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    Berkeley Kite Festival

    3.9 (118 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 7:00 PM

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    Viclaire S.

    Plan this outing right and you will have an enjoyable experience. I did my research on the event site and on yelp. Read the reviews and tips! Here are a few that I thought were really useful: *Bring cash - there are ATMs in a couple of spots, but come prepared and avoid those ATM fees. You'll need cash for vendor purchases *Bring Cash/foldable chairs/tent- you'll want something to sit on. Otherwise you will be sitting on brown grass. Note: there are specific places where you can only lay down blankets. *Dress in layers- it can be cold, windy and cloudy when you arrive. Clouds will move and burn out then hello Sun! *If you dress in short sleeves or shorts, bring sun screen. *Bathroom situation- porta pottys. Bring some wipes and hand sanitizer. There are stations to wash your hands but for that extra clean feel. *Make it a day- bring your own kites, bring some snacks, make it a picnic- bring sandwiches, waters and buy the sweet stuff there. *Traveling with younger kids? Bring a wagon they can sit on or store snacks/ goodies. We arrived before 930 am (event start is 10). Was able to park at the Marina ($15) and totally walkable to the event. It's a dusty parking area. Do not wear your Sunday best. Wear comfy shoes. It's an all day event that requires walking. Be smart about it. If you arrive after 10- park at golden gate fields and take the free shuttle. We enjoyed seeing the beautiful large kites- the octopi were our favorites. But you can see several other kites in the air. They have shows and competition too. Also for kids, there is a free kite making section (starts at 11) and all it is, is a plain white sheet of paper, which they provide the string for you to fly it. Kids can decorate it, but on the tables, it is really hard to draw on it. You can also buy kites there if you want to spend the money. There are kid play areas and pony rides and a petting zoo- warning! There is a cost per child to do these things. Also, take the time to walk around. See the kites from different angles. My little fam and I enjoyed this really cool experience.

    octopi in the sky
    Sylvia K.

    This is one of the coolest things to do in Berkeley. The Berkeley Kite Festival in the summertime is a fun and free event at the park at Berkeley Marina. The highlight is definitely the GIANT OCTOPUS KITES. OCTOPI IN THE SKY!!! You can actually see them in the distance as you're walking closer to the park because they are so huge. They are many of them and in different colors. I was just in awe when I saw them for the first time. There are tons of other kites at the festival too - more of the regular kind that you would see at the beach or your local park. You are definitely encouraged to bring your own kite. People had set up blankets and chairs and tents and were either flying their own kites or watching other people fly their kites. It's such a lovely event and great to see people in the community - Cal students, families, everyone! - come out to have some summer fun. I usually just walk over to the Marina using the pedestrian overpass bridge that goes over 80. If you haven't been to the Kite Festival, go next summer - the octopi are totally worth it!

    Before the loss of the most perfect kite ever into the bay.
    Rebecca H.

    It's still a lot of fun, but it's gone from a sweet event to a commercial nightmare. I regret we ever walked over to the Kidzone and got trap spending a lot of money there for mediocre entertainment and activities. It's become very crowded and it's difficult to navigate the walkways, especially with strollers. The part we liked best was the bus ride from the parking lot. We got there early so the buses were ready to go when we were and we didn't wait at all for a ride back. The bus ride gave us great views of the city and surrounding area. It was worth taking our friends from Kentucky there, especially to see the views. It was very sad that one of our girls, four years old, let go of her string and her kite flew into the bay. It was from the free make your own kite activity, and she assured us there was no kite that would ever be as perfect, with such a perfect drawing, and there was no sense in doing another one because it was the best kite in the universe. It was very sad and also very funny. But of course to her we just agreed it was sad.

    Lea M.

    There's something gratifying about seeing a community getting together and celebrating something so juvenile as kite flying. From the high way you can see hundreds of kites dancing in the sky, all different shapes, sizes, colors - just from an outside perspective it's like seeing something in the movies that you'd never think you'd see in real life. Parking is atrocious! The prices may vary from $15 or so but there are shuttle buses from the marina to the fields. The delta winds made the day perfect for flying and if you're wanting to join the crowd, they have booths set up with different types of kites to buy. The food vendors were pretty sketchy and there were games for kids to play. I didn't stay as long as I wanted to but it's pretty limited to what you can do out there but if you do plan on going you may want to bring sunscreen, a blanket to sit on, and perhaps your own food since the vendors tasted like shit. I promised my dad that I'd take him next year and I'm pretty much looking forward to it.

    Grace N.

