There is plenty to keep you entertained, educated and civically engaged this week in Richmond and nearby communities.
Highlights include: A masquerade party for Richmond neighborhoods, a seminar on backyard fruit trees and a wide variety of winter arts and crafts classes.
For more, see our list of ongoing things to do (many of which are free). Also, don’t forget to add your events to our free community calendar.
- Learn about discrimination against Italian-Americans in Richmond during World War II
- Meet people from other neighborhoods at community masquerade party
- Learn how to make your fruit trees flourish
- A second chance to hear author discuss “Shipyard Gals” novel
- Leisurely bird walk around Hilltop Lake
- Winter session classes have begun at Richmond Art Center
- Free soccer camps for Richmond youths
- New leadership at NIAD Art Center
- Nominations being accepted for Contra Costa Youth Hall of Fame
- Get involved by volunteering for a county commission
- Related stories
Learn about discrimination against Italian-Americans in Richmond during World War II
You can learn about how Italian-Americans were mistreated in Richmond during World War II at a forum that will be offered twice today.
Author Lindsay Marie Morris will tap research from her latest novel “Beneath the Sicilian Stars” for her presentations in Richmond.
The first will be held on Thur., Jan. 8, at 3 p.m. at the Rosie the Riveter Historical Museum. The second will be held at 6 p.m. at the West Branch library in Point Richmond.
Morris says that the internment of Japanese-Americans in the United States during World War II has been well-documented, but the story of what happened to Italian-Americans during that time is lesser known.
She said that hundreds of families were forced to leave their homes in Richmond during the war in which Italy fought on the side of Germany. She said family farms disappeared and businesses were closed.
“It was a time when identity was stigmatized and when families were punished because they carried traits similar to those held by [Italian leader Benito] Mussolini,” she said. “And we are experiencing history’s echoes as we once again confront current questions about surveillance, civil rights violations, and detention of ‘enemy aliens.’ ”
Forums on Italian-Americans during World War II, Thur., Jan. 8, 3 p.m., Rosie the Riveter history museum, 1414 Harbour Way South; and 6 p.m., West Branch library, 135 Washington Ave. Free.
Meet people from other neighborhoods at community masquerade party
Richmonders will get a chance to meet one another at a community party sponsored by the city of Richmond.
The Meet Your Neighbors Masquerade will be a semi-formal dance party that will feature music, food and social games.
There will also be an interactive gallery displaying highlights from last year’s series of city-sponsored neighborhood events.
The dance party is free, but registration is required. Attendees must be at least 18.
Meet Your Neighbors Masquerade, Sat., Jan. 10, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Richmond Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center, 403 Civic Center Plaza. Free.
Learn how to make your fruit trees flourish
A nursery industry professional will provide tips on how to get the most out of the fruit trees in your yard.
Ed Laivo, who has more than 45 years of experience in the gardening business, will lead the class at Curious Flora nursery in Richmond.
The course will focus on high-density planting and pruning practices to provide bountiful harvests from backyard orchards.
The 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. class is full, but there is still space available for the 10 a.m. to noon session.
Fruit tree seminar, Sat., Jan. 10, 10 a.m. to noon, Curious Flora, 740 Market Ave. $10 (fee can be applied toward the purchase of two or more fruit trees).
A second chance to hear author discuss “Shipyard Gals” novel
Credit: Courtesy Library of Congress
Oakland-based author Valerie Stoller, who spoke last fall at the Richmond Museum of History & Culture, will partner with historian Jim Davis to give a second talk about her WWII-era book, “Shipyard Gals.”
The novel follows three women in the shipyards who become entangled in the dangerous aftermath of the explosion at the nearby Port Chicago naval base that killed about 320 people, 200 of whom were Black soldiers.
Stoller and Davis will appear Sun., Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. at the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center. They’ll explore the history that inspired the novel, the real stories behind the fiction, and what the home front can teach us today.
