Hello Richmondside readers. Some highlights of this week’s What’s Up column include: Swing dancing on a historic ship, the start of a new season at a popular community theater and a fundraiser to help youths in crisis.
Also: Join a group of runners training for some upcoming races, learn how to get a rebate when you buy an e-bike, meet a former NBA player at a Black career expo or make yourself a smoothie with a bike.
And finally, if you’re looking for information about ongoing things to do in Richmond (many of which are free), we’ve got you covered. Learn where to hike or go swimming, take an exercise class, visit art museums, and find family friendly activities using our daily things to do list.
Things to know and do in Richmond
- Things to know and do in Richmond
- Things to know
- Things to do
- ‘Be a Kid’ event is raising money for youth emergency services
- Masquers Playhouse begins 2025-2026 season
- SS Red Oak ship hosting swing dance fundraiser
- No prescription required for a park wellbeing day
- Get rolling on alternative transportation at Mobility Fair
- Career expo for Black men features NBA’s Gary Payton
- Barbecue and blues this weekend at the Moose Lodge
- Get in shape with other Richmond runners
- Live music, comedy at local establishments
- Related stories
Things to know
Buy an electric bicycle, get a rebate
You may be eligible to get some cash back when you buy an electric bicycle via the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s e-bike rebate program.
Adults who’ve purchased an electric bike in the past six months can apply. There is a limit of one rebate per person and one rebate per household address.
The rebates range from $150 to $300, depending on a person’s household income.
If you’re looking for an even larger rebate, on Tuesday the state will be accepting applications to give away a limited number of $2,000 vouchers. Learn more about the vouchers here.
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to honor Asian Americans
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will honor the cultural heritage and contributions of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) communities at a meeting next month.
The 3rd Annual AANHPI Heritage Month Commemorative will take place at 11 a.m. during the board’s May 13 meeting.
This year’s theme is “Roots of Resilience” in honor of the strength and enduring legacy of the AANHPI community.
The multi-media event will include stories of Contra Costa County residents such as Sonnara Sen, who is of Cambodian heritage and was born in a refugee camp in the Philippines, and Eizo Kobayashi, a U.S. citizen who at age 10 was interned with his family at the Topaz Relocation Center in Utah.
There will also be live performances representing traditions from Japanese, Filipino, Cambodian, Chinese, and other AANHPI cultures.
Richmond artist receives fellowship award
Christy Chan, a Richmond visual artist known for large-scale projections on Bay Area buildings, political protest art and participatory community performances, is one of four recipients of a fellowship from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation.
The Oakland-based foundation supports artists who use “bold, innovative approaches to their disciplines and are making significant contributions to the arts field.”
The four Rainin Arts Fellowships this year total $400,000.
Chan was cited by the foundation for “blending video, installation, and social practice to facilitate authentic, unapologetic storytelling through trust and collaboration.”
You can currently view her work in the group show “Anti-Authoritarian” at Telematic in San Francisco through June 7. In conjunction with the exhibit, Chan will host a small two-part workshop on designing and planning large scale projection art on May 14 and May 20. Registration is required.
Nominate a west Contra Costa County teacher to show your appreciation
You can help thank your favorite West Contra Costa Unified School District teacher by nominating them for a gift during Teacher Appreciation Month in May.
The nonprofit organization Go Public Schools, which is asking for the nominations, will give teachers a gift and feature them on its social media channels.
Nominate a teacher by filling out this form by Fri., April 25.
Help rename the city’s Mobile Vendor Program
City officials are looking for your help in renaming the Mobile Vendor Program.
Vote for which name you like best: “The Lot”: Downtown Richmond Food Court; “The Lot”: Downtown Richmond Street Food; or “The Lot”: Downtown Richmond Food Hub.
The program, which began in July of 2024, provides venues where sidewalk vendors can sell food in compliance with city regulations and offers training for aspiring entrepreneurs.
City officials are asking residents to vote on one of three choices in an effort to “enhance community identity and engagement through a refreshed market name that better reflects local values and culture.”
The mobile vendors are on Macdonald Avenue on Thursdays and Saturdays as well as at the Civic Center Farmers Market on Fridays and the Marina Bay Farmers Market on Sundays.
Things to do
‘Be a Kid’ event is raising money for youth emergency services
Adults will get a chance to see the world from a child’s perspective at a fundraiser for youth programs.
The RYSE Center is hosting its annual “Be a Kid” fundraiser to raise money for its Youth Emergency Fund, which helps more than 400 Richmond youths who need emergency housing, school supplies, clothing and transportation.
The theme of this year’s fundraiser, which is for adults 21 years and older, is “Choose Your Frequency: Tuning Toward Possibility.”
Activities will include vision boarding, plate breaking, roller skating and a silent auction. Tickets to the event range from $60 to $340.
The “Be a Kid” fundraiser will be held on Fri., April 25, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the RYSE Center, 3939 Bissell Ave. in Richmond.
Masquers Playhouse begins 2025-2026 season
The Masquers Playhouse is kicking off its 2025-2026 season this weekend with the play “Other Desert Cities.”
