Treat mom to a fabulous Mother’s Day weekend with a ride on the Capitol Corridor! Enjoy outdoor floral events in San Francisco and Berkeley, view amazing mural art in Oakland, and celebrate Japanese culture in San Jose!
Mother’s Day Rose Show: 5/13, San Francisco
Happening: 12:30pm – 4pm
Bring your mom or anyone with a love of flowers to the Mother’s Day Rose Show at the Hall of Flowers in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The event will be an opportunity to view the many varieties of roses, from hybrid teas, grandifloras, miniatures, and David Austin roses, to old garden roses from the 19th century. There will be a rose showcase in the exhibition hall and a rose photography show/competition, with rose bouquets available for donation to the San Francisco Rose Society (SFRS) after the show closes. The SFRS will be selling the book, “Growing Roses in a Maritime Climate,” specifically tailored to meet the needs of roses growing in San Francisco. The Hall of Flowers is located at the entry of 9th Avenue at Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park.
Getting there: Depending on your station of origin, take the Capitol Corridor to the Richmond Station or Oakland Coliseum Station, and connect to BART for service into downtown San Francisco. From there, you can take Muni to Golden Gate Park, or catch a cab, Uber, or Lyft.
Bay Area Mural Festival: 5/12 – 5/19, Oakland
Happening: 12pm – 5pm
Check out some of the best art Oakland has to offer at Bay Area Mural Festival. The festival will bring together master muralists and Oakland youth groups through a series of artist residencies and workshops, culminating in the painting of nine new murals in Jack London District of Oakland. Participating artists for 2018 include BiP, Susan Green, Emory Douglas, Mike “Bam” Tyao, and more. The week-long festival will include free bike tours of the new murals and end with a closing celebration in Jack London Square on Saturday, May 19, with community painting, performances by local musicians/dancers, as well as kids activities. Using mural arts to engage East Bay youth and community through beautification activities, the festival aims to call attention to social issues and celebrate Oakland’s cultural identity.
Getting there: Check online for details of mural locations.Take the train to the Oakland Jack London Square Station, which is walking distance from the district.
National Public Gardens Day: 5/11, Berkeley
Happening: 11am – 5pm
Calling all gardeners and anthophiles! Enjoy a day dedicated to you at the annual National Public Gardens Day in Berkeley. Held at the University of California Berkeley Botanical Garden, the official garden day takes place each year on the Friday before Mother’s Day, with 590 plus gardens, including some Bay Area gardens offering free admission or special deals. Enjoy the beauty of the gardens while learning about each garden’s commitment to education, research, and environmental stewardship.
Getting there: Take the train to the Berkeley Station, and from there take AC Transit with a free Transit Transfer to the campus. You can also ride the train to the Richmond Station or Oakland Coliseum Station, connect to BART, and get off at the Downtown Berkeley stop, which is about half a mile from the UC Berkeley campus.
Japantown Immersive: 5/12, San Jose
Happening: 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Get ready to be immersed in Japanese culture in San Jose’s historic Japantown at Japantown Immersive. The festive open street event will reinvent the way audiences experience art, including dancing to a condensed version of Swingposium (taiko and swing music); learning Hanafuda, a classic Japanese card game; pounding the Japanese New Year’s tradition of mochi; and making an LED uchiwa (fan), and many more performances. You can also take part in a Japantown Secrets Scavenger Hunt, a Bon Odori pop-up dance school, and learn about the Japanese Internment Camp experience. This event is created and produced by San Jose Taiko to celebrate the rich cultural history, and contribute to the continued vitality and sustainability of San Jose’s Japantown, one of only three remaining Japantowns in the US.
Getting there: Take the train to the San Jose Diridon Station. Japantown is accessible by the VTA, with a free Transit Transfer, or catch a cab, Lyft or Uber
Written by Sylvia Sheehan
Photo courtesy Maryanne Razzo