    PARKING IS A NIGHTMARE! Parking is $15 There are friendly shuttles provided by the city of Berkely. Took us about 45mins from the exit ramp to park due to the congestion. You could also park at Golden Gate Fields and take the shuttle -would probaly avoid that same traffic we were stuck in. Will definately make it an annual event if we can make it! We had such a great time (minus the parking). We packed a picnic basket of goodies however there are a good handful of vendors and food trucks available. No kite? No problem! There are booths where you can make your own kite, purchase a legitimate kite or heck there are a bajillion kites out you can enjoy the day without even having to fly your own! We didnt fly one this year, but next year when the little man is old enough maybe we'll fly one then. Make it a picnic, bring your family, or bring a date. Its definately fun for all. Who doesn't like flying a kite? When the heck did you last fly one?

    Great kids area too bring your kites !
    Allen L.

    Great summer kite fest in Berkeley flying kite in afternoon with your firend and family . This is one of my event to do in the summer lots of sun great wind for fly kites awesome for kids great food over all a great afternoon Here come on down and join us :3

    That puffer fish lol
    Andy L.

    I absolutely adore the Berkeley Kite Festival! Wow, where do I start! I've always been in awe by the sheer size and rhythmic movements of the giant squids. With some gargantuan new additions this year, the festival has become even better than the last, and will probably only get bigger in the coming years! This festival is for anyone and everyone! Anyone can fly a kite and everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery of, at any given time, hundreds of kites flying simultaneously. Whether you bring your own kite or just come for the entertainment factor of watching others fly, it's pure amusement nonetheless. Cesar Chavez Park serves as the perfect venue for the must needed passing sea breeze and open space to house the multitude of kites. With the showcase of kites, comes the kite competitions and aerial shows from kite professionals! Bring some foldable chairs or a blanket and watch the kites compete in the sky! It's not a festival without food and activities right? There's a huge selection of food stands, inflatable obstacle courses and even a petting zoo! There's so much to see and do here at the Berkeley Kite Festival. The festival is a 2 day weekend long event and something I look forward to attending every year. Come see a fantastic showcase of flying squids and awe amazing scenery!

    Tons of kites!
    Eddy P.

    A fun event for all ages! If you do not get there early, forget about finding parking in the marina. There is a free shuttle that picks people up near Gilman fields but parking is not free. *MY RECOMMENDATION* I arrived kind of late (around 2pm). I-80 westbound at University off ramp AND Gilman off ramp was a complete $h*t show. I parked for free on the street on 2nd Street / Addison Street (PLENTY OF PARKING). Walk on 2nd toward Addison before making a right in Addison. Once there , you'll find the bottom of the walking / biking bridge that crosses over I-80. After a nice 20 minute walk over the bride and down the dirt path from the frontage road, you are at the event (bicycle friendly)!! Totally bypassed the hassle of trying to find parking, sit in traffic and pay for parking! The event is free. Tons of cool kites, food vendors, ATM's and places to sit on the grass. Bring a light jacket as it gets a little windy.

    Isaiah G.

    A lot of parking lots but very full parking. The good news is they had a shuttle. They had some vendors there. Kids make their own kites pretty cool and free. They have some food vendors price is kind of high but that's any festival. Some activities to do for kids. I wish they had benches to sit at. Some bouncing houses for kids and the hamster balls for kids. Overall ok but pretty good pictures.

    Octopi in the sky!
    Grace R.

    Wow. I remember when I was a little kid, my dad and I used to go to the nearby park to fly a kite on a windy day. Back when life was simple, carefree, worry-free. Pretty much like a Country Time Lemonade commercial. Fast forward, give or take, 20 years, and here I am. At the Berkeley Kite Festival with my dad, flying a kite. Like the good ol' days. This time, my mom and Wyatt (my dog) also accompanied us. Parking: Got there about an hour early to avoid any parking craziness, and we were able to enjoy the park and marina minus all the hustle and bustle that emerged later on in the day. 10 bucks for parking. Food: Lots and lots of food vendors! I had the tofu veggie ball sandwich with arugula salad and a chocolate chip cookie from Tofu Yu (http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=pmOArmwfK51Bjot4FMDX5g). The sandwich was delightful -- they tasted like real meatballs instead of veggie knockoffs. A generous portion of food for 8 bucks. I saw people walking around with big plastic bags of kettle corn, and I knew I had to get one! It was so yummy...6 bucks for a bag. Drinks are way overpriced, so bring your own. Activities: Very kid friendly -- had a section where kids can make their own kites. Other fun activities like banana tag (?). There were kite shows in the sky nonstop. From SOLO the world's largest octopus kite to kite ballet competitions. Weather: If you get there early, it's super cold and foggy. Bring a sweatshirt. Even later on during the day when the fog rolls away, it's still fairly brisk. It's windy aka kite weather after all! Overall, lots of fun things to see and do. An awesome way to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning/afternoon. Not to mention, it was all free! Will be back again next year.

