This week across the Bay Area: From Santa Cruz Boardwalk to Big Sur’s Pfeiffer Falls Trail; Flyaway Productions’ in the TL to SoMa’s book readings; Hispanic Heritage Month and “A Taste of Oakland;” Coach Don’s and the SF Pizza Lady's kindness; West Oakland trees; and Eureka Fellowships.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the country’s fave
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk won the title as the nation’s top pick, a place where the Giant Dipper’s wooden roar never really fades. Its rides spill onto sand that has carried surfers since Hawaiian princes first paddled out in 1885. Around the edges, Pacific Avenue’s music, murals, and surf shops keep the whole town humming.
It’s a boardwalk that feels both timeless and restless, stitched into California’s coast with salt and color. On summer nights the lights throw a carnival glow across the shoreline, and even in winter the waves and carousel music keep it alive. — Fodor’s
Big Sur’s iconic redwood hike rebuilt
Big Sur’s Pfeiffer Falls Trail has reopened after a winter storm toppled a redwood and smashed its 70-foot bridge two years ago. Repairs, including new decking, rails, and a custom fiberglass base piece, were completed with help from the California Conservation Corps and Save the Redwoods League.
The 1.5-mile hike through redwoods to a 60-foot waterfall is now fully accessible again for families and campers. — Bay Area News Group
Planting trees in West Oakland
Oakland biology educator Mr. Kelkar explains the importance of native plants, highlighting how they provide habitat for birds and insects, shade streets, and improve air quality. Through September 30, West Oakland residents and workers can sign up for a free California native tree for their yard or sidewalk.
No property ownership is required, but interested participants must submit an interest form by the end of the month. — West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project
History moves in the Tenderloin
At Turk and Taylor streets, Down on the Corner brings dance, song, and film to the site of the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot. Queer, transgender, and cisgender performers carry the riot’s energy into the present, with nightly talks and two 35-minute shows.
The project honors past defiance while acknowledging the building’s current use as a reentry facility. Shows run October 3–4 and 9–11, free to all. — Flyaway Productions
‘Fire’ season ignites in SoMa
Fire and creativity converge at Cafe Suspiro and Arc Gallery for STIR: Fire Season, South of Market’s seasonal reading series. Award-winning authors and performance poets — including Charlie Jane Anders, Syr Hayati Beker, Charlie Getter, and Lehua M. Taitano — examine survival, transformation, and the sparks that drive change in a world on fire.
The night blends readings, a panel discussion, and audience Q&A with the energy of SoMa West’s thriving arts scene. Grab a coffee, settle in, and dive into two hours of immersive storytelling and conversation on October 2.
Hispanic music, dance, and heritage
Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month is in full swing throughout the Bay Area through October 15. Latin Grammy-winning bands like La Santa Cecilia perform, while opera singer San Cha showcases her experimental work, Inebria Me. Families can enjoy festivals, interactive shows, and community gatherings across San José, Oakland, San Francisco, and beyond.
Many events will also highlight the contributions of Afro-Latinx artists through music, dance, and visual art that reflect their histories and impact on the region’s creative landscape. — KQED
Modern Western roots meet city soul
Next Sunday, Frank H. Ogawa Plaza will pulse with music, style, and food at “A Taste of Oakland,” a festival celebrating the legacy of Black cowboy and cowgirl culture. Live performances by artists such as Dee Dee Simon and Elijah Baker Presents Top Shelf, line dancing, and a modern Western fashion show bring local culture to the forefront, while Oakland chefs, artists, and businesses showcase their craft.
From DJ sets to jaw-dropping photo ops, the day blends history, creativity, and community energy. — A Taste of Oakland
Three decades of play, kindness, and community
Donald Arreola-Burl, also known as Coach Don, a beloved PE teacher in Berkeley, was recently named the winner of the Chris Kindness Award in recognition of decades spent inspiring kids with energy, encouragement, and inclusion.
Alongside his family, he runs Recreation and Team Sports (RATS), a nonprofit teaching kids teamwork, sportsmanship, and fun — welcoming everyone, no matter ability or income. Former students still remember his games, his laughter, and the way he made everyone feel seen. For the Berkeley community, Coach Don is a living lesson in kindness.
Feeding neighbors & fighting food waste
Andrea Carla Michaels, who’s known as the “Pizza Lady,” has spent years turning discarded food into daily meals for her neighbors in SF’s Polk Gulch. She delivers what’s needed — bagels, bread, produce, and sometimes clothing or personal items — with care and efficiency, brightening faces while keeping boundaries.
A Harvard graduate, published New York Times crossword writer, Scrabble champion, and former TV writer, Michaels carries many titles off the streets. But here, she’s just a neighbor making sure nothing useful goes to waste. — Broke-Ass Stuart
Forty years of backing Bay Area artists
The Fleishhacker Foundation has handed out $40,000 unrestricted grants to a new wave of Bay Area visual artists — twelve creatives over three years, marking the 40th anniversary of the Eureka Fellowship. The grantees are artists in various stages of their careers working in a range of media, from Cat Alden and Marlon Mullen to Sahar Khoury and Masako Miki. Since the fellowship isn’t tied to any one project, artists have the time, space, and freedom to focus fully on their work without restrictions.
Panelists from the Smithsonian, Walker Art Center, and MIT List Visual Arts Center saw work that taps into the region’s rich human stories, beyond tech hype and market trends. Forty years in, the program has brought nearly $4 million into the local arts ecosystem, helping generations of artists sustain their work and keep Bay Area arts alive. — Fleishhacker Foundation
Image: Austin Forbord/Flyaway Productions
