There is plenty to keep you entertained, educated and civically engaged this week in Richmond and nearby communities.
Highlights include: A variety of events for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, new art exhibits and a park closure for renovations.
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.
- Two new community-oriented art exhibits are open
- Exhibit opening that features five local artists
- Organization asking for winter-related donations
- MLK Jr. Day of Service will help beautify Richmond Greenway
- Bay Area Unity Vigil holds MLK Jr. day event to call for end to “state violence”
- Parchester area to get spruced up as part of MLK Jr. holiday
- Protest planned on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- County supervisors to honor MLK Jr. life and legacy
- Recruitment day for youths interested in construction industry careers
- Applications still being accepted for small business grants
- Visit the library, take home a plant
- Community to discuss safety improvements for Bayview Avenue
- Calling all bands! Point Richmond looking for summer concert musicians
- Park district offering grants to community organizations
- Wendell Park closed for major renovations
- Related stories
Two new community-oriented art exhibits are open
Two new exhibits are now on display at NIAD, a gallery that highlights works by artists with developmental disabilities.
Both premiered on Monday and are on view until March 28. Artists’ works will be for sale at the show.
The first exhibit, “Transforming Space,” is a collection of works by 16 NIAD artists that showcase space in a variety of mediums. They range from landscapes to dreamlike scenes to a collection of thoughts.
The second exhibit, “This must be the place,” is an evolving show that creates a “convivial living room environment” during the course of the exhibit. Items such as colorful sofas, pillows, towels and curtains will be added in the weeks ahead.
Community art exhibits, Jan. 12 through March 28, NIAD Art Center, 551 23rd St. Free.
Exhibit opening that features five local artists
Five artists from Visual Artists of Richmond will have their works displayed at the San Pablo Community Center.
“Sense of Place” is a group show inspired by the colors, plants, architecture and people of Richmond and San Pablo. Local artists will include Phoebe Deutsch, Regina Gilligan, Luis Mercado, Sara Pisheh and Marvin Mann.
The free exhibit runs from Fri., Jan. 16, to Tue., March 3. An opening reception is being held on Sat., Jan. 17.
“Sense of Place” art exhibit opening reception, Sat., Jan. 17, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., San Pablo Community Center, 250 Road 20. Free.
Organization asking for winter-related donations
The nonprofit organization Motivated 2 Help Others is asking for donations to help people get through the winter.
The group is requesting items such as sleeping bags, blankets, hats, gloves, scarves and toiletries at its Winter Giving to the Community event.
Motivated 2 Help Others was founded in 2013 by Folsom State Prison. It works with Richmond residents ages 9 to 21 to help them avoid incarceration.
“Everyone deserves a chance to thrive, regardless of past experiences or current circumstances. M2HO is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where individuals can access the resources they need to reach their full potential,” the organization’s website states.
Winter Giving to the Community, Sat., Jan. 17, 10 a.m. to noon, Motivated 2 Help Others, 322 Harbour Way, Ste. 11.
MLK Jr. Day of Service will help beautify Richmond Greenway
Richmond residents can help clean up the Richmond Greenway in honor of the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
The 19th annual MLK Day of Service calls for volunteers to join their neighbors for a day of civic engagement.
Activities along the Richmond Greenway will include weeding, mulching, garden maintenance and sign painting.
Tools and materials will be provided. Long pants, durable shoes, a hat and sunscreen are recommended. Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult.
The event is co-sponsored by the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District and Earth Team.
MLK Day of Service, Mon., Jan. 19, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Richmond Greenway between Seventh and Eighth streets.
Bay Area Unity Vigil holds MLK Jr. day event to call for end to “state violence”
On Martin Luther King Jr. day the Freedmen Federation and Faith In Action East Bay are inviting the community to Richmond’s Civic Center for the Bay Area Unity Vigil, described as “a peaceful, multicultural public gathering calling for an immediate end to state violence against families and children.”
The vigil intends to honor King’s legacy of nonviolence, dignity, and justice, while “directly confronting the ongoing harm caused by state systems — particularly in schools and neighborhoods — by those sworn to protect our communities,” said a press release.
The vigil will feature prayers, poems, and songs, creating space for remembrance, healing, and collective resolve.
“We have already lost two members of our community in Richmond,” said Richmond City council member Claudia Jimenez, referring to two men shot to death by Richmond police officers in 2025. “Two households are now without the breadwinner who provided stability, protection, and care.”
Bay Area Unity Vigil, Mon., Jan. 19, 2 p.m.-3 p.m., 440 Civic Center Plaza. Free.
Parchester area to get spruced up as part of MLK Jr. holiday
A morning park clean-up will be followed by a celebration in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr.
At this MLK Day of Service, volunteers will be asked to help beautify Parchester Park and its community center and surrounding areas from 9 a.m. until noon.
Activities will include refreshing the Mary Peace Head Memorial Garden with new planter boxes, soil and plants. Participants will also help weed, trim vegetation, and spread mulch at the park as well as clean up trash from nearby streets.
Volunteers are asked to dress for outdoor work. Tools, supplies and lunch will be provided.
Afterward, there will be a community celebration at the park from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
MLK Day of Service, Mon., Jan. 19, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Parchester Park, 900 Williams Drive. Free.
Protest planned on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
A demonstration against the Trump administration is planned as part of a Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony in El Sobrante.
The political action group Indivisible West Contra Costa has organized the protest at San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way.
Organizers say they want to acknowledge the civil rights legacy of King while protesting the “tyranny” of the current presidential administration.