    Self serve shaved ice. A kid's dream come true.
    Vi T.

    Location, location, location. Larger than life kites with the fricking OCEAN and clear blue sky as a backdrop. Simply breathtaking... not to mention there were some beautifully vibrant kites of all shapes and sizes floating amongst them and being flown by enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels (the set up for a true family friendly event :D ). Looooved that they had different segments going on throughout the day and that it wasn't just a bunch of random people flying kites. That wouldn't have been bad either since I'm fairly easy to please when it comes to my mini Vi-adventures, but it was nice. For the kiddies, they dropped candy from one of the large kites -- kind of a pinata/egg hunt type of situation. This was separated by age group, of course, so as not to get the smaller children trampled on. They also did this kite showdown where professional handlers would attempt to take down the kites of others in a last-man-standing competition. Exciting stuff for a dork like me. In terms of the venders, it seemed like your generic county fair fare, but I have to say, I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff either way. Grabbed myself a turkey leg for $10 that everyone kept stopping me to ask about. Of course, there was the shaved ice, hot dogs, garlic fries, and even dry ice drinks as well as booths selling jewelry and/or other nick nacks. Certainly enough things to eat and peruse through to keep ya busy. BUT this festival falls just short of five stars and here's why: the parking is pretty ridiculous. Although I was personally lucky enough to find a spot near the entrance almost immediately, I can't say most people experienced what I did. Lines for the shuttles were insaaaaane. Still, I think I'll be back next year... and with my own kite! I just hope I don't take anyone's eye out :p

    Mona W.

    This was such a beautiful event. Vibrant and colorful kites in a variety of shapes and styles nicely decorated the sky. I was a first timer to the kite festival and I was not disappointed. The octopus kites were just so lovable. The kite ballet and battles were fun to watch. Couple of tips for other first timers - 1. Arrive early if you could. Try to get here before 12 or you might be stuck in traffic and shuttle line for a really long time. 2. Dress warm and in layers. It is extremely windy but could also get quite hot around noon. 3. Bring your blanket, fold-able chairs or something to sit on. It is a laid-back event. If you are not flying a kite you will most likely be sitting on the grass staring at the sky. 4. Apply plenty of sunscreen and bring your sunglasses. 5. Bring some cash for food if you plan to eat there. There is an ATM machine but it is far from the food vendors. 6. Bring your kite and have fun!

    Giant kites

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Berkeley Kite Festival

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    Free shuttle to Berkeley Kite Festival -- from Golden Gate Field ;-)

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    Review Highlights - Berkeley Kite Festival

    I usually just walk over to the Marina using the pedestrian overpass bridge that goes over 80.

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    Temescal Street Fair - Ruby's Garden Fashion Show, Temescal Street Fair 07.

    Temescal Street Fair

    4.5(22 reviews)
    3.8 miTemescal, North Oakland, Rockridge

    ** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. **…read more I know this wasn't technically the annual Temescal Street Fair, but I don't believe the event on Sunday, October 25, had an actual name. It was referred to as a picnic which made sense if you took advantage of the neighborhood restaurants offering outdoor seating. Jamie W. and I did by having our first real outdoor dining experience together right outside of Daol Tofu & BBQ, a relatively new Korean spot that made an excellent Bo Ssam for two with tables that were properly distanced from each other. Even more than that though, this urban picnic offered us an opportunity to roam the neighborhood and take notice of all the ethnically diverse array of eateries at our own pace. I actually found the absence of mobile amusement rides, performance stages, and free salsa lessons blessings in disguise. This was held in response to Oakland's Flex Streets initiative, where restaurants and shops take over closed blocks for brief periods of time. During these challenging times, I welcome these picnics and hope more are scheduled. RELATED - Exploring Temescal? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2I0RAHj

    This is a big Street Fair!! I decided to take BART here, a super convenient way to go, just get…read moreoff at MacArthur station, and it's literally around the corner. I also took my bicycle, lots of bike parking here also. Lots of food choices here, and I like how all the businesses in the area are open also for even more choices. There are 2 music stages, the one at the end had salsa going when I got there, with everybody doing the salsa. Lots to see, buy, and taste, I'll definitely be back!!!

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    Temescal Street Fair - Ruby's Garden Fashion Show, Temescal Street Fair 07.

    Ruby's Garden Fashion Show, Temescal Street Fair 07.

