March 9, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., $2-$10 donation entry fee, 815 Alice St.
Sobremesa’s 4th-anniversary celebration
Sobremesa restaurant in downtown Oakland had its opening weekend days before the county shut down due to the pandemic. The popular Afro-Latinx spot, led by chef Nelson German, didn’t reopen until the following year, and since then, it has worked hard to build a following for its food, drinks, and live music. This Saturday, German and his team have a celebration planned for patrons with tasty bites, thirst-quenching cocktails, prizes, and Grammy-nominated DJ DC is Chillin’ behind the turntables.
Saturday, March 9, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., make reservations online, 1618 Franklin St.
