Hayward, CA [1/24-1/26] East Bay greasy spoon/dive bar, the Hayward Ranch, opened in 1948 but recently closed for good. Now they are selling off all its kitschy, mostly western-themed, decor — including wagon wheels and vintage signs — in a big weekend-long estate sale. I’ll be there because, you know, western kitsch is my jam. 9 AM to 3 PM daily. Cash only.
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24.5 U.S. Cities
[2/14 to 3/29] Four new dates have been added to the Pee-wee’s Big Adventure 35th Anniversary Tour with Paul Reubens — see a screening of the film followed by Paul Reubens himself — live, in person! — sharing never-before-heard stories about the making of the movie. Artist pre-sale code is REBEL.
Adelaide, Australia
[2/14 – 3/15] Adelaide Fringe, “Australia’s biggest, open access arts festival” Thanks, Jeff!
Alameda, CA
[2/8 and 3/14] Lightning on Demand (Tesla coil) demos, 1951 Monarch (old Naval base) 7:30 PM Thanks, Mark!
Berkeley, CA
[1/31] Zepparella, the all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band is playing at UC Theatre, 8 PM
[2/15] That Really Happened? A Night of True Stories at The Monkey House, 7:30 to 9:30 PM, Sliding scale $10-$20
Eugene, Oregon
[7/10-7/12] Oregon Country Fair
Las Vegas, NV
[Extended! Until 4/20] Tim Burton’s Lost Vegas art exhibit at the Neon Museum
[Opening this year] Meow Wolf’s Area 15 Thanks, Claudia!
Los Angeles, CA
Both locations of MOCA are now permanently free!
[Now] Cages, as described by Kyle: “It’s truly the future of music show meets storytelling. Fully immersive, from rooms to performance that combines concert, live theater, projection mapping, stop motion animation, 3D and 2d cgi, dance, and more. It’s nuts. Took 6 years of development and sets a new bar.”
[THIS WEEKEND Last Saturday of the month] almighty Opp, a streetside puppet show in Koreatown recommended by CTP who says, “It’s fantastic. And bizarre, and funny, and wonderous,” 9 p.m.
New York City
RED pal Oriana Leckert always highlights the best events in the Big Apple!
[5/9 to 11/1] Yayoi Kusama’s Cosmic Nature exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden (pre-sale for members and patrons happens 2/19, public on 2/26)
Oakland, CA
[Now until 2/16] No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man at OMCA, Tickets
**Full listings of all the exhibit’s events here.

This is Dotty. Take this lovely lady, or her friend Liam (wait until you see HIM), home from the White Elephant Sale’s art department.
[1/26] Be the early bird who gets the coolest secondhand worms at Oakland Museum’s White Elephant PREVIEW Sale this Sunday starting at 10 AM, Tickets are $18 ahead of time or $20 at the door. Take a look at just some of the stuff available in this year’s sale.
[3/1] Sugar Rush IV: A Cupcake Tasting Event at Angel Cakes, 1 PM to 4 PM, Tickets
[3/7-3/8] Oakland Museum’s White Elephant Sale, 96,000-square-feet of crazy-good deals, FREE but CROWDED
[7/11-7/12] Burger Boogaloo headlines with Bikini Kill and Circle Jerks, Mosswood Park
Portland, OR
[5/16-5/17] The creators of the popular Exploding Kittens card game series are hosting Burning Cat, a new two-day game convention that ends in the burning of a giant effigy. Huh… that last part seems oddly familiar! Tickets are $80 for a two-day pass, or $45 for a daily one.
San Diego, CA
[8/12-8/16] Tiki Oasis is celebrating its 20th anniversary this August! Two things: 1.) This is not to be confused with Arizona Tiki Oasis which happens April 23 to 26 in Scottsdale (same producers though!) AND 2.) tickets are not yet on sale yet — this is just a heads up!
San Francisco, CA
[Now until 1/26] SF Sketchfest comedy festival
[2/1] Night of Ideas, an “all-night marathon of philosophical debate, keynotes, panels, workshops, and performances designed to spur dialogue and creative participation on the theme ‘Living on the Edge,'” 7 PM to 2 AM at the San Francisco Public Library, FREE (though may already be sold out)
[2/6] Odyssey Works is hosting a Valentine’s Day Date Design Workshop so you can learn how to design the perfect Valentine’s Day date, 6 to 9 PM
[2/5-2/8] Fog City Magic Fest — four days of magic — at EXIT Theatre
[2/7- 2/9] The End of You, a pop-up immersive experience at Gray Area / Grand Theater that “explores how immersive art can invite new perspectives on humanity and our living world.”
[2/29] Imperial Teen at The Chapel, 8 PM
[2/14] Drag Show to End Homelessness: “Valentines Day can be a drag, so why not spend it at a drag show!,” El Rio, 7 PM to 10 PM, Tickets Thanks, Nicole!
[3/8 and 3/9] Patti Smith and her band at the Fillmore, 8 PM each night
Scottsdale, AZ
[4/23-4/26] Arizona Tiki Oasis at the lovely, midcentury Valley Ho Hotel
Seattle, WA
[Ongoing, 1st Sunday of the month] Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery “a love letter to the strangeness and talent that walks amongst us” at Annex Theatre, 7:30 PM, Tickets
Stonyford, CA
[6/15-6/21] Camp Tipsy, “rotten boat building contest and camp-out held at East Park Reservoir,” patron tickets available now
Various U.S. cities, and sometimes Canada
Atlas Obscura has an ongoing calendar of unique experiences.
Know about a cool, quirky, and/or indie event? Email me and I’ll share it with the class! |