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Berkeley Festivals & Annual Events
2024
October
Indigenous Peoples Day Powwow & Indian Market
On Saturday, October 12, Berkeley’s 32nd annual Indigenous Peoples Day Powwow & Indian Market will take place at Civic Center Park in downtown Berkeley. Native American foods, Arts & Crafts and American Indian culture are celebrated along with a variety of ceremonial dances.
In 1991, the Berkeley City Council unanimously declared that October 12 be commemorated henceforth in Berkeley as “Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People.” The first Berkeley Indigenous Peoples Day was celebrated on October 12,1992 with ceremonies, speeches, parades, exhibits and events in schools, libraries, museums, art galleries, and UC Berkeley. This also marked the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the struggle of the Indigenous People of the Americas to retain their culture and identity under the extremely difficult conditions of colonization.
Indigenous Peoples Day quickly became a tradition, and is now celebrated around the country and around the world. Join us to celebrate and honor of all our ancestors, the people continuing the spirit today, and future generations. Co-sponsored by the City of Berkeley and Indigenous Peoples Day Committee.
2025
February
Celebration of Craft Beer Festival
March
Berkeley Restaurant Week returns in March 2025! Bon appétit Berkeley and get ready for March Munch Madness!
The renowned Bioneers Conference returns to Berkeley in March 2025. Engaging sessions focus on progressive policies, climate and environmental protection, and social justice.
April
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre
Continuing a 55-year relationship with Cal Performances, the magnificent dancers of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater return to campus each April for the company’s annual residency with an exuberant selection of recent works and Ailey masterpieces. Steeped in the sounds of jazz, blues, and hip-hop, the Ailey repertory celebrates the Black American experience, offering music and movement as expressions of pure joy and as opportunities for reflection and resistance.
Asian Cultural Festival
An annual celebration of Asian diversity and culture held in Civic Center Park right in the heart of Downtown Berkeley. Communities from all over the Bay Area and the world participate to showcase food, crafts, and performances. 2025 dates to be announced.
The annual Berkeley Bay Festival and Earth Day Celebration happens at the Berkeley Marina. Connect with the Bay and our local community through live music, performers, food, hands-on educational activities and free boat rides. This free family-focused event celebrates the Bay, its local wildlife, and the people and agencies dedicated to its protection. Over 30 environmental and wildlife conservation organizations from around the Bay will share their exhibits with the public. 2025 date to be announced.
The Wild and Scenic Film Festival
Stellar filmmaking, beautiful cinematography, and first-rate storytelling are playing at The Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Films explore nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, agriculture, and more.
May
An annual event since 1983, the Himalayan Fair fills Live Oak Park with vendors and crafts from all over, food from Himalayan regions and a stunning array of musicians and dancers. Classical and folk dances, ancient and modern music, traditional and fusion presentations, and more.
The Bay Area Book Festival is a world-class literary extravaganza taking place each year over two days in Downtown Berkeley. Since 2015, Bay Area Book Festival has featured the boldest and most brilliant literary voices in conversations about issues that matter, with a focus on justice and diversity.
Berkeley Festival & Exhibition
Founded in 1990 and produced by the San Francisco Early Music Society (SFEMS), the Berkeley Festival & Exhibition (BFX) has become one of the world’s largest and most important early music conclaves, deemed “a remarkable institution on the American musical scene” by The New York Times. This summer, eight days of scintillating music with 19 main stage concerts, as well as special events, a three-day exhibition, community workshops, and dozens of Fringe presentations!
June
Juneteenth in Berkeley is held annually in south Berkeley’s five-block Alcatraz-Adeline corridor. Communities nationwide have adopted JUNETEENTH as an occasion to celebrate African American culture and traditions, and as an opportunity to acknowledge contributions African Americans have made to the fabric of America.
August
The annual Front Row Festival brings music, food and drink to the Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza and surrounding streets. Presented by Meyer Sound and hosted by The Freight & Salvage, The Marsh, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Back Room, California Jazz Conservatory, and The UC Theatre.
October
Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival
Stand up for the Earth! Celebrate Writers, Nature, & Community at the 29th Annual Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival at Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center Park, alongside the Farmers’ Market, in downtown Berkeley. This event is free to the public. For program updates, see Poetryflash.org.
Celebrate the birds of Berkeley, including the Cal Falcons, at the annual Berkeley Bird Festival. 2025 dates coming soon.
