RUN AWAY FROM THE HILLS Berkeley’s first-ever half marathon will be held on Sunday, Nov. 24, starting at 8 a.m. at Civic Center Park. The route heads up to the edge of the Cal campus, before heading west down University Avenue for a circuit of the marina and Cesar Chavez Park before runners go along the bay. Organizers point out that “the route is flat, fast, and net-downhill, so it’s perfect for a new PR.” In addition to the half marathon, there’s a “Bearable” 10 mile race and a 10 kilometer race, using part of the half marathon course. The Berkeley Public Schools Fund, Berkeley Partners for Parks, and Berkeley Food & Housing Project are the official charities for the race.
TO THE BARRICADES This weekend is the last chance to see Central Works’ production of Red Virgin: Louise Michel and the Paris Commune of 1871, at the Berkeley City Club. The production is the world premiere of the musical by Gary Graves, directed by John Patrick Moore. Louise Michel, “one of the most incendiary revolutionaries in the history of France,” was the “red virgin” of the title during the two months of the Paris Commune. The play will be performed at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23, at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24. Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave.
ORGAN INAUGURATION A half-day of celebrations is planned for the inauguration of Hertz Hall’s new 3-manual Noack organ on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 1:30 p.m. During the afternoon, there will be demonstrations of the organ and a round table discussion on modern organ building. The inauguration climaxes with a recital by French organist Michel Bouvard at 6 p.m., followed by a celebratory reception. The recital includes works by J. S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Buxtehude, Boehm and Scheidemann. Bouvard is professor of organ at the Paris Conservatoire and an official organist of the Palace of Versailles. The inauguration events are free and open to the public. Hertz Concert Hall, University of California Berkeley campus.
THANGS TAKEN The sixth annual Thangs Taken: rethinking Thanksgiving event at La Peña Cultural Center will be held on Sunday, Nov. 24 starting at 7 p.m. Thangs Taken brings artists, activists and communities together to explore the history of Thanksgiving and to acknowledge the legacy of U.S. colonialism and genocide against Native Americans. Produced by the Free Land Project and curated and hosted by Ariel Luckey, it features live music, dance, film, spoken word poetry, hip hop theater and visual art installations from Native and non-Native artists. La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. Tickets are $10 to $25 sliding scale and are available at the door.
NCAA SOCCER The Cal men’s soccer team (12-4-2), seeded fourth in this year’s NCAA tournament, open their title chase with a second round home match against either Northwestern or Bradley (depending on the results of the first-round game), Sunday, Nov. 24 at 1:30 p.m. at Edwards Stadium. The team is led by Steve Birnbaum with nine goals this season, and Alec Sundly with six. Tickets are on sale at the stadium before kickoff for $10 (adults) and $5 (students/seniors/youth).
Don’t miss these other events recently featured on Berkeleyside:
Big Screen Berkeley: Fassbinder’s Favorites (11.20.13)
A Bright New Boise at Aurora Theatre (11.21.13)
Julia Chigambe and the Chinyakare Ensemble in Berkeley (11.12.13)
Check out Berkeleyside’s event calendar for many more events, and make sure to post your community happenings there too.
