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"content": "\n\u003cp>Punk, if you’ll pardon the song reference, has gotten \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/AdUBTE9JpgI?si=V4KsdIgONxCJKFO_\">institutionalized\u003c/a> in recent years. There’s now a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ithaca.com/entertainment/books/cornell-university-press-book-sheds-light-on-punk-s-diverse-history/article_942bd11f-7e13-42ed-8c52-f5ab307d05a5.html\">punk archive at Cornell University\u003c/a>, with an accompanying book. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/kul/kua/pun.html\">Goethe Institute has opened punk exhibitions\u003c/a> in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Academics, curators and humanities hounds are, suddenly, trying to answer the very broad question: \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/PcIX4D6lIZ8?si=9KV-RkbWm0n8QBAX\">what is punk\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Good luck to them. Punk is by nature inscrutable, and so vast as to be undefinable. What’s routinely more valuable, and coherent, are the focused histories of smaller underground scenes and their figureheads, bands and record labels.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1384\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993781\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-768x531.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-1536x1063.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Link 80, with singer Nick Traina, pictured in 1995. (Matt Bertinelli-Olpin)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s part of what makes Mike Huguenor’s book \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.clashbooks.com/new-products-2/elvis-is-dead-im-still-alive-mike-huguenor-signed\">Elvis Is Dead, I’m Still Alive: The Story of Asian Man Records\u003c/a>\u003c/em> such a necessary addition to the canon. While decidedly a South Bay operation, Asian Man Records, run since 1996 by Mike Park out of his parents’ Los Gatos garage, has released more than 400 albums by a global who’s-who of punk, ska and emo music, including Alkaline Trio, Less Than Jake, Joyce Manor, Link 80 and Lawrence Arms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rightful star of \u003cem>Elvis is Dead\u003c/em>’s 344 pages, though, is Mike Park himself. A tireless label owner with a strong set of personal ethics and penchant for pranks, Park may be best known to a certain generation of Bay Area kids as the leader of the early-’90s ska band \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050384534253&locale=es_LA#\">Skankin’ Pickle\u003c/a>. Through Asian Man, he’s also changed the underground scene for the better, and inspired and/or changed the lives of thousands of fans and musicians around the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1582\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993779\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-160x127.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-768x607.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-1536x1215.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Skankin’ Pickle, with Mike Park (L) and Lars Nylander (R), performing at 924 Gilman in Berkeley. (Murray Bowles)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Park managed to do this as the Korean son of immigrant parents who settled in Los Gatos when the official city demographics for Koreans was 0.0%. Raised in an era of scant few Asian icons in American pop culture, and incessant “slant-eye” taunts on the playground, Park found a home in the underground scene and gradually expanded it to welcome many, many others.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Huguenor, a musician himself once signed to Asian Man, and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.metrosiliconvalley.com/author/ichibanhuguenor/\">columnist\u003c/a> who’s chronicled the South Bay scene for years, approaches the Asian Man story with a fan’s enthusiasm and a cultural historian’s interest. Those who come for the bigger-name bands (or mini-scandals about, say, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/punk/comments/jisdi/ben_weasel_gives_official_statement_and_talks_a/\">misfortune of signing Screeching Weasel\u003c/a>) will also get a constellation of adventures, tour stories and scene politics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1517\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993778\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-768x583.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-1536x1165.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An early incarnation of Less Than Jake, who would leave Asian Man Records after becoming the label’s very first success story. (Josh Gardner)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those include some of Park’s absurd volume-eating challenges to friends, right alongside his founding of the Plea for Peace Foundation and the Ska Against Racism tour. Bands like Slow Gherkin pile 10 members in a 1970s van, a “clown car” rivaled only by sedans headed to the post office, packed to the ceiling with Asian Man LP mailers. Nick Traina, singer for Link 80 and the son of romance author Danielle Steel, dies of an overdose at age 19. Fans spend a day hashing out PunkNews.org message board drama during the early stages of the Black Lives Matter movement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For his part, Park tries to stay above the fray, with the slow, steady ritual of filling mailorder in his parents’ garage serving as a nearly spiritual practice. He famously tells newly signed bands “I don’t do anything,” meaning tour support and promotion. He blithely exits business negotiations when he finds himself uninterested. He turns down offers — $100,000 from a major label wanting to acquire an album from his roster, or $2 million from another label wanting to acquire his entire enterprise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993777\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A typical load of mailorder packages from Asian Man Records, headed to the post office. (Hiro Tanaka)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In cutthroat Silicon Valley, this might seem self-sabotaging. But Park knows himself too well. Unlike the billionaires in tech with their own garage origin myths, he stayed in the garage. He didn’t sell out. In the process, as \u003cem>Elvis Is Dead, I’m Still Alive\u003c/em> shows in detail, he gained the respect and love of virtually the entire underground music scene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That much was evident at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DalM6HQp6sA/?hl=en\">Asian Man’s 30th Anniversary celebration\u003c/a> at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco in early September, which despite not announcing performers in advance sold out in minutes on the Asian Man name alone. It was four packed nights, 16 bands, surprise reunions, and Park’s own return to the stage with the Bruce Lee Band.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And, after the shows, Park went back to what he’s always done: still filling orders by hand, more than 30 years in, at his parents’ garage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the location of Asian Man Records’ garage headquarters. It is in Los Gatos, not Los Altos. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Punk, if you’ll pardon the song reference, has gotten \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/AdUBTE9JpgI?si=V4KsdIgONxCJKFO_\">institutionalized\u003c/a> in recent years. There’s now a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ithaca.com/entertainment/books/cornell-university-press-book-sheds-light-on-punk-s-diverse-history/article_942bd11f-7e13-42ed-8c52-f5ab307d05a5.html\">punk archive at Cornell University\u003c/a>, with an accompanying book. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/kul/kua/pun.html\">Goethe Institute has opened punk exhibitions\u003c/a> in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Academics, curators and humanities hounds are, suddenly, trying to answer the very broad question: \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/PcIX4D6lIZ8?si=9KV-RkbWm0n8QBAX\">what is punk\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Punk, if you’ll pardon the song reference, has gotten \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/AdUBTE9JpgI?si=V4KsdIgONxCJKFO_\">institutionalized\u003c/a> in recent years. There’s now a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ithaca.com/entertainment/books/cornell-university-press-book-sheds-light-on-punk-s-diverse-history/article_942bd11f-7e13-42ed-8c52-f5ab307d05a5.html\">punk archive at Cornell University\u003c/a>, with an accompanying book. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/kul/kua/pun.html\">Goethe Institute has opened punk exhibitions\u003c/a> in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Academics, curators and humanities hounds are, suddenly, trying to answer the very broad question: \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/PcIX4D6lIZ8?si=9KV-RkbWm0n8QBAX\">what is punk\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Good luck to them. Punk is by nature inscrutable, and so vast as to be undefinable. What’s routinely more valuable, and coherent, are the focused histories of smaller underground scenes and their figureheads, bands and record labels.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Good luck to them. Punk is by nature inscrutable, and so vast as to be undefinable. What’s routinely more valuable, and coherent, are the focused histories of smaller underground scenes and their figureheads, bands and record labels.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993781\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-768x531.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-1536x1063.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Link 80, with singer Nick Traina, pictured in 1995. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Matt Bertinelli-Olpin)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993781\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Link 80, with singer Nick Traina, pictured in 1995. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Matt Bertinelli-Olpin)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s part of what makes Mike Huguenor’s book \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.clashbooks.com/new-products-2/elvis-is-dead-im-still-alive-mike-huguenor-signed\">Elvis Is Dead, I’m Still Alive: The Story of Asian Man Records\u003c/a>\u003c/em> such a necessary addition to the canon. While decidedly a South Bay operation, Asian Man Records, run since 1996 by Mike Park out of his parents’ Los Gatos garage, has released more than 400 albums by a global who’s-who of punk, ska and emo music, including Alkaline Trio, Less Than Jake, Joyce Manor, Link 80 and Lawrence Arms.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That’s part of what makes Mike Huguenor’s book \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.clashbooks.com/new-products-2/elvis-is-dead-im-still-alive-mike-huguenor-signed\">Elvis Is Dead, I’m Still Alive: The Story of Asian Man Records\u003c/a>\u003c/em> such a necessary addition to the canon. While decidedly a South Bay operation, Asian Man Records, run since 1996 by Mike Park out of his parents’ Los Gatos garage, has released more than 400 albums by a global who’s-who of punk, ska and emo music, including Alkaline Trio, Less Than Jake, Joyce Manor, Link 80 and Lawrence Arms.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rightful star of \u003cem>Elvis is Dead\u003c/em>’s 344 pages, though, is Mike Park himself. A tireless label owner with a strong set of personal ethics and penchant for pranks, Park may be best known to a certain generation of Bay Area kids as the leader of the early-’90s ska band \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050384534253&locale=es_LA#\">Skankin’ Pickle\u003c/a>. Through Asian Man, he’s also changed the underground scene for the better, and inspired and/or changed the lives of thousands of fans and musicians around the world.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The rightful star of \u003cem>Elvis is Dead\u003c/em>’s 344 pages, though, is Mike Park himself. A tireless label owner with a strong set of personal ethics and penchant for pranks, Park may be best known to a certain generation of Bay Area kids as the leader of the early-’90s ska band \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050384534253&locale=es_LA#\">Skankin’ Pickle\u003c/a>. Through Asian Man, he’s also changed the underground scene for the better, and inspired and/or changed the lives of thousands of fans and musicians around the world.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993779\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-160x127.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-768x607.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-1536x1215.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Skankin’ Pickle, with Mike Park (L) and Lars Nylander (R), performing at 924 Gilman in Berkeley. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Murray Bowles)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993779\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Skankin’ Pickle, with Mike Park (L) and Lars Nylander (R), performing at 924 Gilman in Berkeley. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Murray Bowles)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Park managed to do this as the Korean son of immigrant parents who settled in Los Gatos when the official city demographics for Koreans was 0.0%. Raised in an era of scant few Asian icons in American pop culture, and incessant “slant-eye” taunts on the playground, Park found a home in the underground scene and gradually expanded it to welcome many, many others.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huguenor, a musician himself once signed to Asian Man, and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.metrosiliconvalley.com/author/ichibanhuguenor/\">columnist\u003c/a> who’s chronicled the South Bay scene for years, approaches the Asian Man story with a fan’s enthusiasm and a cultural historian’s interest. Those who come for the bigger-name bands (or mini-scandals about, say, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/punk/comments/jisdi/ben_weasel_gives_official_statement_and_talks_a/\">misfortune of signing Screeching Weasel\u003c/a>) will also get a constellation of adventures, tour stories and scene politics.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993778\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-768x583.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-1536x1165.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An early incarnation of Less Than Jake, who would leave Asian Man Records after becoming the label’s very first success story. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Gardner)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those include some of Park’s absurd volume-eating challenges to friends, right alongside his founding of the Plea for Peace Foundation and the Ska Against Racism tour. Bands like Slow Gherkin pile 10 members in a 1970s van, a “clown car” rivaled only by sedans headed to the post office, packed to the ceiling with Asian Man LP mailers. Nick Traina, singer for Link 80 and the son of romance author Danielle Steel, dies of an overdose at age 19. Fans spend a day hashing out PunkNews.org message board drama during the early stages of the Black Lives Matter movement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For his part, Park tries to stay above the fray, with the slow, steady ritual of filling mailorder in his parents’ garage serving as a nearly spiritual practice. He famously tells newly signed bands “I don’t do anything,” meaning tour support and promotion. He blithely exits business negotiations when he finds himself uninterested. He turns down offers — $100,000 from a major label wanting to acquire an album from his roster, or $2 million from another label wanting to acquire his entire enterprise.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In cutthroat Silicon Valley, this might seem self-sabotaging. But Park knows himself too well. Unlike the billionaires in tech with their own garage origin myths, he stayed in the garage. He didn’t sell out. In the process, as \u003cem>Elvis Is Dead, I’m Still Alive\u003c/em> shows in detail, he gained the respect and love of virtually the entire underground music scene.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That much was evident at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DalM6HQp6sA/?hl=en\">Asian Man’s 30th Anniversary celebration\u003c/a> at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco in early September, which despite not announcing performers in advance sold out in minutes on the Asian Man name alone. It was four packed nights, 16 bands, surprise reunions, and Park’s own return to the stage with the Bruce Lee Band.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That much was evident at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DalM6HQp6sA/?hl=en\">Asian Man’s 30th Anniversary celebration\u003c/a> at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco in early September, which despite not announcing performers in advance sold out in minutes on the Asian Man name alone. It was four packed nights, 16 bands, surprise reunions, and Park’s own return to the stage with the Bruce Lee Band.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And, after the shows, Park went back to what he’s always done: still filling orders by hand, more than 30 years in, at his parents’ garage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the location of Asian Man Records’ garage headquarters. It is in Los Gatos, not Los Altos. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Mike Park's Asian Man Records is the subject of a new book charting the label’s origins, impact and longevity.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Punk, if you’ll pardon the song reference, has gotten \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/AdUBTE9JpgI?si=V4KsdIgONxCJKFO_\">institutionalized\u003c/a> in recent years. There’s now a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ithaca.com/entertainment/books/cornell-university-press-book-sheds-light-on-punk-s-diverse-history/article_942bd11f-7e13-42ed-8c52-f5ab307d05a5.html\">punk archive at Cornell University\u003c/a>, with an accompanying book. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/kul/kua/pun.html\">Goethe Institute has opened punk exhibitions\u003c/a> in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Academics, curators and humanities hounds are, suddenly, trying to answer the very broad question: \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/PcIX4D6lIZ8?si=9KV-RkbWm0n8QBAX\">what is punk\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Good luck to them. Punk is by nature inscrutable, and so vast as to be undefinable. What’s routinely more valuable, and coherent, are the focused histories of smaller underground scenes and their figureheads, bands and record labels.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1384\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993781\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-768x531.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/1995_Link-80-Book-Three_0108_a.MATT-BERTINELLI-OLPIN-copy-1536x1063.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Link 80, with singer Nick Traina, pictured in 1995. (Matt Bertinelli-Olpin)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s part of what makes Mike Huguenor’s book \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.clashbooks.com/new-products-2/elvis-is-dead-im-still-alive-mike-huguenor-signed\">Elvis Is Dead, I’m Still Alive: The Story of Asian Man Records\u003c/a>\u003c/em> such a necessary addition to the canon. While decidedly a South Bay operation, Asian Man Records, run since 1996 by Mike Park out of his parents’ Los Gatos garage, has released more than 400 albums by a global who’s-who of punk, ska and emo music, including Alkaline Trio, Less Than Jake, Joyce Manor, Link 80 and Lawrence Arms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rightful star of \u003cem>Elvis is Dead\u003c/em>’s 344 pages, though, is Mike Park himself. A tireless label owner with a strong set of personal ethics and penchant for pranks, Park may be best known to a certain generation of Bay Area kids as the leader of the early-’90s ska band \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050384534253&locale=es_LA#\">Skankin’ Pickle\u003c/a>. Through Asian Man, he’s also changed the underground scene for the better, and inspired and/or changed the lives of thousands of fans and musicians around the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1582\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993779\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-160x127.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-768x607.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Scan_20241210-51.-MURRAY-BOWLES-copy-1536x1215.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Skankin’ Pickle, with Mike Park (L) and Lars Nylander (R), performing at 924 Gilman in Berkeley. (Murray Bowles)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Park managed to do this as the Korean son of immigrant parents who settled in Los Gatos when the official city demographics for Koreans was 0.0%. Raised in an era of scant few Asian icons in American pop culture, and incessant “slant-eye” taunts on the playground, Park found a home in the underground scene and gradually expanded it to welcome many, many others.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Huguenor, a musician himself once signed to Asian Man, and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.metrosiliconvalley.com/author/ichibanhuguenor/\">columnist\u003c/a> who’s chronicled the South Bay scene for years, approaches the Asian Man story with a fan’s enthusiasm and a cultural historian’s interest. Those who come for the bigger-name bands (or mini-scandals about, say, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/punk/comments/jisdi/ben_weasel_gives_official_statement_and_talks_a/\">misfortune of signing Screeching Weasel\u003c/a>) will also get a constellation of adventures, tour stories and scene politics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1517\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993778\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-768x583.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/01.-1000011690-copy-1536x1165.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An early incarnation of Less Than Jake, who would leave Asian Man Records after becoming the label’s very first success story. (Josh Gardner)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those include some of Park’s absurd volume-eating challenges to friends, right alongside his founding of the Plea for Peace Foundation and the Ska Against Racism tour. Bands like Slow Gherkin pile 10 members in a 1970s van, a “clown car” rivaled only by sedans headed to the post office, packed to the ceiling with Asian Man LP mailers. Nick Traina, singer for Link 80 and the son of romance author Danielle Steel, dies of an overdose at age 19. Fans spend a day hashing out PunkNews.org message board drama during the early stages of the Black Lives Matter movement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For his part, Park tries to stay above the fray, with the slow, steady ritual of filling mailorder in his parents’ garage serving as a nearly spiritual practice. He famously tells newly signed bands “I don’t do anything,” meaning tour support and promotion. He blithely exits business negotiations when he finds himself uninterested. He turns down offers — $100,000 from a major label wanting to acquire an album from his roster, or $2 million from another label wanting to acquire his entire enterprise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993777\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/02.-Mail-Order-Car.HIRO-TANAKA-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A typical load of mailorder packages from Asian Man Records, headed to the post office. (Hiro Tanaka)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In cutthroat Silicon Valley, this might seem self-sabotaging. But Park knows himself too well. Unlike the billionaires in tech with their own garage origin myths, he stayed in the garage. He didn’t sell out. In the process, as \u003cem>Elvis Is Dead, I’m Still Alive\u003c/em> shows in detail, he gained the respect and love of virtually the entire underground music scene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That much was evident at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DalM6HQp6sA/?hl=en\">Asian Man’s 30th Anniversary celebration\u003c/a> at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco in early September, which despite not announcing performers in advance sold out in minutes on the Asian Man name alone. It was four packed nights, 16 bands, surprise reunions, and Park’s own return to the stage with the Bruce Lee Band.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And, after the shows, Park went back to what he’s always done: still filling orders by hand, more than 30 years in, at his parents’ garage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the location of Asian Man Records’ garage headquarters. It is in Los Gatos, not Los Altos. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-new-san-jose-pop-up-makes-the-most-unique-bagels-in-the-bay",
"title": "A New San José Pop-Up Makes the Most Unique Bagels in the Bay",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A decent bagel is hard to find in the South Bay. A great one? Nearly impossible. I knew I was in for something special when a line formed in front of the Wonn Bagels pop-up inside a coffee shop in South San José before it had even opened. Customers gazed longingly at the display case filled mostly with non-traditional bagels, some speckled with blueberries or topped with jalapeño slices. Later, after purchasing their bagels, they slathered them with chili crisp cream cheese.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a benchmark, I ordered a plain bagel. The shiny surface was rugged and bubbly with a firm crust. The inside was dense yet fluffy and had just the right amount of chewiness; the flavor was subtly tangy and sweet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bagel was great — and not just by San Jose standards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tech workers Vivian Kim and Tony Nguyen started The Wonn Bagels as a weekend project this past May, popping up once a month at the San José Japantown Farmers Market. Kim is the head baker; Nguyen is in charge of business operations. The inspiration for the business came when Kim developed an affinity for breadmaking during the pandemic. Although she never cared much for bagels, she was intrigued by the boiling and shaping process. The first time she made her own bagels, she was surprised by how much she enjoyed them. The homemade bagels came out moist and springy, unlike the tough, dry specimens she’d grown up eating. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right.jpg\" alt=\"Asian man and woman pose for a portrait in front of a display of bagels.\" class=\"wp-image-13993650\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tony Nguyen (left) and Vivian Kim started their bagel pop-up as a weekend project in May of 2026. They now sell their bagels twice a month at farmers markets and coffee shops in the South Bay. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bagel recipe Kim settled on after years of tinkering is an amalgamation of several regional styles. “I started exploring different bagels like New York style, Montreal style and Japanese style,” says Kim. “I brought a little bit of everything and came up with my own.” The New York influence appears in the addition of malt (to achieve the ideal texture) and slow-proofing (which helps yield a nutty flavor Kim compares to Korean scorched rice). From Montreal, she borrowed the technique of boiling the bagels in honey water to improve the crust. And like the new vanguard of bagel shops that are now popular in Japan, she uses flour with a lower percentage of protein to create a crumb that’s more tender and moist than the typical New York bagel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim says the hardest part of the process is the 20-hour wait for the bagels to finish proofing before they can actually taste how the final product turned out. Right now, the couple produces around 75 bagels for each event. There’s also ongoing R&D for seasonal specials like their corn bagel. Their next project is introducing dessert bagels to the menu.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For now, The Wonn Bagels is one of the Bay Area’s only Asian American–owned bagel businesses. That said, Kim says that even though she’s Korean American, she’s cautious about forcing Korean fusion into her bagels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Maybe down the line I’ll find the right Korean flavor profile that genuinely clicks,” she says. “But it will never be about labeling them ‘Korean bagels.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section.jpg\" alt=\"Cross section of a bagel, with bits of corn, jalapeño and cheddar cheese visible.\" class=\"wp-image-13993653\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The jalapeño corn cheese bagel is indicative of the pop-up’s creative, seasonal approach. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, Kim describes her bagels as West Coast inspired, reflective of the region’s diverse food scene. Her favorite creation so far is a sweet double blueberry bagel, which she developed after eating too many other blueberry pastries that lacked a potent fruit flavor. The first layer of blueberry comes from mixing blueberry comp0te into the dough. The second involves meticulously incorporating pieces of fresh blueberry — by hand to avoid crushing the berries, which maintain some of their juiciness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many of the pop-up’s housemade cream cheese spreads, on the other hand, do draw inspiration from Asian ingredients — a “chili crunch” cream cheese and another that incorporates Japanese yuzu kosho chili paste. Kim also has a fondness for sweet bagel spreads, with flavors like strawberry compote, mango coconut and sweet corn. On the other hand, Nguyen’s go-to order is savory: an everything bagel loaded with bacon-scallion cream cheese.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels.jpg\" alt=\"A display of plain and everything bagels.\" class=\"wp-image-13993652\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plain and everything bagels for sale at The Wonn Bagels’ August pop-up at Spectra Coffee in San José. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the pop-up I visited at Spectra Coffee, customers could also order a box of standard bagel toppings like smoked lox, capers, cornichons, tomato and onion. I ordered the box so that I could build a sandwich with my jalapeño corn cheddar bagel and yuzu kosho cream cheese. The shell of the bagel made an audible crunch when I bit in, and the jalapeño bagel itself was chewy, light and spicier than I expected. The yuzu cream cheese provided a tart, fragrant contrast to the salmon’s richness. It was a delicious bagel sandwich.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim and Nguyen have sold out at every event they have booked in the last few months. They currently host two pop-ups per month, alternating between cafes and farmers markets. As farmers market season wraps up, they’re searching for other locations so that they can host more frequent pop-ups. Someday, they might even open a proper brick-and-mortar bagel shop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Long-term we want to switch our careers to focus on [The Wonn Bagels],” Nguyen says. “Not sure when that will be, but that’s our goal.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the.wonn.bagels/\">\u003cem>The Wonn Bagels\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> pops up around the South Bay. The next pop-ups are at San José’s Japantown Farmer’s Market (357 E. Taylor St.) on Sep. 13 and Spectra Coffee (5353 Almaden Expy #52) on Sep. 27. Check the pop-up’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the.wonn.bagels\">\u003cem>Instagram page\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> for the most up-to-date schedule.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A decent bagel is hard to find in the South Bay. A great one? Nearly impossible. I knew I was in for something special when a line formed in front of the Wonn Bagels pop-up inside a coffee shop in South San José before it had even opened. Customers gazed longingly at the display case filled mostly with non-traditional bagels, some speckled with blueberries or topped with jalapeño slices. Later, after purchasing their bagels, they slathered them with chili crisp cream cheese.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a benchmark, I ordered a plain bagel. The shiny surface was rugged and bubbly with a firm crust. The inside was dense yet fluffy and had just the right amount of chewiness; the flavor was subtly tangy and sweet.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tech workers Vivian Kim and Tony Nguyen started The Wonn Bagels as a weekend project this past May, popping up once a month at the San José Japantown Farmers Market. Kim is the head baker; Nguyen is in charge of business operations. The inspiration for the business came when Kim developed an affinity for breadmaking during the pandemic. Although she never cared much for bagels, she was intrigued by the boiling and shaping process. The first time she made her own bagels, she was surprised by how much she enjoyed them. The homemade bagels came out moist and springy, unlike the tough, dry specimens she’d grown up eating. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tech workers Vivian Kim and Tony Nguyen started The Wonn Bagels as a weekend project this past May, popping up once a month at the San José Japantown Farmers Market. Kim is the head baker; Nguyen is in charge of business operations. The inspiration for the business came when Kim developed an affinity for breadmaking during the pandemic. Although she never cared much for bagels, she was intrigued by the boiling and shaping process. The first time she made her own bagels, she was surprised by how much she enjoyed them. The homemade bagels came out moist and springy, unlike the tough, dry specimens she’d grown up eating. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bagel recipe Kim settled on after years of tinkering is an amalgamation of several regional styles. “I started exploring different bagels like New York style, Montreal style and Japanese style,” says Kim. “I brought a little bit of everything and came up with my own.” The New York influence appears in the addition of malt (to achieve the ideal texture) and slow-proofing (which helps yield a nutty flavor Kim compares to Korean scorched rice). From Montreal, she borrowed the technique of boiling the bagels in honey water to improve the crust. And like the new vanguard of bagel shops that are now popular in Japan, she uses flour with a lower percentage of protein to create a crumb that’s more tender and moist than the typical New York bagel.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kim says the hardest part of the process is the 20-hour wait for the bagels to finish proofing before they can actually taste how the final product turned out. Right now, the couple produces around 75 bagels for each event. There’s also ongoing R&D for seasonal specials like their corn bagel. Their next project is introducing dessert bagels to the menu.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kim says the hardest part of the process is the 20-hour wait for the bagels to finish proofing before they can actually taste how the final product turned out. Right now, the couple produces around 75 bagels for each event. There’s also ongoing R&D for seasonal specials like their corn bagel. Their next project is introducing dessert bagels to the menu.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For now, The Wonn Bagels is one of the Bay Area’s only Asian American–owned bagel businesses. That said, Kim says that even though she’s Korean American, she’s cautious about forcing Korean fusion into her bagels. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For now, The Wonn Bagels is one of the Bay Area’s only Asian American–owned bagel businesses. That said, Kim says that even though she’s Korean American, she’s cautious about forcing Korean fusion into her bagels. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Maybe down the line I’ll find the right Korean flavor profile that genuinely clicks,” she says. “But it will never be about labeling them ‘Korean bagels.’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Maybe down the line I’ll find the right Korean flavor profile that genuinely clicks,” she says. “But it will never be about labeling them ‘Korean bagels.’” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section.jpg\" alt=\"Cross section of a bagel, with bits of corn, jalapeño and cheddar cheese visible.\" class=\"wp-image-13993653\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The jalapeño corn cheese bagel is indicative of the pop-up’s creative, seasonal approach.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section.jpg\" alt=\"Cross section of a bagel, with bits of corn, jalapeño and cheddar cheese visible.\" class=\"wp-image-13993653\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The jalapeño corn cheese bagel is indicative of the pop-up’s creative, seasonal approach.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, Kim describes her bagels as West Coast inspired, reflective of the region’s diverse food scene. Her favorite creation so far is a sweet double blueberry bagel, which she developed after eating too many other blueberry pastries that lacked a potent fruit flavor. The first layer of blueberry comes from mixing blueberry comp0te into the dough. The second involves meticulously incorporating pieces of fresh blueberry — by hand to avoid crushing the berries, which maintain some of their juiciness.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Instead, Kim describes her bagels as West Coast inspired, reflective of the region’s diverse food scene. Her favorite creation so far is a sweet double blueberry bagel, which she developed after eating too many other blueberry pastries that lacked a potent fruit flavor. The first layer of blueberry comes from mixing blueberry comp0te into the dough. The second involves meticulously incorporating pieces of fresh blueberry — by hand to avoid crushing the berries, which maintain some of their juiciness.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many of the pop-up’s housemade cream cheese spreads, on the other hand, do draw inspiration from Asian ingredients — a “chili crunch” cream cheese and another that incorporates Japanese yuzu kosho chili paste. Kim also has a fondness for sweet bagel spreads, with flavors like strawberry compote, mango coconut and sweet corn. On the other hand, Nguyen’s go-to order is savory: an everything bagel loaded with bacon-scallion cream cheese.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many of the pop-up’s housemade cream cheese spreads, on the other hand, do draw inspiration from Asian ingredients — a “chili crunch” cream cheese and another that incorporates Japanese yuzu kosho chili paste. Kim also has a fondness for sweet bagel spreads, with flavors like strawberry compote, mango coconut and sweet corn. On the other hand, Nguyen’s go-to order is savory: an everything bagel loaded with bacon-scallion cream cheese.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cp>At the pop-up I visited at Spectra Coffee, customers could also order a box of standard bagel toppings like smoked lox, capers, cornichons, tomato and onion. I ordered the box so that I could build a sandwich with my jalapeño corn cheddar bagel and yuzu kosho cream cheese. The shell of the bagel made an audible crunch when I bit in, and the jalapeño bagel itself was chewy, light and spicier than I expected. The yuzu cream cheese provided a tart, fragrant contrast to the salmon’s richness. It was a delicious bagel sandwich.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kim and Nguyen have sold out at every event they have booked in the last few months. They currently host two pop-ups per month, alternating between cafes and farmers markets. As farmers market season wraps up, they’re searching for other locations so that they can host more frequent pop-ups. Someday, they might even open a proper brick-and-mortar bagel shop.