UNCHARTED FESTIVAL OF IDEAS Berkeleyside’s fourth annual Uncharted Festival of Ideas kicks off tomorrow, Friday Oct. 14, at 9 a.m. (coffee and pastries from 8 a.m.), and runs through Saturday Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. The event — the Bay Area’s only ideas festival — is a heady mix of conversations, standup comedy, workshops, live music, dance performances, socializing, book signings, and a party in the heart of Berkeley. Guests include Mark Bittman, Eve Ensler, Jay Rosen and Jessie Bridges. There are still a limited number of tickets available, including a few special $10 tickets for the Saturday sessions (use code KPEE when buying a ticket). See Full Program / Buy Tickets.
CRUSH & CRAFT FESTIVAL Crush & Craft is also back this year — on Sunday Oct. 16 — celebrating local artisanal food, fine wine and craft beer. The event, which takes place at the Hotel Durant and is organized by the Berkeley Chamber, feature food, beer and wine vendors offering tastings for all attendees, live music with DJ, a photo booth, networking opportunities, games and prizes. The festival runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hotel Durant, 2600 Durant Ave. For tickets and information call 510-549 7000 or visit Crush & Craft online.
INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH Central Works Theater concludes its season with Into the Beautiful North, which opens Saturday Oct. 15 at the Berkeley City Club, and runs through Nov. 13. Written by Karen Zacarías and based on the book by Luis Alberto Urrea, the play is directed by Gary Graves and is inspired by the classic Hollywood western The Magnificent Seven (which was itself inspired by The Seven Samurai). Young Nayeli leaves her home in a sleepy little seaside town in Sinaloa, Mexico, with her two best friends. They are determined to go north, on a bold quest, across the border, to bring back seven Magnificent Mexican Men to defend their town from drug dealers and corrupt policemen. The epic journey takes the small band of intrepid adventurers from Mexico, north to San Diego, and finally, of all places, to Kankakee, Illinois. Along the way, they meet a remarkable array of odd characters in a poignant odyssey full of beauty, humor, and bizarre encounters—“a joyful, timely tale of one irresistible young woman’s quest to define herself without borders.” For info and to buy tickets visit Central Works online.
HARVEST FESTIVAL The city is putting on a free harvest festival at Cedar Rose Park on Saturday Oct. 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will celebrate foods grown, harvested, and prepared by members of the Berkeley community. To inspire more urban farming, homemade food, and healthier eating, the Food and Garden Expo will host: a crop swap (bring your garden’s surplus and exchange it with other gardeners. All types of fruits and vegetables are welcome; a seed swap (swap garden seeds and share gardening tips. Don’t have any seeds to swap? No problem! They will have a generous supply of organic vegetable and flowers seeds on hand (while supplies last); food contests (enter your best homemade pie, pickled vegetables, cookies, jam, and other homemade goods or homegrown produce. Although all food entries must feature a main ingredient that could feasibly be grown in Berkeley, the actual ingredient does not need to have been grown in Berkeley). There will be guided tours of nearby community gardens and “from garden to table” cooking demonstrations, as well as a Kids Zone. Live music will be provided by FARENHYTE 5150 and Gone Fishing as the conclusion of the City’s “Music in the Park” series. Full information.
BENEFIT CONCERT FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS This is a ‘plus one’ — and we’re extending the weekend, as this event is on Monday Oct. 17 — but so worth including! The Berkeley Public Schools Fund is sponsoring a concert at the Freight & Salvage to benefit a scholarship fund that offers private music lessons for students who want to deepen their musicianship beyond the BUSD middle-school program, but can’t afford private lessons. The goal is to maintain diversity in the music program as it becomes an elective in middle and high school, particularly considering the opportunities available to students who excel at music at Berkeley High. The concert features local jazz musician Herbie Mims and performances by the Berkeley High School Jazz Combo and Berkeley High Chamber Orchestra. Proceeds go to The Boatwright/Weinstein Music Scholarship. The concert runs 7-10pm Monday Oct. 17 at the Freight. Details and tickets.
POSTPONED UNTIL OCT. 23 / SUNDAY STREETS The great big strolling fest that is Sunday Streets is back in Berkeley on Sunday Oct. 16. People come from all over the Bay Area to experience the event, which was inspired by Sunday Streets San Francisco. Sunday Streets, which encourages cyclists and skateboarders as wells as pedestrians — but obviously no cars! — includes a ton of activities including live music, great food, yoga, kids’ face-painting, giant chess games, takes place on Shattuck Avenue, from Rose Street to Haste Street, on Sunday, Oct. 16, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit Sunday Streets online for information.
Don’t miss these other events featured on Berkeleyside:
Ruth Whippman: Why are Americans so obsessed with happiness?
Big Screen Berkeley: ‘Command and Control,’ ‘Girl Asleep’
Eve Ensler, Kevin Powell poised to discuss Trump, rape culture, race at Uncharted Saturday
A cautionary tale: ‘It Can’t Happen Here’ at Berkeley Rep
Ever wonder how Berkeleyside compiles its weekly It List? We rely on event organizers to tell us about their events (email editors@berkeleyside.com) and we also select events listed by organizers on the Berkeleyside Events Calendar — submissions are self-serve and free, so be sure to use it!