It’s finals week, but that shouldn’t preclude you from having some fun! Here’s a rundown of exciting activities for this week: from literary notables to artistic adventures, the annual Pistahan parade and an East Bay Dragon Boat Festival, plus the ever cool #KarlTheFog. You don’t want to miss a moment.
Monday
Book Signing with Dave Eggers
Link:http://www.booksinc.net/event/surprise-book-signing-dave-eggers-opera-plaza
Need to Know: Book can be purchased in store or online.
Cost: Free
Time: 5:30pm
Description: Author Dave Eggers will be at Books Inc. at 601 Van Ness to autograph his newest book, Heroes of the Frontier. Written in Eggers’ fresh and empathetic writing style, according to Publishers Weekly, the dark comedy portrays a mother and her two children as they attempt to escape the past in a journey through the Alaskan frontier. Eggers is also the founder of 826 Mission, dedicated to helping under-served students from six to 18 with their writing skills.
Tuesday
Flux | A Site-Specific Installation
Link: http://www.bedfordgallery.org/exhibitions/on-view
Need to Know: Exhibition runs until August 28
Cost: $5
Time: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Description: Internationally renowned artist, Crystal Wagner, commissioned by the Bedford, has transformed the gallery with a larger than life installation using common materials including chicken wire and disposable table clothes. The improvised installation abounding in color, coming from Wagner’s inspiration of micro and macro imagery in nature, fits so seamlessly into the gallery space it’s as if the piece has been growing there for years.
Wednesday
Ed Ruscha and the Great American West
Link: http://deyoung.famsf.org/exhibitions/ed-ruscha-and-great-american-west
Need to Know: Exhibition runs until October 9
Cost: $22
Time: 9:30am – 5:15pm
Description: This exclusive exhibition showcases 99 of Ed Ruscha’s works from the beginning of his illustrious career to his recent work. Inspired by his Route 66 road trip at age 18, this nine-sectioned exhibition reveals the iconic “Great American West” through Ruscha’s depictions of gasoline stations, the Hollywood sign and even single representative words. The Crown Point Press, at 20 Hawthorne Street, is running a concurrent exhibition, “Made In San Francisco – Ed Ruscha Etchings: 1982-2014,’’ through Sept. 3. http://www.crownpoint.com/
Thursday
2016 Cultural Incubator Showcase
Link: http://grayarea.org/event/2016-cultural-incubator-showcase/
Need to Know: Cash bar for those 21+
Cost: Free
Time: 7:00pm
Description: Nine members showcase their newly developed work from the past 6 months. The incubator has everything from holograms to interactive art and a Robocam to architecture through sound as the intersection between art, technology and social critique is explored.
Friday
GENERA#ION: Contemporary Art from Saudi Arabia
Link:http://minnesotastreetproject.com/exhibitions/1275-minnesota-st/generaion-contemporary-art-saudi-arabia
Need to Know: Exhibition ends September 6
Cost: Free
Time: 11:00am – 6:00pm
Description: San Francisco’s first exhibition of contemporary art from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be on display at the Minnesota Street Project. In a world clouded by media coverage, a group of Saudi Arabian artists, men and women, pursue their dreams of connecting with diverse people of the United States in their tour of the states. According to Abdulnasser Gharem, founder of the Gharem Studio, these artists “confront art as a reflection of society, positioning themselves as its mirrors.”
Saturday
A photo posted by Pistahan Parade and Festival (@pistahansf) on
Pistahan Parade and Festival
Link: http://www.pistahan.net
Need to Know: The parade will be Saturday only. The Festival will be both Saturday and Sunday.
Cost: Free
Time: Parade will start at 11:00am. The Festival runs from 11:00am – 5:00pm.
Description: The Pistahan Parade and Festival (Pistahan means celebration in Tagalog) is the largest celebration of Filipino Americans in the U.S. Join 80,000 of your closest friends near the Civic Center and experience the best of Filipino art, dance music and food.
Sunday
Oakland Dragon Boat Festival
Link: http://oaklanddragonboatfestival.org/
Need to Know:
Cost: Free
Time: Race begins at 9:00am.
Description: Teams from all over Northern California will compete for top prizes in the 4th annual Dragon Boat Festival at Lake Merritt. The race is free and open to public viewing.