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kim and Nguyen have sold out at every event they have booked in the last few months. They currently host two pop-ups per month, alternating between cafes and farmers markets. As farmers market season wraps up, they’re searching for other locations so that they can host more frequent pop-ups. Someday, they might even open a proper brick-and-mortar bagel shop.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Long-term we want to switch our careers to focus on [The Wonn Bagels],” Nguyen says. “Not sure when that will be, but that’s our goal.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the.wonn.bagels/\">\u003cem>The Wonn Bagels\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> pops up around the South Bay. The next pop-ups are at San José’s Japantown Farmer’s Market (357 E. Taylor St.) on Sep. 13 and Spectra Coffee (5353 Almaden Expy #52) on Sep. 27. Check the pop-up’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the.wonn.bagels\">\u003cem>Instagram page\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> for the most up-to-date schedule.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the.wonn.bagels/\">\u003cem>The Wonn Bagels\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> pops up around the South Bay. The next pop-ups are at San José’s Japantown Farmer’s Market (357 E. Taylor St.) on Sep. 13 and Spectra Coffee (5353 Almaden Expy #52) on Sep. 27. Check the pop-up’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the.wonn.bagels\">\u003cem>Instagram page\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> for the most up-to-date schedule.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The Wonn Bagels is rolling out distinctly West Coast bagels with a dash of Asian American flavor.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A decent bagel is hard to find in the South Bay. A great one? Nearly impossible. I knew I was in for something special when a line formed in front of the Wonn Bagels pop-up inside a coffee shop in South San José before it had even opened. Customers gazed longingly at the display case filled mostly with non-traditional bagels, some speckled with blueberries or topped with jalapeño slices. Later, after purchasing their bagels, they slathered them with chili crisp cream cheese.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a benchmark, I ordered a plain bagel. The shiny surface was rugged and bubbly with a firm crust. The inside was dense yet fluffy and had just the right amount of chewiness; the flavor was subtly tangy and sweet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bagel was great — and not just by San Jose standards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tech workers Vivian Kim and Tony Nguyen started The Wonn Bagels as a weekend project this past May, popping up once a month at the San José Japantown Farmers Market. Kim is the head baker; Nguyen is in charge of business operations. The inspiration for the business came when Kim developed an affinity for breadmaking during the pandemic. Although she never cared much for bagels, she was intrigued by the boiling and shaping process. The first time she made her own bagels, she was surprised by how much she enjoyed them. The homemade bagels came out moist and springy, unlike the tough, dry specimens she’d grown up eating. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right.jpg\" alt=\"Asian man and woman pose for a portrait in front of a display of bagels.\" class=\"wp-image-13993650\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Tony-Nguyen-left-and-Vivian-Kim-right-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tony Nguyen (left) and Vivian Kim started their bagel pop-up as a weekend project in May of 2026. They now sell their bagels twice a month at farmers markets and coffee shops in the South Bay. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bagel recipe Kim settled on after years of tinkering is an amalgamation of several regional styles. “I started exploring different bagels like New York style, Montreal style and Japanese style,” says Kim. “I brought a little bit of everything and came up with my own.” The New York influence appears in the addition of malt (to achieve the ideal texture) and slow-proofing (which helps yield a nutty flavor Kim compares to Korean scorched rice). From Montreal, she borrowed the technique of boiling the bagels in honey water to improve the crust. And like the new vanguard of bagel shops that are now popular in Japan, she uses flour with a lower percentage of protein to create a crumb that’s more tender and moist than the typical New York bagel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim says the hardest part of the process is the 20-hour wait for the bagels to finish proofing before they can actually taste how the final product turned out. Right now, the couple produces around 75 bagels for each event. There’s also ongoing R&D for seasonal specials like their corn bagel. Their next project is introducing dessert bagels to the menu.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For now, The Wonn Bagels is one of the Bay Area’s only Asian American–owned bagel businesses. That said, Kim says that even though she’s Korean American, she’s cautious about forcing Korean fusion into her bagels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Maybe down the line I’ll find the right Korean flavor profile that genuinely clicks,” she says. “But it will never be about labeling them ‘Korean bagels.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section.jpg\" alt=\"Cross section of a bagel, with bits of corn, jalapeño and cheddar cheese visible.\" class=\"wp-image-13993653\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Cross-section-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The jalapeño corn cheese bagel is indicative of the pop-up’s creative, seasonal approach. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, Kim describes her bagels as West Coast inspired, reflective of the region’s diverse food scene. Her favorite creation so far is a sweet double blueberry bagel, which she developed after eating too many other blueberry pastries that lacked a potent fruit flavor. The first layer of blueberry comes from mixing blueberry comp0te into the dough. The second involves meticulously incorporating pieces of fresh blueberry — by hand to avoid crushing the berries, which maintain some of their juiciness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many of the pop-up’s housemade cream cheese spreads, on the other hand, do draw inspiration from Asian ingredients — a “chili crunch” cream cheese and another that incorporates Japanese yuzu kosho chili paste. Kim also has a fondness for sweet bagel spreads, with flavors like strawberry compote, mango coconut and sweet corn. On the other hand, Nguyen’s go-to order is savory: an everything bagel loaded with bacon-scallion cream cheese.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels.jpg\" alt=\"A display of plain and everything bagels.\" class=\"wp-image-13993652\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Plain-and-everything-bagels-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plain and everything bagels for sale at The Wonn Bagels’ August pop-up at Spectra Coffee in San José. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the pop-up I visited at Spectra Coffee, customers could also order a box of standard bagel toppings like smoked lox, capers, cornichons, tomato and onion. I ordered the box so that I could build a sandwich with my jalapeño corn cheddar bagel and yuzu kosho cream cheese. The shell of the bagel made an audible crunch when I bit in, and the jalapeño bagel itself was chewy, light and spicier than I expected. The yuzu cream cheese provided a tart, fragrant contrast to the salmon’s richness. It was a delicious bagel sandwich.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim and Nguyen have sold out at every event they have booked in the last few months. They currently host two pop-ups per month, alternating between cafes and farmers markets. As farmers market season wraps up, they’re searching for other locations so that they can host more frequent pop-ups. Someday, they might even open a proper brick-and-mortar bagel shop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Long-term we want to switch our careers to focus on [The Wonn Bagels],” Nguyen says. “Not sure when that will be, but that’s our goal.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the.wonn.bagels/\">\u003cem>The Wonn Bagels\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> pops up around the South Bay. The next pop-ups are at San José’s Japantown Farmer’s Market (357 E. Taylor St.) on Sep. 13 and Spectra Coffee (5353 Almaden Expy #52) on Sep. 27. Check the pop-up’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the.wonn.bagels\">\u003cem>Instagram page\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> for the most up-to-date schedule.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-pho-san-jose-torched-kobe-wagyu-duoi-bo-oxtails",
"title": "One of San José’s Best Phở Restaurants Slings Flame-Torched Wagyu Past Midnight",
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"headTitle": "One of San José’s Best Phở Restaurants Slings Flame-Torched Wagyu Past Midnight | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration: Two men devouring bowls of pho with a ferocity that verges on being frightening.\" class=\"wp-image-13993627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">While Phở Đuôi Bò is best known for its blowtorched wagyu beef, the East San José restaurant’s phở itself is worth seeking out in its own right. (Thien Pham)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003cem>The Midnight Diners\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Thien Pham\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When we pulled into the strip mall parking lot in Eastside \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> at a little past 9 o’clock on a recent Friday night, the whole plaza had mostly shut down for the night: the beauty salon, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986806/dzui-favorite-durian-dessert-shop-san-jose-banh-pia\">durian dessert shop\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905293/vietnamese-tofu-capital-san-jose\">vegan tofu deli\u003c/a>. The one restaurant still open, a neon-lit beacon in the night, was Phở Đuôi Bò, where about a dozen would-be diners mingled on the curb outside, waiting for a table.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their goal? To snag one of the city’s most talked-about bowls of phở — and, especially, for its blowtorched wagyu beef, served on top.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both of us had eaten at Đuôi Bò before and liked it enough to return on multiple occasions, families in tow. But the restaurant hit our radar again this summer when it put up a neon “LATE NIGHT EATS” sign and extended its hours past midnight — a rarity in a city whose excellent phở shops mostly close by 8 or 9 p.m. Đuôi Bò, on the other hand, is now open from 9 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. every day of the week: breakfast, lunch, dinner \u003cem>and \u003c/em>second dinner. The shop’s hours are so long, we got dizzy just imagining the size of their stock pot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The crowd is largely Vietnamese (with other assorted Asians), but less overwhelmingly so than at many of San José’s other top phở spots. There were at least two or three tables’ worth of diverse, non-Asian twentysomethings who’d waited in line like everyone else — evidence, perhaps, of the restaurant’s recent popularity among the South Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/phoduoibo/reels/\">food influencer class\u003c/a>. A lot of times you can tell how good an Asian restaurant is by its cross-generational appeal. Even at 9 p.m., there seemed to be as many 70-year-old Vietnamese aunties and uncles lining up for a hot bowl of phở as there were big groups of college kids. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Phở Đuôi Bò first opened in 2024, the restaurant captured the attention of local phở lovers by offering flame-blasted Kobe beef as a topping option, sizzling the well-marbled slices of meat with a mini blowtorch tableside: the very definition of a gimmicky, Insta-viral offering. As it turns out, the torched beef (not really “\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_beef\">Kobe\u003c/a>,” as it’s listed on the menu, but American wagyu from Snake River Farms) is delicious (more on that in a second). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But beyond the flashy pyrotechnics, the core of the restaurant is a lot more rustic and homey. During our visit, the soundtrack was a mix of smooth jazz and old Vietnamese love ballads. In this age of tacky AI-generated wall art, the handpainted murals that line Đuôi Bò’s dining room depict Vietnamese countryside scenes — a bull rearing up in a grassy plain, a resplendently garnished bowl of phở. Nothing about the place reads as overtly “cool” or trendy. And nothing tastes homier than the phở broth itself. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2.jpg\" alt=\"Storefront of a pho restaurant lit up at night. Illustration: The yellow lettering of the sign overhead reads "Pho Duoi Bo."\" class=\"wp-image-13993629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The restaurant recently extended its hours, which means its phở is now available until 12;30 a.m. daily. (Thien Pham)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The name “đuôi bò” means oxtail, so of course we decided to order the deluxe oxtail phở, which comes with all the meats you’d get in a bowl of đặc biệt (“special”) phở, plus a big, meaty tailbone that we happily gnawed clean. Here’s our pro tip, though: The reason the restaurant has that name is because it uses dozens of oxtails to make the broth itself, through hours upon hours of slow simmering. The end result is that those tails wind up rather chewy, and all of the flavor has gone into the broth, which is some of the richest and most flavorful we’ve had in the Bay. It’s loaded with collagen and big, glistening droplets of fat, but also clean and light on the palate. And that’s the same broth you get no matter which phở you order. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For our second bowl, then, we stuck with our usual favorites: raw steak (served on the side so we could poach it in the hot soup at the last minute), the soft tendons, the fatty brisket and bouncy meatballs. We opted for the wider, springier fresh noodles, and doctored up a little dipping sauce for our meats: some fish sauce and Sriracha, a clutch of vinegared onions (available as a $1 side), a squeeze of lime. Đuôi Bò also offers Chinese fried crullers as a side dish. Fresh out of the deep fryer, these make an excellent addition to a bowl of phở; the contrast between their crunchiness and the bit of sogginess they pick up after they’ve bobbed around in the soup for a minute is just sublime.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All of this adds up to something approaching our Platonic ideal for phở, easily ranking as one of our top two or three favorite bowls in the Bay. The fact that we could have it at midnight on a random Tuesday night almost seems too good to be true. And all that before we’ve even really talked about the restaurant’s claim to fame — that flame-torched wagyu. Which is definitely worth getting as a side order to share. (We found it too heavy for one person to finish on their own.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re a fan of dramatics, as we are, you can ask the staff to torch the meat at the table, but in our experience, these days they usually decline that request and instead wield the flameflower at the back of the dining room, right before bringing the meat to your table. What we love is how the torching gives the fatty meat these wonderfully crisp edges and infuses it with a deep smoky flavor, which adds a new dimension to the phở-slurping experience. You can dump the plate of torched wagyu directly into your soup, but we liked eating it on its own, between sips of broth, dunking the meat in our makeshift vinegar dip to cut into the richness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rest of Đuôi Bò’s menu is incredibly spare and basic — just some spring rolls and crispy chicken wings as appetizers. In a sign that they understand their audience, or maybe just the Instagram algorithm, they’ve also started blow-torching marrow bones, which were sold out during our visit. We couldn’t figure out how exactly those were meant to complement the phở — but we were here already, why wouldn’t we give it a try? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the time we walked out of the restaurant, full beyond the point of comfort, it was close to 11 p.m., and the line of customers waiting outside showed no sign of diminishing. The crowd had started to skew a little bit younger and more fashionably dressed. But as we watched them staring longingly at the menu posted in the window, there was no mistake about it: They were here to \u003cem>eat\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/phoduoibo/\">\u003cem>Phở Đuôi Bò\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open 9 a.m.–12:30 a.m. daily at 2465 Alvin Ave. in San José.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration: Two men devouring bowls of pho with a ferocity that verges on being frightening.\" class=\"wp-image-13993627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">While Phở Đuôi Bò is best known for its blowtorched wagyu beef, the East San José restaurant’s phở itself is worth seeking out in its own right. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration: Two men devouring bowls of pho with a ferocity that verges on being frightening.\" class=\"wp-image-13993627\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">While Phở Đuôi Bò is best known for its blowtorched wagyu beef, the East San José restaurant’s phở itself is worth seeking out in its own right. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003cem>The Midnight Diners\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Thien Pham\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003cem>The Midnight Diners\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Thien Pham\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When we pulled into the strip mall parking lot in Eastside \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> at a little past 9 o’clock on a recent Friday night, the whole plaza had mostly shut down for the night: the beauty salon, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986806/dzui-favorite-durian-dessert-shop-san-jose-banh-pia\">durian dessert shop\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905293/vietnamese-tofu-capital-san-jose\">vegan tofu deli\u003c/a>. The one restaurant still open, a neon-lit beacon in the night, was Phở Đuôi Bò, where about a dozen would-be diners mingled on the curb outside, waiting for a table.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When we pulled into the strip mall parking lot in Eastside \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> at a little past 9 o’clock on a recent Friday night, the whole plaza had mostly shut down for the night: the beauty salon, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986806/dzui-favorite-durian-dessert-shop-san-jose-banh-pia\">durian dessert shop\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905293/vietnamese-tofu-capital-san-jose\">vegan tofu deli\u003c/a>. The one restaurant still open, a neon-lit beacon in the night, was Phở Đuôi Bò, where about a dozen would-be diners mingled on the curb outside, waiting for a table.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their goal? To snag one of the city’s most talked-about bowls of phở — and, especially, for its blowtorched wagyu beef, served on top.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Their goal? To snag one of the city’s most talked-about bowls of phở — and, especially, for its blowtorched wagyu beef, served on top.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both of us had eaten at Đuôi Bò before and liked it enough to return on multiple occasions, families in tow. But the restaurant hit our radar again this summer when it put up a neon “LATE NIGHT EATS” sign and extended its hours past midnight — a rarity in a city whose excellent phở shops mostly close by 8 or 9 p.m. Đuôi Bò, on the other hand, is now open from 9 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. every day of the week: breakfast, lunch, dinner \u003cem>and \u003c/em>second dinner. The shop’s hours are so long, we got dizzy just imagining the size of their stock pot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Both of us had eaten at Đuôi Bò before and liked it enough to return on multiple occasions, families in tow. But the restaurant hit our radar again this summer when it put up a neon “LATE NIGHT EATS” sign and extended its hours past midnight — a rarity in a city whose excellent phở shops mostly close by 8 or 9 p.m. Đuôi Bò, on the other hand, is now open from 9 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. every day of the week: breakfast, lunch, dinner \u003cem>and \u003c/em>second dinner. The shop’s hours are so long, we got dizzy just imagining the size of their stock pot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The crowd is largely Vietnamese (with other assorted Asians), but less overwhelmingly so than at many of San José’s other top phở spots. There were at least two or three tables’ worth of diverse, non-Asian twentysomethings who’d waited in line like everyone else — evidence, perhaps, of the restaurant’s recent popularity among the South Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/phoduoibo/reels/\">food influencer class\u003c/a>. A lot of times you can tell how good an Asian restaurant is by its cross-generational appeal. Even at 9 p.m., there seemed to be as many 70-year-old Vietnamese aunties and uncles lining up for a hot bowl of phở as there were big groups of college kids. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The crowd is largely Vietnamese (with other assorted Asians), but less overwhelmingly so than at many of San José’s other top phở spots. There were at least two or three tables’ worth of diverse, non-Asian twentysomethings who’d waited in line like everyone else — evidence, perhaps, of the restaurant’s recent popularity among the South Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/phoduoibo/reels/\">food influencer class\u003c/a>. A lot of times you can tell how good an Asian restaurant is by its cross-generational appeal. Even at 9 p.m., there seemed to be as many 70-year-old Vietnamese aunties and uncles lining up for a hot bowl of phở as there were big groups of college kids. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Phở Đuôi Bò first opened in 2024, the restaurant captured the attention of local phở lovers by offering flame-blasted Kobe beef as a topping option, sizzling the well-marbled slices of meat with a mini blowtorch tableside: the very definition of a gimmicky, Insta-viral offering. As it turns out, the torched beef (not really “\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_beef\">Kobe\u003c/a>,” as it’s listed on the menu, but American wagyu from Snake River Farms) is delicious (more on that in a second). \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When Phở Đuôi Bò first opened in 2024, the restaurant captured the attention of local phở lovers by offering flame-blasted Kobe beef as a topping option, sizzling the well-marbled slices of meat with a mini blowtorch tableside: the very definition of a gimmicky, Insta-viral offering. As it turns out, the torched beef (not really “\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_beef\">Kobe\u003c/a>,” as it’s listed on the menu, but American wagyu from Snake River Farms) is delicious (more on that in a second). \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But beyond the flashy pyrotechnics, the core of the restaurant is a lot more rustic and homey. During our visit, the soundtrack was a mix of smooth jazz and old Vietnamese love ballads. In this age of tacky AI-generated wall art, the handpainted murals that line Đuôi Bò’s dining room depict Vietnamese countryside scenes — a bull rearing up in a grassy plain, a resplendently garnished bowl of phở. Nothing about the place reads as overtly “cool” or trendy. And nothing tastes homier than the phở broth itself. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But beyond the flashy pyrotechnics, the core of the restaurant is a lot more rustic and homey. During our visit, the soundtrack was a mix of smooth jazz and old Vietnamese love ballads. In this age of tacky AI-generated wall art, the handpainted murals that line Đuôi Bò’s dining room depict Vietnamese countryside scenes — a bull rearing up in a grassy plain, a resplendently garnished bowl of phở. Nothing about the place reads as overtly “cool” or trendy. And nothing tastes homier than the phở broth itself. \u003c/p>\n"
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"alt": "Storefront of a pho restaurant lit up at night. Illustration: The yellow lettering of the sign overhead reads \"Pho Duoi Bo.\"",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-600x600.jpg 600w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2.jpg\" alt=\"Storefront of a pho restaurant lit up at night. Illustration: The yellow lettering of the sign overhead reads "Pho Duoi Bo."\" class=\"wp-image-13993629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The restaurant recently extended its hours, which means its phở is now available until 12;30 a.m. daily.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2.jpg\" alt=\"Storefront of a pho restaurant lit up at night. Illustration: The yellow lettering of the sign overhead reads "Pho Duoi Bo."\" class=\"wp-image-13993629\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The restaurant recently extended its hours, which means its phở is now available until 12;30 a.m. daily.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The name “đuôi bò” means oxtail, so of course we decided to order the deluxe oxtail phở, which comes with all the meats you’d get in a bowl of đặc biệt (“special”) phở, plus a big, meaty tailbone that we happily gnawed clean. Here’s our pro tip, though: The reason the restaurant has that name is because it uses dozens of oxtails to make the broth itself, through hours upon hours of slow simmering. The end result is that those tails wind up rather chewy, and all of the flavor has gone into the broth, which is some of the richest and most flavorful we’ve had in the Bay. It’s loaded with collagen and big, glistening droplets of fat, but also clean and light on the palate. And that’s the same broth you get no matter which phở you order. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The name “đuôi bò” means oxtail, so of course we decided to order the deluxe oxtail phở, which comes with all the meats you’d get in a bowl of đặc biệt (“special”) phở, plus a big, meaty tailbone that we happily gnawed clean. Here’s our pro tip, though: The reason the restaurant has that name is because it uses dozens of oxtails to make the broth itself, through hours upon hours of slow simmering. The end result is that those tails wind up rather chewy, and all of the flavor has gone into the broth, which is some of the richest and most flavorful we’ve had in the Bay. It’s loaded with collagen and big, glistening droplets of fat, but also clean and light on the palate. And that’s the same broth you get no matter which phở you order. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For our second bowl, then, we stuck with our usual favorites: raw steak (served on the side so we could poach it in the hot soup at the last minute), the soft tendons, the fatty brisket and bouncy meatballs. We opted for the wider, springier fresh noodles, and doctored up a little dipping sauce for our meats: some fish sauce and Sriracha, a clutch of vinegared onions (available as a $1 side), a squeeze of lime. Đuôi Bò also offers Chinese fried crullers as a side dish. Fresh out of the deep fryer, these make an excellent addition to a bowl of phở; the contrast between their crunchiness and the bit of sogginess they pick up after they’ve bobbed around in the soup for a minute is just sublime.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For our second bowl, then, we stuck with our usual favorites: raw steak (served on the side so we could poach it in the hot soup at the last minute), the soft tendons, the fatty brisket and bouncy meatballs. We opted for the wider, springier fresh noodles, and doctored up a little dipping sauce for our meats: some fish sauce and Sriracha, a clutch of vinegared onions (available as a $1 side), a squeeze of lime. Đuôi Bò also offers Chinese fried crullers as a side dish. Fresh out of the deep fryer, these make an excellent addition to a bowl of phở; the contrast between their crunchiness and the bit of sogginess they pick up after they’ve bobbed around in the soup for a minute is just sublime.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All of this adds up to something approaching our Platonic ideal for phở, easily ranking as one of our top two or three favorite bowls in the Bay. The fact that we could have it at midnight on a random Tuesday night almost seems too good to be true. And all that before we’ve even really talked about the restaurant’s claim to fame — that flame-torched wagyu. Which is definitely worth getting as a side order to share. (We found it too heavy for one person to finish on their own.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>All of this adds up to something approaching our Platonic ideal for phở, easily ranking as one of our top two or three favorite bowls in the Bay. The fact that we could have it at midnight on a random Tuesday night almost seems too good to be true. And all that before we’ve even really talked about the restaurant’s claim to fame — that flame-torched wagyu. Which is definitely worth getting as a side order to share. (We found it too heavy for one person to finish on their own.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re a fan of dramatics, as we are, you can ask the staff to torch the meat at the table, but in our experience, these days they usually decline that request and instead wield the flameflower at the back of the dining room, right before bringing the meat to your table. What we love is how the torching gives the fatty meat these wonderfully crisp edges and infuses it with a deep smoky flavor, which adds a new dimension to the phở-slurping experience. You can dump the plate of torched wagyu directly into your soup, but we liked eating it on its own, between sips of broth, dunking the meat in our makeshift vinegar dip to cut into the richness.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re a fan of dramatics, as we are, you can ask the staff to torch the meat at the table, but in our experience, these days they usually decline that request and instead wield the flameflower at the back of the dining room, right before bringing the meat to your table. What we love is how the torching gives the fatty meat these wonderfully crisp edges and infuses it with a deep smoky flavor, which adds a new dimension to the phở-slurping experience. You can dump the plate of torched wagyu directly into your soup, but we liked eating it on its own, between sips of broth, dunking the meat in our makeshift vinegar dip to cut into the richness.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rest of Đuôi Bò’s menu is incredibly spare and basic — just some spring rolls and crispy chicken wings as appetizers. In a sign that they understand their audience, or maybe just the Instagram algorithm, they’ve also started blow-torching marrow bones, which were sold out during our visit. We couldn’t figure out how exactly those were meant to complement the phở — but we were here already, why wouldn’t we give it a try? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The rest of Đuôi Bò’s menu is incredibly spare and basic — just some spring rolls and crispy chicken wings as appetizers. In a sign that they understand their audience, or maybe just the Instagram algorithm, they’ve also started blow-torching marrow bones, which were sold out during our visit. We couldn’t figure out how exactly those were meant to complement the phở — but we were here already, why wouldn’t we give it a try? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>By the time we walked out of the restaurant, full beyond the point of comfort, it was close to 11 p.m., and the line of customers waiting outside showed no sign of diminishing. The crowd had started to skew a little bit younger and more fashionably dressed. But as we watched them staring longingly at the menu posted in the window, there was no mistake about it: They were here to \u003cem>eat\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>By the time we walked out of the restaurant, full beyond the point of comfort, it was close to 11 p.m., and the line of customers waiting outside showed no sign of diminishing. The crowd had started to skew a little bit younger and more fashionably dressed. But as we watched them staring longingly at the menu posted in the window, there was no mistake about it: They were here to \u003cem>eat\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/phoduoibo/\">\u003cem>Phở Đuôi Bò\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open 9 a.m.–12:30 a.m. daily at 2465 Alvin Ave. in San José.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Come to Phở Đuôi Bò for the flashy pyrotechnics. Stay for the soul-nourishing broth.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration: Two men devouring bowls of pho with a ferocity that verges on being frightening.\" class=\"wp-image-13993627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">While Phở Đuôi Bò is best known for its blowtorched wagyu beef, the East San José restaurant’s phở itself is worth seeking out in its own right. (Thien Pham)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003cem>The Midnight Diners\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Thien Pham\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When we pulled into the strip mall parking lot in Eastside \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> at a little past 9 o’clock on a recent Friday night, the whole plaza had mostly shut down for the night: the beauty salon, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986806/dzui-favorite-durian-dessert-shop-san-jose-banh-pia\">durian dessert shop\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905293/vietnamese-tofu-capital-san-jose\">vegan tofu deli\u003c/a>. The one restaurant still open, a neon-lit beacon in the night, was Phở Đuôi Bò, where about a dozen would-be diners mingled on the curb outside, waiting for a table.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their goal? To snag one of the city’s most talked-about bowls of phở — and, especially, for its blowtorched wagyu beef, served on top.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both of us had eaten at Đuôi Bò before and liked it enough to return on multiple occasions, families in tow. But the restaurant hit our radar again this summer when it put up a neon “LATE NIGHT EATS” sign and extended its hours past midnight — a rarity in a city whose excellent phở shops mostly close by 8 or 9 p.m. Đuôi Bò, on the other hand, is now open from 9 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. every day of the week: breakfast, lunch, dinner \u003cem>and \u003c/em>second dinner. The shop’s hours are so long, we got dizzy just imagining the size of their stock pot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The crowd is largely Vietnamese (with other assorted Asians), but less overwhelmingly so than at many of San José’s other top phở spots. There were at least two or three tables’ worth of diverse, non-Asian twentysomethings who’d waited in line like everyone else — evidence, perhaps, of the restaurant’s recent popularity among the South Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/phoduoibo/reels/\">food influencer class\u003c/a>. A lot of times you can tell how good an Asian restaurant is by its cross-generational appeal. Even at 9 p.m., there seemed to be as many 70-year-old Vietnamese aunties and uncles lining up for a hot bowl of phở as there were big groups of college kids. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Phở Đuôi Bò first opened in 2024, the restaurant captured the attention of local phở lovers by offering flame-blasted Kobe beef as a topping option, sizzling the well-marbled slices of meat with a mini blowtorch tableside: the very definition of a gimmicky, Insta-viral offering. As it turns out, the torched beef (not really “\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_beef\">Kobe\u003c/a>,” as it’s listed on the menu, but American wagyu from Snake River Farms) is delicious (more on that in a second). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But beyond the flashy pyrotechnics, the core of the restaurant is a lot more rustic and homey. During our visit, the soundtrack was a mix of smooth jazz and old Vietnamese love ballads. In this age of tacky AI-generated wall art, the handpainted murals that line Đuôi Bò’s dining room depict Vietnamese countryside scenes — a bull rearing up in a grassy plain, a resplendently garnished bowl of phở. Nothing about the place reads as overtly “cool” or trendy. And nothing tastes homier than the phở broth itself. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2.jpg\" alt=\"Storefront of a pho restaurant lit up at night. Illustration: The yellow lettering of the sign overhead reads "Pho Duoi Bo."\" class=\"wp-image-13993629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/PhoDuoiBo2-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The restaurant recently extended its hours, which means its phở is now available until 12;30 a.m. daily. (Thien Pham)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The name “đuôi bò” means oxtail, so of course we decided to order the deluxe oxtail phở, which comes with all the meats you’d get in a bowl of đặc biệt (“special”) phở, plus a big, meaty tailbone that we happily gnawed clean. Here’s our pro tip, though: The reason the restaurant has that name is because it uses dozens of oxtails to make the broth itself, through hours upon hours of slow simmering. The end result is that those tails wind up rather chewy, and all of the flavor has gone into the broth, which is some of the richest and most flavorful we’ve had in the Bay. It’s loaded with collagen and big, glistening droplets of fat, but also clean and light on the palate. And that’s the same broth you get no matter which phở you order. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For our second bowl, then, we stuck with our usual favorites: raw steak (served on the side so we could poach it in the hot soup at the last minute), the soft tendons, the fatty brisket and bouncy meatballs. We opted for the wider, springier fresh noodles, and doctored up a little dipping sauce for our meats: some fish sauce and Sriracha, a clutch of vinegared onions (available as a $1 side), a squeeze of lime. Đuôi Bò also offers Chinese fried crullers as a side dish. Fresh out of the deep fryer, these make an excellent addition to a bowl of phở; the contrast between their crunchiness and the bit of sogginess they pick up after they’ve bobbed around in the soup for a minute is just sublime.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All of this adds up to something approaching our Platonic ideal for phở, easily ranking as one of our top two or three favorite bowls in the Bay. The fact that we could have it at midnight on a random Tuesday night almost seems too good to be true. And all that before we’ve even really talked about the restaurant’s claim to fame — that flame-torched wagyu. Which is definitely worth getting as a side order to share. (We found it too heavy for one person to finish on their own.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re a fan of dramatics, as we are, you can ask the staff to torch the meat at the table, but in our experience, these days they usually decline that request and instead wield the flameflower at the back of the dining room, right before bringing the meat to your table. What we love is how the torching gives the fatty meat these wonderfully crisp edges and infuses it with a deep smoky flavor, which adds a new dimension to the phở-slurping experience. You can dump the plate of torched wagyu directly into your soup, but we liked eating it on its own, between sips of broth, dunking the meat in our makeshift vinegar dip to cut into the richness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rest of Đuôi Bò’s menu is incredibly spare and basic — just some spring rolls and crispy chicken wings as appetizers. In a sign that they understand their audience, or maybe just the Instagram algorithm, they’ve also started blow-torching marrow bones, which were sold out during our visit. We couldn’t figure out how exactly those were meant to complement the phở — but we were here already, why wouldn’t we give it a try? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the time we walked out of the restaurant, full beyond the point of comfort, it was close to 11 p.m., and the line of customers waiting outside showed no sign of diminishing. The crowd had started to skew a little bit younger and more fashionably dressed. But as we watched them staring longingly at the menu posted in the window, there was no mistake about it: They were here to \u003cem>eat\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/phoduoibo/\">\u003cem>Phở Đuôi Bò\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open 9 a.m.–12:30 a.m. daily at 2465 Alvin Ave. in San José.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-outdoor-festivals-bay-area-fall-2026",