Author and historian book discussion and signing, Sun., Jan. 11, 2 p.m., Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park Visitor Education Center Theater, 1414 Harbour Way South. Free. Books will be available for purchase.
Leisurely bird walk around Hilltop Lake
You can observe a wide variety of birds while strolling around an urban lake in Richmond.
The Golden Gate Bird Alliance is sponsoring a community bird watching hike at Hilltop Lake Park.
Among the birds expected to be sighted are woodpeckers, wrens, shorebirds, hummingbirds and raptors. Migrating birds such as ducks and kinglets may also be spotted.
The free hike is limited to 20 people. Registration is required, and you must sign up by 11 p.m. on Mon., Jan. 12.
Bird watching hike, Wed., Jan. 14, 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Hilltop Lake Park, Richmond Parkway and Lakeside Drive. Free.
Winter session classes have begun at Richmond Art Center
A wide array of winter classes for teens and adults are being offered at the Richmond Art Center.
The full slate of courses started this week, with most lasting through late February or early March.
The classes range from pottery to painting to glass work to sculpting to sketch work to metal fabrication.
Also, Visual Artists of Richmond is offering a beginning sculpting class that focuses on facial features. The “Building Portrait Sculpture Elements in Clay ” class will be held on Wednesday afternoons at the art center beginning Jan. 7 and ending on Feb. 11. The fee is $270.
Art classes, January through early March, Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Ave., $200 to $400. The center also offers free or reduced prices through its scholarship program.
Free soccer camps for Richmond youths
AYSO PLAY! is offering free soccer camps for young Richmond children on Thursday afternoons.
The first session is on Thur., Jan. 8, and camps continue on Thursdays through Feb. 12 at Nicholl Park.
The sessions are hourly and are limited to 15 participants each so advanced registration is recommended.
AYSO PLAY! is a national organization that works with community partners to reach families that do not have the opportunity, access, or services to play.
“We believe soccer is where the ball is and that we have a responsibility to ensure anyone who wants to play, can play,” the organization states on its website.
AYSO PLAY! soccer classes, Thursdays from Jan. 8 to Feb. 12, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Nicholl Park, 3230 Macdonald Ave., Richmond. Free.
New leadership at NIAD Art Center
A new leader will step in at the NIAD Art Center, which is installing six new members of the board of directors.
Lucy Zimmerman, who has been serving as NIAD’s exhibitions and partnership director, will take over as interim executive director.
She succeeds Amanda Eicher, who has been the nonprofit organization’s executive director for seven years.
The organization plans to conduct a nationwide search for a new permanent executive director during the first few months of 2026.
NIAD is also welcoming six members to its 12-person board of directors. Ben Choi, a former Richmond City Council member, is taking over as NIAD board chair.
Nominations being accepted for Contra Costa Youth Hall of Fame
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is accepting applications for the 2026 Contra Costa County Youth Hall of Fame Awards.
Nominations are being accepted through Feb. 20. An awards ceremony for inductees is planned for March 31.
Nominees must be between the ages of 12 and 18 and must live in the county. They should demonstrate exemplary behavior in at least one of six categories:
- Good Samaritan
- Volunteerism
- Teamwork
- Leadership and civic engagement
- Perseverance
- Innovation and empowerment
Nomination forms can be found on the county website.
Get involved by volunteering for a county commission
You have an opportunity in 2026 to help your neighborhood and the community at large.
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who represents Richmond, has posted a notice seeking volunteers to serve on a variety of county commissions.
The panels range from the Assessment Appeals Board to the Contra Costa Fire Protection District to the North Richmond Municipal Advisory Council.
“Government works best when there is strong and diverse community participation,” Gioia said. “Public advisory boards, commissions and councils serve as excellent institutions for empowering resident involvement, training grounds for ascending leaders, and great opportunities for people wanting to serve.”
Information on all county advisory committees, including which ones need new members and when they meet, can be found on this county website.
For more, see our list of ongoing things to do (many of which are free). Also, don’t forget to add your events to our free community calendar.
