There is plenty to keep you entertained, educated and civically engaged this week in Richmond and nearby communities.
Highlights include: A monthly grocery give-away, free potted plants at the library and the kickoff of a campaign to place a transportation sales tax measure on the ballot.
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.
- Kickoff for Richmond Rainbow Pride planning
- Enjoy a bird-watching hike at Point Pinole
- Hike around the landfill for adventurers 55 years and older
- Visit the library, take home a potted succulent plant
- Richmond Mobile Farmers Market returns
- Get some groceries for free at CoBiz in Richmond
- Campaign begins to put transit sales tax measure on the ballot
- Deadline approaching on waiver for primary election filing fees
- Were you a ‘Rosie’? You might be eligible for a free trip to war museum
- Related stories
Kickoff for Richmond Rainbow Pride planning
Organizers of this year’s Richmond Rainbow Pride festivities, which are held in June, are kicking off their planning activities with a celebratory gathering at a neighborhood cocktail bar.
The Richmond Rainbow Pride 2026 Kickoff will offer a time to “reconnect, get involved and organize.” Those who attend will get to vote on the theme for the 2026 event.
Richmond Rainbow Pride 2026 Kickoff, Fri., Jan. 30, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., The Factory Bar, 12517 San Pablo Ave.. Free.
Enjoy a bird-watching hike at Point Pinole
The Golden Gate Bird Alliance has organized a stroll through the diverse landscapes of Point Pinole.
The bird-watching expedition will take hikers on a three-mile excursion that travels through wetlands, mudflats, grassy/pickleweed fields with views of the bay.
Among the birds expected to be sighted are ducks, grebes, shorebirds and raptors.
The free walk is limited to 15 participants. You must register by 11 p.m. on Thur., Jan. 29.
Bird watching hike, Sun., Feb. 1, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Point Pinole Dotson Family Marsh, Goodrick Avenue, Free.
Hike around the landfill for adventurers 55 years and older
The Over-the-Hills gang has organized a hike around Republic Services’ landfill commonly known as “Garbage Mountain.”
The Landfill Loop excursion will take participants 55 years and older on a nearly three-mile route around the 180-acre trash disposal site along the Richmond coastline.
The free hike is a drop-in event, so no pre-registration is needed. It will be led by East Bay Regional Park District naturalist Anthony Fisher.
Landfill Loop hike, Tue., Feb. 3, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Republic Services landfill, 1 Parr Blvd., Richmond. Free.
Visit the library, take home a potted succulent plant
You can pot a plant of your choice while you check out the books at the Bayview library branch.
Richmond library officials are inviting people of all ages to plant a succulent in a pot and take it home with them.
No gardening experience is required and all materials will be provided.
Succulent potting event, Tue., Feb. 3, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Bayview Branch Library, 5100 Hartnett Ave. Free.
Richmond Mobile Farmers Market returns
The Richmond Mobile Farmers Market has restarted its weekly farmers markets.
The weekly Mobile Farmers Market is set up on Wednesdays in front of the Richmond Public Library at Civic Center Plaza.
Local growers offer affordably priced fresh fruits and vegetables at the market. There are opportunities for consumers to join discount programs. (For more farmers market information, see our things to do guide.)
Richmond Mobile Farmers Market, Wed., Feb. 4, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Richmond Public Library, Nevin Avenue and Civic Center Plaza.
Get some groceries for free at CoBiz in Richmond
Free food will be available at a grocery giveaway in downtown Richmond.
The distribution is held on the first Wednesday of every month at the CoBiz Richmond office.
The event is co-sponsored by CoBiz and the Brothers of International Faith, a nonprofit organization based in Richmond.
Those attending are advised to arrive early as supplies generally are exhausted within an hour.
The food items include fruits, vegetables, potatoes, desserts, snacks, milk and eggs. At some giveaways, there is also meat and packaged goods such as sandwiches, juices and other drinks.
The food comes from establishments such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Pony Express.
The Richmond giveaway is one of more than a dozen monthly food distributions organized by Stanley “Mr. Stan” Byias, the co-founder of the Brothers of International Faith.
Grocery Giveaway 2026, Wed., Feb. 4, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., CoBiz Richmond, 1503 Macdonald Ave., Suite A. Free.
Campaign begins to put transit sales tax measure on the ballot
Supporters of a sales tax increase that would fund improvements to a number of Bay Area transportation systems have kicked off their campaign to collect signatures to place a measure on the November ballot.
Connect Bay Area Transit needs to gather 186,000 signatures from Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties by June 26 to qualify the measure for the general election ballot.
The regional transportation ballot measure would increase the local sales tax by 1 cent in San Francisco and by .5 cents in the other four counties over a 14-year period.
The tax revenue would be used to help fund operations for BART, SF Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit as well as capital projects and safety improvements.
Deadline approaching on waiver for primary election filing fees
Local candidates who want to avoid paying filing fees for Richmond’s upcoming primary election have until Feb. 4 to submit their signature petitions.
The filing fee for the mayoral race is $1,674 and the fee for the city council race is $605.
Candidates seeking to have those fees waived can fill out and sign an affidavit that states under penalty of perjury that they can’t afford to pay the filing fees and they then must submit a certain number of signatures of registered voters.
Were you a ‘Rosie’? You might be eligible for a free trip to war museum
A trio of organizations are sponsoring a program that pays for women who worked in the nation’s shipyards in the 1940s to take a trip to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.
The trip takes place from March 8-11. Rosie the Riveters as well as their guardians/helpers have until Feb. 6 to fill out an application for the all-expenses-paid adventure.
The project is co-sponsored by the museum, the Gary Sinise Foundation and the Rosie the Riveter Trust in Richmond.
Hundreds of “Rosies” worked in the Richmond shipyards during World War II, supporting the building of more than 747 warships.
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.
