FanFest 2018

Weekend Picks: San Francisco Civil War Day, Oakland A’s FanFest, Berkeley Awesöme Orchestra Collective, and San Jose Restaurant Week

January 24, 2018

Transport back to the Civil War era in San Francisco, meet-and-greet your favorite baseball players in Oakland, savor new dishes during the last days of restaurant week in San Jose, and make music with roving musicians in Berkeley. It’s an action packed weekend all along the Capitol Corridor!

Civil War Days: 1/27, San Francisco

Step back in time to the Civil War period at Fort Point Civil War Days in San Francisco. The day begins at 10am, with a flag raising ceremony followed by hourly infantry drills, artillery discussions every half hour, and finally, the flag lowering ceremony at 4:30pm. With entertainment for the whole family, including music, Victorian dance, and historical exhibits, the whole family will enjoy this foray into the past. The free, all-day event will be held at Fort Point, which stands watch under the southern anchorage of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Getting there: Depending on your station of origin, take the Capitol Corridor’s dedicated connecting bus from Emeryville Station to one of our San Francisco stops, or connect to BART at the Richmond Station or Oakland Coliseum Station. From any of these San Francisco bus or BART stops, you can take public transit using Google Maps, catch a cab, or take Lyft or Uber.


Oakland A’s FanFest: 1/27, Oakland

Oakland A’s fans rejoice! It’s time for the annual Fanfest, happening this Saturday from 10am to 2pm in Jack London Square. Enjoy the block party style celebration while mingling with A’s players, alumni, coaches, and broadcasters. Open and free to the public, this is a great event for families and fans to connect and celebrate their love of the A’s! You can find the list of FanFest special guests here.

Getting there: Take the train to the Oakland Jack London Station, which is steps from the FanFest activities.


Restaurant Week: 1/15 – 1/28, San Jose

Indulge in the most varied menus of  San Jose Eats Restaurant Week. Foodies can look forward to trying a variety of dishes ranging from Vietnamese inspired pizza to a perfectly crafted club sandwich. The best part is these delicious meals are offered with affordable restaurant week prices. The list of participating restaurants can be found here. Restaurants have been serving these special menus since Monday, January 15, and this will come to an end on Sunday. Don’t forget to mention #SanJoseEats at any at any of these restaurants to redeem special offers.

Getting there: Take the train to the San Jose Diridon Station. The museum is accessible by the VTA, with a free Transit Transfer, or catch a cab, Lyft or Uber


Awesöme Orchestra Collective: 1/27, Berkeley

Join a group of roving musicians for an adventure in orchestral music at Awesöme Orchestra Collective at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley. On Saturday, from 2pm to 5pm, conductors David Möschler and Brian Adam McCune will focus on repertoire and instrumentation. The free sessions are part performance, part open rehearsal. If you’re a musician, special sign-up lists and sheet music will be available before each event, so come prepared to play!

Getting there: Take the train to the Berkeley Station, and connect to downtown Berkeley on AC Transit with a free Transit Transfer. Or, take the train to the Richmond Station or Oakland Coliseum Station, connect to BART, and get off at the Ashby stop, which is just a short walk to La Peña Cultural Center.

Written by Sylvia Sheehan
Photo courtesy smore.com