There is plenty to keep you entertained, educated and civically engaged this week in Richmond and nearby communities.
Highlights include: A Richmond community organization celebrating its 25th anniversary, an online public meeting about a proposed bicycle-only trail in Wildcat Canyon, and the return of Opera at the Mac.
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.
- Festival Opera at the Mac returns
- ‘Improbable’ play debuts at Masquers in Point Richmond
- RCF Connects celebrating 25th anniversary with gala
- Open house at Richmond High School showcases campus, programs
- Summit for Black parents will provide empowerment strategies
- Concert featuring Iranian-born musicians at Central Stage
- Seminar on winter gardening in preparation for spring
- Annex Senior Center to reopen after being closed for maintenance
- Virtual meeting on proposed Wildcat Canyon bicycle flow trail
- Pinole Garden Club is hosting a seed care meeting
- Bird-watching stroll set for Hilltop Lake
- North Richmond residents mobilize to achieve “just transition”
- Grants for $10,000 and $50,000 available for youth organizations
- Deadline of Feb. 27 set for $1 million in equity and health grants
- Applications being accepted for annual Snow Ball Scholarships
- San Pablo scholarship program is now accepting applications
- Related stories
Festival Opera at the Mac returns
Enjoy an ongoing series of performances by opera singers at a historic hotel in Point Richmond.
This month’s installment of Festival Opera at the Mac will feature mezzo soprano Leandra Ramm.
The series presents opera on the first Friday of every month at Biancoverde, the Italian restaurant at the Hotel Mac.
The series is described as an operatic jam session that showcases artists from all over the Bay Area.
Festival Opera at the Mac, Fri., Feb. 6, 50 Washington Ave., 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Free but registration is recommended.
‘Improbable’ play debuts at Masquers in Point Richmond
Richmond. Courtesy of Masquers Playhouse
The story of a writers’ group is the latest production making its debut at the Masquers Playhouse in Point Richmond.
“Improbable Fiction” is the story of how a leader of a self-help writers’ group finds himself transported into a collaborative story.
Performances will be held Fridays through Sundays until March 1. The performance on Sun., Feb. 22, features a discussion with the director and cast members.
Masquers is a community theater group that has been operating for more than 70 years.
“Improbable Fiction” opening night, Fri., Feb. 6, 8 p.m., Masquers Playhouse, 105 Park Place, Point Richmond. $35 general, $30 students. Feb. 15 will feature tickets for $15.
RCF Connects celebrating 25th anniversary with gala
A nonprofit is celebrating 25 years of community service with an evening gala.
The “Legacy of Connection” celebration will feature food, music, dancing, a hosted bar and a silent auction.
Tickets are $250 for individuals, $440 for couples and $825 for four people.
RCF Connects was founded in 2000 as the Richmond’s Children Foundation. Its mission is to support the children and families in Richmond.
Among its programs are justice advocacy, first-time homebuyers’ assistance, community action teams, anti-poverty programs and a women’s business incubator.
RCF Connects Legacy of Connection gala, Sat., Feb. 7, 5:30 p.m., Berkeley Country Club, 7901 Cutting Blvd., El Cerrito. $250 for individuals.
Open house at Richmond High School showcases campus, programs
The community can get a first-hand look at Richmond High School during an open house that will showcase the campus’ programs and give visitors a chance to meet the school’s teachers and other staff members.
School tours, snacks and refreshments will also be available at the free event.
Community Open House, Sat., Feb. 7, 10 a.m. to noon, Richmond High School, 1250 23rd St. Free.
Summit for Black parents will provide empowerment strategies
A community gathering will provide Black parents with information and strategies.
The Navigating Parenthood While Black Summit will feature a panel discussion with The Oscar Grant Foundation and will provide resources for parents.
The free event has been organized by Keyz 2 The Future, a nonprofit dedicated to providing children with support, resources and hope.
Navigating Parenthood While Black Summit, Sat., Feb. 7, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Richmond Moose Lodge, 4660 Appian Way, El Sobrante. Free
Concert featuring Iranian-born musicians at Central Stage
Diaspora Arts Connection is hosting a musical evening featuring two talented musicians from Iran.
The concert will feature Narges Jajanni, a composer, pianist and accordionist based in the Bay Area, and Martin Shamoonpour, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, actor and visual artist.
Diaspora Arts Connection is a nonprofit dedicated to showcasing a variety of artists.
Narges Jajanni and Martin Shamoonpour, Sat., Feb. 7, 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., Central Stage, 5221 Central Ave. $50 plus fees.
Seminar on winter gardening in preparation for spring
You can learn how to plant a garden now that will help your landscaping blossom in the spring at this Curious Flora seminar.
Mary Te Selle of Quite Contrary Garden Design will discuss how the “fourth season of gardening” can provide year-round splendor in your yard.
Her free seminar will focus on planting a tapestry of plants and flowers that will provide a garden that is rich in color, texture and wildlife.
Fourth Season of Gardening seminar, Sat., Feb. 7, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Curious Flora Nursery, 740 Market Ave., Richmond. Free.
Annex Senior Center to reopen after being closed for maintenance
Activities at the Richmond Annex Senior Center are expected to resume soon after a three-week closure for repainting.
The center, 5801 Huntington Ave. was closed on Jan. 20 and its programs were temporarily moved to the Richmond Memorial Auditorium in the Civic Center complex. It’s set to reopen on Mon., Feb. 9.
