Hello Richmondside readers. In this week’s What’s Up column we’ll update you on how the city’s adult tennis teams fared at the USTA Northern California championships and share a few things to do, including an upcoming self-care walk, a town hall about making streets friendlier for bicyclists and pedestrians and a Valentine’s weekend concert.
Other upcoming events: Take a tour of the old Ford assembly plant and attend a discussion about the life of a Richmond labor leader.
Richmond things to know and do at-a-glance
- Richmond things to know and do at-a-glance
- Things to know
- Things to do
- ‘Love’ concert for Valentine’s Day weekend
- Educational tour of the Ford Assembly Plant is Saturday
- Presentation highlights life of Richmond labor leader William Lucy
- Immigration vigil set for Feb. 21 at St. Mark’s church
- Author discusses the difficulties faced by rural Black Americans
- Art exhibit by African painter opening in Point Richmond
- Take care of yourself with a walk along the Richmond shoreline
- Live music, comedy at local establishments
- More things to do in Richmond and beyond
Things to know
Tell the city about your bicycling and pedestrian needs
A second community meeting is scheduled for Saturday to get public input on the Neighborhood Complete Streets program.
At the meeting, city officials will share conceptual design ideas based on community feedback received in November.
The Complete Streets project is a transportation program designed to improve pedestrian and bicycle access for residents of the Iron Triangle, Santa Fe and Coronado neighborhoods.
Its goal is to close gaps and improve the existing walking and biking infrastructure on Harbour Way, Marina Way, Wright Avenue, and Ohio Avenue and to create better walking and biking connections between downtown Richmond, neighborhoods, schools, parks, the Richmond Greenway and the Richmond Ferry terminal. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2026.
The Town Hall will be Sat., Feb. 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Richmond College Prep school, 1014 Florida Ave.
Richmond tennis teams report mixed results at NorCal championships
Four teams from the Richmond Tennis Association recently competed at the Northern California Championships of the U.S. Tennis Association.
The matches took place in Sacramento late last month. It was the largest number of teams the RTA has ever fielded at the event.
The men’s 6.5-rated team won its first two matches before falling to a highly regarded team from Mountain View. (Teams are rated on a 2-to-9 skill level scale.)
The men’s 7.5-rated team won its first four matches before finally losing to top-seeded Clovis High School in the finals.
The women’s 8.5-rated team, hampered by some injured players, lost its first two matches. The men’s 8.5-rated team was victorious in its first four matches before finally being defeated in the finals.
“While the weekend didn’t end with a championship, the Richmond Tennis Association can be proud of what we achieved,” RTA officials said in a statement. “Our teams showed that we can compete with the best, and we walked away from sectionals stronger, more united, and more determined than ever.”
San Pablo scholarship applications now being accepted
Applications are now being accepted for the San Pablo Scholarship Pilot Program.
The three-year project provides financial support for post high school education and career technical training for people under the age of 24 who live in the incorporated boundaries of San Pablo.
The scholarship application asks students to share their goals to give the Selection Committee insight into how the funds will support their post-secondary ambitions.
As many as 100 scholarships will be awarded. Each scholarship is worth about $1,000. A total of $100,000 worth of scholarships will be distributed.
The deadline to apply is April 15. The recipients will be announced on July 15.
“The San Pablo Scholarship is a vital resource for our community, and we are excited to see the impact the public funds have on the lives of our youth, empowering them to create brighter futures,” said Paola Cubias-Shirazi, a community services coordinator for San Pablo, in a press statement.
Things to do
‘Love’ concert for Valentine’s Day weekend
In celebration of Valentine’s Day weekend, a “Love Jam” concert will be held at Richmond’s Memorial Auditorium.
The musical event will feature a variety of bands playing romance-related songs from The Temptations and other groups.
The concert is Sat., Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza. Tickets start at $39.19, including fees.
Educational tour of the Ford Assembly Plant is Saturday
You can learn about Richmond’s dynamic World War II history at a special tour.
The Manufacturing Pride Through Perseverance tour will be held on Saturday at the Rosie the Riveter Home Front National Historic Park, 1414 Harbour Way South in Richmond.
At the free event, a National Park Service ranger will discuss the history of the Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant in Richmond as it transitioned from manufacturing cars to assembling Jeeps and other military transports.
The tour is Sat., Feb. 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Rosie the Riveter Home Front National Historic Park, 1414 Harbour Way South in Richmond.
