Oakland is probably one of the most underrated cities in the U.S. If you close on one of the Oakland houses for sale in the area, you surely won’t be disappointed as the city has a lot to offer. Not only does the city have a slew of entertainment options and job opportunities, but it also has an amazing weather.
View and book available hotels in Oakland.
Booking.comIn addition, the city isn’t located that far away from San Francisco, a city that is often lauded as being one of the best destinations in the U.S. One of the most underrated aspects of Oakland is the fact that the city throws a lot of fantastic festivals. Throughout the entire year, there’s always some type of celebration going on, making the city seem that much more lively. So what are some of the best festivals that the city of Oakland puts on? Here are three festivals that you absolutely need to attend.
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Art and Soul Festival
One of the biggest celebrations that Oakland throws is the Art and Soul Festival, and it’s not hard to see why. The festival is a celebration of all things Oakland and brings in various talents from all across the globe. It is extremely interesting to see it all come together, as there really are some talented performers across a wide range of activities. For example, you may see some amazing musicians or you could see some extremely talented dancers. Not to mention the slew of unique performers like contortionists, acrobats, and magicians. Finally, there’s a massive Kids’ Zone with plenty of rides and games to keep your children interested. As a result, the Oakland Art and Soul Festival is the perfect event for the whole family to enjoy.
After feeding your soul with art, why not feed your tummy with delicious food Oakland has to offer? Consider doing a food tour led by Oakland natives right in downtown.
Laurel Streetfair Music Festival
When you think of a festival, usually music and dancing are likely some of the first things that come to mind. In this aspect, the Laurel Streetfair Music Festival is much like your standard festival. The festival is a celebration of all different forms of art including music, dance, and food. In addition, the Laurel Streetfair Music Festival is completely admission free, making it very accessible to the public. Finally, all money that is earned from other areas of the festival is funneled back into the community and goes towards improving the surrounding area. Not only is the Laurel Streetfair Music Festival a great event, but it is also easily accessible and works towards a great cause.
Oakland Running Festival
When most people think of running, they think of it as an individual sport. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Running can actually be an extremely social activity, as several social groups can form around running. That’s exactly what happened with the Oakland Running Festival, a festival celebrating running and the running community. People from all around the community come together to experience the beauty of Oakland through running and other physical activities. There are several races held for the Oakland Running Festival, including individual and team marathons, a half marathon, and a 5k. The wide variety of events attract runners of all different skills to come out and compete, really bringing the community together. After the races are over, the community comes together and celebrates with some amazing finish line parties. If you’re looking to experience a different kind of festival, the Oakland Running Festival will be right up your alley.
I’d love to come to the Art and Soul Festival! That sounds like so much fun and with great diversity too! I’ve never heard of a running festival – that’s quite niche – so would be interested to see how those are as well!
Good to discover more about these Oakland festivals. I’ve always thought of this city as a pass-through destination. I’ve flown in there a couple of times as the flights were cheaper than going into SFO, but I’ve only ever arrived and left straight away. Looks like there’s some good events to keep a visitor interested, and worth sticking around for.
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These all sound like a lot of fun! I havent visited Oakland before, but it sounds like a nice place.
These all look fun! We’ve only spent a day in Oakland and wish we had more time- there are definitely some cool spots to see!
I have never heard much about Oakland before so it is great to see it featured and learn more about the city! Would love to visit one day 🙂
I have not been to Oakland, but the Art and Soul Festival sounds like so much fun. I would love to visit while the event is taking place!
What a great quick read!! I must admit, I have never heard of Oakland before this post but I think that when I visit San Fran, I will try to plan it around the Laurel Streetfair Music Festival so I can have a quick pop over! I love the fact that all of the money goes back into the community! So interesting!
Wooow this festivals really nice … I love going to such things. It shows a bit of the community and culture.
Oakland is definitely an underrated destination and festivals are a great reason to visit. Are these happening even with covid? The Art & Soul one is my style!
I love that you are documenting these festivals, I lived in Pittsburgh for 4 years and they have the most cute and amazing festivals that people really need to know about!
I love my music and it looks like I will love it at Oakland with these festivals especially the Laurel Streetfair Music festival.
As a Californian, I haven’t spent time in Oakland but the Laurel Streetfair and Art & Soul festivals are up my alley!
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