“Dr. King was committed to nonviolent resistance, using peaceful protests to fight injustice,” event organizers said. “We share in the core principles Dr. King held: nonviolence, equality and human dignity, justice, community and hope.”
Participants are asked to bring food, towels and toiletries to donate to those in need.
Indivisible protest, Mon., Jan. 19, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way, El Sobrante.
County supervisors to honor MLK Jr. life and legacy
Contra Costa County supervisors will pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at their 48th annual celebration that will include honoring the county’s 2025 Humanitarian of the Year and the Student Humanitarian of the Year.
The board renamed the adult humanitarian award in honor of former supervisor Federal D. Glover, who died last year. It is being given to Gaby Ghorbani, founder of the Alamo-based Pledge to Humanity, which provides local and global volunteer opportunities for students and empowers them to become compassionate changemakers, according to her LinkedIn page.
The student award will go to Yenell Elena Velazquez of Summit Tamalpais High School-Hilltop in Richmond.
This year’s event theme is “Democracy as a Verb: Building on Dr. King’s Legacy in Contra Costa.”
A free buffet lunch will follow.
Martin Luther King Jr. ceremony, Tue., Jan. 20, 11 a.m., Board of Supervisors chambers, 1025 Escobar St., Martinez.
Recruitment day for youths interested in construction industry careers
City officials have organized a recruitment day for young people who need help obtaining their high school diploma and are interested in working in the construction industry.
The recruitment day is part of Richmond YouthBUILD, a career training program pre-apprenticeship training in construction that includes support for those earning a high school diploma or their GED.
“Richmond YouthBUILD is designed to empower young adults by providing them with valuable hands-on experience in the construction industry while also ensuring they complete their high school education,” the program’s website states. “Our program focuses on skills development, leadership, career readiness and equipping students with the tools they need for a successful transition into the workforce.”
The free recruitment day is an orientation session to help those interested in the program.
YouthBUILD Recruitment Day, Tue., Jan. 20, 9 a.m., Richmond YouthBUILD offices, 360 S. 27th St. Free.
Applications still being accepted for small business grants
Richmond business owners still have a few days to submit applications for city-sponsored grants.
The deadline to apply for the ARPA Small Business Support Program is Tue., Jan. 20.
A total of $350,000 in grants will be distributed. Solo entrepreneurs can receive up to $5,000; businesses with two to five employees can receive up to $7,500; and businesses with more than five employees can get up to $10,000.
Grant recipients must complete at least four hours of free business consultations or workshops provided by the Renaissance Center to receive the funds.
Visit the library, take home a plant
You can take home a book as well as a winter plant during an event at Richmond’s main library.
The library is inviting community members in on Wednesday afternoon to plant a succulent in a pot to take home for free.
No previous gardening experience is needed and all materials will be provided.
Winter plant giveaway, Wed., Jan. 21, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Bermuda Emerald Room, Auditorium Branch Library, 403 Civic Center Plaza. Free.
Community to discuss safety improvements for Bayview Avenue
Courtesy of city of Richmond
The city will hold a meeting to discuss making Bayview and Potrero avenues safer for cars, bicyclists and pedestrians.
The project aims to improve accessibility and connectivity along Bayview Avenue from the eastbound Interstate 580 ramps past Carlson Boulevard to Ells Street and along Potrero Avenue from Carlson Boulevard to South 52nd Street. Key elements include the construction of separated bike paths along Bayview Avenue and South 51st Street to the Bay Trail, and the installation of bike lanes along Potrero Avenue.
The project includes ADA-compliant curb ramps, new curb extensions, intersection geometry refinements, and upgraded signage and striping.
Attendees can learn more, provide feedback on proposed improvements and talk to city staff members. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. You can also leave comments online via this interactive map and read what others are saying about it.
Bayview Avenue meeting, Wed., Jan. 21, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Richmond Library Bayview Branch, 5100 Hartnett Ave. Free.
Calling all bands! Point Richmond looking for summer concert musicians
The application process is now open for bands that are interested in performing at the popular Point Richmond summer concert series.
Point Richmond Music is seeking bands to perform in a series of four outdoor concerts this summer.
Each concert has two bands playing 50-minute sets each. The performances are held on the second Friday of each month from June through September.
The online application requests bands that play original music. Cover bands are not eligible. It also asks for musicians who display a professional level of skill and appeal to a variety of ages, including children.
The deadline to submit an application is Feb. 28. Artists are notified in April if they are selected.
Park district offering grants to community organizations
The East Bay Regional Park District is offering grants to community organizations that help improve access to parklands.
The district is accepting initial letter of intent applications for its Community Engagement Grant Pilot Program until Jan. 29.
A total of $150,000 is available in this inaugural year of the program. One-year grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded in March.
Public agencies, nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status or organizations applying with a fiscal sponsor that serve Alameda and Contra Costa counties are eligible.
“Funding decisions will prioritize proposals that align with the district’s community engagement and public access goals, with particular emphasis on organizations serving historically underserved and underrepresented populations,” park district officials said.
Wendell Park closed for major renovations
Wendell Park will be closed for the next few months while it undergoes a $1.7 million renovation.
The 2-acre park at 24th Street and Wendell Avenue will be getting improvements including a natural grass multiuse field, irrigation, perimeter fencing with netting and backstop, bleacher and dugout seating, infield material, and furnishings.
The project will also reconfigure the youth and toddler play areas to accommodate new equipment and accessibility.
A single-stall restroom and picnic area will be a new amenity. It will be located between the play area and sports fields.
City officials say they are hoping to reopen the park during the summer.
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.