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    Solano Stroll - Massage tent

    Solano Stroll

    4.3(35 reviews)
    2.9 miBerkeley Hills

    This is an awesome annual street fair featuring a mile-long stretch of vendors and entertainers on…read moreSolano Avenue. Such diverse offerings, it's hard to run out of things to see and do. Rescue pigeons and doves, Berkeley Humane with cats and puppies available for adoption, 3-D Theater tent, karaoke, face & body art, an artisan and art fair, massage tents, magic shows, balloon artists, the Big Bubble People (creating giant bubbles for the kids as well as bubble play), judo demos, taiko drumming performances, lots of dance routines, and plenty of live music entertainment, at least one stage/tent on every block with different bands playing throughout the day, in addition to youth orchestras... and there were a LOT of blocks that seemed to never end (I was planning to watch The Long Walk later that day, and felt like I was actually living it here before even seeing the film). Community organization booths included the Happy Day montessori school and Child Therapy Institute, among others. And there was no shortage of food and drink options to grab a snack or meal, a combination of local brick-and-mortar businesses along the street as well as food trucks and vendor tents serving anything and everything, from mediterranean bites to asian fusion to cajun cuisine, along with classic dishes like pizza, hot dogs, and loaded fries. I picked up lunch from Tante's food stand and enjoyed a delicious hot link and potato-spinach knish. The only downsides to this event were the crowds, making it hard to move around at times, and the parking situation which was difficult in the surrounding neighborhood streets.

    Great annual community event. Bring a hat and water if it's a sunny day. There are so many stands…read morerelated to the community businesses and high school organizations, as well as several vendors for food, crafts, cute trinkets. This event has a tradition of happening a week after school starts. Good way to discover the businesses and organizations in Albany/Berkeley.

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    Solano Stroll - Berkeley Humane (cats & puppies)

    Berkeley Humane (cats & puppies)

    Solano Stroll - Food/merchandise vendors

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    Jazz on Fourth - Jazz Event 5/17/15

    Jazz on Fourth

    4.8(4 reviews)
    1.0 miFourth Street, West Berkeley
    $$

    I was rolling with a Group of Friends , That were going to Brunch and we happened upon this Blues…read moreFestival. It happen to be "The 20th Annual Jazz on Fourth Festival " . 20th Annual Jazz on Forth Festival is presented by the Fourth Street Merchants and KCSM/Jazz 91 . 20th Annual Jazz on Fourth Festival took place on Sunday May 17, 2015 from Noon - 5 PM. 20th Annual Jazz on Fourth Festival benefits Berkeley High School Jazz Program a very Worth While Cause. The Performers were : 2 Berkeley High School Jazz Combos Mal Sharpes Big Money In Jazz Band With Special Guest Kellye Gray Terrie Odabi and Edgardo + Candela - A Salsa band . The Jazz on Fourth Festival has raised over $175,000 for Berkeley Highs School Jazz Program since the Festivals Inception. Its a wonderful Festival that doesnt charge an Admission fee . It is Free.

    What a great weekend festival in Berkeley! I ran right into this event before going to brunch with…read morea couple of friends and didn't even know it existed! The 20th Annual Jazz on Forth Festival took place on Sunday 5/17/15 from 11AM to 5PM. I was on my way to have breakfast brunch with my dinner crew and seen all the stages and booth set up! It was such a delight. They had two music stages: One near Bette's Diner and the other near the Pasta Shop. Both stages were playing great music and had a lovely band that had me swinging my hips back and forth. They had tons of food booths even Bette's Diner selling many different varieties of foods such as: Corn on the cob, Pizza, BBQ and hotdogs. They even had a free photo booth from Photolabatory.com which is a photo print lab! Although I didn't get a chance to take a free photo I will definitely look for that booth next year! I will definitely be back to this again next year! It was tons of fun and so many venders! WAY TO GO JAZZ ON FOURTH!

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    Jazz on Fourth - Jazz Event 5/17/15

    Jazz Event 5/17/15

    Jazz on Fourth - Jazz Event 5/17/15

    Jazz Event 5/17/15

    Jazz on Fourth - Jazz Event 5/17/15

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    Fire Arts Festival - Julie Blaustein's "Serpent Mother"