"title": "15 of the Best Outdoor Festivals in the Bay Area This Fall",
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"headTitle": "15 of the Best Outdoor Festivals in the Bay Area This Fall | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the magic of autumn approaches, winds swirl and sunsets turn to sherbert hues of pink and orange. Stores fill with Halloween decorations, and kids in backpacks are once again up early, zombie-walking to class.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With fall comes festivals; for centuries, harvest time has meant outdoor celebrations. Here in the Bay Area, people sing in parks, eat in parking lots and dance in the streets. Below, find a select handful of this year’s outdoor fall festivals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13974858\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Performances at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival are always free. (Courtesy Yerba Buena Gardens Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/events/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=36955909&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Ys4dhgMHawicf5GGZOYX0Sz9gJ\">Yerba Buena Gardens Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Through Nov. 13\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s diversity, and then there’s this festival’s lineup, which includes the Cuban Afro-Latin Funk combo \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/los-calderones/\">Los Calderones\u003c/a>, a full day celebrating cultures of the continent during \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/african-arts-festival-2026/\">the African Arts Festival\u003c/a> and a special \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/indigenous-peoples-day-jeremy-dutcher/\">San Francisco Indigenous Peoples Day\u003c/a> performance by classically trained Indigenous Canadian tenor, Jeremy Dutcher. With free weekly performances on the open lawn between the Metreon and SFMOMA, the series concludes with a celebration of South Asian culture during the \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/bhangra-and-beats-111326/\">Bhangra & Beats Night Market\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-bizerkeley-food-fest-2026-tickets-1685365305999?aff=odcleoeventsincollection\">Bizerkeley Food Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 6\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, Berkeley \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more Berkeley than a vegan food festival? A vegan food festival that helps rescue animals. In addition to live performances and free samples of food from an array of plant-based restaurants, the festival spreads awareness and raises funds for California Pit Bull Rescue — and even hosts a meet-and-greet with a few furry four-legged friends. (Note: Attendees may not bring their own dogs.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838.jpg\" alt=\"An older Black man in a shiny purple suit jacket smiles with eyes shut and arms raised in the air\" class=\"wp-image-13993027\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Soul singer Eddie Holman, of “Hey There Lonely Girl” fame, is a scheduled performer at San José’s 2026 Chicano Soul Festival. (Bobby Bank/WireImage)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-annual-chicano-soul-fest-tickets-1984652009586\">Chicano Soul Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 29\u003cbr>History Park, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lowriders, Aztec dancers and special appearances dot this afternoon festival. Two stages of live entertainment host performances by the likes of Eddie Holman, Sunny Ozuna, Mellow Man Ace and Discos Resaca. Also taking place is a special tribute to George Kerr, an architect of Latin soul music.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mill-valley-fall-arts-festival-september-19-20-2026-hours-10-5-tickets-1988942471473?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19 and 20\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Old Mill Park, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Next year will mark seven decades of the Mill Valley Arts Festival, a traditional celebration of live performances, crafts from over 100 different makers and a children’s grove with magic tricks and storytelling. And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? This year’s celebration introduces a new wine tasting element with local vineyards like \u003ca href=\"https://www.barraofmendocino.com/\">Barra of Mendocino\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gibbsnapavalley.com/\">Gibbs of Napa Valley\u003c/a> and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Schoolchildren in face masks stringing up paper lanterns in Clinton Park, Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13901757\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children string up paper lanterns at Clinton Park during the 2020 edition of the Little Saigon Mid-Autumn Festival. (Good Good Eatz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ovcc-mid-autumn-festival-2026-tickets-1990660367747\">Oakland Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Clinton Park, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland’s Little Saigon district is home to several thousand Vietnamese residents, along with dozens of Vietnamese-owned businesses, including markets, restaurants and stores. Sponsored by the Oakland Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, this annual event offers a chance to learn about the neighborhood while enjoying food, meeting small businesses owners and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.dcpla.org/artfest-about\">Daly City Public Library’s Art & Lit Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Serramonte Center, Daly City\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All the festivals in this guide are outdoors, but c’mon, we had to make an exception for the library. This festival is… inside \u003cem>the mall\u003c/em>? Hear us out: for the fifth year in a row, Daly City’s arts and crafts scene is on full display at this event, with local performers, craftspeople and musicians. An event for all ages, the celebration doubles as a fundraiser for the Daly City Public Library, whose main branch is just a short walk from the mall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.folsomstreet.org/folsom-street-fair\">Folsom Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Folsom Street, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For 42 years, this eye-popping event has been a place where “pleasure meets protest, leather meets liberation, and visibility is an act of defiance.” A late-September celebration, Folsom is all about taking to the streets and enjoying the sunshine — even where the sun doesn’t usually shine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/sshhb5ISHvI?si=PelIllKibSJTWDbQ\">Oktoberfest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Throughout October\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Various locations\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lederhosen! Tubas! And most importantly: beer! \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaktoberfest.org/\">Oakland’s “Oaktoberfest”\u003c/a> takes place on Saturday Oct. 3 and Sunday Oct. 4 in East Oakland’s Dimond District. On the peninsula, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mvoktoberfest.com/\">Mountain View’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> gets underway the following weekend, Oct. 10 and 11. And if you’re in the South Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://campbelloktoberfest.com/\">Campbell’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> is Oct. 17 and 18. Up north, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sixflags.com/discoverykingdom/events/oktoberfest\">Vallejo’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> takes place beneath the roller coasters at none other than Six Flags amusement park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980417\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jaelah (left), 12, a member of the Blue Bird Riders from Manteca, rides with her friend Aniyah, 13, during the Oakland Black Cowboy Association parade in Oakland on Oct. 5, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandbca.org/\">Oakland’s Black Cowboy Parade\u003c/a> \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 3\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Little Bobby Hutton Park, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An annual celebration of African American history and horseback riding, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008139/oaklands-black-cowboy-association-celebrates-50-years-with-parade-and-festival\">the Oakland Black Cowboy Association\u003c/a> returns for its yearly celebration. With food vendors, dancers, pony rides and a parade, this event has been the pride of West Oakland for over 50 years\u003cstrong>. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://castrostreetfair.org/fair/\">Castro Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 4\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Castro Street, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For more than half a century, this celebration of community resilience takes over the Castro with music, arts and chic fashion. People are invited to come out and enjoy live music, food, DJs and more, all while raising funds for a number of charitable causes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.bpp60th.org/\">Black Panther Party 60th Anniversary Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 15–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Location to be determined\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sixty years ago, Bobby Seale and Dr. Huey P. Newton created and implemented a 10-point program, certifying the Oakland-born Black Panther Party for Self-Defense as a leading organization of new ideas and movements. On this weekend, the organization’s lasting legacy will be celebrated in proper fashion: a reunion of those who did the work and the community that’s benefited from their efforts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://gardensatlakemerritt.org/autumn-lights-festival-2026/\">Autumn Lights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 15–17\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Lake Merritt, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s an all-ages artistic light show, full of brightly colored illuminated installations, all inside a garden on the edge of Lake Merritt. What more does one need in life?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993026\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rangoli, a colorful form of Indian folk art celebrating art, beauty and culture, is seen drawn on the sidewalks of Bishop Ranch City Center to celebrate the Hindu holiday Diwali in San Ramon, California, on Nov. 14, 2020. (Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.aiaevents.org/diwali-dhamaka-2026\">Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka Festival of Lights & Fireworks\u003c/a> \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 17\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With bright lights, live Bollywood dancers and Indian cuisine of all sorts, the East Bay’s largest Diwali celebration boasts carnival rides and more than 150 food and shopping stalls. In addition to community dance groups and a huge fireworks show, attendees can also witness a 40 foot effigy of the demon king Raavan Dahan set aflame. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 17–18\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Half Moon Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They’ll have a Halloween costume contest, seasonal drinks and workshops on pumpkin carving, plus work from over 250 artists, three stages of live music, a pumpkin parade and a pumpkin-weighing contest with some of the largest gourds known to man. All of that, plus a run, walk and stroll on Sunday to raise funds for \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercyhousing.org/california/coastside-senior/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23143634391&gbraid=0AAAAAD2ps6efEFaB6t-5JtQvVQFIEn2CA&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4orUBhCjARIsAIbF3qy72I2TfDfTNSAmIIRW3Ixp4Nt2_lR2SN0J6oSQt3gd5sKS51BZLpQaAoYSEALw_wcB\">low-income senior housing\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13937452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Amalia Canales attends the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://unitycouncil.org/program/diaoakland/\">Oakland’s Día De Los Muertos Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Fruitvale Village, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are many other Día de los Muertos festivals around the Bay, but if you’ve never been to Fruitvale’s, you’re missing something special. This year’s theme is “La Lucha Continúa: Aquí Estamos y no Nos Vamos” (“The Struggle Continues: We’re Here and We’re Not Leaving”). A celebration of culture, rife with sugar skulls and marigolds, this festival doubles as a reminder that coming together in community can be a political act. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Briefly noted\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://sfcheesefest.com/\">SF Cheese Fest\u003c/a> (Oct. 3, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/filipino-island-fest-tickets-1992240712601?aff=erelpanelorg\">Filipino Island Fest\u003c/a> (Oct. 3, Alameda)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://fleetweeksf.org/\">Fleet Week\u003c/a> (Oct. 4–12, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.litquake.org/\">Litquake\u003c/a> (Oct. 8–24, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"http://eventbrite.com/e/prescott-market-holiday-pop-up-craft-faires-tickets-1983919211768?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Prescott Market Holiday Pop-Up Craft Faires\u003c/a> (Oct. 24 and Dec. 19, Oakland)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fallchocolatesalon.com/\">Fall Holiday Chocolate Salon and Festival\u003c/a> (Nov. 22, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the magic of autumn approaches, winds swirl and sunsets turn to sherbert hues of pink and orange. Stores fill with Halloween decorations, and kids in backpacks are once again up early, zombie-walking to class.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As the magic of autumn approaches, winds swirl and sunsets turn to sherbert hues of pink and orange. Stores fill with Halloween decorations, and kids in backpacks are once again up early, zombie-walking to class.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With fall comes festivals; for centuries, harvest time has meant outdoor celebrations. Here in the Bay Area, people sing in parks, eat in parking lots and dance in the streets. Below, find a select handful of this year’s outdoor fall festivals.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>With fall comes festivals; for centuries, harvest time has meant outdoor celebrations. Here in the Bay Area, people sing in parks, eat in parking lots and dance in the streets. Below, find a select handful of this year’s outdoor fall festivals.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1920x1278.jpg 1920w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13974858\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Performances at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival are always free.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy Yerba Buena Gardens Festival)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13974858\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Performances at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival are always free.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy Yerba Buena Gardens Festival)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Yerba Buena Gardens Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/events/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=36955909&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Ys4dhgMHawicf5GGZOYX0Sz9gJ\">Yerba Buena Gardens Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/events/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=36955909&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Ys4dhgMHawicf5GGZOYX0Sz9gJ\">Yerba Buena Gardens Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Through Nov. 13\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Through Nov. 13\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s diversity, and then there’s this festival’s lineup, which includes the Cuban Afro-Latin Funk combo \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/los-calderones/\">Los Calderones\u003c/a>, a full day celebrating cultures of the continent during \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/african-arts-festival-2026/\">the African Arts Festival\u003c/a> and a special \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/indigenous-peoples-day-jeremy-dutcher/\">San Francisco Indigenous Peoples Day\u003c/a> performance by classically trained Indigenous Canadian tenor, Jeremy Dutcher. With free weekly performances on the open lawn between the Metreon and SFMOMA, the series concludes with a celebration of South Asian culture during the \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/bhangra-and-beats-111326/\">Bhangra & Beats Night Market\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s diversity, and then there’s this festival’s lineup, which includes the Cuban Afro-Latin Funk combo \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/los-calderones/\">Los Calderones\u003c/a>, a full day celebrating cultures of the continent during \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/african-arts-festival-2026/\">the African Arts Festival\u003c/a> and a special \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/indigenous-peoples-day-jeremy-dutcher/\">San Francisco Indigenous Peoples Day\u003c/a> performance by classically trained Indigenous Canadian tenor, Jeremy Dutcher. With free weekly performances on the open lawn between the Metreon and SFMOMA, the series concludes with a celebration of South Asian culture during the \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/bhangra-and-beats-111326/\">Bhangra & Beats Night Market\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Bizerkeley Food Fest",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-bizerkeley-food-fest-2026-tickets-1685365305999?aff=odcleoeventsincollection\">Bizerkeley Food Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-bizerkeley-food-fest-2026-tickets-1685365305999?aff=odcleoeventsincollection\">Bizerkeley Food Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 6\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, Berkeley \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 6\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, Berkeley \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What’s more Berkeley than a vegan food festival? A vegan food festival that helps rescue animals. In addition to live performances and free samples of food from an array of plant-based restaurants, the festival spreads awareness and raises funds for California Pit Bull Rescue — and even hosts a meet-and-greet with a few furry four-legged friends. (Note: Attendees may not bring their own dogs.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What’s more Berkeley than a vegan food festival? A vegan food festival that helps rescue animals. In addition to live performances and free samples of food from an array of plant-based restaurants, the festival spreads awareness and raises funds for California Pit Bull Rescue — and even hosts a meet-and-greet with a few furry four-legged friends. (Note: Attendees may not bring their own dogs.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838.jpg\" alt=\"An older Black man in a shiny purple suit jacket smiles with eyes shut and arms raised in the air\" class=\"wp-image-13993027\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Soul singer Eddie Holman, of “Hey There Lonely Girl” fame, is a scheduled performer at San José’s 2026 Chicano Soul Festival.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bobby Bank/WireImage)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838.jpg\" alt=\"An older Black man in a shiny purple suit jacket smiles with eyes shut and arms raised in the air\" class=\"wp-image-13993027\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Soul singer Eddie Holman, of “Hey There Lonely Girl” fame, is a scheduled performer at San José’s 2026 Chicano Soul Festival.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bobby Bank/WireImage)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Chicano Soul Fest",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-annual-chicano-soul-fest-tickets-1984652009586\">Chicano Soul Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-annual-chicano-soul-fest-tickets-1984652009586\">Chicano Soul Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 29\u003cbr>History Park, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lowriders, Aztec dancers and special appearances dot this afternoon festival. Two stages of live entertainment host performances by the likes of Eddie Holman, Sunny Ozuna, Mellow Man Ace and Discos Resaca. Also taking place is a special tribute to George Kerr, an architect of Latin soul music.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lowriders, Aztec dancers and special appearances dot this afternoon festival. Two stages of live entertainment host performances by the likes of Eddie Holman, Sunny Ozuna, Mellow Man Ace and Discos Resaca. Also taking place is a special tribute to George Kerr, an architect of Latin soul music.\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mill-valley-fall-arts-festival-september-19-20-2026-hours-10-5-tickets-1988942471473?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mill-valley-fall-arts-festival-september-19-20-2026-hours-10-5-tickets-1988942471473?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19 and 20\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Old Mill Park, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19 and 20\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Old Mill Park, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Next year will mark seven decades of the Mill Valley Arts Festival, a traditional celebration of live performances, crafts from over 100 different makers and a children’s grove with magic tricks and storytelling. And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? This year’s celebration introduces a new wine tasting element with local vineyards like \u003ca href=\"https://www.barraofmendocino.com/\">Barra of Mendocino\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gibbsnapavalley.com/\">Gibbs of Napa Valley\u003c/a> and more.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Next year will mark seven decades of the Mill Valley Arts Festival, a traditional celebration of live performances, crafts from over 100 different makers and a children’s grove with magic tricks and storytelling. And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? This year’s celebration introduces a new wine tasting element with local vineyards like \u003ca href=\"https://www.barraofmendocino.com/\">Barra of Mendocino\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gibbsnapavalley.com/\">Gibbs of Napa Valley\u003c/a> and more.\u003c/p>\n"
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"alt": "Schoolchildren in face masks stringing up paper lanterns in Clinton Park, Oakland.",
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Schoolchildren in face masks stringing up paper lanterns in Clinton Park, Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13901757\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children string up paper lanterns at Clinton Park during the 2020 edition of the Little Saigon Mid-Autumn Festival.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Good Good Eatz)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Schoolchildren in face masks stringing up paper lanterns in Clinton Park, Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13901757\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children string up paper lanterns at Clinton Park during the 2020 edition of the Little Saigon Mid-Autumn Festival.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Good Good Eatz)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Oakland Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ovcc-mid-autumn-festival-2026-tickets-1990660367747\">Oakland Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ovcc-mid-autumn-festival-2026-tickets-1990660367747\">Oakland Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Clinton Park, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Clinton Park, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oakland’s Little Saigon district is home to several thousand Vietnamese residents, along with dozens of Vietnamese-owned businesses, including markets, restaurants and stores. Sponsored by the Oakland Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, this annual event offers a chance to learn about the neighborhood while enjoying food, meeting small businesses owners and more.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Oakland’s Little Saigon district is home to several thousand Vietnamese residents, along with dozens of Vietnamese-owned businesses, including markets, restaurants and stores. Sponsored by the Oakland Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, this annual event offers a chance to learn about the neighborhood while enjoying food, meeting small businesses owners and more.\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Daly City Public Library’s Art & Lit Fest",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.dcpla.org/artfest-about\">Daly City Public Library’s Art & Lit Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.dcpla.org/artfest-about\">Daly City Public Library’s Art & Lit Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Serramonte Center, Daly City\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Serramonte Center, Daly City\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All the festivals in this guide are outdoors, but c’mon, we had to make an exception for the library. This festival is… inside \u003cem>the mall\u003c/em>? Hear us out: for the fifth year in a row, Daly City’s arts and crafts scene is on full display at this event, with local performers, craftspeople and musicians. An event for all ages, the celebration doubles as a fundraiser for the Daly City Public Library, whose main branch is just a short walk from the mall.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>All the festivals in this guide are outdoors, but c’mon, we had to make an exception for the library. This festival is… inside \u003cem>the mall\u003c/em>? Hear us out: for the fifth year in a row, Daly City’s arts and crafts scene is on full display at this event, with local performers, craftspeople and musicians. An event for all ages, the celebration doubles as a fundraiser for the Daly City Public Library, whose main branch is just a short walk from the mall.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Folsom Street Fair",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.folsomstreet.org/folsom-street-fair\">Folsom Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.folsomstreet.org/folsom-street-fair\">Folsom Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Folsom Street, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Folsom Street, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For 42 years, this eye-popping event has been a place where “pleasure meets protest, leather meets liberation, and visibility is an act of defiance.” A late-September celebration, Folsom is all about taking to the streets and enjoying the sunshine — even where the sun doesn’t usually shine.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>For 42 years, this eye-popping event has been a place where “pleasure meets protest, leather meets liberation, and visibility is an act of defiance.” A late-September celebration, Folsom is all about taking to the streets and enjoying the sunshine — even where the sun doesn’t usually shine.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Oktoberfest",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/sshhb5ISHvI?si=PelIllKibSJTWDbQ\">Oktoberfest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/sshhb5ISHvI?si=PelIllKibSJTWDbQ\">Oktoberfest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
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{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Throughout October\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Various locations\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Throughout October\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Various locations\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lederhosen! Tubas! And most importantly: beer! \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaktoberfest.org/\">Oakland’s “Oaktoberfest”\u003c/a> takes place on Saturday Oct. 3 and Sunday Oct. 4 in East Oakland’s Dimond District. On the peninsula, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mvoktoberfest.com/\">Mountain View’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> gets underway the following weekend, Oct. 10 and 11. And if you’re in the South Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://campbelloktoberfest.com/\">Campbell’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> is Oct. 17 and 18. Up north, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sixflags.com/discoverykingdom/events/oktoberfest\">Vallejo’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> takes place beneath the roller coasters at none other than Six Flags amusement park. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Lederhosen! Tubas! And most importantly: beer! \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaktoberfest.org/\">Oakland’s “Oaktoberfest”\u003c/a> takes place on Saturday Oct. 3 and Sunday Oct. 4 in East Oakland’s Dimond District. On the peninsula, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mvoktoberfest.com/\">Mountain View’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> gets underway the following weekend, Oct. 10 and 11. And if you’re in the South Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://campbelloktoberfest.com/\">Campbell’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> is Oct. 17 and 18. Up north, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sixflags.com/discoverykingdom/events/oktoberfest\">Vallejo’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> takes place beneath the roller coasters at none other than Six Flags amusement park. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980417\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jaelah (left), 12, a member of the Blue Bird Riders from Manteca, rides with her friend Aniyah, 13, during the Oakland Black Cowboy Association parade in Oakland on Oct. 5, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980417\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jaelah (left), 12, a member of the Blue Bird Riders from Manteca, rides with her friend Aniyah, 13, during the Oakland Black Cowboy Association parade in Oakland on Oct. 5, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Oakland’s Black Cowboy Parade ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandbca.org/\">Oakland’s Black Cowboy Parade\u003c/a> \u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandbca.org/\">Oakland’s Black Cowboy Parade\u003c/a> \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 3\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Little Bobby Hutton Park, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 3\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Little Bobby Hutton Park, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An annual celebration of African American history and horseback riding, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008139/oaklands-black-cowboy-association-celebrates-50-years-with-parade-and-festival\">the Oakland Black Cowboy Association\u003c/a> returns for its yearly celebration. With food vendors, dancers, pony rides and a parade, this event has been the pride of West Oakland for over 50 years\u003cstrong>. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>An annual celebration of African American history and horseback riding, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008139/oaklands-black-cowboy-association-celebrates-50-years-with-parade-and-festival\">the Oakland Black Cowboy Association\u003c/a> returns for its yearly celebration. With food vendors, dancers, pony rides and a parade, this event has been the pride of West Oakland for over 50 years\u003cstrong>. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Castro Street Fair",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://castrostreetfair.org/fair/\">Castro Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://castrostreetfair.org/fair/\">Castro Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 4\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Castro Street, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 4\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Castro Street, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For more than half a century, this celebration of community resilience takes over the Castro with music, arts and chic fashion. People are invited to come out and enjoy live music, food, DJs and more, all while raising funds for a number of charitable causes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For more than half a century, this celebration of community resilience takes over the Castro with music, arts and chic fashion. People are invited to come out and enjoy live music, food, DJs and more, all while raising funds for a number of charitable causes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Black Panther Party 60th Anniversary Celebration",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.bpp60th.org/\">Black Panther Party 60th Anniversary Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.bpp60th.org/\">Black Panther Party 60th Anniversary Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 15–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Location to be determined\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 15–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Location to be determined\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sixty years ago, Bobby Seale and Dr. Huey P. Newton created and implemented a 10-point program, certifying the Oakland-born Black Panther Party for Self-Defense as a leading organization of new ideas and movements. On this weekend, the organization’s lasting legacy will be celebrated in proper fashion: a reunion of those who did the work and the community that’s benefited from their efforts. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Sixty years ago, Bobby Seale and Dr. Huey P. Newton created and implemented a 10-point program, certifying the Oakland-born Black Panther Party for Self-Defense as a leading organization of new ideas and movements. On this weekend, the organization’s lasting legacy will be celebrated in proper fashion: a reunion of those who did the work and the community that’s benefited from their efforts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Autumn Lights Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://gardensatlakemerritt.org/autumn-lights-festival-2026/\">Autumn Lights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://gardensatlakemerritt.org/autumn-lights-festival-2026/\">Autumn Lights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 15–17\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Lake Merritt, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 15–17\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Lake Merritt, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s an all-ages artistic light show, full of brightly colored illuminated installations, all inside a garden on the edge of Lake Merritt. What more does one need in life?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It’s an all-ages artistic light show, full of brightly colored illuminated installations, all inside a garden on the edge of Lake Merritt. What more does one need in life?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993026\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rangoli, a colorful form of Indian folk art celebrating art, beauty and culture, is seen drawn on the sidewalks of Bishop Ranch City Center to celebrate the Hindu holiday Diwali in San Ramon, California, on Nov. 14, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993026\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rangoli, a colorful form of Indian folk art celebrating art, beauty and culture, is seen drawn on the sidewalks of Bishop Ranch City Center to celebrate the Hindu holiday Diwali in San Ramon, California, on Nov. 14, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka Festival of Lights & Fireworks ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.aiaevents.org/diwali-dhamaka-2026\">Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka Festival of Lights & Fireworks\u003c/a> \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.aiaevents.org/diwali-dhamaka-2026\">Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka Festival of Lights & Fireworks\u003c/a> \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 17\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 17\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With bright lights, live Bollywood dancers and Indian cuisine of all sorts, the East Bay’s largest Diwali celebration boasts carnival rides and more than 150 food and shopping stalls. In addition to community dance groups and a huge fireworks show, attendees can also witness a 40 foot effigy of the demon king Raavan Dahan set aflame. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>With bright lights, live Bollywood dancers and Indian cuisine of all sorts, the East Bay’s largest Diwali celebration boasts carnival rides and more than 150 food and shopping stalls. In addition to community dance groups and a huge fireworks show, attendees can also witness a 40 foot effigy of the demon king Raavan Dahan set aflame. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 17–18\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Half Moon Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 17–18\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Half Moon Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They’ll have a Halloween costume contest, seasonal drinks and workshops on pumpkin carving, plus work from over 250 artists, three stages of live music, a pumpkin parade and a pumpkin-weighing contest with some of the largest gourds known to man. All of that, plus a run, walk and stroll on Sunday to raise funds for \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercyhousing.org/california/coastside-senior/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23143634391&gbraid=0AAAAAD2ps6efEFaB6t-5JtQvVQFIEn2CA&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4orUBhCjARIsAIbF3qy72I2TfDfTNSAmIIRW3Ixp4Nt2_lR2SN0J6oSQt3gd5sKS51BZLpQaAoYSEALw_wcB\">low-income senior housing\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They’ll have a Halloween costume contest, seasonal drinks and workshops on pumpkin carving, plus work from over 250 artists, three stages of live music, a pumpkin parade and a pumpkin-weighing contest with some of the largest gourds known to man. All of that, plus a run, walk and stroll on Sunday to raise funds for \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercyhousing.org/california/coastside-senior/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23143634391&gbraid=0AAAAAD2ps6efEFaB6t-5JtQvVQFIEn2CA&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4orUBhCjARIsAIbF3qy72I2TfDfTNSAmIIRW3Ixp4Nt2_lR2SN0J6oSQt3gd5sKS51BZLpQaAoYSEALw_wcB\">low-income senior housing\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13937452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Amalia Canales attends the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13937452\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Amalia Canales attends the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Oakland’s Día De Los Muertos Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://unitycouncil.org/program/diaoakland/\">Oakland’s Día De Los Muertos Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://unitycouncil.org/program/diaoakland/\">Oakland’s Día De Los Muertos Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Fruitvale Village, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Fruitvale Village, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are many other Día de los Muertos festivals around the Bay, but if you’ve never been to Fruitvale’s, you’re missing something special. This year’s theme is “La Lucha Continúa: Aquí Estamos y no Nos Vamos” (“The Struggle Continues: We’re Here and We’re Not Leaving”). A celebration of culture, rife with sugar skulls and marigolds, this festival doubles as a reminder that coming together in community can be a political act. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There are many other Día de los Muertos festivals around the Bay, but if you’ve never been to Fruitvale’s, you’re missing something special. This year’s theme is “La Lucha Continúa: Aquí Estamos y no Nos Vamos” (“The Struggle Continues: We’re Here and We’re Not Leaving”). A celebration of culture, rife with sugar skulls and marigolds, this festival doubles as a reminder that coming together in community can be a political act. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://sfcheesefest.com/\">SF Cheese Fest\u003c/a> (Oct. 3, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/filipino-island-fest-tickets-1992240712601?aff=erelpanelorg\">Filipino Island Fest\u003c/a> (Oct. 3, Alameda)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://fleetweeksf.org/\">Fleet Week\u003c/a> (Oct. 4–12, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.litquake.org/\">Litquake\u003c/a> (Oct. 8–24, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"http://eventbrite.com/e/prescott-market-holiday-pop-up-craft-faires-tickets-1983919211768?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Prescott Market Holiday Pop-Up Craft Faires\u003c/a> (Oct. 24 and Dec. 19, Oakland)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fallchocolatesalon.com/\">Fall Holiday Chocolate Salon and Festival\u003c/a> (Nov. 22, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://sfcheesefest.com/\">SF Cheese Fest\u003c/a> (Oct. 3, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/filipino-island-fest-tickets-1992240712601?aff=erelpanelorg\">Filipino Island Fest\u003c/a> (Oct. 3, Alameda)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://fleetweeksf.org/\">Fleet Week\u003c/a> (Oct. 4–12, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.litquake.org/\">Litquake\u003c/a> (Oct. 8–24, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"http://eventbrite.com/e/prescott-market-holiday-pop-up-craft-faires-tickets-1983919211768?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Prescott Market Holiday Pop-Up Craft Faires\u003c/a> (Oct. 24 and Dec. 19, Oakland)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fallchocolatesalon.com/\">Fall Holiday Chocolate Salon and Festival\u003c/a> (Nov. 22, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "There’s plenty of places to eat, drink, dance and celebrate outside this fall.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the magic of autumn approaches, winds swirl and sunsets turn to sherbert hues of pink and orange. Stores fill with Halloween decorations, and kids in backpacks are once again up early, zombie-walking to class.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With fall comes festivals; for centuries, harvest time has meant outdoor celebrations. Here in the Bay Area, people sing in parks, eat in parking lots and dance in the streets. Below, find a select handful of this year’s outdoor fall festivals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13974858\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Courtesy-of-Yerba-Buena-Gardens-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Performances at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival are always free. (Courtesy Yerba Buena Gardens Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/events/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=36955909&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Ys4dhgMHawicf5GGZOYX0Sz9gJ\">Yerba Buena Gardens Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Through Nov. 13\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s diversity, and then there’s this festival’s lineup, which includes the Cuban Afro-Latin Funk combo \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/los-calderones/\">Los Calderones\u003c/a>, a full day celebrating cultures of the continent during \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/african-arts-festival-2026/\">the African Arts Festival\u003c/a> and a special \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/indigenous-peoples-day-jeremy-dutcher/\">San Francisco Indigenous Peoples Day\u003c/a> performance by classically trained Indigenous Canadian tenor, Jeremy Dutcher. With free weekly performances on the open lawn between the Metreon and SFMOMA, the series concludes with a celebration of South Asian culture during the \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/bhangra-and-beats-111326/\">Bhangra & Beats Night Market\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-bizerkeley-food-fest-2026-tickets-1685365305999?aff=odcleoeventsincollection\">Bizerkeley Food Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 6\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, Berkeley \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more Berkeley than a vegan food festival? A vegan food festival that helps rescue animals. In addition to live performances and free samples of food from an array of plant-based restaurants, the festival spreads awareness and raises funds for California Pit Bull Rescue — and even hosts a meet-and-greet with a few furry four-legged friends. (Note: Attendees may not bring their own dogs.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838.jpg\" alt=\"An older Black man in a shiny purple suit jacket smiles with eyes shut and arms raised in the air\" class=\"wp-image-13993027\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-533139838-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Soul singer Eddie Holman, of “Hey There Lonely Girl” fame, is a scheduled performer at San José’s 2026 Chicano Soul Festival. (Bobby Bank/WireImage)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-annual-chicano-soul-fest-tickets-1984652009586\">Chicano Soul Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 29\u003cbr>History Park, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lowriders, Aztec dancers and special appearances dot this afternoon festival. Two stages of live entertainment host performances by the likes of Eddie Holman, Sunny Ozuna, Mellow Man Ace and Discos Resaca. Also taking place is a special tribute to George Kerr, an architect of Latin soul music.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mill-valley-fall-arts-festival-september-19-20-2026-hours-10-5-tickets-1988942471473?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19 and 20\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Old Mill Park, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Next year will mark seven decades of the Mill Valley Arts Festival, a traditional celebration of live performances, crafts from over 100 different makers and a children’s grove with magic tricks and storytelling. And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? This year’s celebration introduces a new wine tasting element with local vineyards like \u003ca href=\"https://www.barraofmendocino.com/\">Barra of Mendocino\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gibbsnapavalley.com/\">Gibbs of Napa Valley\u003c/a> and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Schoolchildren in face masks stringing up paper lanterns in Clinton Park, Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13901757\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/midautumnfestival_goodgoodeatz-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children string up paper lanterns at Clinton Park during the 2020 edition of the Little Saigon Mid-Autumn Festival. (Good Good Eatz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ovcc-mid-autumn-festival-2026-tickets-1990660367747\">Oakland Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Clinton Park, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland’s Little Saigon district is home to several thousand Vietnamese residents, along with dozens of Vietnamese-owned businesses, including markets, restaurants and stores. Sponsored by the Oakland Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, this annual event offers a chance to learn about the neighborhood while enjoying food, meeting small businesses owners and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.dcpla.org/artfest-about\">Daly City Public Library’s Art & Lit Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Serramonte Center, Daly City\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All the festivals in this guide are outdoors, but c’mon, we had to make an exception for the library. This festival is… inside \u003cem>the mall\u003c/em>? Hear us out: for the fifth year in a row, Daly City’s arts and crafts scene is on full display at this event, with local performers, craftspeople and musicians. An event for all ages, the celebration doubles as a fundraiser for the Daly City Public Library, whose main branch is just a short walk from the mall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.folsomstreet.org/folsom-street-fair\">Folsom Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Folsom Street, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For 42 years, this eye-popping event has been a place where “pleasure meets protest, leather meets liberation, and visibility is an act of defiance.” A late-September celebration, Folsom is all about taking to the streets and enjoying the sunshine — even where the sun doesn’t usually shine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/sshhb5ISHvI?si=PelIllKibSJTWDbQ\">Oktoberfest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Throughout October\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Various locations\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lederhosen! Tubas! And most importantly: beer! \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaktoberfest.org/\">Oakland’s “Oaktoberfest”\u003c/a> takes place on Saturday Oct. 3 and Sunday Oct. 4 in East Oakland’s Dimond District. On the peninsula, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mvoktoberfest.com/\">Mountain View’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> gets underway the following weekend, Oct. 10 and 11. And if you’re in the South Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://campbelloktoberfest.com/\">Campbell’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> is Oct. 17 and 18. Up north, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sixflags.com/discoverykingdom/events/oktoberfest\">Vallejo’s Oktoberfest\u003c/a> takes place beneath the roller coasters at none other than Six Flags amusement park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980417\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/241005-OaklandBlackCowboyParade-019-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jaelah (left), 12, a member of the Blue Bird Riders from Manteca, rides with her friend Aniyah, 13, during the Oakland Black Cowboy Association parade in Oakland on Oct. 5, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandbca.org/\">Oakland’s Black Cowboy Parade\u003c/a> \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 3\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Little Bobby Hutton Park, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An annual celebration of African American history and horseback riding, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008139/oaklands-black-cowboy-association-celebrates-50-years-with-parade-and-festival\">the Oakland Black Cowboy Association\u003c/a> returns for its yearly celebration. With food vendors, dancers, pony rides and a parade, this event has been the pride of West Oakland for over 50 years\u003cstrong>. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://castrostreetfair.org/fair/\">Castro Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 4\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Castro Street, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For more than half a century, this celebration of community resilience takes over the Castro with music, arts and chic fashion. People are invited to come out and enjoy live music, food, DJs and more, all while raising funds for a number of charitable causes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.bpp60th.org/\">Black Panther Party 60th Anniversary Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 15–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Location to be determined\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sixty years ago, Bobby Seale and Dr. Huey P. Newton created and implemented a 10-point program, certifying the Oakland-born Black Panther Party for Self-Defense as a leading organization of new ideas and movements. On this weekend, the organization’s lasting legacy will be celebrated in proper fashion: a reunion of those who did the work and the community that’s benefited from their efforts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://gardensatlakemerritt.org/autumn-lights-festival-2026/\">Autumn Lights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 15–17\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Lake Merritt, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s an all-ages artistic light show, full of brightly colored illuminated installations, all inside a garden on the edge of Lake Merritt. What more does one need in life?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993026\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DiwaliSanRamonGetty-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rangoli, a colorful form of Indian folk art celebrating art, beauty and culture, is seen drawn on the sidewalks of Bishop Ranch City Center to celebrate the Hindu holiday Diwali in San Ramon, California, on Nov. 14, 2020. (Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.aiaevents.org/diwali-dhamaka-2026\">Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka Festival of Lights & Fireworks\u003c/a> \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 17\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With bright lights, live Bollywood dancers and Indian cuisine of all sorts, the East Bay’s largest Diwali celebration boasts carnival rides and more than 150 food and shopping stalls. In addition to community dance groups and a huge fireworks show, attendees can also witness a 40 foot effigy of the demon king Raavan Dahan set aflame. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 17–18\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Half Moon Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They’ll have a Halloween costume contest, seasonal drinks and workshops on pumpkin carving, plus work from over 250 artists, three stages of live music, a pumpkin parade and a pumpkin-weighing contest with some of the largest gourds known to man. All of that, plus a run, walk and stroll on Sunday to raise funds for \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercyhousing.org/california/coastside-senior/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23143634391&gbraid=0AAAAAD2ps6efEFaB6t-5JtQvVQFIEn2CA&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4orUBhCjARIsAIbF3qy72I2TfDfTNSAmIIRW3Ixp4Nt2_lR2SN0J6oSQt3gd5sKS51BZLpQaAoYSEALw_wcB\">low-income senior housing\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13937452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-18-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Amalia Canales attends the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://unitycouncil.org/program/diaoakland/\">Oakland’s Día De Los Muertos Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cem>Fruitvale Village, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are many other Día de los Muertos festivals around the Bay, but if you’ve never been to Fruitvale’s, you’re missing something special. This year’s theme is “La Lucha Continúa: Aquí Estamos y no Nos Vamos” (“The Struggle Continues: We’re Here and We’re Not Leaving”). A celebration of culture, rife with sugar skulls and marigolds, this festival doubles as a reminder that coming together in community can be a political act. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Briefly noted\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://sfcheesefest.com/\">SF Cheese Fest\u003c/a> (Oct. 3, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/filipino-island-fest-tickets-1992240712601?aff=erelpanelorg\">Filipino Island Fest\u003c/a> (Oct. 3, Alameda)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://fleetweeksf.org/\">Fleet Week\u003c/a> (Oct. 4–12, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.litquake.org/\">Litquake\u003c/a> (Oct. 8–24, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"http://eventbrite.com/e/prescott-market-holiday-pop-up-craft-faires-tickets-1983919211768?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Prescott Market Holiday Pop-Up Craft Faires\u003c/a> (Oct. 24 and Dec. 19, Oakland)\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fallchocolatesalon.com/\">Fall Holiday Chocolate Salon and Festival\u003c/a> (Nov. 22, San Francisco)\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "bay-area-fall-2026-best-concerts-san-francisco-oakland-san-jose",
"title": "10 Concerts Not to Miss in the Bay Area This Fall",
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"headTitle": "10 Concerts Not to Miss in the Bay Area This Fall | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">\u003cem>026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abundance is the word that comes to mind when looking at the Bay Area’s concert offerings this fall. Local legends are celebrating major milestones; several grassroots music festivals are spotlighting independent artists; and Bay Area musicians are mingling with boundary-pushing acts from across the globe. Below you’ll find 10 shows you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13934882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hieroglyphics on stage at Hiero Day in Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, Sept. 4, 2023. (Eric Arnold/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/midwaysf/events/hiero-day-189661\">Hiero Day \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 7, 2 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Midway, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What started as a grassroots block party in Oakland over a decade ago has evolved into one of the Bay Area’s staple celebrations of hip-hop culture. For the second year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hiero-day\">Hiero Day\u003c/a> returns to San Francisco’s Midway for a day party with headliners Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mereba and, of course, its namesake hip-hop collective, Oakland’s own Hieroglyphics. Joining them on the bill is San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985660/frak-four-square-mixtape\">Frak\u003c/a>, who recently blew minds with his interactive, videogame-themed concert, Foursquare at The Independent. Multilingual MC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ruby-ibarra\">Ruby Ibarra\u003c/a>, who won 2025’s Tiny Desk Contest, will take the stage with her band the Balikbayans, alongside Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, Chuy Gomez and a formidable lineup of rappers, singers and DJs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1082\" height=\"724\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg\" alt=\"Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Friday August 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-13917667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg 1082w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-768x514.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1082px) 100vw, 1082px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Aug. 12, 2022. (Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://crybaby.live/tm-attraction/lil-kayla/\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 11, 9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Crybaby, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since she burst onto the scene with her scammer anthem, “Make His Pockets Hurt,” in 2019, Lil Kayla has established herself as one of the hardest rappers in the San Francisco scene. Full of witty bars and lyrical mischief, tracks like “Throw Dat Shit” and “11:11” are what you crank up when you want to feel like you’re on your worst behavior. Lil Kayla’s legions of young, female fans are bound to be screaming in the front at her show at the intimate Oakland club Crybaby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13962540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaytranada performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 11, 2024. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sleeping-on-gems-fest-w-kaytranada-more-discovery-meadow-san-jose-tickets-1993569655505\">Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 13, 2–9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Discovery Meadow, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whether it’s his timeless remix of Teedra Moses’ “Just Wanna Be Your Girl” or his 3 a.m. dance floor heater “Drip Sweat” with Chanel Tres, Kaytranada’s signature blend of house music with rap and R&B has drawn a massive global fanbase. At Discovery Meadow in San José, the Montreal producer will spin alongside standout house vocalist Rochelle Jordan, L.A. rap duo Partyof2, Amsterdam electronic producer Jael, the Bay’s own Ruby Ibarra, and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png\" alt=\"group of musicians pose on a street\" class=\"wp-image-13982833\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-768x511.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spiritual Cramp. (Sarah Davis)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://bottomofthehill.com/20260919.html\">Spiritual Cramp\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since they formed in San Francisco in 2017, punk rockers Spiritual Cramp have spread out all over the country, but the City remains their muse. In their video for the charmingly self-deprecating banger, “At My Funeral,” singer Mike Bingham frolics through Green Apple Books, Kilowatt and Oracle Park, paying homage to the places that shaped him. Spiritual Cramp will pack out the legendary rock club Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming show this fall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg\" alt=\"a Black man with a guitar, gold outfit and hat sings into a microphone onstage while holding a guitar\" class=\"wp-image-13970421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fantastic Negrito performing at the Annual Americana Honors Awards in September 2024 in Nashville. (Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Fantastic-Negrito\">Fantastic Negrito and San Francisco Symphony\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fantastic-negrito\">Fantastic Negrito\u003c/a> might be a three-time Grammy winner, but he remains deeply rooted in his hometown of Oakland, tending to his urban farm and writing and recording in his West Oakland studio. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his landmark album \u003cem>The Last Days of Oakland\u003c/em>, a fiery, blues-rock meditation on the working-class struggle in a rapidly gentrifying city. At Davies Symphony Hall, he’ll perform reimagined versions of tracks from his discography, backed by a full orchestra. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13903425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erykah Badu performs at Lights On Festival at Concord Pavilion on Sept. 18, 2021. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://thegreekberkeley.com/events/erykah-badu-260927\">Erykah Badu\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27, 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Greek Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Few artists’ influence on music, fashion and culture is as deeply felt as Erykah Badu’s. Almost two decades since her genre-defining neo-soul debut, \u003cem>Baduizm\u003c/em>, the singer’s career remains a blueprint for creative excellence and free-spirited self-expression. This month, she’ll release her highly anticipated collaborative album with producer The Alchemist, who’ll join her on her North American tour along with St. Louis rapper Smino. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg\" alt=\"A blonde, white singer strikes a pose in front of a diverse crew of female dancers. \" class=\"wp-image-13992906\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zara Larsson performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Joshua Applegate/WireImage)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://portolamusicfestival.com/\">Portola Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26–27 \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Pier 80, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electronic music giants, cult-favorite DJs and left-field pop acts unite for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/portola-festival\">Portola\u003c/a>, a festival whose eclectic lineup just makes sense for San Francisco. 2026 seems to be somewhat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990263/portola-festival-lineup-2026-robyn-zara-larsson-four-tet\">Swedish takeover\u003c/a>, with EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia and pop stars Robyn and Zara Larsson. Also among the headliners are Skrillex and Boys Noize’s duo Dog Blood, Four Tet and Tiësto. Legendary San José turntablist DJ Shadow will celebrate 30 years of his album \u003cem>Endtroducing….. \u003c/em>Other highlights from the bill include City Girls rapper JT, Argentinian perreo-rave singer Six Sex, San Francisco hyperpop artist Underscores, trip-hop legend Tricky and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1638\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a woman with white hair and sunglasses smiles as she plays guitar on an outdoor stage\" class=\"wp-image-13917394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-800x512.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1020x652.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1920x1228.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veteran Emmylou Harris will return to this year’s free musical festival. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/headline/2026-lineup-announcements/\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 2–4\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Gate Park, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s second summer typically lasts well into October, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hardly-strictly-bluegrass\">Hardly Strictly\u003c/a> is a capstone event of the season. The free, family-friendly music festival takes over Golden Gate Park with performances by singer, fiddler and music producer Alison Krauss and her band Union Station, Yemeni band El Khat (who make their own instruments), country-rock legend Emmylou Harris and rockers My Morning Jacket.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg\" alt=\"A Black hip-hop artist raps into a microphone, flanked by backup singers and musicians. \" class=\"wp-image-13992907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cameron McCloud (center) of Cure for Paranoia performs in concert during NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour at Emo’s Austin on June 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.theindependentsf.com/tm-event/cure-for-paranoia/\">Cure for Paranoia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 6, 8 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Independent, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With irresistible charisma, an off-kilter flow and bold lyrics about Black, queer life in Texas, Cure for Paranoia is blowing up after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest this year. The alternative hip-hop collective will bring their dynamic live show, backed by a full band, to San Francisco’s Independent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072.jpg\" alt=\"A Mexican DJ smiles as he looks up from behind the decks. \" class=\"wp-image-13992908\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mexican Institute of Sound spins at Family Time: Arrullos Mexicanos at The GRAMMY Museum on July 29, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://fest.psychedradiosf.com/psychedfest-sf-2026/\">Psyched! Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 11–Nov. 6\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Various venues, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D.I.Y. online radio station \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychedradiosf.com/\">Psyched! Radio\u003c/a> is one of San Francisco’s homes for the underground music scene, and its festival takes over independent venues including Rickshaw Stop, Great American Music Hall and Neck of the Woods for a month of shows this fall. The expansive lineup features several notable acts from Mexico — including Mexican Institute of Sound, Diles Que No Me Maten and Amantes del Futuro — sharing stages with Bay Area and stateside artists.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">\u003cem>026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">\u003cem>026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Abundance is the word that comes to mind when looking at the Bay Area’s concert offerings this fall. Local legends are celebrating major milestones; several grassroots music festivals are spotlighting independent artists; and Bay Area musicians are mingling with boundary-pushing acts from across the globe. Below you’ll find 10 shows you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13934882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hieroglyphics on stage at Hiero Day in Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, Sept. 4, 2023.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13934882\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hieroglyphics on stage at Hiero Day in Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, Sept. 4, 2023.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/midwaysf/events/hiero-day-189661\">Hiero Day \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/midwaysf/events/hiero-day-189661\">Hiero Day \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 7, 2 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Midway, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 7, 2 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Midway, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What started as a grassroots block party in Oakland over a decade ago has evolved into one of the Bay Area’s staple celebrations of hip-hop culture. For the second year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hiero-day\">Hiero Day\u003c/a> returns to San Francisco’s Midway for a day party with headliners Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mereba and, of course, its namesake hip-hop collective, Oakland’s own Hieroglyphics. Joining them on the bill is San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985660/frak-four-square-mixtape\">Frak\u003c/a>, who recently blew minds with his interactive, videogame-themed concert, Foursquare at The Independent. Multilingual MC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ruby-ibarra\">Ruby Ibarra\u003c/a>, who won 2025’s Tiny Desk Contest, will take the stage with her band the Balikbayans, alongside Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, Chuy Gomez and a formidable lineup of rappers, singers and DJs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What started as a grassroots block party in Oakland over a decade ago has evolved into one of the Bay Area’s staple celebrations of hip-hop culture. For the second year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hiero-day\">Hiero Day\u003c/a> returns to San Francisco’s Midway for a day party with headliners Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mereba and, of course, its namesake hip-hop collective, Oakland’s own Hieroglyphics. Joining them on the bill is San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985660/frak-four-square-mixtape\">Frak\u003c/a>, who recently blew minds with his interactive, videogame-themed concert, Foursquare at The Independent. Multilingual MC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ruby-ibarra\">Ruby Ibarra\u003c/a>, who won 2025’s Tiny Desk Contest, will take the stage with her band the Balikbayans, alongside Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, Chuy Gomez and a formidable lineup of rappers, singers and DJs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg\" alt=\"Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Friday August 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-13917667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg 1082w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-768x514.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Aug. 12, 2022.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg\" alt=\"Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Friday August 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-13917667\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Aug. 12, 2022.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Lil Kayla",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://crybaby.live/tm-attraction/lil-kayla/\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://crybaby.live/tm-attraction/lil-kayla/\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 11, 9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Crybaby, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 11, 9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Crybaby, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ever since she burst onto the scene with her scammer anthem, “Make His Pockets Hurt,” in 2019, Lil Kayla has established herself as one of the hardest rappers in the San Francisco scene. Full of witty bars and lyrical mischief, tracks like “Throw Dat Shit” and “11:11” are what you crank up when you want to feel like you’re on your worst behavior. Lil Kayla’s legions of young, female fans are bound to be screaming in the front at her show at the intimate Oakland club Crybaby. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ever since she burst onto the scene with her scammer anthem, “Make His Pockets Hurt,” in 2019, Lil Kayla has established herself as one of the hardest rappers in the San Francisco scene. Full of witty bars and lyrical mischief, tracks like “Throw Dat Shit” and “11:11” are what you crank up when you want to feel like you’re on your worst behavior. Lil Kayla’s legions of young, female fans are bound to be screaming in the front at her show at the intimate Oakland club Crybaby. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13962540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaytranada performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 11, 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13962540\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaytranada performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 11, 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sleeping-on-gems-fest-w-kaytranada-more-discovery-meadow-san-jose-tickets-1993569655505\">Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sleeping-on-gems-fest-w-kaytranada-more-discovery-meadow-san-jose-tickets-1993569655505\">Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 13, 2–9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Discovery Meadow, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 13, 2–9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Discovery Meadow, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Whether it’s his timeless remix of Teedra Moses’ “Just Wanna Be Your Girl” or his 3 a.m. dance floor heater “Drip Sweat” with Chanel Tres, Kaytranada’s signature blend of house music with rap and R&B has drawn a massive global fanbase. At Discovery Meadow in San José, the Montreal producer will spin alongside standout house vocalist Rochelle Jordan, L.A. rap duo Partyof2, Amsterdam electronic producer Jael, the Bay’s own Ruby Ibarra, and more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Whether it’s his timeless remix of Teedra Moses’ “Just Wanna Be Your Girl” or his 3 a.m. dance floor heater “Drip Sweat” with Chanel Tres, Kaytranada’s signature blend of house music with rap and R&B has drawn a massive global fanbase. At Discovery Meadow in San José, the Montreal producer will spin alongside standout house vocalist Rochelle Jordan, L.A. rap duo Partyof2, Amsterdam electronic producer Jael, the Bay’s own Ruby Ibarra, and more. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"imageCredit": "Sarah Davis",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-768x511.png 768w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png\" alt=\"group of musicians pose on a street\" class=\"wp-image-13982833\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-768x511.png 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spiritual Cramp.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png\" alt=\"group of musicians pose on a street\" class=\"wp-image-13982833\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spiritual Cramp.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://bottomofthehill.com/20260919.html\">Spiritual Cramp\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since they formed in San Francisco in 2017, punk rockers Spiritual Cramp have spread out all over the country, but the City remains their muse. In their video for the charmingly self-deprecating banger, “At My Funeral,” singer Mike Bingham frolics through Green Apple Books, Kilowatt and Oracle Park, paying homage to the places that shaped him. Spiritual Cramp will pack out the legendary rock club Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming show this fall. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since they formed in San Francisco in 2017, punk rockers Spiritual Cramp have spread out all over the country, but the City remains their muse. In their video for the charmingly self-deprecating banger, “At My Funeral,” singer Mike Bingham frolics through Green Apple Books, Kilowatt and Oracle Park, paying homage to the places that shaped him. Spiritual Cramp will pack out the legendary rock club Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming show this fall. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-768x512.jpg 768w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg\" alt=\"a Black man with a guitar, gold outfit and hat sings into a microphone onstage while holding a guitar\" class=\"wp-image-13970421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fantastic Negrito performing at the Annual Americana Honors Awards in September 2024 in Nashville.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg\" alt=\"a Black man with a guitar, gold outfit and hat sings into a microphone onstage while holding a guitar\" class=\"wp-image-13970421\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fantastic Negrito performing at the Annual Americana Honors Awards in September 2024 in Nashville.