Hello Richmondside readers. Some highlights of this week’s What’s Up column include: A big Cinco de Mayo celebration, training for Neighborhood Watch leaders, Small Business Week seminars and a contest to give Rosie the Riveter a new look.
Also: Your choice of hikes in the El Cerrito hills, a performance by an Iranian singer who faced persecution for making music videos in her home country and an exhibit of what’s described as tag team art.
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
- Big Cinco de Mayo celebration planned for Richmond
- Hikes planned in the El Cerrito hills all weekend
- Iranian singer to perform in Richmond this weekend
- Tag, you’re it: Team art exhibit in Point Richmond
- Shadow puppets at Point Richmond community center
- Popular comedian on stage in El Cerrito
- Richmond artists featured in Contra Costa County exhibit
- Live music, comedy at local establishments
- Related stories
Things to know
Small Business Week events start May 3
A series of events for local entrepreneurs will be held in Richmond next week to spotlight National Small Business Week.
The Small Business Week Kickoff is set for Sat., May 3, from 10 a.m. to noon at CoBiz Richmond, 1503 Macdonald Ave. The free seminar will include information on business continuity, exit planning, life insurance protection and retirement planning.
Other events include:
- A seminar on access to capital on Mon., May 5, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in English and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Spanish at the CoBiz Richmond offices, 1503 Macdonald Ave.
- A small business forum sponsored by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and the Richmond Main Street Initiative on Tue., May 6, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Richmond Main Street Initiative offices, 1600 Nevin Plaza.
- A downtown walking tour hosted by the Richmond Main Street Initiative on Thur., May 7, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Meet at the RMSI office, 1600 Nevin Plaza.
- Seminars on how to start a business and how to become a vendor sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce on Fri., May 8, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 440 Civic Center Plaza.
- A Small Business Week Fair on Sat., May 10, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Downtown Richmond Food Court, 1401 Macdonald Ave.
Help give Rosie the Riveter a new look
You can help give the iconic Rosie the Riveter model a new look.
The Rosie the Riveter Trust is sponsoring a contest for adults and children to come up with new ways to portray the famous icon that represents women who worked in the shipyards and other places during World War II.
The contest, called “Rosie Reimagined: Visions of the Future,” is seeking creative interpretations of the Rosie image past, present and future through painting, photography, textile, digital art, poetry and other mediums.
There are three age categories: Children (10 and under); youth (11 to 17); adult (18 and up). Entries are due on July 15.
The selected works will be displayed in a virtual exhibit as part of the Rosie the Riveter National Park’s 25th Anniversary celebration.
County recruiting Measure X committee members
Contra Costa County officials are looking for individuals who would like to serve on the Measure X Fiscal Oversight Committee.
Measure X is a half-cent countywide sale tax approved by voters in 2020 to fund general improvement projects. It generates about $120 million per year. The committee reviews Measure X expenditures to assure they conform to the standards set by the ballot measure.
The committee, which meets two to three times a year, also oversees an annual audit of expenditures and tax revenues.
You can apply by filling out this form.
Learn how to lead your Neighborhood Watch program
Did you know the Richmond Police Department offers virtual training sessions for people who want to lead their Neighborhood Watch programs?
The next block captain training session is Wed., May 28, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. These free Zoom sessions are held twice a year and are open to all Richmond residents.
The sessions provide participants with a block captain tool kit, signs, decals, and all the necessary tools to engage their neighbors in promoting a safer community.
You can sign up for the event by filling out this online form.
Things to do
Big Cinco de Mayo celebration planned for Richmond
The 20th Anniversary of Richmond’s Cinco de Mayo Celebration is scheduled for this weekend. If last year’s crowd of 15,000 attendees is any indication, the event is likely to be packed.
Among the sponsors of the free event are the city of Richmond, the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the 23rd Street Merchants Association, PG&E and Chevron.
The festivities will include live performances, dancing, a wrestling exhibition, children’s activities and traditional food.
The 2025 Cinco de Mayo celebration will be held on Sun., May 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 23rd Street between Rheem Avenue and Clinton Avenue.
Hikes planned in the El Cerrito hills all weekend
You have your choice of guided themed hikes this weekend in the El Cerrito hills.
There are seven hikes planned for Saturday and six hikes slated for Sunday.
On Saturday, there is a morning bird walk, a midday insect hike and an evening tree hike. On Sunday, you can enjoy a morning medicinal plant walk, an afternoon geology hike and an evening native plant amble.
You can check out the full schedule of hikes at this website.
The hikes are free. They’re sponsored by the El Cerrito Trail Trekkers and the El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee.
