LAST WORD READING Lucille Lang Day and Alison Luterman will read their poetry at 7 p.m. on Friday at Nefeli Caffe, 1854 Euclid Ave.. The event is part of the Last Word Reading Series, and includes an open reading. Lang Day was born in Oakland and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her recently released memoir, Married at Fourteen, has been praised as one of the great American memoirs. Alison Luterman is the author of two books, The Largest Possible Life, and See How We Almost Fly.
BERKELEY VIDEO FILM FESTIVAL The 21st annual Berkeley Video Film Festival continues Friday at 1939 Addison St., at the East Bay Media Center’s new screening facility. Organizers say the idea is to provide a venue for independent producers to present their work alongside Hollywood’s best. More than 40 independent and student films will be shown throughout the festival, which started Dec. 9 and continues through Dec. 21. See the full schedule here.
HISTORICAL MAP SALE Folks with a penchant for maps will have their day Saturday with UC Berkeley’s geography department sale of historical maps, water and topographical maps and more. The closeout is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in McCone Hall (ground and first floors). For the first four hours, maps will go for set prices — from around 50 cents to $5, or a bit more for those that are older or particularly beautiful. Starting at 1 p.m., remaining maps will be sold in bulk. Most of the maps are topo maps of the western United States.
FRENCH BAROQUE Also on Saturday, Trinity Chamber Concerts presents French Baroque Music for a Holiday Gathering. The chamber music ensemble Flauti Diversi will offer an elegant program of French Baroque trios, sonatas and suites by Boismortier, Marais and Couperin, and intrumental Noels by Charpentier and Loeillet. The event takes place at Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana St., at 8 p.m. Details here.
WAVY GRAVY Continuing at The Marsh — and running until Dec. 23 — is Berkeley’s very own Wavy Gravy in “Wavy Gravy And His Guided Mistletoes.” Wavy Gravy recounts his life and times, spilling proverbial beans, and promises at least some reference to the holidays. Surprise Guests are expected to pop up in this show which is suitable for 15 and up. The Marsh, 21 20 Allston Way, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm; Sunday at 3:00 pm. Tickets: $15-35, sliding scale; reserved seats: $50.
Don’t forget these other weekend events previously mentioned on Berkeleyside:
The Central Park Five at Landmark’s Shattuck Cinemas
High lonesome holidays: Nell Robinson at the Aurora
“Pomegranates & Figs: A Feast of Jewish Music” at Freight & Salvage
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To find out about more events in Berkeley and nearby, visit Berkeleyside’s Events Calendar. We also encourage you to submit your own events.
