Bay Area events calendar for Jan. 23-29 weekly editions
South Bay and Peninsula
Jan. 23
Jurassic Quet: Experience North America’s largest “moving, roaring, and breathing dinosaurs” coming alive in this fully immersive walk-through experience. Dig for fossils, ride life-sized dinosaurs, and let kids play in the Lego-themed play zones. Tickets are priced starting at $26.85. 12 p.m., Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd, San Jose. bit.ly/3Nh8t3c
Jan. 24
Hopelessly Romantic — Symphony San Jose: Conducted by François López-Ferrer, this concert comes with intense emotions and wonderful melodies composed by Jean Sibelius, Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann. Enjoy Schubert’s overture, originally composed for Rosamunde, Princess of Cyprus, Sibelius’s “Violin Concerto” and Schumann’s “Symphony No. 4.” Tickets from $24. 7:30 p.m., California Theatre, 345 S. First St., San Jose. bit.ly/49z6COO
“Dog Man — The Musical”: Watch this musical based on the global bestselling hit series by Dav Pilkey. This is a hilarious and heartwarming musical of Dog Man, who with the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture. 3 p.m., San Jose Civic Center, 135 W. San Carlos St., San Jose. bit.ly/45aT9LE
Jan. 25
Wicked Sing-Along Drag Brunch: Dress in pink or green and get ready to defy gravity at a drag brunch in this event featuring tunes from “Wicked” and other films such as “The Wizard of Oz” and “The Wiz” Tickets start at $31.14. Only for those 21 and older. 2:30 p.m., San Jose Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose.bit.ly/3LxcIXV
Jan. 26
Everything but the Plants Fair: Learn about the latest landscape and hardscape materials via demonstrations and networking at this inaugural fair. Vendors will offer hands-on demos, expert guidance, and real-world material insights. Get the opportunity to also speak with specialists who can help you with your next project. 11 a.m., 2490 Charleston Road, Mountain View. bit.ly/3YCfK02
Jan. 27
“The Wiz” — Broadway San Jose: Watch this Tony-Award Award-winning musical that is a twist on “The Wizard of Oz.” This musical tells the story of Dorothy’s journey to find her place in the world. It is directed by Schele Williams with choreography by JaQuel Knight. 7:30 p.m., Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd., San Jose. bit.ly/3Nil4mP
Jonathan Calm — To Wherever, Forever — Archives of Absence & Sites of Passage: This exhibition by Calm, an assistant professor in Photography at Stanford University, focuses on the representation of Black(auto) mobility, which includes the Underground Railroad, mass migration, socioeconomic factors and the mobilization of activism through various branches of the civil rights movement. This exhibition is held in the Department of Art and Art History’s Gallery. 9 a.m., Edward M. Dowd Art and Art History Building, 775 Franklin St., Santa Clara. bit.ly/4pxhdzx
Baby Lap — Sit Storytime: Bring your baby and learn about early literacy in this friendly circle. Read board books and sing engaging songs together to support your baby’s development. Suitable for babies below the age of 1. 9:30 a.m., Los Gatos Public Library, 100 Villa Ave, Los Gatos. bit.ly/3Nkmn4A
Jan. 28
Suej McCall — My Last Picture Show … maybe: Join artist McCall in this exhibition featuring vibrant watercolor paintings. The collection displays her appreciation for the beauty of flowers and her travels. The exhibition is titled “My Last Picture Show” as it refers to McCall’s diminishing eyesight. 1 p.m.,Gallery 9, 143 Main St, Los Altos. bit.ly/3LwUFRu
Hershey Felder — “The Piano and Me”: Join Felder in this play about his own story, growing up in Montreal as the child of Polish and Hungarian immigrants. Watch how Felder discovers his passion for music and the piano and how it connects him with his heritage and the world. 7:30 p.m., Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. bit.ly/49HYwn8
Secrets and Second Chances with Liz Moore: Join New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Liz Moore as she discusses her latest work, “The God of the Woods” and embarks on this thrilling tale and disturbing disappearances. 4 p.m., Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. bit.ly/3ZeNvo8
Jan. 29
AI Bias — a Hands-On Workshop and Discussion: If you’re curious about bias in AI or wondered about chatbots and large language models, then this workshop is for you. Learn a simple tool that lets everyone test large language models under different settings to see how they respond in various scenarios. Registration required. 12 p.m., 150 E San Fernando St, San Jose. bit.ly/4qO4Yj7