    Fire Arts Festival

    4.1(21 reviews)
    4.8 miWest Oakland

    NARRATIVE Approaching and passing the West Oakland BART…read moreStation giants and giantesses constructed from metal begin to fill the skyline. As the sun sets, fire tongues lick and leap from metal sculptures. Robots lumber and throw flames. Leather pants, and fire tools abound to the marvel and disbelief of the attendees and to the satisfaction of the artists and performers. CONTACT INFORMATION The Crucible 1260 7th Street Oakland, CA 94607 Phone: 510-444-0919 Email: info@thecrucible.org HOURS Wednesday-Saturday, 2nd week in July 8 pm - midnight * Fire & Arts Soiree is held on Saturday. PRICE RANGE Luxurious (but worth it!) or ask to volunteer! SUMMARY After 7 years of watching this flaming spectacle from the freeway and that BART-way I finally decided to volunteer to get a grounds-eye view of the goings-on. From the gorgeous Serpent Mother to the stories upon stories of metal sculpture gods and goddesses surrounded by a flaming garden of spectacle, art, robotics, pyrotechnics, demonstration, and interactivity (DANCE DANCE IMMOLATION!), the entire site is alight with elements that entice and delight all ages. Last night I served as a youth escort and worked with another youth escort to introduce the little 5 years olds to the fire arts and explain how it all worked. Their eyes (as well as mine) opened wide at the wonder of so much fire, noise, music, performances, and characters that abounded on the grounds. The Fire Oddesey combines dance, theater, opera, live and recorded music, humor, acrobatics, aerobatics that filled the bleachers and held the audiences delight. All hail the Fire Arts Festival and the Crucible for an excellent event! SERVICE Awesome. Well organized from the layout to the volunteer experience and the participant logistics. RESTROOMS Port-o-potties with handwashing stations! (Always appreciated.) SUGGESTION More demonstrations of the how these pieces were created or perhaps a pre-festival gallery walk where we can ask the artists how these pieces were created!

    So, there were some big improvements to the previous year's FAF. First, it is in a much larger…read morespace. You had to shuttle from Bart this year, but that looked very organized. I drove this year, and parking was very easy and the security for the event was on top of everything. Second, they do have a few new exhibits... not many, but the Pendulum of Fire, which I think is new, just rocked. On Saturday, it did full loops and it was amazing to photograph. Third, they did seem to improve the bathroom and food situations. Now, I'll speak from the photography side of things. First, I would recommend going on the earlier days as it is difficult to maneuver through the Saturday crowds. I love the ease of being able to get credentialed for the event, but you still have to battle people just walking in front of your shot. Since they paid the same price as you, you can't really get upset at it happening, but it did ruin some nice shots. Second, I did feel that I was repeating my shots from last year. The new exhibits were great, but after 2 hours of shooting I felt like I had exhausted my captures. Last, for some reason, I was not as impressed with the stage entertainment as I was last year. I can't really explain. Don't know if it was the acoustics or what, but it just seem to be off. I think I might be in the minority. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicksaveandabeauty/sets/72157621569257643/

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    Fire Arts Festival
    Fire Arts Festival - Oakland Arrival

    Oakland Arrival

    Fire Arts Festival - Pendulum of Fire

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    Pendulum of Fire

    Rockridge Out & About

    Rockridge Out & About

    4.1(11 reviews)
    4.1 miRockridge, North Oakland

    After seeing the Raiders and the 49ers win .-Just Win Baby . It was time for ROA . I jumped in the…read moreWeekend Whip cranked some Black Eyed Peas and rolled to Rockridge . I was able to park on a side street 2 blocks away from the Festival. I street Hiked to ROA and started Wandering the Festival. I was Pleased to see Plenty of People , Plenty of Food Trucks and Booths , Beer Tents and Live Entertainment. I was entranced by Paul's Paella Booth and Got a Seafood Paella from them that was quite Yummy. I then found the Beer tent and got a Adams Black Lager Ale. The Festival is quite Big . Well worth attending . I really like the 57th Street Gallery Stage with the Live Jazz Band . I noticed a lot of Restaurants I haven't been to . Ill remedy that over time LOL. The ROA is a great way to feature the Rockridge Area and Local businesses.

    2nd yr to Rockridge Out & About Sun 10/9/11. From Union City Bart on Sundays gotta transfer at…read more19th St & take Pittsburg/Bay Point train. Got there kinda late. Spin the Wheel at Market Hall. Got a Grab Bag w/ Ancho Chicken Rub. Another ticket got a Magnet. Stood in line again the Market Hall Red Bag. Wanted the Gift Certificate but it's too hard to win. Wood Tavern - bought a $7 pastrami sandwich. Very good & filling. With a beer it's $10. Cash only. Window only, restaurant wasn't open. Southie's next door was packed. Food demo - tried a Spinach quiche & some chocolates from Bittersweet Cafe. Trader Joe's had samples of soda drank, peanut butter pretzels, & Jo-Jos Halloween cookie. Lots of food vendors & some food trucks. Worth going every yr!

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    Berkeley Kite Festival - festivals - Updated May 2026

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