There’s lots to keep you entertained and informed this week, including another opera night in Point Richmond and some back-to-school events where children can pick up free supplies. Plus: Don’t miss the National Night Out festivities next week as well as a roundup of where to go swimming; and ongoing things to do in Richmond (many of which are free).
1. Opera night at the Mac hotel, Point Richmond
Catch a night at the opera at a historic hotel in Point Richmond. Festival Opera at the Mac will feature Bay Area soprano Dalyte Kodzis on Friday evening.
The series, which began on July 11, presents opera on the first Friday of every month to the Biancoverde, the Italian restaurant inside the Hotel Mac. Future dates are Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5. The monthly events are described as an operatic jam session that gathers opera artists from all over the Bay Area. There is no cover charge, but advance registration is recommended.
The next installment of Festival Opera at the Mac will be held on Fri., Aug. 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Biancoverde at the Hotel Mac, 50 Washington Ave., Point Richmond.
2. San Pablo movie night returns with “Moana 2”
Capture a bit of summer fun with a free community-sponsored movie. This Friday evening, the Movie Under the Stars presents the Disney film Moana 2 as part of its summer series in San Pablo. Pre-registration is required to attend the showings.
Movie Under the Stars presentation of “Moana 2,” Fri., Aug. 1, 6 p.m,. San Pablo Community Center, 2450 Road 20.
3. Art and music at East Richmond Heights festival
The East Richmond Heights Art & Music Festival offers music, art, food and activities at its free community gathering this weekend. Expect live bands on stage and more than 50 local artists and vendors displaying wares, from photography to jewelry to pottery to textiles. Plus: food trucks and local community organization booths. Children’s activities include facepainting and chalk art.
East Richmond Heights Art & Music Festival, Sat., Aug. 2, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Bernhard Avenue between Cypress and Kensington avenues.
4. Play basketball while helping clean up a park
Shoot some hoops and spruce up a park at a community event this weekend. The free Basketball Clinic & Clean Up at Lucas Park is a collaboration between Moving Forward, Rich City Rides and Fierce Advocates. The clinic will be led by former pro basketball player Schwartzen Precil who will direct youth ages 8 to 17 through basketball drills while volunteers beautify the park with a clean-up.
The Basketball Clinic & Clean Up, Sat., Aug. 2, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lucas Park, 724 10th St. in Richmond.
5. Free school supplies, haircuts at community event
The nonprofit organization Keyz 2 The Future is sponsoring a community event to help children start off the school year on the right foot. The Be Smart gathering will offer Richmond students free backpacks, school supplies and haircuts. Food, refreshments, music and activities are also on the agenda. Keyz 2 The Future has a goal of providing safety and structure for young people to help them heal and thrive.
Be Smart school supply giveaway, Sat., Aug. 2, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. the parking lot at 322 Harbor Way.
6. Back to school block party features backpacks, food
The Bay Area Rescue Mission’s Back to School Block Party on Saturday will feature music, free hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as clothes, groceries and backpacks for those who register in advance. Live entertainment and games will also be part of the festivities. Community organizers will also be in attendance with information tables.
Back to School Block Party, Sat., Aug. 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Macdonald Avenue between 1st and 3rd streets in Richmond.
7. Make a move at free community chess tournament
Chess players of all ages and skills are being invited to a free chess competition. The El Sobrante Library Community Chess Tournament will follow a quad format where four players per group compete in a round robin competition. Youth quads will be organized by grade level. Chess sets and clocks will be provided. Trophies will be awarded to the winners of each quad. Space is limited, so pre-registration is recommended. The tournament is sponsored by the El Sobrante Library and the West Coast Chess Alliance.
El Sobrante Library Community Chess Tournament, Sat., Aug. 2, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., El Sobrante Library, 4191 Appian Way.
8. Meet neighborhood police, fire at National Night Out
You can meet up with neighbors and chat with local law enforcement and city personnel during the annual National Night Out events in the Richmond area on Tuesday evening. The celebration of community begins with a gathering hosted by the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council at the Town Triangle at 128 W. Richmond Ave. beginning at 5 p.m., and ends with a party hosted by the 23rd Street Merchants in front of Rigo Auto Sales, 871 23rd St. that begins at 8 p.m. Other block parties will be held that evening in various Richmond neighborhoods between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. National Night Out is a nationwide community-building campaign that involves millions of neighbors in thousands of communities in all 50 states on the first Tuesday in August.
National Night Out celebrations, Tue., Aug. 5, from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in various neighborhoods in Richmond.
9. Safety night designed to reclaim community freedom
On the same day of National Night Out events, another organization is hosting what it describes as a free event designed to reclaim safety as well as look beyond fear, punishment, policing and incarceration. The multigenerational 8th Annual Night Out for Safety and Liberation is sponsored by the RYSE Center, a nonprofit organization that creates a safe space at its headquarters for Richmond youth ages 13 to 21 to receive medical care as well as education and support.
The 8th Annual Night Out for Safety and Liberation, Tue., Aug. 5, 4 p.m.-7 p.m., RYSE Center, 3939 Bissell Ave., Richmond.
Things to know
Free bus passes available to West Contra Costa students
Students in Richmond and its surrounding communities can ride the bus to school for free during the month of August. The Pass2Class program is administered by the West Contra Costa Transportation Commission (WestCAT) for students enrolled in public and private schools in Richmond, Crockett, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, Pinole, Rodeo, San Pablo and other communities within West Contra Costa County. The passes are good from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31. Up to three students per household are eligible.
The one-month program is designed to encourage families to use public buses to get to and from school as a way to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. Students can apply to the West Contra Costa Unified School District for bus passes for the remainder of the school year.
Documentary spotlights three youngsters at Los Cenzontles
A new 15-minute short film that centers on three teenagers at the Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy is now available for viewing. The documentary, Nueva Vida, follows the trio of students, Eric, Joshua and Raul, as they collaborate in the academy’s studio to record songs inspired by their favorite corrido tumbado artists. The film captures the students as they face the pressures of recording with humor and heart while supporting each other as they pursue their passion for music.
“We’re thrilled to share this glimpse into personal discovery through camaraderie and collaboration,” said Eugene Rodriguez, Los Cenzontles’ founder and director. “It’s about more than music. It’s about courage and the value of creating something together.”
Los Cenzontles, founded in 1989, is an academy, production studio and community gathering space for young people and their families that amplifies the Mexican roots of people in the Bay Area.
Nueva Vida will be one of the three short films shown during a Music, Film and Tostadas celebration on Fri., Aug. 8, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Los Cenzontles academy, 13108 San Pablo Ave. in Richmond.
New center for West County seniors opening in El Sobrante
The Center for Elders’ Independence (CEI) is opening the doors a new facility for their Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).
The CEI PACE West County center will have a grand opening Friday at its El Sobrante location. PACE centers are also opening in the Livermore-Dublin and Temescal areas. The facilities will provide primary and specialty medical care, in-home support services, meals and social activities.
“We are thrilled to bring our mission to more seniors across the East Bay. These new PACE centers will provide life-changing care that allows older adults to live safely and independently in their homes,” said Maria Zamora, the chief executive officer of the Center for Elders’ Independence.
The grand opening is on Fri., Aug. 1, 3 p.m.-6 p.m., CEI PACE West County center, 3645 San Pablo Dam Rd, El Sobrante.
