Hello Richmondside readers. Some highlights of this week’s What’s Up column include: A 25th anniversary celebration for the Rosie the Riveter park, the grand reopening of the refurbished mobile food vendor court in downtown Richmond and a new tool to track how the WCCUSD school board votes.
Also: You can provide input on how often Richmond’s free tool lending library should be open and view an exhibit of protest posters from Bay Area artists.
And finally, don’t miss this preview of Richmond summer events as well as a roundup of where to go swimming and ongoing things to do in Richmond (many of which are free).
Things to know and do
- Things to know and do
- Things to know
- Things to do
- Rosie the Riveter Park celebrates its 25th year
- Children’s mental health organization’s annual block party
- Grand reopening for downtown Richmond outdoor food court
- Shoot some hoops and help clean up a park
- Wrestling, sports and fandom art at the NIAD Center
- Early Father’s Day brunch at Richmond church
- Join a bird walk at Hilltop Lake in Richmond
- International exhibit on art, photography at CoBiz
- Exhibit showcases Bay Area artists’ protest posters
- Live music and more at local establishments
- Related stories
Things to know
Keep track of how WCCUSD school board members vote
An education nonprofit is piloting a new online tool to help the public keep tabs on how the West Contra Costa Unified School District school board votes.
The GO Board of Education Vote Tracker compiles how each school trustee has voted on individual issues.
Each line also has a brief explanation of the importance of that particular item, and users can sort the votes by several categories, including “budget,” ‘literacy” or “superintendent.”
GO officials say the vote tracker is just the first step in providing more transparency into how education policies are shaped.
“We believe that informed communities are empowered communities,” said Natalie Tovani-Walchuk, GO’s vice principal of local impact in a recent newsletter. “By making movements and votes of the board easier to track and interpret, this tool aims to offer meaningful insights into how board members are shaping the future of our schools.”
When should the Richmond Tool Library be open?
City officials are planning to expand the days and hours of its two free tool lending libraries, and they need your input.
They’ve posted an online survey for patrons to let them know when they’d like the tool libraries to be open and what services they’d like to have. The survey is open until June 30.
The libraries lend tools to Richmond residents for free to encourage self-sustainability.
The Richmond Tool Library at 3230 Macdonald Ave. opened in 2016. Tools can be checked out on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The North Richmond Mobile Tool Library rotates to various locations on the first and third Saturday of each month.
Formerly incarcerated adults ready to graduate
A half-dozen people who have rebuilt their lives after being incarcerated will be honored at a graduation ceremony on Friday.
The Richard Boyd Fellowship Graduation 2025 will feature live entertainment, food, beverages and a raffle.
The six graduates are part of the Safe Return Project program to train people who have spent time in prison on how to become community leaders and advocates.
The free ceremony lists as its themes “Breaking Barriers” and “Rising as Leaders.”
The keynote speaker will be Rodney “Alamo” Brown, who was honored in January as Contra Costa County’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian of the Year.
The Richard Boyd Fellowship Graduation 2025 is Fri., June 6, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at CoBiz Richmond, 1503 Macdonald Ave., Suite A.
Leadership Institute also celebrating graduates
Six graduates from a community leadership class will be receiving their diplomas this weekend.
FIERCE Advocates has organized the ceremony to spotlight graduates from its Community Education Leadership Institute (CELI).
The CELI program helps build a variety of practical skills for emerging leaders. These include learning about systemic inequities and how they impact education, health, and wellness, especially for low-income residents and communities of color in west Contra Costa County.
“Join us to lift up this unstoppable group of changemakers — ready to shake up the status quo and bring the power of community voices straight to where decisions are made,” FIERCE Advocate officials said.
The FIERCE Graduation Party will be held on Sat., June 7, starting at 11 a.m. at the FIERCE Advocates Healthy and Healing Center, 310 9th St. in Richmond.
Things to do
Rosie the Riveter Park celebrates its 25th year
A silver anniversary event is being held this week for the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historic Park in Richmond.
The Rosie Rally and 25th Anniversary Festival is designed to honor the women and men who worked on the homefront during World War II, in particular the shipyards in Richmond’s harbor.
The free event will include food trucks, games, live music, dancing and costume contests.
A six-piece jazz band will play 1940s music while a swing dance performance and dance lessons take place on the dance floor.
Activities for children will include games, arts, crafts and a Junior Ranger program hosted by park rangers.
Some of the surviving “Rosies,” now in their late 90s or older, who once were welders, pipe fitters, among other jobs, are expected to attend.
The festival is part of a year-long series of events marking the silver anniversary of the 2000 opening of the park, the first in the nation to recognize the efforts of people who worked in homefront industries during the war.
The Rosie Rally and 25th Anniversary Festival is Sat., June 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rosie the Riveter National Park, 1414 Harbour Way South in Richmond.
Children’s mental health organization’s annual block party
Richmond, held on June 7th, 2024. Credit: Maurice Tierney for Richmondside Credit: Maurice Tierney
The Early Childhood Mental Health Program (ECMHP) is holding its yearly summer celebration on Friday.
The 3rd Annual Summer Kick-Off is designed to bring the community together and shine a spotlight on children’s mental health programs.
The free event will feature a taco stand, Kona ice, live entertainment, community resource booths, prizes and a live animal show.
More than 300 guests, including city officials and community leaders, are expected.
The 3rd Annual Summer Kick-Off is scheduled for Fri., June 6, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Early Childhood Mental Health Program offices, 200 24th St. in Richmond.
Grand reopening for downtown Richmond outdoor food court
A grand reopening is planned for a mobile food vendor court in downtown Richmond.
