Oakland’s Rockridge District is hosting one of the East Bay’s biggest free music festivals from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 23, when more than 20 street performances will take place in the district’s Rock-n-Stroll event with 50-plus local artists set up along the mile of College Avenue between Broadway and Alcatraz.
Rock-n-Stroll representative Jody Colley says the event is unique because most of the artists have lived or worked in Rockridge.
“With the artists, we curate Rockridge as if it’s a gallery, matching each one with a business … that best fits their unique style.”
She says the event is also different from other street festivals because no streets will be blocked off by stages or vendor villages. Instead, all the attractions are on sidewalks and public spaces, “with a real focus on showcasing the district’s diverse business community.”
In fact, merchant surveys after last year’s Rock-n-Stroll event found increased foot traffic, new faces and in some cases, much higher sales than on a typical Saturday.
“We anticipate [this year] that Rockridge will see at least triple the amount of visitors than a typical summertime Saturday,” says Colley. “It’s a true showcase of one of Oakland’s best neighborhoods.”
In addition to the bands and art displays, there’ll be discounts and special offers from more than 40 Rockridge retailers, restaurants and service providers, along with kids’ crafts and food and beverage options. Dog owners will be able to walk their pets on the Pup Promenade and find treats, water bowls and more.
Even the Rockridge BART parking lot will be a festival draw with a vintage goods marketplace where visitors can buy everything from clothing and jewelry to home décor. For more details, visit rockridgedistrict.com/rocknstroll online.
Summer evenings: Montclair Movie Night will start up again this Saturday with the romantic classic “Dirty Dancing” playing on the big outdoor screen at Medau and Moraga. Sponsored by Red Oak Realty and the Montclair Village Association, the annual movie nights take place in Red Oak’s parking lot.
This is the ninth year for the summer movie series that starts at 7 p.m. with live music, lawn games and popcorn. The film begins at sunset. A second movie night is scheduled for Sept. 13 with a showing of “The Wild Robot.”
Take the bait: Speaking of free stuff, you can fish without a license Aug. 30 at Lake Temescal and Lake Chabot, when park and state fishing fees are waived for the day so you can cast your line and catch a trout without any of the usual costs. The East Bay Regional Park District is sponsoring the event to introduce new anglers to the fun of fishing.
The park district runs 10 fishing lakes, five bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta shoreline piers, and 25 miles of bay and delta shoreline for fishing. For more information, visit ebparks.org/recreation/fishing.
Ginny Prior can be reached at ginnyprior@hotmail.com and followed on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and at ginnyprior.com.