The 11th Annual El Cerrito Hillside Festival will be held on Sat., May 3, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sun., May 4, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in El Cerrito’s Hillside Nature Area, 7501 Schmidt Lane, El Cerrito. Free.
Iranian singer to perform in Richmond this weekend
Courtesy Gelareh Sheibani
A woman who was prosecuted in Iran for singing will perform on stage this weekend in Richmond.
Gelareh Sheibani was part of an underground band as a teenager in Iran, which has strict guidelines limiting how women can sing in public.
She was eventually arrested for making videos and had to promise to stop performing to avoid being prosecuted.
Sheibani eventually moved to China to resume her musical career and now lives in the United States, where she performs at festivals and other events.
Sheibani’s performance is sponsored by Diaspora Arts Connection.
Gelareh Sheibani will perform on Sat., May 3, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Central Stage, 5221 Central Ave. in Richmond. General admission tickets are $50.
Tag, you’re it: Team art exhibit in Point Richmond
Artwork created in a tag team fashion will be displayed this weekend in Point Richmond.
Art Tag brings together members of the community in a chain letter type of process.
In Art Tag, an artist chooses a theme and then creates a piece in a medium of their choosing. That work is then passed to another artist for further development. The process is then repeated one more time. The participants then gather and show their finished products.
The Art Tag Presentation will be held on Sun., May 4, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hidden City Ballroom, 304 Washington Ave. in Point Richmond. Free.
Shadow puppets at Point Richmond community center
You can delight in the world of shadow puppets at the Firelight Shadow Theater’s free exhibition next week.
The puppets will be performing some of the best-loved folktales from around the world. Audience participation is encouraged.
The Firelight Shadow Theater puppet show will take place on Tue., May 6, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Point Richmond Community Center, 139 Washington Ave.
Popular comedian on stage in El Cerrito
Comedian Steve Hofstetter is bringing his laugh parade to El Cerrito next week, but there are only a handful of tickets left.
Hofstetter’s videos on YouTube have garnered more than 225 million views. He also is the author of the books “Ginger Kid” and “Grape Expectations.”
The comedian describes his act as “comedy without apology.” His style is described as a “no-holds-barred stand-up performance, featuring some of his unfiltered observations about life.”
Comedian Steve Hofstetter will appear on stage on Wed., May 7, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Contra Costa Civic Theatre, 951 Pomona Ave. in El Cerrito. Tickets are $25 and up.
Richmond artists featured in Contra Costa County exhibit
Three artists from the Arts of Point Richmond are being spotlighted in a new exhibit at the Contra Costa County administration building, 1025 Escobar St. in Martinez.
The exhibit has been organized by Arts Contra Costa County, a nonprofit organization whose top priority is equitable and sustainable arts.
The three artists from the Arts of Point Richmond are contemporary artist Betsy Kellas, fused glass artist Bonnie Leonard and artist/photographer Sharon Taylor-Ward.
“The conceptual focus of Art Passages is to uplift, acknowledge, and provide meaningful curations.
Our goal is to showcase the world-class creative talent and artistic leaders of Contra Costa County. Through their dedication, they foster a deeper appreciation for the arts within our local communities,” said Jenny Balisle, the executive founding director of ARTSCCC.
The exhibit Art Passages opened on April 8 and will be displayed until July 7. The photographs and paintings from four community art organizations can be viewed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Free.
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 an afternoon of rhythm and blues from the five-piece Bay Area All Stars band on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. They’ll be followed by multi-instrumentalist Fritz DJ’s live music from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Sunday, the entertainment will start with guitarist Nilo Ayele, who’ll play his soulful rhythms from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Live karaoke will then take over the stage from 4 p.m. to 7 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. On Thursday, special music guest Duane Patton will be joined by Mikelle Morgan on stage from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Wednesday, they’ll be Comedy at the Factory Bar with a half-dozen Bay Area comedians performing 10 to 12 minutes each of their best material.
The waterfront Riggers Loft Wine Company, 1325 Canal Blvd., will have live music all weekend. On Friday, the Berkeley-based folk band Erica & Friends will perform UK pop music as well as Celtic tunes and upbeat pub songs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturday, the rock and blues group Satchmo’s Ghost will entertain from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, it’ll be Brazilian Project with samba and bossa nova music from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is a $5 coverage on all three days.
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, Banda Sin Nombre will perform folk music from around the world from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Sunday, Afroholix will provide a blend of funk, soul and jazz from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Windchaser Wine Company, 1352 S. 49th St., is hosting its monthly First Friday Out event along with The Factory Bar on Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will include music from SourFlower as well as a pickles and smoke barbecue and food from the Rocky Island Oyster Company.