The Lot is now operating in a new location with a freshly repaved parking lot.
The program was launched in October 2024 as the Mobile Vendor Program as a way to provide mobile food vendors with a dedicated legal place to sell their wares. Merchants on 23rd Street had complained that vendors without the proper permits were siphoning away their customers.
The Lot will feature vendors selling tacos, chicken, waffles, pupusas and more. It’s open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The grand reopening for The Lot is Sat., June 7, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Macdonald Avenue and Marina Way, a block from the Richmond BART station.
Shoot some hoops and help clean up a park
Fierce Advocates is combining a basketball skills camp with a park clean-up this weekend.
The free Basketball and Clean-Up event is designed for participants of all ages.
One of the nonprofit organization’s coaches will provide lessons on basketball skills. Afterward, there will be a volunteer cleanup of Lucas Park.
The Basketball and Cleanup clinic is scheduled for Sat., June 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lucas Park, 724 10th St. in Richmond.
Wrestling, sports and fandom art at the NIAD Center
Art that is focused on the performative form of wrestling and other sports will be the theme at a fundraising event this weekend.
The “Win Win 13: Championship Belt Edition” will feature an art raffle, guest athlete appearances and a tribute to two local art legends as well as a taco bar, cocktails and mocktails.
The event will also serve as the opening for the “Championship Belt” exhibit, which celebrates art and sports fandom with paintings and ceramic sculptures of the personalities of wrestling as well as the exuberance of the fan base. The exhibit will be open until Aug. 15.
Tickets are free or you can purchase them as a donation for $25 each. Raffle tickets are $25.
The “Win Win 13: Championship Belt Edition” event/opening is Sat., June 7, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the NIAD Art Center, 551 23rd St. in Richmond.
Early Father’s Day brunch at Richmond church
You can celebrate Father’s Day a little early this weekend at a brunch gathering.
The Father’s Day Brunch is sponsored by McGlothen Temple Church of God in Christ.
The purpose is to celebrate fathers in the Richmond community. The event is free, but pre-registration is required.
The Father’s Day Brunch will be held on Sat., June 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McGlothen Temple Church of God in Christ, 1443 Fred Jackson Way in Richmond.
Join a bird walk at Hilltop Lake in Richmond
The Golden Gate Bird Alliance is hosting a bird walk next week around Hilltop Lake.
The easy 1-mile stroll will go around the freshwater pond surrounded by willows, cattails, native vegetation and ornamental trees and shrubs. Sightings may include woodpeckers, wrens, occasional waders and shorebirds, hummingbirds and raptors.
The trail is paved, and there are two concrete benches along the way. Parking can be found in the Richmond YMCA lot.
Pre-registration ends on Mon., June 9. The hike is limited to 20 people.
The Golden Gate Bird Alliance hike is Wed., June 11, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Hilltop Lake Park at Lakeside Drive and Richmond Parkway.
International exhibit on art, photography at CoBiz
An exhibit featuring two international artists is on the display at CoBiz Richmond.
The free exhibit, “Collective We,” opened on May 29 and will continue until Oct. 23. It’s described as a “visual meditation on identity, belonging, and shared humanity — told through the expressive lens of contemporary figurative painting and photography.”
The exhibit features the artwork of Kateryna Bortsova, an artist from Ukraine who paints dreamlike figures that are often partially hidden by balloons and blooms. She has had exhibits in Europe and Asia as well as the United States.
The exhibit also spotlights the photography of Aran (Nima Raadparda) of Iran, whose images are described as “emotionally charged, socially conscious portraits.” His photos have been on display throughout Europe.
The show is co-sponsored by RevArt, a nonprofit organization that uses technology to help make art more accessible worldwide.
CoBiz Richmond is at 1503 Macdonald Ave., Ste. A.
Exhibit showcases Bay Area artists’ protest posters
An exhibit in Richmond will spotlight protest posters that highlight environmental, political and social issues.
The free exhibit, “Take to the Streets,” opens this weekend and runs through June 29 at the Point Richmond Gallery. The gallery is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The posters are the work of a variety of Bay Area artists. They include images of Kamala Harris, Elon Musk and a variety of immigrants.
The opening reception for “Take to the Streets” is Sat., June 7, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Point Richmond Gallery, 145 W. Richmond Ave.
Live music and more at local establishments
A number of establishments in Richmond feature live music, entertainment and other events each week.
The Armistice Brewing Company, 845 Marina Bay Parkway, Ste. 1, hosts a bingo night every Tuesday as well as free trivia games on Wednesday evenings and free game nights on Thursday evenings. On Sunday, it will also feature live music with the Critical Grass band from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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 guitarist Nilo Ayele, who will perform on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The East Brother Beer Company, a child-friendly and dog-friendly taproom at 1001 Canal Blvd., C-2, hosts food trucks Wednesdays through Sundays.
The Factory Bar, 12517 San Pablo Ave., which features indoor and dog friendly outdoor 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, DJ Sir Slushalot will spin tunes from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The waterfront Riggers Loft Wine Company, 1325 Canal Blvd., will have live music on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with the Lee Waterman Organ Trio. On Sunday, the Joe Brennan Band will hit the stage with its blend of rock, Americana and bluegrass music from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is a $5 music cover charge on both evenings.
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 Friday, guitarist and vocalist Jimmy Leslie will perform from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Sunday, The Evening Hawks will be on stage with their three-part harmonies from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Windchaser Wine Company, 1352 S. 49th St., is hosting its Friday Nights Out on Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with music from The Heebie Jeebie’s. On Saturday, Richmond Ukelele Mayhem will perform at the First Saturday Potluck Jam from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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