The show will be on the Masquers’ Point Richmond stage from April 25 to May 18. The play centers on a young woman who returns home for Christmas with plans to publish a memoir on a tragic event in her family’s past.
General admission tickets are $35. Students and seniors can purchase tickets for $30.
There are three other plays scheduled at Masquers for the remainder of 2025. You can purchase season tickets for $135.
The Masquers Playhouse is celebrating its 70th season this year. The volunteer nonprofit community theater was started in 1955 by choir members at Hillside Community Church in El Cerrito.
The Masquers Playhouse season begins with a showing of “Other Desert Cities” on Fri., April 25, at 105 Park Place in Point Richmond.
SS Red Oak ship hosting swing dance fundraiser
Don your swirly skirts and dapper suits to enjoy dance lessons and swing music at the first big event this year on a historic ship in Richmond.
The SS Red Oak will be hosting the 2025 Spring Swing Dance this weekend.
The event will feature Big Band music of the 1930s and 1940s from the Alpha Rhythm Kings. There will also be dance lessons taught by Suzie Hardt of the Hidden City Ballroom in Point Richmond.
Hot dogs and other snacks will be available for purchase in the ship’s galley as well as beer, wine and cocktails in the ship’s Tiki Bar Lounge. You can also take a tour of the Red Oak, the last of the victory ships that were built at the Richmond shipyards during World War II.
Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for kids.
The 2025 Spring Swing Dance will be held on Sat., April 26, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the SS Red Oak, 1337 Canal Blvd.
No prescription required for a park wellbeing day
Zumba. Bicycle-powered smoothies. Crochet.
You can enjoy those activities as well as the fresh air at a free event sponsored by the city of Richmond.
The Park RX Day at Nicholl Park is described as a day of health, nature and well-being.
Activities will include pedaling a bicycle to make a smoothie, a community Zumba class, group crocheting and making your own herbal wellness scrub.
The Park RX Day will be held on Sat., April 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nicholl Park, 3230 Macdonald Ave. in Richmond.
Get rolling on alternative transportation at Mobility Fair
You can learn about getting around town without a car at a free event in El Cerrito.
The Go Green! Mobility Fair will feature electric bikes and electric vehicles as well as information on local transit and BART parking.
Bike East Bay will also host a Family Cycling Workshop as part of the activities.
The Go Green! Mobility Fair will be held on Sat., April 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the El Cerrito Plaza BART station’s north parking lot, 515 Richmond St. in El Cerrito.
Career expo for Black men features NBA’s Gary Payton
Black men can learn about business, finance, real estate and other matters at an event this weekend.
The Career Expo is being sponsored by the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area.
The purpose is to provide young adults with a road map toward career options.
Former National Basketball Association star Gary Payton is the featured speaker.
The Career Expo will be held on Sat., April 26, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Contra Costa College, 2600 Mission Bell Drive.
Barbecue and blues this weekend at the Moose Lodge
You can enjoy blues, barbecue and beer at the Moose Lodge this weekend.
Tickets for Blues, Brews and Barbecue are $33.85, fees included, per person. People under 21 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Blues, Brews and Barbecue will be held on Sun., April 27, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Moose Lodge Richmond, 4660 Appian Way in El Sobrante.
Get in shape with other Richmond runners
A new running club is organizing a trio of weekly scheduled workouts in downtown Richmond.
The Community Run Club is hosting runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. The Tuesday and Thursday runs begin at 5 a.m., and the Saturday run starts at 9 a.m. All runs begin at the CoBiz Richmond offices, 1503 Macdonald Ave.
Community Run Club members are training for the Presidio Half Marathon in San Francisco on June 22 as well as the We Run Richmond 5K on July 27.
The club has been organized by P4P Athletics, which is located at 3219 Macdonald Ave.
Live music, comedy at local establishments
A number of establishments in Richmond feature live music, entertainment and other events each week.
The Backyard, 205 Cutting Blvd., is a kid and dog friendly outdoor beer and wine garden with food and live music. This weekend’s lineup includes DJ e-LIVE, who will fill the air with music on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Sunday, vinyl reggae tunes can be heard from noon to 8 p.m.
The Factory Bar, 12517 San Pablo Ave., which features indoor and dog friendly patio seating, will host food trucks and pop-up eateries most evenings with karaoke set for Tuesday night as well as Whiskey Wednesday the following evening. DJ Sir Slushalot will entertain the crowd on Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The waterfront Riggers Loft Wine Company, 1325 Canal Blvd., will have live music on Friday. Mojo Messengers will play classic rock hits from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The outdoor waterfront Sailing Goat restaurant, 1900 Stenmark Drive, with views of San Francisco Bay at San Pablo Harbor, will feature live music this weekend. On Saturday, the Mighty Neptunes will perform classic blues and classic rock from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Sunday, the pop, folk and rock band Big City Trees will take the stage from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m.
The Windchaser Wine Company, 1352 S. 49th St., is hosting Jazz and Oysters on Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with the Arts Spring Quartet and Rocky Island Oyster Company.