Presentation highlights life of Richmond labor leader William Lucy
An event will be held next week to remember a Richmond man who was a central figure in labor movements for Black workers.
The discussion of the life of William Lucy will be held on Feb. 19 at the main library in Richmond.
Lucy died in September at the age of 90. He was born in Memphis, Tenn., but grew up in Richmond after his father moved his family here to work in the shipyards.
Among other accomplishments, Lucy was the international secretary-treasurer of the American Federation State County and Municipal Employees for 40 years.
He also helped to co-found the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, stood alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Civil Rights struggles as well as Nelson Mandela in opposition to apartheid. Lucy co-founded the Free South African Movement, which sparked widespread opposition to apartheid.
The free talk will be held on Feb. 19, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Madeline F. Whittlesey Community Room at the main library, 325 Civic Center Plaza.
Immigration vigil set for Feb. 21 at St. Mark’s church
An Interfaith Immigration Vigil will be held at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Richmond next week.
The community is invited to join religious and political leaders to take a united stance in supporting and protecting immigrant families.
The event is being billed as “a first step toward advocating for a county-level policy with strong language in protection of our immigrants. Leaders and congregations from all faith traditions invited to attend.”
The vigil is set for Fri., Feb. 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 159 Harbour Way, Richmond.
Author discusses the difficulties faced by rural Black Americans
An author will discuss the difficulties Black Americans face in rural towns.
Ric Sheffield, a civil rights attorney who grew up in a small Ohio town, will detail his book, “We Got By,” at a free lecture at the West Side branch library on Feb. 26.
Sheffield says Black people in small towns navigate day-to-day existence in a world where trusting white neighbors requires a careful mixture of caution and faith.
He says they often experience the burden of racism alone while in the company of people who refuse to accept that such a thing exists.
The presentation is scheduled for Feb. 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the West Side Branch Library, 135 Washington Ave.
Art exhibit by African painter opening in Point Richmond
Point Richmond Gallery. Courtesy Point Richmond Gallery
An opening reception for the Africa Dreams of California art show will be held later this month at Point Richmond Gallery.
The free exhibit showcases the work of artist Yusuf Ssali, a Uganda native whose abstract paintings examine the intersection of cultures, experiences and personal growth. Ssali’s paintings and mixed media works are described as being “inspired by the riches of African culture and include abstraction, images of women, animals, landscapes, and more recently, urban cityscapes around the Bay Area.”
The reception is set for Sat., Feb. 22, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Point Richmond Gallery, 145 W. Richmond Ave. The show will be on view until March 28.
Take care of yourself with a walk along the Richmond shoreline
Social workers, students and community members are invited to participate in a walk along the Richmond shoreline.
The free event is designed as a “movement of purpose, connection, and support for those who shape our communities.”
The goal is to “de-stigmatize social work, inspire the next generation, and uplift those already in the field.”
The Self-Care Walk 2025 is scheduled for Sat., March 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, 5551 Giant Highway.
Live music, comedy at local establishments
A number of establishments in Richmond feature live entertainment and other events each week.
The Baltic Kiss restaurant, 135 Park Place, will feature a variety of bands on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. The Troubs and their heartfelt music will share the stage on Friday night with The Fricks and Bloodhum. Canyon, a folk and rock group, and Tell River, troubadours of American roots and alternative country music, will be the featured bands on Saturday night. That evening is also a fundraiser to help keep Baltic Kiss open. A $10 donation is suggested. Feral Katz, a soul jazz band, will perform Sunday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The Sailing Goat restaurant, 1900 Stenmark Drive, will feature live music on Saturday and Sunday. Jared Carbajal, a noted saxophonist, will bring his array of music to the stage from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. During the same hours on Sunday, the group Brazilian Happiness featuring Nilo Ayele will perform its variety of Afro-Brazilian music.
The Riggers Loft Wine Company, 1325 Canal Blvd, will have live music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. On Friday, the East Bay Band Groove Portal will perform its blend of soulful and funky beats. On Saturday, the Bryan Girard Quartet will bring its combination of saxophone, guitar, piano and drums to the stage. On Sunday, it’ll be jazz guitarist Jinx Jones entertaining the crowd.
The Factory Bar will host the music of DJ Sirslushalot on Thursday. Food trucks are also at the establishment every evening with karaoke is set for Tuesday evening and Whiskey Wednesday the following night along with the monthly stand-up comedy night.
Be sure to check out our calendar for more things to do in Richmond and add your local events for free.
