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A bustling month is getting off with a bang — the beat of drums, clapping hands and dancing feet, that is — at the Bankhead Theater, as the Taste of Africa Festival and Filipino Barrio Fiesta this weekend mark the start of a series of free culture and community celebrations on the plaza.
The 12th annual Taste of Africa Festival, organized by the Pleasanton-based Cheza Nami Foundation, is set for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 5) right outside the downtown Livermore theater.
“This free, family-friendly event is an outdoor festival showcasing musical and dance performances by local African and African diaspora artists, art exhibits, food, an African marketplace, a community art project, a kid zone with a reading corner, crafts, interactive instrument exploration, and so much more, with something for everyone and every age,” Livermore Valley Arts officials said. “Attendees can even enjoy shopping for one-of-a-kind products and enjoy delicious food from local African chefs at this beautiful celebration.”
The next day, the Bankhead Plaza will host the ninth annual Filipino Barrio Fiesta, a showcase of Filipino American History Month “through art, food, music, dance, history and culture”, LVA officials said.
The fiesta runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 6).
The Tri-Valley’s creative community will take center stage the following weekend, as ArtWalk Livermore returns next Saturday (Oct. 12).
Booths with artists’ works and demonstrations will dot downtown including Bankhead Plaza, First Street and Livermorium Park. The free daytime event, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., will also feature live music, cultural arts presentations and crafts for kids, according to LVA.
That night, LVA is presenting its inaugural ArtWalk After Dark, a ticketed event at 8 p.m. featuring the music of Dustbowl Revival and a performance of Mad Alchemy Liquid Light Projections.
During the third weekend of the month, the plaza will host the annual Livermore Pride Fest.
Sponsored by the “homegrown hometown group” Livermore Pride, the family-focused event from noon to 6 p.m. on Oct. 19 “will honor the diversity of our community, highlighting the intersectionality of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, religion, political ideology, and economic status. We strive to have all LGBTQ+ people feel seen and heard as valued members of our community,” LVA officials said.
The show lineup inside the Bankhead this month is jam-packed as well, starting this Friday evening with Joan Osborne’s rescheduled concert date.
Other musical acts on the calendar for October include Canadian Brass on Oct. 13, Aznavoorian Duo, Cello & Piano presented by Del Valle Fine Arts on Oct. 19 and American Authors on their “Call Your Mother Tour” on Oct. 25. The Bankhead will also twist and shout on Oct. 18 as Beatles tribute band Britain’s Finest headlines the fourth annual Harmony & Healing benefit concert, organized by former Boston member David Victor.
Days before Día de los Muertos, Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Carlos Moreno “honors ancestors with traditional Mexican folk dances … celebrating life and death through captivating dance” on Oct. 20 at 3 p.m.
“Cosmic Odyssey: Immersive Encounters with the Universe” — which promises to turn the Bankhead stage into a “portal to the cosmos” — will begin its run on Oct. 14 and continue on select days through Nov. 27.
The Funny Women of a Certain Age comedy show is back on the night of Oct. 26.
Livermore Valley Opera still has two performances left (this Saturday and Sunday afternoons) of its season-opening production of “The Daughter of the Regiment”. And Christian Youth Theater (CYT) Tri-Valley is presenting its adaptation of “Goosebumps: The Musical” for the spooky season with four shows between next Wednesday and Thursday (Oct. 9-10).
For tickets or more information, visit livermorearts.org.