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Fantastic-Negrito\">Fantastic Negrito and San Francisco Symphony\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fantastic-negrito\">Fantastic Negrito\u003c/a> might be a three-time Grammy winner, but he remains deeply rooted in his hometown of Oakland, tending to his urban farm and writing and recording in his West Oakland studio. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his landmark album \u003cem>The Last Days of Oakland\u003c/em>, a fiery, blues-rock meditation on the working-class struggle in a rapidly gentrifying city. At Davies Symphony Hall, he’ll perform reimagined versions of tracks from his discography, backed by a full orchestra. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fantastic-negrito\">Fantastic Negrito\u003c/a> might be a three-time Grammy winner, but he remains deeply rooted in his hometown of Oakland, tending to his urban farm and writing and recording in his West Oakland studio. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his landmark album \u003cem>The Last Days of Oakland\u003c/em>, a fiery, blues-rock meditation on the working-class struggle in a rapidly gentrifying city. At Davies Symphony Hall, he’ll perform reimagined versions of tracks from his discography, backed by a full orchestra. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13903425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erykah Badu performs at Lights On Festival at Concord Pavilion on Sept. 18, 2021.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13903425\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erykah Badu performs at Lights On Festival at Concord Pavilion on Sept. 18, 2021.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Erykah Badu",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://thegreekberkeley.com/events/erykah-badu-260927\">Erykah Badu\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://thegreekberkeley.com/events/erykah-badu-260927\">Erykah Badu\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27, 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Greek Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27, 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Greek Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Few artists’ influence on music, fashion and culture is as deeply felt as Erykah Badu’s. Almost two decades since her genre-defining neo-soul debut, \u003cem>Baduizm\u003c/em>, the singer’s career remains a blueprint for creative excellence and free-spirited self-expression. This month, she’ll release her highly anticipated collaborative album with producer The Alchemist, who’ll join her on her North American tour along with St. Louis rapper Smino. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Few artists’ influence on music, fashion and culture is as deeply felt as Erykah Badu’s. Almost two decades since her genre-defining neo-soul debut, \u003cem>Baduizm\u003c/em>, the singer’s career remains a blueprint for creative excellence and free-spirited self-expression. This month, she’ll release her highly anticipated collaborative album with producer The Alchemist, who’ll join her on her North American tour along with St. Louis rapper Smino. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg\" alt=\"A blonde, white singer strikes a pose in front of a diverse crew of female dancers. \" class=\"wp-image-13992906\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zara Larsson performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg\" alt=\"A blonde, white singer strikes a pose in front of a diverse crew of female dancers. \" class=\"wp-image-13992906\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zara Larsson performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Portola Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://portolamusicfestival.com/\">Portola Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://portolamusicfestival.com/\">Portola Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26–27 \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Pier 80, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26–27 \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Pier 80, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electronic music giants, cult-favorite DJs and left-field pop acts unite for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/portola-festival\">Portola\u003c/a>, a festival whose eclectic lineup just makes sense for San Francisco. 2026 seems to be somewhat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990263/portola-festival-lineup-2026-robyn-zara-larsson-four-tet\">Swedish takeover\u003c/a>, with EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia and pop stars Robyn and Zara Larsson. Also among the headliners are Skrillex and Boys Noize’s duo Dog Blood, Four Tet and Tiësto. Legendary San José turntablist DJ Shadow will celebrate 30 years of his album \u003cem>Endtroducing….. \u003c/em>Other highlights from the bill include City Girls rapper JT, Argentinian perreo-rave singer Six Sex, San Francisco hyperpop artist Underscores, trip-hop legend Tricky and more.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Electronic music giants, cult-favorite DJs and left-field pop acts unite for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/portola-festival\">Portola\u003c/a>, a festival whose eclectic lineup just makes sense for San Francisco. 2026 seems to be somewhat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990263/portola-festival-lineup-2026-robyn-zara-larsson-four-tet\">Swedish takeover\u003c/a>, with EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia and pop stars Robyn and Zara Larsson. Also among the headliners are Skrillex and Boys Noize’s duo Dog Blood, Four Tet and Tiësto. Legendary San José turntablist DJ Shadow will celebrate 30 years of his album \u003cem>Endtroducing….. \u003c/em>Other highlights from the bill include City Girls rapper JT, Argentinian perreo-rave singer Six Sex, San Francisco hyperpop artist Underscores, trip-hop legend Tricky and more.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-800x512.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1020x652.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1920x1228.jpg 1920w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a woman with white hair and sunglasses smiles as she plays guitar on an outdoor stage\" class=\"wp-image-13917394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-800x512.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1020x652.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1920x1228.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veteran Emmylou Harris will return to this year’s free musical festival.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a woman with white hair and sunglasses smiles as she plays guitar on an outdoor stage\" class=\"wp-image-13917394\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veteran Emmylou Harris will return to this year’s free musical festival.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/headline/2026-lineup-announcements/\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/headline/2026-lineup-announcements/\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 2–4\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Gate Park, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 2–4\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Gate Park, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s second summer typically lasts well into October, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hardly-strictly-bluegrass\">Hardly Strictly\u003c/a> is a capstone event of the season. The free, family-friendly music festival takes over Golden Gate Park with performances by singer, fiddler and music producer Alison Krauss and her band Union Station, Yemeni band El Khat (who make their own instruments), country-rock legend Emmylou Harris and rockers My Morning Jacket.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s second summer typically lasts well into October, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hardly-strictly-bluegrass\">Hardly Strictly\u003c/a> is a capstone event of the season. The free, family-friendly music festival takes over Golden Gate Park with performances by singer, fiddler and music producer Alison Krauss and her band Union Station, Yemeni band El Khat (who make their own instruments), country-rock legend Emmylou Harris and rockers My Morning Jacket.\u003c/p>\n"
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"id": 13992907,
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"imageCredit": "Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg\" alt=\"A Black hip-hop artist raps into a microphone, flanked by backup singers and musicians. \" class=\"wp-image-13992907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cameron McCloud (center) of Cure for Paranoia performs in concert during NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour at Emo’s Austin on June 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg\" alt=\"A Black hip-hop artist raps into a microphone, flanked by backup singers and musicians. \" class=\"wp-image-13992907\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cameron McCloud (center) of Cure for Paranoia performs in concert during NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour at Emo’s Austin on June 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Cure for Paranoia",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.theindependentsf.com/tm-event/cure-for-paranoia/\">Cure for Paranoia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.theindependentsf.com/tm-event/cure-for-paranoia/\">Cure for Paranoia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 6, 8 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Independent, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 6, 8 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Independent, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With irresistible charisma, an off-kilter flow and bold lyrics about Black, queer life in Texas, Cure for Paranoia is blowing up after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest this year. The alternative hip-hop collective will bring their dynamic live show, backed by a full band, to San Francisco’s Independent. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://fest.psychedradiosf.com/psychedfest-sf-2026/\">Psyched! Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://fest.psychedradiosf.com/psychedfest-sf-2026/\">Psyched! Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 11–Nov. 6\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Various venues, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>D.I.Y. online radio station \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychedradiosf.com/\">Psyched! Radio\u003c/a> is one of San Francisco’s homes for the underground music scene, and its festival takes over independent venues including Rickshaw Stop, Great American Music Hall and Neck of the Woods for a month of shows this fall. The expansive lineup features several notable acts from Mexico — including Mexican Institute of Sound, Diles Que No Me Maten and Amantes del Futuro — sharing stages with Bay Area and stateside artists.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>D.I.Y. online radio station \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychedradiosf.com/\">Psyched! Radio\u003c/a> is one of San Francisco’s homes for the underground music scene, and its festival takes over independent venues including Rickshaw Stop, Great American Music Hall and Neck of the Woods for a month of shows this fall. The expansive lineup features several notable acts from Mexico — including Mexican Institute of Sound, Diles Que No Me Maten and Amantes del Futuro — sharing stages with Bay Area and stateside artists.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Hiero Day with Mereba and Sleeping on Gems with Kaytranada are among our selection of must-see shows.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">\u003cem>026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abundance is the word that comes to mind when looking at the Bay Area’s concert offerings this fall. Local legends are celebrating major milestones; several grassroots music festivals are spotlighting independent artists; and Bay Area musicians are mingling with boundary-pushing acts from across the globe. Below you’ll find 10 shows you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13934882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hieroglyphics on stage at Hiero Day in Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, Sept. 4, 2023. (Eric Arnold/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/midwaysf/events/hiero-day-189661\">Hiero Day \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 7, 2 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Midway, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What started as a grassroots block party in Oakland over a decade ago has evolved into one of the Bay Area’s staple celebrations of hip-hop culture. For the second year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hiero-day\">Hiero Day\u003c/a> returns to San Francisco’s Midway for a day party with headliners Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mereba and, of course, its namesake hip-hop collective, Oakland’s own Hieroglyphics. Joining them on the bill is San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985660/frak-four-square-mixtape\">Frak\u003c/a>, who recently blew minds with his interactive, videogame-themed concert, Foursquare at The Independent. Multilingual MC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ruby-ibarra\">Ruby Ibarra\u003c/a>, who won 2025’s Tiny Desk Contest, will take the stage with her band the Balikbayans, alongside Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, Chuy Gomez and a formidable lineup of rappers, singers and DJs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1082\" height=\"724\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg\" alt=\"Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Friday August 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-13917667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg 1082w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-768x514.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1082px) 100vw, 1082px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Aug. 12, 2022. (Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://crybaby.live/tm-attraction/lil-kayla/\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 11, 9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Crybaby, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since she burst onto the scene with her scammer anthem, “Make His Pockets Hurt,” in 2019, Lil Kayla has established herself as one of the hardest rappers in the San Francisco scene. Full of witty bars and lyrical mischief, tracks like “Throw Dat Shit” and “11:11” are what you crank up when you want to feel like you’re on your worst behavior. Lil Kayla’s legions of young, female fans are bound to be screaming in the front at her show at the intimate Oakland club Crybaby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13962540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaytranada performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 11, 2024. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sleeping-on-gems-fest-w-kaytranada-more-discovery-meadow-san-jose-tickets-1993569655505\">Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 13, 2–9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Discovery Meadow, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whether it’s his timeless remix of Teedra Moses’ “Just Wanna Be Your Girl” or his 3 a.m. dance floor heater “Drip Sweat” with Chanel Tres, Kaytranada’s signature blend of house music with rap and R&B has drawn a massive global fanbase. At Discovery Meadow in San José, the Montreal producer will spin alongside standout house vocalist Rochelle Jordan, L.A. rap duo Partyof2, Amsterdam electronic producer Jael, the Bay’s own Ruby Ibarra, and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png\" alt=\"group of musicians pose on a street\" class=\"wp-image-13982833\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-768x511.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spiritual Cramp. (Sarah Davis)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://bottomofthehill.com/20260919.html\">Spiritual Cramp\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since they formed in San Francisco in 2017, punk rockers Spiritual Cramp have spread out all over the country, but the City remains their muse. In their video for the charmingly self-deprecating banger, “At My Funeral,” singer Mike Bingham frolics through Green Apple Books, Kilowatt and Oracle Park, paying homage to the places that shaped him. Spiritual Cramp will pack out the legendary rock club Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming show this fall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg\" alt=\"a Black man with a guitar, gold outfit and hat sings into a microphone onstage while holding a guitar\" class=\"wp-image-13970421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fantastic Negrito performing at the Annual Americana Honors Awards in September 2024 in Nashville. (Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Fantastic-Negrito\">Fantastic Negrito and San Francisco Symphony\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fantastic-negrito\">Fantastic Negrito\u003c/a> might be a three-time Grammy winner, but he remains deeply rooted in his hometown of Oakland, tending to his urban farm and writing and recording in his West Oakland studio. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his landmark album \u003cem>The Last Days of Oakland\u003c/em>, a fiery, blues-rock meditation on the working-class struggle in a rapidly gentrifying city. At Davies Symphony Hall, he’ll perform reimagined versions of tracks from his discography, backed by a full orchestra. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13903425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erykah Badu performs at Lights On Festival at Concord Pavilion on Sept. 18, 2021. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://thegreekberkeley.com/events/erykah-badu-260927\">Erykah Badu\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27, 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Greek Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Few artists’ influence on music, fashion and culture is as deeply felt as Erykah Badu’s. Almost two decades since her genre-defining neo-soul debut, \u003cem>Baduizm\u003c/em>, the singer’s career remains a blueprint for creative excellence and free-spirited self-expression. This month, she’ll release her highly anticipated collaborative album with producer The Alchemist, who’ll join her on her North American tour along with St. Louis rapper Smino. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg\" alt=\"A blonde, white singer strikes a pose in front of a diverse crew of female dancers. \" class=\"wp-image-13992906\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zara Larsson performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Joshua Applegate/WireImage)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://portolamusicfestival.com/\">Portola Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26–27 \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Pier 80, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electronic music giants, cult-favorite DJs and left-field pop acts unite for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/portola-festival\">Portola\u003c/a>, a festival whose eclectic lineup just makes sense for San Francisco. 2026 seems to be somewhat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990263/portola-festival-lineup-2026-robyn-zara-larsson-four-tet\">Swedish takeover\u003c/a>, with EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia and pop stars Robyn and Zara Larsson. Also among the headliners are Skrillex and Boys Noize’s duo Dog Blood, Four Tet and Tiësto. Legendary San José turntablist DJ Shadow will celebrate 30 years of his album \u003cem>Endtroducing….. \u003c/em>Other highlights from the bill include City Girls rapper JT, Argentinian perreo-rave singer Six Sex, San Francisco hyperpop artist Underscores, trip-hop legend Tricky and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1638\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a woman with white hair and sunglasses smiles as she plays guitar on an outdoor stage\" class=\"wp-image-13917394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-800x512.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1020x652.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1920x1228.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veteran Emmylou Harris will return to this year’s free musical festival. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/headline/2026-lineup-announcements/\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 2–4\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Gate Park, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s second summer typically lasts well into October, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hardly-strictly-bluegrass\">Hardly Strictly\u003c/a> is a capstone event of the season. The free, family-friendly music festival takes over Golden Gate Park with performances by singer, fiddler and music producer Alison Krauss and her band Union Station, Yemeni band El Khat (who make their own instruments), country-rock legend Emmylou Harris and rockers My Morning Jacket.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg\" alt=\"A Black hip-hop artist raps into a microphone, flanked by backup singers and musicians. \" class=\"wp-image-13992907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cameron McCloud (center) of Cure for Paranoia performs in concert during NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour at Emo’s Austin on June 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.theindependentsf.com/tm-event/cure-for-paranoia/\">Cure for Paranoia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 6, 8 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Independent, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With irresistible charisma, an off-kilter flow and bold lyrics about Black, queer life in Texas, Cure for Paranoia is blowing up after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest this year. The alternative hip-hop collective will bring their dynamic live show, backed by a full band, to San Francisco’s Independent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072.jpg\" alt=\"A Mexican DJ smiles as he looks up from behind the decks. \" class=\"wp-image-13992908\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mexican Institute of Sound spins at Family Time: Arrullos Mexicanos at The GRAMMY Museum on July 29, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://fest.psychedradiosf.com/psychedfest-sf-2026/\">Psyched! Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 11–Nov. 6\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Various venues, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D.I.Y. online radio station \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychedradiosf.com/\">Psyched! Radio\u003c/a> is one of San Francisco’s homes for the underground music scene, and its festival takes over independent venues including Rickshaw Stop, Great American Music Hall and Neck of the Woods for a month of shows this fall. The expansive lineup features several notable acts from Mexico — including Mexican Institute of Sound, Diles Que No Me Maten and Amantes del Futuro — sharing stages with Bay Area and stateside artists.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-lechona-colombian-crispy-stuffed-pork-la-grama-san-jose",
"title": "This San José Food Tent Is a Temple to Crispy Colombian Stuffed Pork",
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"content": "\u003cp>The most exciting food often hides where you least expect it. Say, tucked behind a used car dealership just a few blocks away from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> DMV. This is where I found \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/la_grama_san_jose/\">La Grama\u003c/a>, a pop-up tent serving the best version of Colombian \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZa9h3x9PxQ\">lechona\u003c/a>, or crackly-skinned stuffed roast pork, I’ve ever tasted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The whole operation takes place under a big tent, with the kitchen on one side and a crowded dining area on the other. On my first visit, I had to play a game of musical chairs to snag a seat at one of the picnic tables. All around me, all I could hear was the sound of dozens of people biting into crunchy shards of pork rind. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Owner Augustine Torres moved from Villavicencio, Colombia, to San José in 2022. Together with some friends he knew from back home in Colombia, he started a food truck slinging hot dogs, burgers and picada (a platter of fried meats, plantains and potatoes). Before coming to the U.S., Torres had mostly worked in the cattle industry, but when his associates stepped away from the business, he decided to continue pursuing a food career on his own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent.jpg\" alt=\"A food tent crowded with diners.\" class=\"wp-image-13993149\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">La Grama’s crowded food tent is filled with lechona lovers munching on crispy pork skin. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Torres started La Grama in 2023, selling lechona by day and Colombian street food by night. In Colombia, lechona (aka lechona Tolimense), a dish with more than 500 years of history, is often served at weddings and big holiday celebrations. Traditionally, it’s made by stuffing an entire roast pig with rice and yellow peas. Torres mimics the technique to create smaller batches by stuffing everything inside a vessel of crispy pork skin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I first started, I wasn’t making lechona,” says Torres. “I was sourcing it from a friend.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eventually, he hired a chef from Colombia to teach him to make the dish over video, developing his own recipe after seven months of experimentation. He begins by marinating pork leg in adobo for two days. Then, rice and yellow peas are stuffed into a giant pouch made by sewing pieces of pork skin together. The whole thing is roasted for eight hours until the skin crisps and the rice and peas get slick from the rendered fat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Feasting on lechona is a tactile experience. During one visit, I shattered the chicharron with my fingers to dig into the rice and peas. Another time, I used a fragment of skin as a chip and loaded it with filling. Spritzing the whole thing with a lime wedge helps balance out the richness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Mon%CC%83ona.jpg\" alt=\"An unwrapped tamal topped with meat and a shard of crispy pork skin.\" class=\"wp-image-13993150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The moñona is a Colombian tamal topped with a portion of lechona. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s safe to say Torres’ lechona has been a hit — he sells 20 trays every weekend. The vast majority of customers are from Colombia, but newcomers to the dish have also wound up enjoying it, Torres says. You can find Colombian lechona, more or less prepared in the same way, in a few spots around the South Bay. At \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DGJrO60SnhP/\">Sabor a la Colombiana\u003c/a>, it comes paired with \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@recetasdelamamicarito/video/7626905936120057096\">insulsos\u003c/a> (steamed corn flour and panela). \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lacallejera_cf\">La Callejera\u003c/a>, also in San José, sells an especially flavorful version that’s heavy on the garlic and earthy spices. But La Grama’s version is still my favorite.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While lechona is excellent on its own, it’s even better when paired with other Colombian dishes. My favorite menu item at La Grama is the moñona — a Colombian tamal topped with lechona. The tamal arrives unwrapped in its banana leaf pouch, bursting with drumsticks, pork ribs and hardboiled eggs. As I excavated the meat, the lechona filling blended with the masa. Shards of crispy chicharron functioned like croutons to complement the moist masa. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Torres’ customers are also fond of a less traditional lechona pairing. In Colombia, buñuelos are sweet, ball-shaped fritters typically served as a holiday dessert, after the lechona. At La Grama, though, customers crack open the fritters and top them with a little pile of rice, peas and crispy pork skin. The combination is delicious: The buñuelos — made by Mr. Kike, a neighboring business that shares a tent with La Grama — have a core of stretchy molten cheese that sticks to the lechona, and the cakey, salty-sweet dough is a nice complement to the heavily seasoned rice and legumes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-bun%CC%83uelo.jpg\" alt=\"Rice and crispy pork skin piled on top of a cheese fritter.\" class=\"wp-image-13993151\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-buñuelo.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-buñuelo-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-buñuelo-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-buñuelo-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers at La Grama like to pile some of their lechona inside a buñuelo, or Colombian cheese fritter. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Torres aspires to introduce lechona to as many people in the Bay Area as possible. His plans include opening a restaurant someday, but he’s taking things slow. First, he’d like to extend his hours to three days a week and add more charcoal-grilled dishes like punta de anca, burgers and churrascos to the menu. He’s confident, though, that his food will catch on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After all, he says, “Lechona is the number one pork dish in the world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>La Grama is open Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m.–12 p.m., and also on some Fridays, at 1501 Monterey Rd. in San Jose. Check the pop-up’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/la_grama_san_jose/\">\u003cem>Instagram page\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>for the most up-to-date schedule.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Torres started La Grama in 2023, selling lechona by day and Colombian street food by night. In Colombia, lechona (aka lechona Tolimense), a dish with more than 500 years of history, is often served at weddings and big holiday celebrations. Traditionally, it’s made by stuffing an entire roast pig with rice and yellow peas. Torres mimics the technique to create smaller batches by stuffing everything inside a vessel of crispy pork skin.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When I first started, I wasn’t making lechona,” says Torres. “I was sourcing it from a friend.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Eventually, he hired a chef from Colombia to teach him to make the dish over video, developing his own recipe after seven months of experimentation. He begins by marinating pork leg in adobo for two days. Then, rice and yellow peas are stuffed into a giant pouch made by sewing pieces of pork skin together. The whole thing is roasted for eight hours until the skin crisps and the rice and peas get slick from the rendered fat.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Feasting on lechona is a tactile experience. During one visit, I shattered the chicharron with my fingers to dig into the rice and peas. Another time, I used a fragment of skin as a chip and loaded it with filling. Spritzing the whole thing with a lime wedge helps balance out the richness.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona.jpg\" alt=\"An unwrapped tamal topped with meat and a shard of crispy pork skin.\" class=\"wp-image-13993150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The moñona is a Colombian tamal topped with a portion of lechona.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s safe to say Torres’ lechona has been a hit — he sells 20 trays every weekend. The vast majority of customers are from Colombia, but newcomers to the dish have also wound up enjoying it, Torres says. You can find Colombian lechona, more or less prepared in the same way, in a few spots around the South Bay. At \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DGJrO60SnhP/\">Sabor a la Colombiana\u003c/a>, it comes paired with \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@recetasdelamamicarito/video/7626905936120057096\">insulsos\u003c/a> (steamed corn flour and panela). \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lacallejera_cf\">La Callejera\u003c/a>, also in San José, sells an especially flavorful version that’s heavy on the garlic and earthy spices. But La Grama’s version is still my favorite.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While lechona is excellent on its own, it’s even better when paired with other Colombian dishes. My favorite menu item at La Grama is the moñona — a Colombian tamal topped with lechona. The tamal arrives unwrapped in its banana leaf pouch, bursting with drumsticks, pork ribs and hardboiled eggs. As I excavated the meat, the lechona filling blended with the masa. Shards of crispy chicharron functioned like croutons to complement the moist masa. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While lechona is excellent on its own, it’s even better when paired with other Colombian dishes. My favorite menu item at La Grama is the moñona — a Colombian tamal topped with lechona. The tamal arrives unwrapped in its banana leaf pouch, bursting with drumsticks, pork ribs and hardboiled eggs. As I excavated the meat, the lechona filling blended with the masa. Shards of crispy chicharron functioned like croutons to complement the moist masa. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Torres’ customers are also fond of a less traditional lechona pairing. In Colombia, buñuelos are sweet, ball-shaped fritters typically served as a holiday dessert, after the lechona. At La Grama, though, customers crack open the fritters and top them with a little pile of rice, peas and crispy pork skin. The combination is delicious: The buñuelos — made by Mr. Kike, a neighboring business that shares a tent with La Grama — have a core of stretchy molten cheese that sticks to the lechona, and the cakey, salty-sweet dough is a nice complement to the heavily seasoned rice and legumes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Torres’ customers are also fond of a less traditional lechona pairing. In Colombia, buñuelos are sweet, ball-shaped fritters typically served as a holiday dessert, after the lechona. At La Grama, though, customers crack open the fritters and top them with a little pile of rice, peas and crispy pork skin. The combination is delicious: The buñuelos — made by Mr. Kike, a neighboring business that shares a tent with La Grama — have a core of stretchy molten cheese that sticks to the lechona, and the cakey, salty-sweet dough is a nice complement to the heavily seasoned rice and legumes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Torres aspires to introduce lechona to as many people in the Bay Area as possible. His plans include opening a restaurant someday, but he’s taking things slow. First, he’d like to extend his hours to three days a week and add more charcoal-grilled dishes like punta de anca, burgers and churrascos to the menu. He’s confident, though, that his food will catch on.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Torres aspires to introduce lechona to as many people in the Bay Area as possible. His plans include opening a restaurant someday, but he’s taking things slow. First, he’d like to extend his hours to three days a week and add more charcoal-grilled dishes like punta de anca, burgers and churrascos to the menu. He’s confident, though, that his food will catch on.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>La Grama is open Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m.–12 p.m., and also on some Fridays, at 1501 Monterey Rd. in San Jose. Check the pop-up’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/la_grama_san_jose/\">\u003cem>Instagram page\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>for the most up-to-date schedule.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>La Grama is open Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m.–12 p.m., and also on some Fridays, at 1501 Monterey Rd. in San Jose. Check the pop-up’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/la_grama_san_jose/\">\u003cem>Instagram page\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>for the most up-to-date schedule.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The most exciting food often hides where you least expect it. Say, tucked behind a used car dealership just a few blocks away from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> DMV. This is where I found \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/la_grama_san_jose/\">La Grama\u003c/a>, a pop-up tent serving the best version of Colombian \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZa9h3x9PxQ\">lechona\u003c/a>, or crackly-skinned stuffed roast pork, I’ve ever tasted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The whole operation takes place under a big tent, with the kitchen on one side and a crowded dining area on the other. On my first visit, I had to play a game of musical chairs to snag a seat at one of the picnic tables. All around me, all I could hear was the sound of dozens of people biting into crunchy shards of pork rind. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Owner Augustine Torres moved from Villavicencio, Colombia, to San José in 2022. Together with some friends he knew from back home in Colombia, he started a food truck slinging hot dogs, burgers and picada (a platter of fried meats, plantains and potatoes). Before coming to the U.S., Torres had mostly worked in the cattle industry, but when his associates stepped away from the business, he decided to continue pursuing a food career on his own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent.jpg\" alt=\"A food tent crowded with diners.\" class=\"wp-image-13993149\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/La-Grama-tent-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">La Grama’s crowded food tent is filled with lechona lovers munching on crispy pork skin. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Torres started La Grama in 2023, selling lechona by day and Colombian street food by night. In Colombia, lechona (aka lechona Tolimense), a dish with more than 500 years of history, is often served at weddings and big holiday celebrations. Traditionally, it’s made by stuffing an entire roast pig with rice and yellow peas. Torres mimics the technique to create smaller batches by stuffing everything inside a vessel of crispy pork skin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I first started, I wasn’t making lechona,” says Torres. “I was sourcing it from a friend.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eventually, he hired a chef from Colombia to teach him to make the dish over video, developing his own recipe after seven months of experimentation. He begins by marinating pork leg in adobo for two days. Then, rice and yellow peas are stuffed into a giant pouch made by sewing pieces of pork skin together. The whole thing is roasted for eight hours until the skin crisps and the rice and peas get slick from the rendered fat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Feasting on lechona is a tactile experience. During one visit, I shattered the chicharron with my fingers to dig into the rice and peas. Another time, I used a fragment of skin as a chip and loaded it with filling. Spritzing the whole thing with a lime wedge helps balance out the richness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Mon%CC%83ona.jpg\" alt=\"An unwrapped tamal topped with meat and a shard of crispy pork skin.\" class=\"wp-image-13993150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Moñona-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The moñona is a Colombian tamal topped with a portion of lechona. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s safe to say Torres’ lechona has been a hit — he sells 20 trays every weekend. The vast majority of customers are from Colombia, but newcomers to the dish have also wound up enjoying it, Torres says. You can find Colombian lechona, more or less prepared in the same way, in a few spots around the South Bay. At \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DGJrO60SnhP/\">Sabor a la Colombiana\u003c/a>, it comes paired with \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@recetasdelamamicarito/video/7626905936120057096\">insulsos\u003c/a> (steamed corn flour and panela). \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lacallejera_cf\">La Callejera\u003c/a>, also in San José, sells an especially flavorful version that’s heavy on the garlic and earthy spices. But La Grama’s version is still my favorite.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While lechona is excellent on its own, it’s even better when paired with other Colombian dishes. My favorite menu item at La Grama is the moñona — a Colombian tamal topped with lechona. The tamal arrives unwrapped in its banana leaf pouch, bursting with drumsticks, pork ribs and hardboiled eggs. As I excavated the meat, the lechona filling blended with the masa. Shards of crispy chicharron functioned like croutons to complement the moist masa. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Torres’ customers are also fond of a less traditional lechona pairing. In Colombia, buñuelos are sweet, ball-shaped fritters typically served as a holiday dessert, after the lechona. At La Grama, though, customers crack open the fritters and top them with a little pile of rice, peas and crispy pork skin. The combination is delicious: The buñuelos — made by Mr. Kike, a neighboring business that shares a tent with La Grama — have a core of stretchy molten cheese that sticks to the lechona, and the cakey, salty-sweet dough is a nice complement to the heavily seasoned rice and legumes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-bun%CC%83uelo.jpg\" alt=\"Rice and crispy pork skin piled on top of a cheese fritter.\" class=\"wp-image-13993151\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-buñuelo.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-buñuelo-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-buñuelo-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Lechona-on-buñuelo-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers at La Grama like to pile some of their lechona inside a buñuelo, or Colombian cheese fritter. (Octavio Peña)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Torres aspires to introduce lechona to as many people in the Bay Area as possible. His plans include opening a restaurant someday, but he’s taking things slow. First, he’d like to extend his hours to three days a week and add more charcoal-grilled dishes like punta de anca, burgers and churrascos to the menu. He’s confident, though, that his food will catch on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After all, he says, “Lechona is the number one pork dish in the world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>La Grama is open Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m.–12 p.m., and also on some Fridays, at 1501 Monterey Rd. in San Jose. Check the pop-up’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/la_grama_san_jose/\">\u003cem>Instagram page\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>for the most up-to-date schedule.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "20 Years Later, Traxamillion’s ‘Slapp Addict’ Remains the Royal Hyphy Standard",