East Bay
Jan. 23
Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricius at The Freight: Join Tim O’Brien and his wife, Jan Fabricius, as they perform their new release, “Paper Flowers.” O’Brien has been an essential part of folk, bluegrass and Americana music scenes for the past 50 years. He has also written songs for artists such as Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks. 8 a.m., The Freight, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. bit.ly/4qjxbhS
Film Screening — “Ikiru”: Directed by Akira Kurosawa, this film is about Mr. Watanabe, played by Takashi Shimura, who suddenly finds that he has terminal cancer. He vows to make his final days meaningful. 4 p.m., 2155 Center St, Berkeley. bit.ly/4jNdJHZ
Jan. 24
East Bay Speed Dating: Calling men in their 40s and 50s who are ready to meet someone special or make more friends. This speed dating event is the perfect place to spark a connection. Tickets are sold out for women. $45 for advance purchase or $55 at the door. 6:45 p.m., Hyatt Place, 5700 Bay St. (next to Bay Street Mall), Emeryville. bit.ly/4qCdcvj
Comedy Oakland Live: Laugh out loud with comedians such as Holly Shaw, Nina G, Mac McCaskill, Mean Dave and Candy Shaw as they entertain you with their jokes. Tickets are $25. 7 p.m., Quinn’s Lighthouse, 1951 Embarcadero, Oakland. bit.ly/45KGq2j
Park Cleanup: Come do your part and help keep the Peralta Hacienda Historical Park clean. Help maintain the neighborhood park by collecting litter and performing some light landscaping such as weeding and trimming edges. Gloves and tools will be provided alongside water and snacks. 10 a.m., Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, 2465 34th Ave., Oakland. bit.ly/49Qxaw2
Jan. 25
Concert Series — Dirty Cello: The Contra Costa Civic Theatre is kicking off its concert series with Dirty Cello, a band that combines the style of Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Bill Monroe and, of course, the cello. The band has performed globally and blends blues, bluegrass, classical and rock genres. Tickets are $35. 2 p.m., Contra Costa Civic Theatre, 951 Pomona Ave., El Cerrito. bit.ly/4sBTNMb
Vocal Open Mic: Join Angharad Jones and a piano trio of experienced jazz musicians for an open mic open to all! You are encouraged to bring three charts per song for each band member, and you get to belt out a tune or two in front of a supportive audience. 4 p.m., Hardymon Hall @ The Jazzschool, 2087 Addison St., Berkeley. bit.ly/4jAMd0p
Jan. 26
Monday Birding — Miller Knox: Start your day with the mysteries of nature and learn more about birds, habitats, plants and more. Meet at the first entrance after the tunnel. 9 a.m., Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline, 900 Dornan Drive in Richmond. bit.ly/4sDri0H
Shape of Thought — the Book as Art: View this exhibit from The Bancroft’s Library collection of contemporary artists’ books from local and international artists. It includes handmade books with a wide range of texts, illustration techniques and formats. 10 a.m., UC Berkeley’s Bancroft Library, 1 S. Hall Road, Berkeley. bit.ly/49uvebf
Jan. 27
“Morning Sunrise” Paint & Sip — Two Pitchers Brewing: Get creative while sipping a drink or two. Perfect for friends, families or date nights! All materials will be provided. Tickets are $45. 6 p.m., Two Pitchers Brewing, 2344 Webster St., Oakland. bit.ly/4jWMDhT
Jan. 28
America Works — Employment Services Information Session: Join this job readiness and employment support services program to veterans. America Works also offers the “Ticket to Work” program for anyone aged 18 to 64 who receives Social Security benefits. 2 p.m., online event. bit.ly/4syYCGd
Berkeley Book Chat with Nina Beguš: Join Nina Beguš as she presents a novel interdisciplinary framework for understanding the cultural, philosophical and ethical dimensions of AI. She traces connections from Eliza Doolittle to ELIZA the chatbot and current language models and incorporates other examples. Registration required. 12 p.m., The Geballe Room, UC Berkeley, 220 Stephens Hall, Berkeley. bit.ly/4sIjzyw
Jan. 29
Tom Bentley-Fisher: Meet local author, Tom Bentley-Fisher, reading and signing copies of his new novel, “The Boy Who Was Saved By Jazz” at Books Inc. Alameda. 6:30 p.m., 1344 Park St., Alameda. bit.ly/3ZfJvDT
Have an entertainment event to add? Submit it online at forms.gle/Cu9J6Ks2fQiQUcKk8. Please send calendar items at least two weeks in advance to ensure a better chance of print publication.