Let's go fly kites by Daniel Parks. Taken at the 2014 Berkeley Kite Festival
The annual Berkeley Kite Festival is this weekend at Cesar Chavez Park. Photo: Daniel Parks

KITE FESTIVAL If you’ve never been to the Berkeley Kite Festival, you’ll goggle at the Octopile and cheer at the rokkaku battles. If you’ve been before, you know that the festival provides sights and experiences for the whole family, powered by the steady winds across the Bay. You’ll see aerial competitions from the Bay Area Sport Kite League, traditional kites from the Sode-cho Kite-Flying Society of Hamamatsu, Japan, and (get ready kids) candy drops. In addition to all the activity in the air, the festival includes a kids’ zone with pony rides, a petting zoo, sumo soccer balls, and plenty of bouncy houses. The free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 30-31, Cesar Chavez Park at Berkeley Marina. Parking is $15 at the marina or at Golden Gate Fields. Free shuttles from both areas. Free bicycle parking. 

QUIET PLEASE As part of The Agility Projects series, Berkeley Art Center this weekend opens Quiet Please, an exhibition that examines the call and response relationship between artist and viewer using the sport of tennis as a metaphor. Artists Libby Black, Jennie Ottinger, George Pfau, and Andrew Witrak present drawings, sculpture and animation that use tennis as a way to comment on human psychology: presentation, elitism, communication, and catharsis. Here’s how it’s explained: “Like many sports, there are myriad rules and customs that apply to the game of tennis. A distinct quality of match play is the on-court etiquette and ritual—a play of manners and class (or lack thereof). And like the artistic process, there is an opportunity to come from one point away from defeat, to win the match.” Opening reception, 6-8 p.m., Saturday, July 30. Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St.

CARNIVAL OF STARS Have you ever wondered what would happen at the intersection of belly dancing and cartooning? No, we hadn’t either. But if you’re intrigued, shimmy over to the Carnival of Stars at the Finnish Hall this weekend. The creation of Pepper Alexandria (creator of Belly Dance Comix), Carnival of Stars features non-stop belly dancing and cos play. It’s a family-friendly event, so some modesty is required, but other than that anything goes. The actual rule: “Costumes can be anything, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Star Wars, Anime. But remember, we have children in the house, so be good kids if you are going to be in the contest.” The carnival runs from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Costume contest is 2:30 p.m. and the Egyptian dance competition is at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets $15 ($6 for under 12s). Finnish Hall, 1970 Chestnut St.

ANDRIASOV MUSIC FESTIVAL The Berkeley Hillside Club presents the seventh California Andriasov Festival featuring the music of the Armenian Russian composer Iosif Andriasov and his son Arshak in arrangements for violin, piano and winds. Also featured will be works by Arthur Honegger and Eugene Bozza. The packed program of short works will be performed by Victor Romasevich on violin and piano, Scott Macomber on trumpet, Timothy Owner on trombone, and Christopher Gaudi on oboe. Tickets $20 (no credit cards). 8 p.m., Saturday, July 30, Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St.

HARRY POTTER BREAKFAST To celebrate the long-awaited release of J.K. Rowling’s eighth Harry Potter story, all the Pegasus stores are opening at the magically early time of 8 a.m. on Sunday July 31. There will be free coffee, juice, and snacks, Harry Potter activities, and spin-wheel prizes throughout the day with every purchase ofHarry Potter and the Cursed Child. Come in costume to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card. Muggles welcome. Pegasus Books Downtown, 2349 Shattuck Ave. and Pegasus Books on Solano, 1855 Solano Ave.

Don’t miss these other events featured on Berkeleyside:

Big Screen Berkeley: ‘Phantom Boy’
See Sojourner Truth’s ‘calling cards’ at BAMPFA
Noah Garbedian, Democratoz are Berkeley bound

To find out what is going on in Berkeley and nearby, be sure to check out Berkeleyside’s Events Calendar. And submit your own events: it’s self-serve and free. 

Lance Knobel (Berkeleyside co-founder) has been a journalist for nearly 40 years. Much of his career was in business journalism. He was editor-in-chief of both Management Today, the leading business magazine...