Programs at the annex range from language lessons to music sing-alongs to dance classes to exercise gatherings.
Richmond Annex Senior Center reopening, Mon. Feb. 9, 5801 Huntington Ave.
Virtual meeting on proposed Wildcat Canyon bicycle flow trail
East Bay Regional Park District leaders will conduct a virtual public meeting to collect feedback on a proposed bicycle-only trail in Wildcat Canyon Regional Park.
The Wildcat Canyon Trail CEQA Scoping Meeting will be held on Zoom. It’s designed to gather comments from the community on the proposed 1.4-mile flow trail in the western portion of the park.
The trail would feature speed bumps, jumps, berms and turnout areas. The proposed trail would be up to 4-feet-wide with an average grade of 5% to 7%.
Proponents say the new trail would give local mountain bikers, especially young cyclists, a safe place to ride while opponents, who’ve set up a website called Protect Wildcat Canyon, are concerned about soil erosion, noise and increased congestion on nearby trails.
Wildcat Canyon Trail Scoping Meeting, Tue., Feb. 10, 6 p.m., Zoom. The EBRPD is also accepting comments via email by Feb. 14.
Pinole Garden Club is hosting a seed care meeting
You can learn more about seeds and seedling care at a meeting of the Pinole Garden Club.
Jessilee Weir, a master gardener in Washington, will lead the discussion and demonstration at the free gathering.
Weir will talk about seed biology as well as provide tips on how to plant seeds at the right depth, watering, and keeping those seeds alive and thriving.
Pinole Garden Club meeting, Tue., Feb. 10, 2:15 p.m., Pinole Valley Community Church, 2885 Pinole Valley Road. Free.
Bird-watching stroll set for Hilltop Lake
The Golden Gate Bird Alliance has scheduled another bird-watching walk around Hilltop Lake in Richmond.
The stroll will follow the paved path around the lake. Birds that might be seen include woodpeckers, wrens, shorebirds, hummingbirds, raptors, ducks, kinglets, warblers and kingfishers.
The free hike is limited to 20 participants. Advance registration by Mon., Feb. 9 is required.
Golden Gate Bird Alliance walk, Wed., Feb. 11, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Hilltop Lake, Richmond Parkway and Lakeside Drive. Free.
North Richmond residents mobilize to achieve “just transition”
North Richmond community members are holding a series of meetings to help prioritize the types of projects they need to improve air quality, transportation opportunities are more.
Pointing out that grant funding for neighborhoods impacted by polluting industries often fails to end up in the hands of those that need it most, North Richmonders are aiming to lead the conversation, according to a press release announcing the “Not for us, Without Us” movement.
“North Richmond residents are left out of conversations about funding that is tied directly to their lived experiences, health, and environment,” the group said in a statement.
The series of six community meetings to review more than 100 proposed projects is hosted by Urban Tilth, Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia’s office, the Contra Costa Sustainability Office, the state health department, The Watershed Project, and Richmond Land.
The community will vote on their preferred projects and hold a celebration on March 7 at the Verde school at 11 a.m.
The next North Richmond Just Transition meetings are: Wed., Feb. 11, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Verde Elementary Cafeteria, 2000 Giaramita St. or via Zoom on Feb. 18 and Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Grants for $10,000 and $50,000 available for youth organizations
Community organizations in Richmond that provide youth programs and youth sports opportunities can apply for $10,000 and $50,000 grants.
The awards are part of the city’s Chevron-funded ECIA Community Grant Program, which is in its 10th and final year.
A total of $715,000 is available. There are $10,000 mini-grants available as well as $50,000 grants.
The application deadline is March 13. Grants will be dispersed between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2026.
Deadline of Feb. 27 set for $1 million in equity and health grants
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia has announced that grant applications are now being accepted for projects that advance equity and reduce health and economic disparities in west Contra Costa County.
The grant amounts will be up to $50,000 each. A total of $1 million in grants is available.
The regional program is part of a $5 million grant program approved by the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors in June 2025. Each of the five supervisorial districts was alloted $1 million.
The goal is to invest in initiatives that strengthen community well-being and create long-term benefits for residents.
“These funds will help address health, housing, education, economic and environmental needs in ways that reflect the voices of West Contra Costa residents. Together, we’re investing in equity and building a stronger future for all,” Gioia said in a statement.
The application deadline is Feb. 27. Grant recipients will be announced by the end of March.
Applications being accepted for annual Snow Ball Scholarships
Richmond city officials are now accepting applications for the annual Snow Ball Scholarship competition.
Two recipients will be crowned as Snow Ball “king and queen.” In the past, each recipient has received a $2,500 scholarship.
Applicants must be a 2026 graduate of a west Contra Costa school, including a private or charter school. They must also have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and be involved in extracurricular activities that demonstrate “pride, purpose, and commitment to community.”
The application period will close on March 13. In-person interviews will be conducted on March 21. There will be a scholarship award ceremony held later.
San Pablo scholarship program is now accepting applications
The application process is now open for a program that offers $1,000 scholarships to San Pablo residents pursuing their post-secondary education.
The San Pablo Scholarship Pilot Program has been operating since 2023.
Applicants must live within San Pablo’s city limits and be graduating this year from high school or be a recent graduate under the age of 25.
They must also plan on enrolling in a college or trade school this fall.
Applications are due by March 31.
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.