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"content": "\u003cp>Traxamillion’s album \u003cem>The Slapp Addict\u003c/em> is a Renaissance painting; a still life, depicting a moment in time of oversized white T’s and Gucci Air Forces, dancing a \u003cem>little different\u003c/em> to a sound unlike anything hip-hop had heard before.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a proper portrayal of the hyphy period, it combines the San José-raised producer’s canvas of banging beats with lyrics from rap heavyweights in the region. The result is a record that represents hyphy-era royalty — but the only Regals referenced are Buicks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Released in August 2006, the album joined an onslaught from Bay Area hip-hop artists that same year. Vallejo’s E-40 dropped \u003cem>My Ghetto Report Card\u003c/em> and Oakland’s Too Short released \u003cem>Blow The Whistle\u003c/em>. The Pack came out of Berkeley with the song “Vans,” while San Francisco’s Messy Marv had a run of seven back-to-back albums.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the midst of it all, Traxamillion delivered one of the most significant and underrated albums of the entire subgenre that had folks going dumb.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2023\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in oversized T-shirt and jeans, with dreadlocks and a backwards cap, amid text and a UPC code\" class=\"wp-image-13992864\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-768x777.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-1519x1536.jpg 1519w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘The Slapp Addict’ album cover was styled like a magazine, and numbered ‘Issue 408’ after San José’s area code. (Slapp Addict Productions)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s audible time capsule, preserving a slice of culture while serving as a history lesson that you can still gig to, 20 years later. On Saturday, Aug. 22 at Passport Bar & Lounge in Oakland, an event \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">honors the album’s 20th anniversary.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has so many hits on it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqsT_rplbR/\">Alex Jimenez\u003c/a>, event co-organizer and Traxamillion’s former assistant, adding that the album is “arguably one of the top records for that era.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Near the top of the project is “Wakin Em Up” (feat. Dem Hoodstarz and Turf Talk), made to be played at a high volume, preferably by an old-school car with a huge sound system. (It pairs well with whistle tips, the kind that go \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhVWeDwSkzc\">woo early in the morning\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track “Grown Man (Remix)” (feat. Clyde Carson, Dem Hoodstarz, Mistah F.A.B., San Quinn and Turf Talk) is a function anthem. It’s also a bit of a protest song, pushing back against the dress codes at hip-hop clubs in the early 2000s. The high-energy track essentially says: \u003cem>Even with these Stacy Adams shoes on, I’m still finna go dumb\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track “From The Hood” (feat. Husalah, The Jacka and San Quinn) is an ode to the real ones. Over a slower, menacing beat, the rappers bring audiences into the underbelly of the Yay Area. The gritty black-and-white music video is a perfect compliment to the song.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kk_2q7rvkQ\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project captures certain people at early stages of their careers. “We Like the Slapps” features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978372/saaed-crumpler-oakland-bravemaker-film-festival\">Saeed Crumpler\u003c/a>, rapping under the name Balance; Crumpler is now a full-time television writer and filmmaker. “Club Stuntin” features Lil B when he was with The Pack, and before he became the Based God. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some people on the album are no longer with us, like The Jacka, who guests on “From the Hood.” There’s also “Top Down” with Zion I; the duo’s lead lyricist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13962689/zumbi-zion-i-stephen-gaines-lawsuit-vigil-update\">Stephen “Zumbi” Gaines\u003c/a>, was killed five years ago during an altercation with a security guard at a hospital in Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The interludes further illustrate the era. In one skit, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rita-forte\">Rita Forte\u003c/a> (then known as DJ Backside) calls Traxamillion looking to help deliver his songs to DJs around the nation. In another, someone calls Traxamillion impersonating then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated after trying to get in contact with the producer via Myspace.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1861\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in an oversized red T-shirt, backwards white striped baseball cap, studded belt and large jeans, in front of a hamburger stand\" class=\"wp-image-13992865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-160x149.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-768x715.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-1536x1429.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traxamillion, pictured in 2006 style, from the CD booklet for ‘The Slapp Addict.’ (Awnica ‘Flix’ Browne / Slapp Addict Productions)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The album also contains aspects of the time that didn’t age well, namely using the term “retarded” to describe dancing; “Yellow Bus” by Mistah F.A.B. is a reminder of that. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://rap.fandom.com/wiki/Mistah_F.A.B.\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>’s “Sideshow” (which also features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mistah-fab\">T\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/too-short\">oo Short\u003c/a>) has provided a soundtrack to car culture in this region for two decades, featured in street parties, bootleg DVDs and Instagram stories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And the bass-heavy track “On Citas” (feat. Keak da Sneak), which made kids turf dance at the bus stop back in the day, is now being paired with a popular dance routine \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/On-Citas-6757185322213214210\">on TikTok\u003c/a> by the next generation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jimenez, who has a nine-year-old and 13-year old, reports that “When [the song] started trending last year, they came up to me like, ‘You know Traxamillion is trending?’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that’s the larger goal, Jimenez tells me — to “reintroduce” Traxamillion’s work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg\" alt=\"A black and white photo of an African American man in a backwards hat and plaid shirt.\" class=\"wp-image-13992722\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-160x160.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-600x600.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sultan ‘Traxamillion’ Banks was a producer known for his heavy drums and uptempo sound. He died in January of 2022 from nasopharyngeal cancer. (Courtesy of Traxamillion's estate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With appearances from Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk, Jimenez says the 20th anniversary event will feel like a “hyphy reunion.” Co-hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pricelessdaroc/\">Priceless Da ROC\u003c/a>, with a headlining DJ set from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djmindmotion1/\">DJ Mind Motion\u003c/a>, the event will also benefit Traxamillion’s estate.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Traxamillion never stopped reaching new heights. He produced City Girls’ 2020 song “Broke N—-s” (feat. Yo Gotti) and E-40’s 2021 track “I Stand On That” (feat. Joyner Lucas and T.I.). Today, 20 years after his debut album and nearly five years after his passing, he’s still moving the people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The people that are coming together,” Jimenez says of the upcoming event, “probably haven’t been together in the same room in a while. That’s going to be pretty cool to see.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Traxamillion ‘Slapp Addict’ 20th Anniversary Day Party takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, at Passport Bar & Lounge (1915 Broadway, Oakland). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It has so many hits on it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqsT_rplbR/\">Alex Jimenez\u003c/a>, event co-organizer and Traxamillion’s former assistant, adding that the album is “arguably one of the top records for that era.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Near the top of the project is “Wakin Em Up” (feat. Dem Hoodstarz and Turf Talk), made to be played at a high volume, preferably by an old-school car with a huge sound system. (It pairs well with whistle tips, the kind that go \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhVWeDwSkzc\">woo early in the morning\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The track “Grown Man (Remix)” (feat. Clyde Carson, Dem Hoodstarz, Mistah F.A.B., San Quinn and Turf Talk) is a function anthem. It’s also a bit of a protest song, pushing back against the dress codes at hip-hop clubs in the early 2000s. The high-energy track essentially says: \u003cem>Even with these Stacy Adams shoes on, I’m still finna go dumb\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The track “Grown Man (Remix)” (feat. Clyde Carson, Dem Hoodstarz, Mistah F.A.B., San Quinn and Turf Talk) is a function anthem. It’s also a bit of a protest song, pushing back against the dress codes at hip-hop clubs in the early 2000s. The high-energy track essentially says: \u003cem>Even with these Stacy Adams shoes on, I’m still finna go dumb\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The track “From The Hood” (feat. Husalah, The Jacka and San Quinn) is an ode to the real ones. Over a slower, menacing beat, the rappers bring audiences into the underbelly of the Yay Area. The gritty black-and-white music video is a perfect compliment to the song.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project captures certain people at early stages of their careers. “We Like the Slapps” features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978372/saaed-crumpler-oakland-bravemaker-film-festival\">Saeed Crumpler\u003c/a>, rapping under the name Balance; Crumpler is now a full-time television writer and filmmaker. “Club Stuntin” features Lil B when he was with The Pack, and before he became the Based God. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some people on the album are no longer with us, like The Jacka, who guests on “From the Hood.” There’s also “Top Down” with Zion I; the duo’s lead lyricist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13962689/zumbi-zion-i-stephen-gaines-lawsuit-vigil-update\">Stephen “Zumbi” Gaines\u003c/a>, was killed five years ago during an altercation with a security guard at a hospital in Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The interludes further illustrate the era. In one skit, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rita-forte\">Rita Forte\u003c/a> (then known as DJ Backside) calls Traxamillion looking to help deliver his songs to DJs around the nation. In another, someone calls Traxamillion impersonating then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated after trying to get in contact with the producer via Myspace.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The interludes further illustrate the era. In one skit, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rita-forte\">Rita Forte\u003c/a> (then known as DJ Backside) calls Traxamillion looking to help deliver his songs to DJs around the nation. In another, someone calls Traxamillion impersonating then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated after trying to get in contact with the producer via Myspace.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The album also contains aspects of the time that didn’t age well, namely using the term “retarded” to describe dancing; “Yellow Bus” by Mistah F.A.B. is a reminder of that. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://rap.fandom.com/wiki/Mistah_F.A.B.\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>’s “Sideshow” (which also features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mistah-fab\">T\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/too-short\">oo Short\u003c/a>) has provided a soundtrack to car culture in this region for two decades, featured in street parties, bootleg DVDs and Instagram stories.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And the bass-heavy track “On Citas” (feat. Keak da Sneak), which made kids turf dance at the bus stop back in the day, is now being paired with a popular dance routine \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/On-Citas-6757185322213214210\">on TikTok\u003c/a> by the next generation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jimenez, who has a nine-year-old and 13-year old, reports that “When [the song] started trending last year, they came up to me like, ‘You know Traxamillion is trending?’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With appearances from Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk, Jimenez says the 20th anniversary event will feel like a “hyphy reunion.” Co-hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pricelessdaroc/\">Priceless Da ROC\u003c/a>, with a headlining DJ set from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djmindmotion1/\">DJ Mind Motion\u003c/a>, the event will also benefit Traxamillion’s estate.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Traxamillion never stopped reaching new heights. He produced City Girls’ 2020 song “Broke N—-s” (feat. Yo Gotti) and E-40’s 2021 track “I Stand On That” (feat. Joyner Lucas and T.I.). Today, 20 years after his debut album and nearly five years after his passing, he’s still moving the people.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The people that are coming together,” Jimenez says of the upcoming event, “probably haven’t been together in the same room in a while. That’s going to be pretty cool to see.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Traxamillion ‘Slapp Addict’ 20th Anniversary Day Party takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, at Passport Bar & Lounge (1915 Broadway, Oakland). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Traxamillion’s album \u003cem>The Slapp Addict\u003c/em> is a Renaissance painting; a still life, depicting a moment in time of oversized white T’s and Gucci Air Forces, dancing a \u003cem>little different\u003c/em> to a sound unlike anything hip-hop had heard before.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a proper portrayal of the hyphy period, it combines the San José-raised producer’s canvas of banging beats with lyrics from rap heavyweights in the region. The result is a record that represents hyphy-era royalty — but the only Regals referenced are Buicks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Released in August 2006, the album joined an onslaught from Bay Area hip-hop artists that same year. Vallejo’s E-40 dropped \u003cem>My Ghetto Report Card\u003c/em> and Oakland’s Too Short released \u003cem>Blow The Whistle\u003c/em>. The Pack came out of Berkeley with the song “Vans,” while San Francisco’s Messy Marv had a run of seven back-to-back albums.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the midst of it all, Traxamillion delivered one of the most significant and underrated albums of the entire subgenre that had folks going dumb.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2023\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in oversized T-shirt and jeans, with dreadlocks and a backwards cap, amid text and a UPC code\" class=\"wp-image-13992864\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-768x777.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-1519x1536.jpg 1519w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘The Slapp Addict’ album cover was styled like a magazine, and numbered ‘Issue 408’ after San José’s area code. (Slapp Addict Productions)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s audible time capsule, preserving a slice of culture while serving as a history lesson that you can still gig to, 20 years later. On Saturday, Aug. 22 at Passport Bar & Lounge in Oakland, an event \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">honors the album’s 20th anniversary.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has so many hits on it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqsT_rplbR/\">Alex Jimenez\u003c/a>, event co-organizer and Traxamillion’s former assistant, adding that the album is “arguably one of the top records for that era.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Near the top of the project is “Wakin Em Up” (feat. Dem Hoodstarz and Turf Talk), made to be played at a high volume, preferably by an old-school car with a huge sound system. (It pairs well with whistle tips, the kind that go \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhVWeDwSkzc\">woo early in the morning\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track “Grown Man (Remix)” (feat. Clyde Carson, Dem Hoodstarz, Mistah F.A.B., San Quinn and Turf Talk) is a function anthem. It’s also a bit of a protest song, pushing back against the dress codes at hip-hop clubs in the early 2000s. The high-energy track essentially says: \u003cem>Even with these Stacy Adams shoes on, I’m still finna go dumb\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track “From The Hood” (feat. Husalah, The Jacka and San Quinn) is an ode to the real ones. Over a slower, menacing beat, the rappers bring audiences into the underbelly of the Yay Area. The gritty black-and-white music video is a perfect compliment to the song.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/-kk_2q7rvkQ'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/-kk_2q7rvkQ'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project captures certain people at early stages of their careers. “We Like the Slapps” features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978372/saaed-crumpler-oakland-bravemaker-film-festival\">Saeed Crumpler\u003c/a>, rapping under the name Balance; Crumpler is now a full-time television writer and filmmaker. “Club Stuntin” features Lil B when he was with The Pack, and before he became the Based God. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some people on the album are no longer with us, like The Jacka, who guests on “From the Hood.” There’s also “Top Down” with Zion I; the duo’s lead lyricist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13962689/zumbi-zion-i-stephen-gaines-lawsuit-vigil-update\">Stephen “Zumbi” Gaines\u003c/a>, was killed five years ago during an altercation with a security guard at a hospital in Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The interludes further illustrate the era. In one skit, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rita-forte\">Rita Forte\u003c/a> (then known as DJ Backside) calls Traxamillion looking to help deliver his songs to DJs around the nation. In another, someone calls Traxamillion impersonating then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated after trying to get in contact with the producer via Myspace.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1861\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in an oversized red T-shirt, backwards white striped baseball cap, studded belt and large jeans, in front of a hamburger stand\" class=\"wp-image-13992865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-160x149.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-768x715.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-1536x1429.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traxamillion, pictured in 2006 style, from the CD booklet for ‘The Slapp Addict.’ (Awnica ‘Flix’ Browne / Slapp Addict Productions)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The album also contains aspects of the time that didn’t age well, namely using the term “retarded” to describe dancing; “Yellow Bus” by Mistah F.A.B. is a reminder of that. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://rap.fandom.com/wiki/Mistah_F.A.B.\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>’s “Sideshow” (which also features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mistah-fab\">T\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/too-short\">oo Short\u003c/a>) has provided a soundtrack to car culture in this region for two decades, featured in street parties, bootleg DVDs and Instagram stories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And the bass-heavy track “On Citas” (feat. Keak da Sneak), which made kids turf dance at the bus stop back in the day, is now being paired with a popular dance routine \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/On-Citas-6757185322213214210\">on TikTok\u003c/a> by the next generation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jimenez, who has a nine-year-old and 13-year old, reports that “When [the song] started trending last year, they came up to me like, ‘You know Traxamillion is trending?’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that’s the larger goal, Jimenez tells me — to “reintroduce” Traxamillion’s work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg\" alt=\"A black and white photo of an African American man in a backwards hat and plaid shirt.\" class=\"wp-image-13992722\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-160x160.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-600x600.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sultan ‘Traxamillion’ Banks was a producer known for his heavy drums and uptempo sound. He died in January of 2022 from nasopharyngeal cancer. (Courtesy of Traxamillion's estate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With appearances from Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk, Jimenez says the 20th anniversary event will feel like a “hyphy reunion.” Co-hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pricelessdaroc/\">Priceless Da ROC\u003c/a>, with a headlining DJ set from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djmindmotion1/\">DJ Mind Motion\u003c/a>, the event will also benefit Traxamillion’s estate.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Traxamillion never stopped reaching new heights. He produced City Girls’ 2020 song “Broke N—-s” (feat. Yo Gotti) and E-40’s 2021 track “I Stand On That” (feat. Joyner Lucas and T.I.). Today, 20 years after his debut album and nearly five years after his passing, he’s still moving the people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The people that are coming together,” Jimenez says of the upcoming event, “probably haven’t been together in the same room in a while. That’s going to be pretty cool to see.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Traxamillion ‘Slapp Addict’ 20th Anniversary Day Party takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, at Passport Bar & Lounge (1915 Broadway, Oakland). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "northern-california-mermaid-performers-pod-sacramento-oakland",
"title": "Meet the ‘Merfolk’ Frolicking in Northern California’s Pools and Swimming Holes",
"publishDate": 1785776182,
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"headTitle": "Meet the ‘Merfolk’ Frolicking in Northern California’s Pools and Swimming Holes | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a swimming hole called the Garden of Eden in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Tara Dimaggio swims around in her iridescent silicone tail. She finds peace in the quiet, bringing her fairytale dream to life. And she makes sure to pick up trash on the way out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 43-year-old San Jose resident, known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mermaidofeden/\">Mermaid of Eden\u003c/a>, describes herself as introverted and reserved. But when she puts on her tail and embodies her mermaid persona, or mersona, she gains a little more confidence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It helps open me up a little bit,” Dimaggio tells KQED. “And it’s helped with my anxiety, especially coming out of COVID.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992142\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Johanna King, known as Mermaid Chimera, swims in a pool while Tara Dimaggio, known as the Mermaid of Eden, prepares to get in the water. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"723\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-160x58.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-768x278.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-1536x555.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk friends from across the Bay Area swim in a pool in Oakland. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Dimaggio got her start mermaiding right before the pandemic hit. She immersed herself in the Northern California mermaid scene, which includes professionals who perform and advocate for ocean protection, as well as hobbyists who create accessories and art. Dimaggio felt like she finally found a space where she belonged.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The craft has been around a very long time,” Dimaggio says, “but everybody is very open to making new friends or meeting new people in the industry. It’s not very cliquey or closed off.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Oakland resident Alan Lee, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/merman.icarus/\">Merman Icarus\u003c/a>, first put on a tail in 2018, representation for mermen was “rare.” His initial struggle to find costumes and accessories prompted him to tap into his own creativity; he now makes and sells accessories like crowns and shoulder pieces. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992144\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tara Dimaggio (left), known as the Mermaid of Eden, and Alan Lee, known as Merman Icarus, swim in Oakland during a gathering with friends. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve picked up this whole world of creation and sculpting,” Lee says. “Learning to make things offline, for me, it’s given me this real-world experience of creation and design that I really kind of craved.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While he still considers mermen a relative minority, he emphasises that the community “strives to welcome all ages, genders, body types, sexual orientations and gender identities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In mid-May, both Dimaggio and Lee were two of many Bay Area merpeople who made their way to the annual California Mermaid Convention. Merfolk from all over the country gathered in Sacramento for open swims, a Bubble Ball and other events. It’s a staple convention, though the event wasn’t always as big as it is now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992145\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk chat in the water during the annual California Mermaid Convention at the Cordova Community Pool in Rancho Cordova on May 16, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/themermaidatlantis/\">Mermaid Atlantis\u003c/a> helped start the event, which used to be called Sacramento Mermaid Weekend. After getting her costuming degree in 2011, she set out to create a mermaid tail she could swim in. She quickly discovered mermaiding, and from the beginning worked to make the space inclusive, advocating for more representation across big mermaiding events. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Whenever I can, I just try to invite more people out and make sure that people feel heard and respected,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mermaid Atlantis hosts her own \u003ca href=\"https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/_hCJCo2OEku5KrJDH1fWfpuwdN?domain=youtube.com\">kids show\u003c/a> where she uses her mersona to educate her audience on environmental issues. She’s accompanied by her trash puppet named PI (short for Plastic Island) who helps her teach how to reduce, reuse and recycle in English, Spanish and ASL. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992175\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk friends from across the Bay Area pose for a photo at a pool in Oakland on June 8, 2026, to swim, socialize and wear their mermaid attire. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992143\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mermaid Atlantis (left) and Johanna King, known as Mermaid Chimera, sit by a pool in Oakland a gathering with fellow merfolk friends. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>While the \u003ca href=\"https://californiamermaidcon.com/\">California Mermaid Convention\u003c/a> is the big event that brings the community together, many merfolk in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/271568969577492/?locale=az_AZ\">Northern California “pod\u003c/a>” host more casual meet-ups at pools, friends’ houses or the beach. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And as the pod continues to grow, newcomers are welcomed in with open arms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You don’t have to do it for money, you don’t have to be a professional, you don’t have to have the fanciest tail,” Mermaid Atlantis says. “The only requirement is that you’re friendly, you come out, you have fun and that you’re kind.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a swimming hole called the Garden of Eden in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Tara Dimaggio swims around in her iridescent silicone tail. She finds peace in the quiet, bringing her fairytale dream to life. And she makes sure to pick up trash on the way out. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a swimming hole called the Garden of Eden in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Tara Dimaggio swims around in her iridescent silicone tail. She finds peace in the quiet, bringing her fairytale dream to life. And she makes sure to pick up trash on the way out. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The 43-year-old San Jose resident, known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mermaidofeden/\">Mermaid of Eden\u003c/a>, describes herself as introverted and reserved. But when she puts on her tail and embodies her mermaid persona, or mersona, she gains a little more confidence.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The 43-year-old San Jose resident, known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mermaidofeden/\">Mermaid of Eden\u003c/a>, describes herself as introverted and reserved. But when she puts on her tail and embodies her mermaid persona, or mersona, she gains a little more confidence.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It helps open me up a little bit,” Dimaggio tells KQED. “And it’s helped with my anxiety, especially coming out of COVID.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It helps open me up a little bit,” Dimaggio tells KQED. “And it’s helped with my anxiety, especially coming out of COVID.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992142\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Johanna King, known as Mermaid Chimera, swims in a pool while Tara Dimaggio, known as the Mermaid of Eden, prepares to get in the water.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992142\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Johanna King, known as Mermaid Chimera, swims in a pool while Tara Dimaggio, known as the Mermaid of Eden, prepares to get in the water.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-160x58.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-768x278.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-1536x555.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk friends from across the Bay Area swim in a pool in Oakland. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992139\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk friends from across the Bay Area swim in a pool in Oakland. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dimaggio got her start mermaiding right before the pandemic hit. She immersed herself in the Northern California mermaid scene, which includes professionals who perform and advocate for ocean protection, as well as hobbyists who create accessories and art. Dimaggio felt like she finally found a space where she belonged.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Dimaggio got her start mermaiding right before the pandemic hit. She immersed herself in the Northern California mermaid scene, which includes professionals who perform and advocate for ocean protection, as well as hobbyists who create accessories and art. Dimaggio felt like she finally found a space where she belonged.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The craft has been around a very long time,” Dimaggio says, “but everybody is very open to making new friends or meeting new people in the industry. It’s not very cliquey or closed off.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The craft has been around a very long time,” Dimaggio says, “but everybody is very open to making new friends or meeting new people in the industry. It’s not very cliquey or closed off.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Oakland resident Alan Lee, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/merman.icarus/\">Merman Icarus\u003c/a>, first put on a tail in 2018, representation for mermen was “rare.” His initial struggle to find costumes and accessories prompted him to tap into his own creativity; he now makes and sells accessories like crowns and shoulder pieces. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When Oakland resident Alan Lee, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/merman.icarus/\">Merman Icarus\u003c/a>, first put on a tail in 2018, representation for mermen was “rare.” His initial struggle to find costumes and accessories prompted him to tap into his own creativity; he now makes and sells accessories like crowns and shoulder pieces. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992144\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tara Dimaggio (left), known as the Mermaid of Eden, and Alan Lee, known as Merman Icarus, swim in Oakland during a gathering with friends.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992144\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tara Dimaggio (left), known as the Mermaid of Eden, and Alan Lee, known as Merman Icarus, swim in Oakland during a gathering with friends.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve picked up this whole world of creation and sculpting,” Lee says. “Learning to make things offline, for me, it’s given me this real-world experience of creation and design that I really kind of craved.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve picked up this whole world of creation and sculpting,” Lee says. “Learning to make things offline, for me, it’s given me this real-world experience of creation and design that I really kind of craved.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While he still considers mermen a relative minority, he emphasises that the community “strives to welcome all ages, genders, body types, sexual orientations and gender identities.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While he still considers mermen a relative minority, he emphasises that the community “strives to welcome all ages, genders, body types, sexual orientations and gender identities.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In mid-May, both Dimaggio and Lee were two of many Bay Area merpeople who made their way to the annual California Mermaid Convention. Merfolk from all over the country gathered in Sacramento for open swims, a Bubble Ball and other events. It’s a staple convention, though the event wasn’t always as big as it is now.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In mid-May, both Dimaggio and Lee were two of many Bay Area merpeople who made their way to the annual California Mermaid Convention. Merfolk from all over the country gathered in Sacramento for open swims, a Bubble Ball and other events. It’s a staple convention, though the event wasn’t always as big as it is now.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992145\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk chat in the water during the annual California Mermaid Convention at the Cordova Community Pool in Rancho Cordova on May 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992145\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk chat in the water during the annual California Mermaid Convention at the Cordova Community Pool in Rancho Cordova on May 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/themermaidatlantis/\">Mermaid Atlantis\u003c/a> helped start the event, which used to be called Sacramento Mermaid Weekend. After getting her costuming degree in 2011, she set out to create a mermaid tail she could swim in. She quickly discovered mermaiding, and from the beginning worked to make the space inclusive, advocating for more representation across big mermaiding events. