BAHA SPRING TOUR/ELMWOOD Sunday brings the always popular Spring Tour of the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. This year, the tour is centered on the storied Elmwood Park neighborhood. A total of 11 homes will be open to the public for the $45 ticket price ($35 for BAHA members). Stroll through houses designed by Bernard Maybeck, Julia Morgan, Walter H. Ratcliff, Jr., John Hudson Thomas, Maury I. Diggs, William Porter, and Charles M. MacGregor among others. A 1905 sales brochure for the then new Elmwood Park area depicted bucolic wooded lanes and the promise of a soon-to-be-established Key Route line to the future Claremont Hotel, according to BAHA. A tour map, illustrated guidebook and refreshments are provided. Order your tickets online and collect them at Will Call (in front of John Muir School) on tour day. BAHA Sprint Tour, Sunday May 3, 1-5 p.m. Details on the BAHA website.
HONOR HIM WHO HONORS EVERYBODY First Person Singular’s new show — its first collaboration with the central Berkeley art space headquarters (deliberate lowercase h), is Honor Him Who Honors Everybody: George Washington’s Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior. The play argues for the type of social consideration lacking in our culture today — however Washington sometimes goes to the odd extreme! headquarters’ owner Lisa O’Reilly is transforming her gallery for this and two other FPS shows. The venue is very intimate, says FPS, so the goal is to create “a season of chamber theatre productions that will give audiences a more immersive experience.” In Honor Him, Washington is played by Shotgun company alum John Mercer, who was Vladimir Nabokov in the FPS production The Divine Game at the Ashby Stage. Dawn Kooyumjian will accompany on harpsichord. Limited number of tickets for sale — shows continue through Sunday May 3 at 8:00 pm. Details on the First Person Singular website.
PIZZA/PLANT SALE AT WILLARD SCHOOL Willard Middle School is holding its annual Pizza and Plant Sale on Saturday May 2 from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Enjoy the great weather with some delicious wood-fired pizza made with vegetables from the garden, pick up sturdy plants for your garden and get serenaded by the famous Willard Jazz Band. Plus there’s free compost to take home. Plant sale starts at 10:00 a.m, pizza are available at 10:30 a.m and jazz starts at noon. Entrance at the garden gates on Telegraph between Stuart and Derby.
BLESSING OF THE BIKES/FAMILY RIDE National Bike Month kicks off Saturday in Civic Center Park with the fourth annual interfaith Blessing of the Bikes and Family Ride. Bring your bike to be blessed by interfaith clergy and spiritual teachers. Bay Area cyclists of all faith traditions and spiritual paths are invited – agnostics and atheists are welcome. Gather at the fountain at Civic Center Park, by the Farmer’s Market, in Berkeley at 9:45 a.m. There will be a ceremony with Bike East Bay and interfaith clergy at 10:00am. Bike bells and cameras are encouraged. The Blessing will be followed by a family-friendly ride to the Bay Trail, departing at 10:30 a.m. The ride will conclude at Berkeley Aquatic Park, where there will be a tour of Waterside Workshops’ community bike shop. Coffee, hot chocolate, and pastries will be available at Waterside Workshops’ Café. Find more information and RSVP on Facebook.
NIA HOUSE YARD SALE The annual Nia House Learning Center Multi-Family Yard Sale takes place on Saturday May 2. The organizers promise “lots of great furniture, toys, books, clothes and lots more. It’s a great opportunity to do some shopping, support a local nonprofit Montessori school and have your kids play in the free bounce house.” Nia House is located at 2234 Ninth St., and the yard sale starts at 9:00am with a special early-bird furniture sale at 8:45 a.m., and a dollar sale from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Don’t miss these other events featured on Berkeleyside:
Rent Romus, and the once and future Finns of West Berkeley
Big Screen Berkeley: Felix and Meira
‘Fifth of July’ at Aurora Theatre: A play with much to offer
Berkeley celebrates as Bookstore Day goes national
Berkeley RADICAL focus of Cal Performances’ new season
An evening with Judy Blume, literary freedom pioneer
For more events in and around Berkeley, check out Berkeleyside’s new-look Events Calendar. Submit your own events there — the calendar also offers options for making your event stand out.