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/themermaidatlantis/\">Mermaid Atlantis\u003c/a> helped start the event, which used to be called Sacramento Mermaid Weekend. After getting her costuming degree in 2011, she set out to create a mermaid tail she could swim in. She quickly discovered mermaiding, and from the beginning worked to make the space inclusive, advocating for more representation across big mermaiding events. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Whenever I can, I just try to invite more people out and make sure that people feel heard and respected,” she says. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Whenever I can, I just try to invite more people out and make sure that people feel heard and respected,” she says. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mermaid Atlantis hosts her own \u003ca href=\"https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/_hCJCo2OEku5KrJDH1fWfpuwdN?domain=youtube.com\">kids show\u003c/a> where she uses her mersona to educate her audience on environmental issues. She’s accompanied by her trash puppet named PI (short for Plastic Island) who helps her teach how to reduce, reuse and recycle in English, Spanish and ASL. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mermaid Atlantis hosts her own \u003ca href=\"https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/_hCJCo2OEku5KrJDH1fWfpuwdN?domain=youtube.com\">kids show\u003c/a> where she uses her mersona to educate her audience on environmental issues. She’s accompanied by her trash puppet named PI (short for Plastic Island) who helps her teach how to reduce, reuse and recycle in English, Spanish and ASL. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992175\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk friends from across the Bay Area pose for a photo at a pool in Oakland on June 8, 2026, to swim, socialize and wear their mermaid attire.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While the \u003ca href=\"https://californiamermaidcon.com/\">California Mermaid Convention\u003c/a> is the big event that brings the community together, many merfolk in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/271568969577492/?locale=az_AZ\">Northern California “pod\u003c/a>” host more casual meet-ups at pools, friends’ houses or the beach. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You don’t have to do it for money, you don’t have to be a professional, you don’t have to have the fanciest tail,” Mermaid Atlantis says. “The only requirement is that you’re friendly, you come out, you have fun and that you’re kind.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "These aquatically inclined performers and hobbyists express themselves through their ‘mersonas.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a swimming hole called the Garden of Eden in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Tara Dimaggio swims around in her iridescent silicone tail. She finds peace in the quiet, bringing her fairytale dream to life. And she makes sure to pick up trash on the way out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 43-year-old San Jose resident, known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mermaidofeden/\">Mermaid of Eden\u003c/a>, describes herself as introverted and reserved. But when she puts on her tail and embodies her mermaid persona, or mersona, she gains a little more confidence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It helps open me up a little bit,” Dimaggio tells KQED. “And it’s helped with my anxiety, especially coming out of COVID.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992142\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-40-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Johanna King, known as Mermaid Chimera, swims in a pool while Tara Dimaggio, known as the Mermaid of Eden, prepares to get in the water. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"723\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-160x58.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-768x278.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-Underwater-Final-BL-1536x555.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk friends from across the Bay Area swim in a pool in Oakland. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Dimaggio got her start mermaiding right before the pandemic hit. She immersed herself in the Northern California mermaid scene, which includes professionals who perform and advocate for ocean protection, as well as hobbyists who create accessories and art. Dimaggio felt like she finally found a space where she belonged.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The craft has been around a very long time,” Dimaggio says, “but everybody is very open to making new friends or meeting new people in the industry. It’s not very cliquey or closed off.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Oakland resident Alan Lee, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/merman.icarus/\">Merman Icarus\u003c/a>, first put on a tail in 2018, representation for mermen was “rare.” His initial struggle to find costumes and accessories prompted him to tap into his own creativity; he now makes and sells accessories like crowns and shoulder pieces. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992144\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-49-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tara Dimaggio (left), known as the Mermaid of Eden, and Alan Lee, known as Merman Icarus, swim in Oakland during a gathering with friends. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve picked up this whole world of creation and sculpting,” Lee says. “Learning to make things offline, for me, it’s given me this real-world experience of creation and design that I really kind of craved.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While he still considers mermen a relative minority, he emphasises that the community “strives to welcome all ages, genders, body types, sexual orientations and gender identities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In mid-May, both Dimaggio and Lee were two of many Bay Area merpeople who made their way to the annual California Mermaid Convention. Merfolk from all over the country gathered in Sacramento for open swims, a Bubble Ball and other events. It’s a staple convention, though the event wasn’t always as big as it is now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992145\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260516-FYP-Mermaids-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk chat in the water during the annual California Mermaid Convention at the Cordova Community Pool in Rancho Cordova on May 16, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/themermaidatlantis/\">Mermaid Atlantis\u003c/a> helped start the event, which used to be called Sacramento Mermaid Weekend. After getting her costuming degree in 2011, she set out to create a mermaid tail she could swim in. She quickly discovered mermaiding, and from the beginning worked to make the space inclusive, advocating for more representation across big mermaiding events. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Whenever I can, I just try to invite more people out and make sure that people feel heard and respected,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mermaid Atlantis hosts her own \u003ca href=\"https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/_hCJCo2OEku5KrJDH1fWfpuwdN?domain=youtube.com\">kids show\u003c/a> where she uses her mersona to educate her audience on environmental issues. She’s accompanied by her trash puppet named PI (short for Plastic Island) who helps her teach how to reduce, reuse and recycle in English, Spanish and ASL. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992175\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-MermaidCommunity-21-BL-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Merfolk friends from across the Bay Area pose for a photo at a pool in Oakland on June 8, 2026, to swim, socialize and wear their mermaid attire. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992143\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260608-FYP-Mermaid-05-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mermaid Atlantis (left) and Johanna King, known as Mermaid Chimera, sit by a pool in Oakland a gathering with fellow merfolk friends. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>While the \u003ca href=\"https://californiamermaidcon.com/\">California Mermaid Convention\u003c/a> is the big event that brings the community together, many merfolk in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/271568969577492/?locale=az_AZ\">Northern California “pod\u003c/a>” host more casual meet-ups at pools, friends’ houses or the beach. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And as the pod continues to grow, newcomers are welcomed in with open arms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You don’t have to do it for money, you don’t have to be a professional, you don’t have to have the fanciest tail,” Mermaid Atlantis says. “The only requirement is that you’re friendly, you come out, you have fun and that you’re kind.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-small-ocean-swallowed-san-jose-museum-of-art-review",
"title": "An Exhibition in San José Asks Visitors to Become Water",
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"content": "\u003cp>Decades of settled science and even cultural consensus haven’t saved us from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">climate change\u003c/a>. Four years after two Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh’s \u003cem>Sunflowers, \u003c/em>their jail sentences have passed and thousands have died in heat waves in Europe. Yet another research paper is unlikely to spur collective action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s time to try something new. \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://sjmusart.org/exhibition/small-ocean-swallowed\">a small ocean swallowed\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, an unabashedly feminist ecological exhibition at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose-museum-of-art\">San José Museum of Art\u003c/a>, leans into almost all the words the current presidential administration loathes. Gathering works by six artists both national and international, the show proposes a change of worldview. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>My own perspective suddenly flipped with \u003ca href=\"https://erinjanenelson.com/\">Erin Jane Nelson\u003c/a>’s \u003cem>Bulb Cam\u003c/em>. To make the work, the artist nestled a pinhole camera in a ceramic sculpture, then placed the camera in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. The resulting photograph, hung on the museum wall a short distance from the camera, takes the point of view of a flower (or a turtle in the case of the artist’s \u003cem>Turtle Cam\u003c/em>). And that wasn’t the only transformation that occurred.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exploring waterways around the world, the installations, video pieces, sculptures, and photography that comprise \u003cem>a small ocean swallowed\u003c/em> emphasize ecological entwinement between humans and the natural world. In \u003ca href=\"https://patriciabelli.com/home/\">Patricia Belli\u003c/a>’s video piece \u003cem>Recuerdos \u003c/em>(\u003cem>Memories\u003c/em>), two cormorant skeleton marionettes struggle to remember their lives among the pollution in Nicaragua that eventually killed them. \u003ca href=\"https://hammer.ucla.edu/made-la-2023-acts-living/jessie-homer-french\">Jessie Homer French\u003c/a> paints the unease of fish swimming between oil platforms unnervingly ablaze above a blue ocean. Could these ills be remedied if humans themselves became water?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1748\" height=\"908\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o.jpg\" alt=\"skeleton puppet in water\" class=\"wp-image-13991850\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o.jpg 1748w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o-160x83.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o-768x399.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o-1536x798.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1748px) 100vw, 1748px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Patricia Belli, ‘Recuerdos,’ 2022; Video, 8:24 min. (Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Curator Talia Heiman has organized the exhibition around hydrofeminism, a proposal of cultural theorist Astrida Neimanis that asks us to imagine ourselves as bodies of water. The concept pushes beyond hokey calls to love the earth and the easily ignored, measured language of scientists. Relinquishing hierarchy abolishes both the idea of humans as earth’s custodians (à la Adam and Eve) as well as humans as authorized extractors of natural resources (à la capitalism). An equalitarian aqueousness could wash away boundaries, leaving pure connection in its wake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an intriguing proposition. In \u003ca href=\"https://sunaurataylor.net/\">Sunaura Taylor\u003c/a>’s pen and watercolor drawings of aquifers, the underground waters turn anthropomorphic. The water becomes outstretched human hands reaching towards the roots of a tree. The drawings form part of Taylor’s account of her Tucson community’s successful efforts to heal their aquifer after it was poisoned by illegal dumping from a missile producer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even the entrance corridor to the exhibition invites a hydrofeminist experience. Blue light suffuses the space, submerging a visitor’s body. This, coupled with artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.sholehasgary.com/\">Sholeh Asgary\u003c/a>’s soundscape \u003cem>Anahita II\u003c/em>, produces the feeling of oneness with the water. It’s a little more complicated than summer days pausing beneath the pool surface though.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The dark blue hallway is part of Asgary’s installation, which references the tradition — still practiced in some parts of Iran — of having widows marry a failing qanat (aqueduct) in times of drought. The widow marrying the qanat swims in its waters to restore the flume. Their presence is registered in plaster hands emerging from cloudy waters (i.e., the gallery walls). These widows are powerful figures who could save their communities, but they are also the people burdened with responsibility. The qanat-marrying widow demonstrates the need for a feminist understanding of ecological concerns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1196\" height=\"1204\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55236854201_7286c70d5a_o.jpg\" alt=\"fish swim around legs of oil platform on fire\" class=\"wp-image-13991849\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55236854201_7286c70d5a_o.jpg 1196w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55236854201_7286c70d5a_o-160x161.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55236854201_7286c70d5a_o-768x773.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1196px) 100vw, 1196px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jessie Homer French, ‘Oil Platform Fire,’ 2019; Oil on canvas, 24 x 24 inches. (Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://kiyogutierrez.com/\">Kiyo Gutierrez\u003c/a> also takes on imperiled waters in \u003cem>nepantlera\u003c/em>, a 13-minute video work that explores waterways as harmful borders. Dressed as a nepantlera, a hybrid sea creature/water goddess developed out of the anthropological idea of \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepantla\">nepantla\u003c/a>, a space between cultures, Gutierrez swims through the Pacific Ocean, the Colorado River and Gila River. The barbed wire and border fences visible along the shores are the legacy of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the US–Mexico war in 1848, designating these waters as zones of separation rather than communion.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gutierrez destroys the treaty in multiple ways: tearing pages, chewing them, drowning them in waters. She blots out the words with elderberry liquid. “What she’s really doing is rejecting this idea that water could ever be a tool of division,” explained Heiman, the show’s curator.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s hard to do a show about water because everything becomes a metaphor,” Heiman said with a laugh. Yet therein lies the brilliance of the concept: water is the H₂O we drink, the force that carved the Grand Canyon, and an endless font of metaphors orienting our relationship to the world. \u003cem>a small ocean swallowed\u003c/em> takes a step towards making the metaphorical material, guiding us to see our irrevocable connection to this world’s oceans, rivers, rain and waterways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://sjmusart.org/exhibition/small-ocean-swallowed\">a small ocean swallowed\u003c/a>’ is on view through Feb. 14, 2027 at the San José Museum of Art (110 South Market St., San José).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Decades of settled science and even cultural consensus haven’t saved us from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">climate change\u003c/a>. Four years after two Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh’s \u003cem>Sunflowers, \u003c/em>their jail sentences have passed and thousands have died in heat waves in Europe. Yet another research paper is unlikely to spur collective action.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Decades of settled science and even cultural consensus haven’t saved us from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">climate change\u003c/a>. Four years after two Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh’s \u003cem>Sunflowers, \u003c/em>their jail sentences have passed and thousands have died in heat waves in Europe. Yet another research paper is unlikely to spur collective action.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s time to try something new. \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://sjmusart.org/exhibition/small-ocean-swallowed\">a small ocean swallowed\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, an unabashedly feminist ecological exhibition at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose-museum-of-art\">San José Museum of Art\u003c/a>, leans into almost all the words the current presidential administration loathes. Gathering works by six artists both national and international, the show proposes a change of worldview. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s time to try something new. \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://sjmusart.org/exhibition/small-ocean-swallowed\">a small ocean swallowed\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, an unabashedly feminist ecological exhibition at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose-museum-of-art\">San José Museum of Art\u003c/a>, leans into almost all the words the current presidential administration loathes. Gathering works by six artists both national and international, the show proposes a change of worldview. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>My own perspective suddenly flipped with \u003ca href=\"https://erinjanenelson.com/\">Erin Jane Nelson\u003c/a>’s \u003cem>Bulb Cam\u003c/em>. To make the work, the artist nestled a pinhole camera in a ceramic sculpture, then placed the camera in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. The resulting photograph, hung on the museum wall a short distance from the camera, takes the point of view of a flower (or a turtle in the case of the artist’s \u003cem>Turtle Cam\u003c/em>). And that wasn’t the only transformation that occurred.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>My own perspective suddenly flipped with \u003ca href=\"https://erinjanenelson.com/\">Erin Jane Nelson\u003c/a>’s \u003cem>Bulb Cam\u003c/em>. To make the work, the artist nestled a pinhole camera in a ceramic sculpture, then placed the camera in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. The resulting photograph, hung on the museum wall a short distance from the camera, takes the point of view of a flower (or a turtle in the case of the artist’s \u003cem>Turtle Cam\u003c/em>). And that wasn’t the only transformation that occurred.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exploring waterways around the world, the installations, video pieces, sculptures, and photography that comprise \u003cem>a small ocean swallowed\u003c/em> emphasize ecological entwinement between humans and the natural world. In \u003ca href=\"https://patriciabelli.com/home/\">Patricia Belli\u003c/a>’s video piece \u003cem>Recuerdos \u003c/em>(\u003cem>Memories\u003c/em>), two cormorant skeleton marionettes struggle to remember their lives among the pollution in Nicaragua that eventually killed them. \u003ca href=\"https://hammer.ucla.edu/made-la-2023-acts-living/jessie-homer-french\">Jessie Homer French\u003c/a> paints the unease of fish swimming between oil platforms unnervingly ablaze above a blue ocean. Could these ills be remedied if humans themselves became water?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Exploring waterways around the world, the installations, video pieces, sculptures, and photography that comprise \u003cem>a small ocean swallowed\u003c/em> emphasize ecological entwinement between humans and the natural world. In \u003ca href=\"https://patriciabelli.com/home/\">Patricia Belli\u003c/a>’s video piece \u003cem>Recuerdos \u003c/em>(\u003cem>Memories\u003c/em>), two cormorant skeleton marionettes struggle to remember their lives among the pollution in Nicaragua that eventually killed them. \u003ca href=\"https://hammer.ucla.edu/made-la-2023-acts-living/jessie-homer-french\">Jessie Homer French\u003c/a> paints the unease of fish swimming between oil platforms unnervingly ablaze above a blue ocean. Could these ills be remedied if humans themselves became water?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Curator Talia Heiman has organized the exhibition around hydrofeminism, a proposal of cultural theorist Astrida Neimanis that asks us to imagine ourselves as bodies of water. The concept pushes beyond hokey calls to love the earth and the easily ignored, measured language of scientists. Relinquishing hierarchy abolishes both the idea of humans as earth’s custodians (à la Adam and Eve) as well as humans as authorized extractors of natural resources (à la capitalism). An equalitarian aqueousness could wash away boundaries, leaving pure connection in its wake.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s an intriguing proposition. In \u003ca href=\"https://sunaurataylor.net/\">Sunaura Taylor\u003c/a>’s pen and watercolor drawings of aquifers, the underground waters turn anthropomorphic. The water becomes outstretched human hands reaching towards the roots of a tree. The drawings form part of Taylor’s account of her Tucson community’s successful efforts to heal their aquifer after it was poisoned by illegal dumping from a missile producer.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even the entrance corridor to the exhibition invites a hydrofeminist experience. Blue light suffuses the space, submerging a visitor’s body. This, coupled with artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.sholehasgary.com/\">Sholeh Asgary\u003c/a>’s soundscape \u003cem>Anahita II\u003c/em>, produces the feeling of oneness with the water. It’s a little more complicated than summer days pausing beneath the pool surface though.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The dark blue hallway is part of Asgary’s installation, which references the tradition — still practiced in some parts of Iran — of having widows marry a failing qanat (aqueduct) in times of drought. The widow marrying the qanat swims in its waters to restore the flume. Their presence is registered in plaster hands emerging from cloudy waters (i.e., the gallery walls). These widows are powerful figures who could save their communities, but they are also the people burdened with responsibility. The qanat-marrying widow demonstrates the need for a feminist understanding of ecological concerns.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://sjmusart.org/exhibition/small-ocean-swallowed\">a small ocean swallowed\u003c/a>’ is on view through Feb. 14, 2027 at the San José Museum of Art (110 South Market St., San José).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Decades of settled science and even cultural consensus haven’t saved us from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">climate change\u003c/a>. Four years after two Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh’s \u003cem>Sunflowers, \u003c/em>their jail sentences have passed and thousands have died in heat waves in Europe. Yet another research paper is unlikely to spur collective action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s time to try something new. \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://sjmusart.org/exhibition/small-ocean-swallowed\">a small ocean swallowed\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, an unabashedly feminist ecological exhibition at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose-museum-of-art\">San José Museum of Art\u003c/a>, leans into almost all the words the current presidential administration loathes. Gathering works by six artists both national and international, the show proposes a change of worldview. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>My own perspective suddenly flipped with \u003ca href=\"https://erinjanenelson.com/\">Erin Jane Nelson\u003c/a>’s \u003cem>Bulb Cam\u003c/em>. To make the work, the artist nestled a pinhole camera in a ceramic sculpture, then placed the camera in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. The resulting photograph, hung on the museum wall a short distance from the camera, takes the point of view of a flower (or a turtle in the case of the artist’s \u003cem>Turtle Cam\u003c/em>). And that wasn’t the only transformation that occurred.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exploring waterways around the world, the installations, video pieces, sculptures, and photography that comprise \u003cem>a small ocean swallowed\u003c/em> emphasize ecological entwinement between humans and the natural world. In \u003ca href=\"https://patriciabelli.com/home/\">Patricia Belli\u003c/a>’s video piece \u003cem>Recuerdos \u003c/em>(\u003cem>Memories\u003c/em>), two cormorant skeleton marionettes struggle to remember their lives among the pollution in Nicaragua that eventually killed them. \u003ca href=\"https://hammer.ucla.edu/made-la-2023-acts-living/jessie-homer-french\">Jessie Homer French\u003c/a> paints the unease of fish swimming between oil platforms unnervingly ablaze above a blue ocean. Could these ills be remedied if humans themselves became water?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1748\" height=\"908\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o.jpg\" alt=\"skeleton puppet in water\" class=\"wp-image-13991850\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o.jpg 1748w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o-160x83.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o-768x399.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55237100234_cecc2b1500_o-1536x798.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1748px) 100vw, 1748px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Patricia Belli, ‘Recuerdos,’ 2022; Video, 8:24 min. (Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Curator Talia Heiman has organized the exhibition around hydrofeminism, a proposal of cultural theorist Astrida Neimanis that asks us to imagine ourselves as bodies of water. The concept pushes beyond hokey calls to love the earth and the easily ignored, measured language of scientists. Relinquishing hierarchy abolishes both the idea of humans as earth’s custodians (à la Adam and Eve) as well as humans as authorized extractors of natural resources (à la capitalism). An equalitarian aqueousness could wash away boundaries, leaving pure connection in its wake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an intriguing proposition. In \u003ca href=\"https://sunaurataylor.net/\">Sunaura Taylor\u003c/a>’s pen and watercolor drawings of aquifers, the underground waters turn anthropomorphic. The water becomes outstretched human hands reaching towards the roots of a tree. The drawings form part of Taylor’s account of her Tucson community’s successful efforts to heal their aquifer after it was poisoned by illegal dumping from a missile producer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even the entrance corridor to the exhibition invites a hydrofeminist experience. Blue light suffuses the space, submerging a visitor’s body. This, coupled with artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.sholehasgary.com/\">Sholeh Asgary\u003c/a>’s soundscape \u003cem>Anahita II\u003c/em>, produces the feeling of oneness with the water. It’s a little more complicated than summer days pausing beneath the pool surface though.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The dark blue hallway is part of Asgary’s installation, which references the tradition — still practiced in some parts of Iran — of having widows marry a failing qanat (aqueduct) in times of drought. The widow marrying the qanat swims in its waters to restore the flume. Their presence is registered in plaster hands emerging from cloudy waters (i.e., the gallery walls). These widows are powerful figures who could save their communities, but they are also the people burdened with responsibility. The qanat-marrying widow demonstrates the need for a feminist understanding of ecological concerns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1196\" height=\"1204\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55236854201_7286c70d5a_o.jpg\" alt=\"fish swim around legs of oil platform on fire\" class=\"wp-image-13991849\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55236854201_7286c70d5a_o.jpg 1196w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55236854201_7286c70d5a_o-160x161.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/55236854201_7286c70d5a_o-768x773.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1196px) 100vw, 1196px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jessie Homer French, ‘Oil Platform Fire,’ 2019; Oil on canvas, 24 x 24 inches. (Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://kiyogutierrez.com/\">Kiyo Gutierrez\u003c/a> also takes on imperiled waters in \u003cem>nepantlera\u003c/em>, a 13-minute video work that explores waterways as harmful borders. Dressed as a nepantlera, a hybrid sea creature/water goddess developed out of the anthropological idea of \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepantla\">nepantla\u003c/a>, a space between cultures, Gutierrez swims through the Pacific Ocean, the Colorado River and Gila River. The barbed wire and border fences visible along the shores are the legacy of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the US–Mexico war in 1848, designating these waters as zones of separation rather than communion.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gutierrez destroys the treaty in multiple ways: tearing pages, chewing them, drowning them in waters. She blots out the words with elderberry liquid. “What she’s really doing is rejecting this idea that water could ever be a tool of division,” explained Heiman, the show’s curator.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s hard to do a show about water because everything becomes a metaphor,” Heiman said with a laugh. Yet therein lies the brilliance of the concept: water is the H₂O we drink, the force that carved the Grand Canyon, and an endless font of metaphors orienting our relationship to the world. \u003cem>a small ocean swallowed\u003c/em> takes a step towards making the metaphorical material, guiding us to see our irrevocable connection to this world’s oceans, rivers, rain and waterways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://sjmusart.org/exhibition/small-ocean-swallowed\">a small ocean swallowed\u003c/a>’ is on view through Feb. 14, 2027 at the San José Museum of Art (110 South Market St., San José).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Bay Area residents are among the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/77104/men-in-drag-uppity-women-an-sf-bike-protest-cycles-around\">most bicycle-loving\u003c/a> in the entire country. Alameda, Menlo Park, Oakland, Palo Alto and San Francisco were all awarded the gold standard by the \u003ca href=\"https://bikeleague.org/\">League of American Bicyclists\u003c/a> earlier this year for being exceptionally bike-friendly. (Only 27 other cities across the rest of the United States earned the same.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On July 19, it’s San José’s chance to revel in all things two-wheeled at the Shiny Side Up bike show, held in History Park. Organized by \u003ca href=\"https://historysanjose.org/\">History San José\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.thecruisershopcampbell.com/\">The Cruiser Shop\u003c/a> in Campbell, the street party will showcase more than 300 bicycles — some of them antique, some custom-made. There will also be DJs, food trucks, Bay Area bicycle vendors, and — best of all — BMX showcases courtesy of the East Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/stf.brand/\">S.T.F. mobile bike shop\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year marks the 23rd annual Shiny Side Up gathering and, as usual, it will be very kid-friendly. \u003ca href=\"https://www.boogieracers.com/\">Boogie Hot Wheels races\u003c/a>, facepainters, a bounce house, and arts and crafts tables will all be in the mix. For grown-ups who prefer their rides on four wheels, there’s also a classic car show.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to inspire the younger generation and get them creating,” Cruiser Shop owner Dominick Guida tells KQED. “Bike culture is not just about riding, but also the creativity, pride and passion people put into their builds. I think Shiny Side Up has lasted 23 years because it still feels like it belongs to the community. Bike culture brings people together.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s a little flavor of what happened last year, courtesy of Guida:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfLt2lpYKlc\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.shinysideupbikeshow.com/\">Shiny Side Up\u003c/a> takes place at History Park (635 Phelan Ave., San José) on Sunday, July 19, from 10 a.m–3 p.m. Adult tickets are $10; \u003cem>$5\u003c/em>\u003c/em> \u003cem>for children under 10; free for kids under 5. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On July 19, it’s San José’s chance to revel in all things two-wheeled at the Shiny Side Up bike show, held in History Park. Organized by \u003ca href=\"https://historysanjose.org/\">History San José\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.thecruisershopcampbell.com/\">The Cruiser Shop\u003c/a> in Campbell, the street party will showcase more than 300 bicycles — some of them antique, some custom-made. There will also be DJs, food trucks, Bay Area bicycle vendors, and — best of all — BMX showcases courtesy of the East Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/stf.brand/\">S.T.F. mobile bike shop\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year marks the 23rd annual Shiny Side Up gathering and, as usual, it will be very kid-friendly. \u003ca href=\"https://www.boogieracers.com/\">Boogie Hot Wheels races\u003c/a>, facepainters, a bounce house, and arts and crafts tables will all be in the mix. For grown-ups who prefer their rides on four wheels, there’s also a classic car show.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to inspire the younger generation and get them creating,” Cruiser Shop owner Dominick Guida tells KQED. “Bike culture is not just about riding, but also the creativity, pride and passion people put into their builds. I think Shiny Side Up has lasted 23 years because it still feels like it belongs to the community. Bike culture brings people together.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.shinysideupbikeshow.com/\">Shiny Side Up\u003c/a> takes place at History Park (635 Phelan Ave., San José) on Sunday, July 19, from 10 a.m–3 p.m. Adult tickets are $10; \u003cem>$5\u003c/em>\u003c/em> \u003cem>for children under 10; free for kids under 5. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Bay Area residents are among the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/77104/men-in-drag-uppity-women-an-sf-bike-protest-cycles-around\">most bicycle-loving\u003c/a> in the entire country. Alameda, Menlo Park, Oakland, Palo Alto and San Francisco were all awarded the gold standard by the \u003ca href=\"https://bikeleague.org/\">League of American Bicyclists\u003c/a> earlier this year for being exceptionally bike-friendly. (Only 27 other cities across the rest of the United States earned the same.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On July 19, it’s San José’s chance to revel in all things two-wheeled at the Shiny Side Up bike show, held in History Park. Organized by \u003ca href=\"https://historysanjose.org/\">History San José\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.thecruisershopcampbell.com/\">The Cruiser Shop\u003c/a> in Campbell, the street party will showcase more than 300 bicycles — some of them antique, some custom-made. There will also be DJs, food trucks, Bay Area bicycle vendors, and — best of all — BMX showcases courtesy of the East Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/stf.brand/\">S.T.F. mobile bike shop\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year marks the 23rd annual Shiny Side Up gathering and, as usual, it will be very kid-friendly. \u003ca href=\"https://www.boogieracers.com/\">Boogie Hot Wheels races\u003c/a>, facepainters, a bounce house, and arts and crafts tables will all be in the mix. For grown-ups who prefer their rides on four wheels, there’s also a classic car show.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to inspire the younger generation and get them creating,” Cruiser Shop owner Dominick Guida tells KQED. “Bike culture is not just about riding, but also the creativity, pride and passion people put into their builds. I think Shiny Side Up has lasted 23 years because it still feels like it belongs to the community. Bike culture brings people together.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s a little flavor of what happened last year, courtesy of Guida:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/gfLt2lpYKlc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/gfLt2lpYKlc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.shinysideupbikeshow.com/\">Shiny Side Up\u003c/a> takes place at History Park (635 Phelan Ave., San José) on Sunday, July 19, from 10 a.m–3 p.m. Adult tickets are $10; \u003cem>$5\u003c/em>\u003c/em> \u003cem>for children under 10; free for kids under 5. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "In Full-Circle Moment, Christian Vela Is Named Artistic Director of San Jose Jazz",
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"content": "\u003cp>As a freewheeling kid growing up in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">East San Jose\u003c/a> in the late 1990s, Christian Vela anticipated each San Jose Jazz Festival with a mounting excitement that he can still recall vividly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was the feeling you get the last day of school, or right before Christmas, then I’d get on my bike and ride down to the festival,” he recalls, still sounding amazed at seeing musicians he loved on the same downtown plaza stage where he’d skateboard. “One year, I ended up getting backstage and took a photo with Poncho Sanchez, who was a hero of mine. I couldn’t believe it!”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/8SM3Cqm9xL0?si=kHiiK7v2lH323QWe\">today’s announcement\u003c/a> that Vela will take over as artistic director of that very same festival — now known as \u003ca href=\"https://summerfest.sanjosejazz.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=2085391436&gbraid=0AAAAAD_iJiL4JfAucAzI0YPHHUZqS8UDV&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3qLSBhDaARIsAFTiVh6rdHAuzfgsaXmd_1I1VarYYWt5M2bCDGwE3cNUQIWhS_t4ds-gRwsaAvNOEALw_wcB\">Summer Fest\u003c/a>, which from Aug. 7–9 brings dozens of jazz, blues, R&B, Latin and soul acts to downtown San José — he’s made a full-circle journey back to the organization that shaped his love of music.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vela’s already made an impact since taking over as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose-jazz\">San Jose Jazz\u003c/a>’s production manager in 2024, and his appointment last year as associate artistic director. He steps into the lead curator role in September, filling the big shoes of Bruce Labadie, the pervasively influential South Bay music programmer who’s booked Summer Fest since its inception in 1990.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson.jpg\" alt=\"A white man in a mustache and colorful sweatshirt poses against a wood paneled wall with a striking Black woman in a tan suit jacket and decorative rings.\" class=\"wp-image-13991321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson-768x514.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Jose Jazz founder Bruce Labadie, at right, with singer Nancy Wilson in 1986. (Courtesy San Jose Jazz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At 45, Vela brings a wealth of experience to the position — and not just from riding his bike to the festival each year as a teenager. He served as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/sfjazz\">SFJAZZ\u003c/a>’s senior production manager for 11 years, from 2013-2024, followed by a year-long stint as COO of the Presidio Theatre. After coming back home, he’s spent the past two years under Labadie’s wing at San Jose Jazz.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Christian knows how to work with artists,” says Labadie, whose half-century career encompasses booking three dozen venues and festivals across the state, including last summer’s Monterey Jazz Festival. “He’s involved in all kinds of other things that San Jose Jazz is doing, like the Break Room, but Summer Fest is a different level. I cautioned him, it’s non-stop work.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Judging by his track record at the Break Room, an intimate venue that San Jose Jazz opened during the pandemic, Vela has already brought in a trove of new ideas. A self-described vinylphile, he added artist residencies into the Break Room mix, which includes taking musicians record hunting before they spin albums and discuss their formative influences for an audience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1600\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991322\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Christian Vela, at left, with the Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés. (Courtesy San Jose Jazz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s actually very selfish, bringing together all the things that I like,” Vela says. “My partner and I are into vinyl — she spins as DJ Weekend Girl — and I wanted to think of a unique way to introduce a vinyl night.” Another idea of Vela’s was having the resident artist join an all-ages jam session that takes place on \u003ca href=\"https://www.southfirstfridays.com/\">First Fridays\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of four children born in San José to parents from Ciudad Juárez, Vela got his start as a musician playing guitar in church. When a group of friends at Independence High School gained traction with the ska band Firme, he became their tour manager. As the keeper of the band’s van, he ended up providing transportation for Manu Chao, and struck up a friendship with the polyglot French-Spanish star.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around 2011, Manu Chao’s people dropped his name to the Malian couple Amadou and Mariam, who at the time were seeking a tour manager. Despite speaking rudimentary French, Vela jumped into the role.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I did my homework on the instruments, learning how to set them up and mic them, and did my part in trying to learn French, taking courses on my phone,” Vela says. “I think they saw the effort I put forth, and I toured with them for almost three years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was ready to come off the road and spend some time at home when Amadou and Mariam concluded a long tour with an SFJAZZ performance at Davies Symphony Hall in 2013. “I’m like a roadrunner all over the place, and the SFJAZZ production manager on stage was watching me,” recalls Vela, who ended up signing on with the recently opened SFJAZZ Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1411\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles.jpg 1411w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles-160x227.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles-768x1089.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles-1084x1536.jpg 1084w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1411px) 100vw, 1411px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Saxophonist Kamasi Washington performs as part of Summer Fest in downtown San José. (Grason Littles)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If he was helping forge a new venue identity at SFJAZZ, he’s taking on a very different role at San Jose Jazz, which for decades has maintained one of the West Coast’s premiere festivals by building upon San José’s downtown resources, like the Tech Museum, Montgomery Theater and expansive plaza.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s one of my favorite festivals, and an advantage Christian has is that Bruce Labadie has given him a runway,” says bassist \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/marcus-shelby\">Marcus Shelby\u003c/a> — who, as the artistic director of Healdsburg Jazz since 2020, knows all about taking over programming from a festival’s founder.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s the perfect opportunity and situation for him,” Shelby adds. “He’s someone who loves and knows the heartbeat of the city.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was the feeling you get the last day of school, or right before Christmas, then I’d get on my bike and ride down to the festival,” he recalls, still sounding amazed at seeing musicians he loved on the same downtown plaza stage where he’d skateboard. “One year, I ended up getting backstage and took a photo with Poncho Sanchez, who was a hero of mine. I couldn’t believe it!”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/8SM3Cqm9xL0?si=kHiiK7v2lH323QWe\">today’s announcement\u003c/a> that Vela will take over as artistic director of that very same festival — now known as \u003ca href=\"https://summerfest.sanjosejazz.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=2085391436&gbraid=0AAAAAD_iJiL4JfAucAzI0YPHHUZqS8UDV&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3qLSBhDaARIsAFTiVh6rdHAuzfgsaXmd_1I1VarYYWt5M2bCDGwE3cNUQIWhS_t4ds-gRwsaAvNOEALw_wcB\">Summer Fest\u003c/a>, which from Aug. 7–9 brings dozens of jazz, blues, R&B, Latin and soul acts to downtown San José — he’s made a full-circle journey back to the organization that shaped his love of music.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Christian knows how to work with artists,” says Labadie, whose half-century career encompasses booking three dozen venues and festivals across the state, including last summer’s Monterey Jazz Festival. “He’s involved in all kinds of other things that San Jose Jazz is doing, like the Break Room, but Summer Fest is a different level. I cautioned him, it’s non-stop work.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991322\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Christian Vela, at left, with the Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s actually very selfish, bringing together all the things that I like,” Vela says. “My partner and I are into vinyl — she spins as DJ Weekend Girl — and I wanted to think of a unique way to introduce a vinyl night.” Another idea of Vela’s was having the resident artist join an all-ages jam session that takes place on \u003ca href=\"https://www.southfirstfridays.com/\">First Fridays\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of four children born in San José to parents from Ciudad Juárez, Vela got his start as a musician playing guitar in church. When a group of friends at Independence High School gained traction with the ska band Firme, he became their tour manager. As the keeper of the band’s van, he ended up providing transportation for Manu Chao, and struck up a friendship with the polyglot French-Spanish star.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I did my homework on the instruments, learning how to set them up and mic them, and did my part in trying to learn French, taking courses on my phone,” Vela says. “I think they saw the effort I put forth, and I toured with them for almost three years.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He was ready to come off the road and spend some time at home when Amadou and Mariam concluded a long tour with an SFJAZZ performance at Davies Symphony Hall in 2013. “I’m like a roadrunner all over the place, and the SFJAZZ production manager on stage was watching me,” recalls Vela, who ended up signing on with the recently opened SFJAZZ Center. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If he was helping forge a new venue identity at SFJAZZ, he’s taking on a very different role at San Jose Jazz, which for decades has maintained one of the West Coast’s premiere festivals by building upon San José’s downtown resources, like the Tech Museum, Montgomery Theater and expansive plaza.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s one of my favorite festivals, and an advantage Christian has is that Bruce Labadie has given him a runway,” says bassist \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/marcus-shelby\">Marcus Shelby\u003c/a> — who, as the artistic director of Healdsburg Jazz since 2020, knows all about taking over programming from a festival’s founder.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The kid who once rode his bike to the downtown jazz festival each year will now run the show.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As a freewheeling kid growing up in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">East San Jose\u003c/a> in the late 1990s, Christian Vela anticipated each San Jose Jazz Festival with a mounting excitement that he can still recall vividly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was the feeling you get the last day of school, or right before Christmas, then I’d get on my bike and ride down to the festival,” he recalls, still sounding amazed at seeing musicians he loved on the same downtown plaza stage where he’d skateboard. “One year, I ended up getting backstage and took a photo with Poncho Sanchez, who was a hero of mine. I couldn’t believe it!”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/8SM3Cqm9xL0?si=kHiiK7v2lH323QWe\">today’s announcement\u003c/a> that Vela will take over as artistic director of that very same festival — now known as \u003ca href=\"https://summerfest.sanjosejazz.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=2085391436&gbraid=0AAAAAD_iJiL4JfAucAzI0YPHHUZqS8UDV&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3qLSBhDaARIsAFTiVh6rdHAuzfgsaXmd_1I1VarYYWt5M2bCDGwE3cNUQIWhS_t4ds-gRwsaAvNOEALw_wcB\">Summer Fest\u003c/a>, which from Aug. 7–9 brings dozens of jazz, blues, R&B, Latin and soul acts to downtown San José — he’s made a full-circle journey back to the organization that shaped his love of music.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vela’s already made an impact since taking over as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose-jazz\">San Jose Jazz\u003c/a>’s production manager in 2024, and his appointment last year as associate artistic director. He steps into the lead curator role in September, filling the big shoes of Bruce Labadie, the pervasively influential South Bay music programmer who’s booked Summer Fest since its inception in 1990.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson.jpg\" alt=\"A white man in a mustache and colorful sweatshirt poses against a wood paneled wall with a striking Black woman in a tan suit jacket and decorative rings.\" class=\"wp-image-13991321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson-768x514.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/1986_Bruce_Labadie_with_Nancy_Wilson-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Jose Jazz founder Bruce Labadie, at right, with singer Nancy Wilson in 1986. (Courtesy San Jose Jazz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At 45, Vela brings a wealth of experience to the position — and not just from riding his bike to the festival each year as a teenager. He served as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/sfjazz\">SFJAZZ\u003c/a>’s senior production manager for 11 years, from 2013-2024, followed by a year-long stint as COO of the Presidio Theatre. After coming back home, he’s spent the past two years under Labadie’s wing at San Jose Jazz.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Christian knows how to work with artists,” says Labadie, whose half-century career encompasses booking three dozen venues and festivals across the state, including last summer’s Monterey Jazz Festival. “He’s involved in all kinds of other things that San Jose Jazz is doing, like the Break Room, but Summer Fest is a different level. I cautioned him, it’s non-stop work.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Judging by his track record at the Break Room, an intimate venue that San Jose Jazz opened during the pandemic, Vela has already brought in a trove of new ideas. A self-described vinylphile, he added artist residencies into the Break Room mix, which includes taking musicians record hunting before they spin albums and discuss their formative influences for an audience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1600\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991322\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Christian-and-Chucho-1-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Christian Vela, at left, with the Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés. (Courtesy San Jose Jazz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s actually very selfish, bringing together all the things that I like,” Vela says. “My partner and I are into vinyl — she spins as DJ Weekend Girl — and I wanted to think of a unique way to introduce a vinyl night.” Another idea of Vela’s was having the resident artist join an all-ages jam session that takes place on \u003ca href=\"https://www.southfirstfridays.com/\">First Fridays\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of four children born in San José to parents from Ciudad Juárez, Vela got his start as a musician playing guitar in church. When a group of friends at Independence High School gained traction with the ska band Firme, he became their tour manager. As the keeper of the band’s van, he ended up providing transportation for Manu Chao, and struck up a friendship with the polyglot French-Spanish star.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around 2011, Manu Chao’s people dropped his name to the Malian couple Amadou and Mariam, who at the time were seeking a tour manager. Despite speaking rudimentary French, Vela jumped into the role.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I did my homework on the instruments, learning how to set them up and mic them, and did my part in trying to learn French, taking courses on my phone,” Vela says. “I think they saw the effort I put forth, and I toured with them for almost three years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was ready to come off the road and spend some time at home when Amadou and Mariam concluded a long tour with an SFJAZZ performance at Davies Symphony Hall in 2013. “I’m like a roadrunner all over the place, and the SFJAZZ production manager on stage was watching me,” recalls Vela, who ended up signing on with the recently opened SFJAZZ Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1411\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles.jpg 1411w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles-160x227.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles-768x1089.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SJZ-SF_Kamasi-Washington_photo-by-Grason-Littles-1084x1536.jpg 1084w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1411px) 100vw, 1411px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Saxophonist Kamasi Washington performs as part of Summer Fest in downtown San José. (Grason Littles)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If he was helping forge a new venue identity at SFJAZZ, he’s taking on a very different role at San Jose Jazz, which for decades has maintained one of the West Coast’s premiere festivals by building upon San José’s downtown resources, like the Tech Museum, Montgomery Theater and expansive plaza.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s one of my favorite festivals, and an advantage Christian has is that Bruce Labadie has given him a runway,” says bassist \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/marcus-shelby\">Marcus Shelby\u003c/a> — who, as the artistic director of Healdsburg Jazz since 2020, knows all about taking over programming from a festival’s founder.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s the perfect opportunity and situation for him,” Shelby adds. “He’s someone who loves and knows the heartbeat of the city.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "For San José’s Kaleena Zanders, Dance Music Is ‘a Magical Experience’",
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"content": "\u003cp>As \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kaleenazanders/?hl=en\">Kaleena Zanders\u003c/a>’ song “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31i2vFa7r8s\">The Light\u003c/a>” blasted through my headphones, I pedaled faster.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Soundtracked by energetic hi-hats, symphonic strings, a bass line from the underworld and Zanders’ heavenly vocals, my bike ride became a spiritual experience. And I’m clearly not the only one moved by Zanders’ music.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For more than a decade, Zanders has played nightclubs and festivals, and even once had a song featured in \u003ca href=\"https://www.ispot.tv/ad/waIE/toyota-super-bowl-2018-good-odds-song-by-kaleena-zanders\">a Super Bowl Toyota commercial\u003c/a>. Her debut album \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/0clTTK9wSXFKpTTtGq2sun\">Anything Goes\u003c/a>\u003c/em> dropped last month. It’s been highlighted by \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/up-coming-dance-artist-of-month-kaleena-zanders-april-2026-1236230807/\">Billboard\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> with two of its songs, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDfP41vP8dQ\">Stronger Than Machines\u003c/a>” and “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1dPFBPt1_M\">Anything Goes\u003c/a>,” spotlighted by ESPN.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811.jpg\" alt=\"A person standing behind a DJ table at a crowded outdoors event.\" class=\"wp-image-13991110\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaleena Zanders, pictured performing at Outside Lands in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in 2024, grew up playing sports and frequenting Hot Topic in San José. (Harp Digital Media)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Zanders launches \u003ca href=\"https://www.kaleenazanders.com/tour\">a multiple-city tour\u003c/a> with stops across the United States and Canada, she gives credit to her upbringing in San José for making it possible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Emo fits and musical theater\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I ended up going to Independence High School,” Zanders tells me during a recent video call, “and I played a ton of sports.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a teenage basketball and rugby player, Zanders also got deep into her emo bag with fits from Hot Topic at Eastridge Mall, across the street from where she lived. While fashion and athletics were important, art proved significant in her upbringing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Musical theater was a huge part of my life,” says Zanders, who took classes at the \u003ca href=\"https://sanjoseacademyofmusic.com/san-jose-childrens-chorus/\">San Jose Children’s Choir \u003c/a>from the age of 8 to the age of 11. She had no problem singing to herself, but Zanders was a shy about appearing on stage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was really caught off guard that my mom would put me in these musical theater classes,” Zanders reflects. But it all makes sense now. “I remember coming alive on stage,” Zanders says. “I get it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mO0mYdan3w\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Having a musical outlet proved vital as she navigated her teenage years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Understanding that I’m queer,” says Zanders, “that was actually pretty hard for me in high school.” So she leaned into music, practicing on a piano in her mom’s garage, and eventually taking guitar lessons — which got her into rock music.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In college, Zanders played in a band, Moulder’s Lounge, which she calls “the most euphoric, life-changing experience.” The band allowed her to combine musical theater, instrumentation and rock music, and would’ve been big, Zanders believes, if they’d stayed together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zanders eventually moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at the Musicians Institute. One day, while she was working at Trader Joe’s in Hollywood, a friend told her about a DJ who needed someone to provide vocals for an EDM track. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t the kind of kid that could go out and rave,” Zanders says with a laugh; her mother wouldn’t have allowed it. “I literally knew nothing of rave culture,” she says. But she quickly learned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1.jpg\" alt=\"The crowd's view of a person standing behind the DJ tables.\" class=\"wp-image-13991111\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘I make music that’s rooted in love,’ says Kaleena Zanders, pictured performing in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park at Outside Lands in 2024. (Harp Digital Media)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Big diva vocals’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zanders now plays in nightclubs as well as sports arenas. They’re two very different settings, except that both are male-dominated. Simply by being present in those spaces, Zanders tells me, “as a woman, as a Black woman, as a queer woman, I naturally am gonna make some sort of statement. I don’t even need to say anything.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pivoting from writing verses and choruses of rock lyrics to short top-lines for dance anthems wasn’t easy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Simplifying her lyrics felt like “it was like a diss to the art,” Zanders says. “I’m like, ‘What do you mean you only need one or two lines?’” But after digging deeper into the history of dance, and the work of artists like \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_S.\">Robin S.\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonique_(musician)\">Sonique\u003c/a>, Zanders understood the power of “big diva vocals.” With only a few choice lyrics, Zanders affirms, one can “still very much understand, in a potent way, what the song is about.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Featuring Shift K3Y, Bipolar Sunshine and Hayley May, each of the seven songs on \u003cem>Anything Goes\u003c/em> pack in a load of emotions and storytelling. Even the album name has multiple meanings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMl_XIjVAsg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Heartbroken after an acquaintance stole something of hers, it hit Zanders that life is a free-for-all with no rules, for better or for worse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Look at these motherfuckers, they’re out here just stealing shit,” she says. “Okay, fuck! Let me have the audacity to do what I wanna do, which is \u003cem>good\u003c/em> stuff. But let me not be afraid, because these people aren’t afraid.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A family lineage\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Anything Goes\u003c/em> could also describe Zanders herself. She’s an athletic pianist and former mohawked rocker who loves pop music and sings like gospel is in her blood. She also benefited from her mother’s guidance, inherited her’s father’s vocal abilities and stands on the shoulders of her grandmother.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She was a prolific piano player,” Zanders says of her grandmother, a choir director who died when Zanders was just an infant but who left behind a trove of archival recordings. “Hearing that,” Zanders explains, “made me think, ‘Oh, okay, this is where some of my musical abilities come from.'”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zanders does not claim any one faith. But whether her music’s blasting through a sound system in a New York nightclub, playing at an outdoors festival in Canada or slapping in the headphones of a journalist riding a bike in California, the spiritual element is evident.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Dance music,” Zanders professes, “it can be a magical experience.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Kaleena Zanders performs Friday, July 17 as part of the three-day Dirtybird Cookout and Northern Nights musical festival in Piercy, California. \u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/northernnights/events/dirtybird-campout-x-northern-nights-music-festival-2026-160064\">Tickets and more details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811.jpg\" alt=\"A person standing behind a DJ table at a crowded outdoors event.\" class=\"wp-image-13991110\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaleena Zanders, pictured performing at Outside Lands in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in 2024, grew up playing sports and frequenting Hot Topic in San José.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I ended up going to Independence High School,” Zanders tells me during a recent video call, “and I played a ton of sports.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a teenage basketball and rugby player, Zanders also got deep into her emo bag with fits from Hot Topic at Eastridge Mall, across the street from where she lived. While fashion and athletics were important, art proved significant in her upbringing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Musical theater was a huge part of my life,” says Zanders, who took classes at the \u003ca href=\"https://sanjoseacademyofmusic.com/san-jose-childrens-chorus/\">San Jose Children’s Choir \u003c/a>from the age of 8 to the age of 11. She had no problem singing to herself, but Zanders was a shy about appearing on stage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was really caught off guard that my mom would put me in these musical theater classes,” Zanders reflects. But it all makes sense now. “I remember coming alive on stage,” Zanders says. “I get it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Understanding that I’m queer,” says Zanders, “that was actually pretty hard for me in high school.” So she leaned into music, practicing on a piano in her mom’s garage, and eventually taking guitar lessons — which got her into rock music.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In college, Zanders played in a band, Moulder’s Lounge, which she calls “the most euphoric, life-changing experience.” The band allowed her to combine musical theater, instrumentation and rock music, and would’ve been big, Zanders believes, if they’d stayed together.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zanders eventually moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at the Musicians Institute. One day, while she was working at Trader Joe’s in Hollywood, a friend told her about a DJ who needed someone to provide vocals for an EDM track. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t the kind of kid that could go out and rave,” Zanders says with a laugh; her mother wouldn’t have allowed it. “I literally knew nothing of rave culture,” she says. But she quickly learned.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1.jpg\" alt=\"The crowd's view of a person standing behind the DJ tables.\" class=\"wp-image-13991111\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘I make music that’s rooted in love,’ says Kaleena Zanders, pictured performing in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park at Outside Lands in 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zanders now plays in nightclubs as well as sports arenas. They’re two very different settings, except that both are male-dominated. Simply by being present in those spaces, Zanders tells me, “as a woman, as a Black woman, as a queer woman, I naturally am gonna make some sort of statement. I don’t even need to say anything.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Simplifying her lyrics felt like “it was like a diss to the art,” Zanders says. “I’m like, ‘What do you mean you only need one or two lines?’” But after digging deeper into the history of dance, and the work of artists like \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_S.\">Robin S.\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonique_(musician)\">Sonique\u003c/a>, Zanders understood the power of “big diva vocals.” With only a few choice lyrics, Zanders affirms, one can “still very much understand, in a potent way, what the song is about.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Featuring Shift K3Y, Bipolar Sunshine and Hayley May, each of the seven songs on \u003cem>Anything Goes\u003c/em> pack in a load of emotions and storytelling. Even the album name has multiple meanings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Look at these motherfuckers, they’re out here just stealing shit,” she says. “Okay, fuck! Let me have the audacity to do what I wanna do, which is \u003cem>good\u003c/em> stuff. But let me not be afraid, because these people aren’t afraid.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Anything Goes\u003c/em> could also describe Zanders herself. She’s an athletic pianist and former mohawked rocker who loves pop music and sings like gospel is in her blood. She also benefited from her mother’s guidance, inherited her’s father’s vocal abilities and stands on the shoulders of her grandmother.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“She was a prolific piano player,” Zanders says of her grandmother, a choir director who died when Zanders was just an infant but who left behind a trove of archival recordings. “Hearing that,” Zanders explains, “made me think, ‘Oh, okay, this is where some of my musical abilities come from.'”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zanders does not claim any one faith. But whether her music’s blasting through a sound system in a New York nightclub, playing at an outdoors festival in Canada or slapping in the headphones of a journalist riding a bike in California, the spiritual element is evident.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Kaleena Zanders performs Friday, July 17 as part of the three-day Dirtybird Cookout and Northern Nights musical festival in Piercy, California. \u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/northernnights/events/dirtybird-campout-x-northern-nights-music-festival-2026-160064\">Tickets and more details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kaleenazanders/?hl=en\">Kaleena Zanders\u003c/a>’ song “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31i2vFa7r8s\">The Light\u003c/a>” blasted through my headphones, I pedaled faster.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Soundtracked by energetic hi-hats, symphonic strings, a bass line from the underworld and Zanders’ heavenly vocals, my bike ride became a spiritual experience. And I’m clearly not the only one moved by Zanders’ music.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For more than a decade, Zanders has played nightclubs and festivals, and even once had a song featured in \u003ca href=\"https://www.ispot.tv/ad/waIE/toyota-super-bowl-2018-good-odds-song-by-kaleena-zanders\">a Super Bowl Toyota commercial\u003c/a>. Her debut album \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/0clTTK9wSXFKpTTtGq2sun\">Anything Goes\u003c/a>\u003c/em> dropped last month. It’s been highlighted by \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/up-coming-dance-artist-of-month-kaleena-zanders-april-2026-1236230807/\">Billboard\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> with two of its songs, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDfP41vP8dQ\">Stronger Than Machines\u003c/a>” and “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1dPFBPt1_M\">Anything Goes\u003c/a>,” spotlighted by ESPN.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811.jpg\" alt=\"A person standing behind a DJ table at a crowded outdoors event.\" class=\"wp-image-13991110\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125811-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaleena Zanders, pictured performing at Outside Lands in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in 2024, grew up playing sports and frequenting Hot Topic in San José. (Harp Digital Media)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Zanders launches \u003ca href=\"https://www.kaleenazanders.com/tour\">a multiple-city tour\u003c/a> with stops across the United States and Canada, she gives credit to her upbringing in San José for making it possible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Emo fits and musical theater\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I ended up going to Independence High School,” Zanders tells me during a recent video call, “and I played a ton of sports.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a teenage basketball and rugby player, Zanders also got deep into her emo bag with fits from Hot Topic at Eastridge Mall, across the street from where she lived. While fashion and athletics were important, art proved significant in her upbringing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Musical theater was a huge part of my life,” says Zanders, who took classes at the \u003ca href=\"https://sanjoseacademyofmusic.com/san-jose-childrens-chorus/\">San Jose Children’s Choir \u003c/a>from the age of 8 to the age of 11. She had no problem singing to herself, but Zanders was a shy about appearing on stage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was really caught off guard that my mom would put me in these musical theater classes,” Zanders reflects. But it all makes sense now. “I remember coming alive on stage,” Zanders says. “I get it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/0mO0mYdan3w'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/0mO0mYdan3w'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Having a musical outlet proved vital as she navigated her teenage years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Understanding that I’m queer,” says Zanders, “that was actually pretty hard for me in high school.” So she leaned into music, practicing on a piano in her mom’s garage, and eventually taking guitar lessons — which got her into rock music.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In college, Zanders played in a band, Moulder’s Lounge, which she calls “the most euphoric, life-changing experience.” The band allowed her to combine musical theater, instrumentation and rock music, and would’ve been big, Zanders believes, if they’d stayed together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zanders eventually moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at the Musicians Institute. One day, while she was working at Trader Joe’s in Hollywood, a friend told her about a DJ who needed someone to provide vocals for an EDM track. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t the kind of kid that could go out and rave,” Zanders says with a laugh; her mother wouldn’t have allowed it. “I literally knew nothing of rave culture,” she says. But she quickly learned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1.jpg\" alt=\"The crowd's view of a person standing behind the DJ tables.\" class=\"wp-image-13991111\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/IMG_20260625_125757-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘I make music that’s rooted in love,’ says Kaleena Zanders, pictured performing in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park at Outside Lands in 2024. (Harp Digital Media)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Big diva vocals’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zanders now plays in nightclubs as well as sports arenas. They’re two very different settings, except that both are male-dominated. Simply by being present in those spaces, Zanders tells me, “as a woman, as a Black woman, as a queer woman, I naturally am gonna make some sort of statement. I don’t even need to say anything.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pivoting from writing verses and choruses of rock lyrics to short top-lines for dance anthems wasn’t easy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Simplifying her lyrics felt like “it was like a diss to the art,” Zanders says. “I’m like, ‘What do you mean you only need one or two lines?’” But after digging deeper into the history of dance, and the work of artists like \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_S.\">Robin S.\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonique_(musician)\">Sonique\u003c/a>, Zanders understood the power of “big diva vocals.” With only a few choice lyrics, Zanders affirms, one can “still very much understand, in a potent way, what the song is about.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Featuring Shift K3Y, Bipolar Sunshine and Hayley May, each of the seven songs on \u003cem>Anything Goes\u003c/em> pack in a load of emotions and storytelling. Even the album name has multiple meanings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/AMl_XIjVAsg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/AMl_XIjVAsg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Heartbroken after an acquaintance stole something of hers, it hit Zanders that life is a free-for-all with no rules, for better or for worse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Look at these motherfuckers, they’re out here just stealing shit,” she says. “Okay, fuck! Let me have the audacity to do what I wanna do, which is \u003cem>good\u003c/em> stuff. But let me not be afraid, because these people aren’t afraid.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A family lineage\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Anything Goes\u003c/em> could also describe Zanders herself. She’s an athletic pianist and former mohawked rocker who loves pop music and sings like gospel is in her blood. She also benefited from her mother’s guidance, inherited her’s father’s vocal abilities and stands on the shoulders of her grandmother.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She was a prolific piano player,” Zanders says of her grandmother, a choir director who died when Zanders was just an infant but who left behind a trove of archival recordings. “Hearing that,” Zanders explains, “made me think, ‘Oh, okay, this is where some of my musical abilities come from.'”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zanders does not claim any one faith. But whether her music’s blasting through a sound system in a New York nightclub, playing at an outdoors festival in Canada or slapping in the headphones of a journalist riding a bike in California, the spiritual element is evident.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Dance music,” Zanders professes, “it can be a magical experience.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Kaleena Zanders performs Friday, July 17 as part of the three-day Dirtybird Cookout and Northern Nights musical festival in Piercy, California. \u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/northernnights/events/dirtybird-campout-x-northern-nights-music-festival-2026-160064\">Tickets and more details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
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"soldout": {
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