Arts & Humanities Month
October is National
Arts & Humanities Month!
The Tri-Valley is home to several art galleries, museums, theaters, public art displays, and historic sites for visitors and residents to experience. Whether you’re a long-time patron of the arts or you have yet to discover the Tri-Valley’s diverse artistic community, here are a few ways to get involved in this exciting month of local public art displays, cultural events, and educational museum exhibits.
Planning a visit in the future? Jump ahead to our art and humanities centric annual events or year-round activities featuring a listing of of museums, historic sites, art galleries, and more located in the Tri-Valley.
Featured Events
Mark your calendars! Celebrate National Arts & Humanities Month in the Tri-Valley by taking part in any of these upcoming featured events:
FRIDAY OCT. 1ST
Eugene O'Neill: "51 Plays in 51 Minutes"
- Fri., October 1st | 8pm
- Museum of the San Ramon Valley
- $15
Eugene O’Neill, America’s only Nobel-prize winning playwright, made his home in the quaint town of Danville. Today, it’s memorialized as a National Historic Site. While Eugene is known for writing long plays, he’s less known for the amount of plays he was able to pen in his lifetime. Eugene O’Neill: 51 Plays in 51 Minutes is a playful overview of the entire O’Neill canon from the perspective of a director who has staged 27 of the playwright’s 51 plays.
SATURDAY OCT. 2ND
A Taste of Africa in the Heart of Livermore
- Sat., October 2nd | 10am-6pm
- Bankhead Theater
- Free
This free family-friendly, outdoor event promotes and celebrates African and African diaspora cultures. Featuring various forms of art, outdoor musical and dance performances, a kids zone equipped with hands-on learning experiences, musical instrument exploration, arts & crafts, face painting and so much more.
SATURDAY OCT. 2ND
San Ramon historic foundation's oktoberfest
- Sat., October 2nd | 11am-3pm
- Forest Home Farms Historic Park
- Admission Varies
Celebrate Oktoberfest with beer tastings, German food, and live performances to benefit the San Ramon Historic Foundation and the renovation of historic buildings. This event will feature live music by Olympia Fields Brass Band, performances and dance lessons by Golden Gate Bavarian Dancers, sheep herding demonstrations and tours of this historic property. Cost includes a pilsner beer glass or wine glass, four beer or wine tickets and a German lunch.
SATURDAY
OCT. 9TH
livermore art walk
- Sat., October 9th | 11am-5pm
- Bankhead Theater
- Free
Don’t miss out on the Tri-Valley’s premiere one-day art festival. Over 200 artists will display their works on sidewalks and plazas, in parks and galleries, surrounded by boutique shops, wine tasting rooms, and restaurants in historic downtown Livermore. Art works range from contemporary to classical, abstract to realism, pottery to mixed media, handmade bags, ceramic garden art and jewelry, with subject matter from floral to figurative and much more. View a variety of cultural performances between 12pm-4pm in front of the Bankhead Theater, meet the artists, and buy one-of-a-kind, original handmade treasures.
SATURDAY
OCT. 9TH
dublin harvest festivaL
- Sat., October 9th | 10am-2pm
- Dublin Heritage Park & Museums
- Free
Enjoy an afternoon of old-fashioned fall fun with farm harvest activities, lively music, and favorite seasonal foods. This event features family-friendly activities like tractor rides, a hay bale maze, and more. While you’re here tour the 1910 Kolb House to see how a true farm family lived.
THURSDAY
OCT. 14TH
NATional GEOgraphy LIVE: ANDY MANN | FROM SUMMIT TO SEA
- Thu., October 14th
- Blackhawk Museum
- $30 Members, $35 Non-Members
Award-winning filmmaker and photographer Andy Mann uses his work to bridge the gap between science and policy. From his early days as a rock climber to his current passion documenting the critically endangered oceanic whitetip shark, his stunning images tell the story of our rapidly changing planet, from top to bottom.
AUG. 9TH-
OCT. 14TH
BelLisSimo: A CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN ART EXHIBIT
- August 9th - October 14th
- Village Theater & Art Gallery
Bellissimo is an art exhibit showing a wide range of creative talents by 12 Italian and Italian American artists who reside in Northern California. The exhibition has been co-curated by two Danville Artists: Tricia Grame and Emily Smith Silvestri. Both women sought out an array of imagery, styles, subject matter and media to highlight the many talents of a variety of Italian Artists. The two resident artists collaborated with Museo Italo Americano in San Francisco to curate an eclectic show that pays homage to Italian culture and heritage.
SATURDAY OCT. 16TH
livermore pride
- Sat., October 16th | 12pm - 6pm
- Carnegie Park | Livermore, CA
Mark your calendar for a full afternoon of outdoor, socially distanced entertainment including SF Cheer, Drag Queens, Pooch Parade dog show, live music, and Bay Area Children’s Theater. Attendees are also welcome to shop from nearly 100 local sponsors and merch & food vendors ranging from LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and ally businesses.
Annual Events
Planning a visit in the future? Browse through some of the most popular annual events hosted in the Tri-Valley. Use the buttons below to find out the exact dates for these events before planning your trip.
lunar new year celebration
- Janurary/February
- Bankhead Theater | Livermore, CA
Every year the Bankhead Theater hosts traditional dancing, demonstrations, food and crafts in celebration of the Lunar New Year.
Dublin's St. Patrick's DAY Festival
- March
- Dublin, CA
Thousands of visitors flock to the Dublin every year for one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States. The celebration includes a festival, the Shamrock 5K Fun Run & Walk, a colorful parade, and more.
livermore valley wine country's
barrel tasting weekend
Dozens of Livermore Valley Wine Country wineries participate in this annual event where visitors are invited to sample wines still in development straight from the barrel. Barrels are painted by local artists to be displayed throughout the month and are bid off at the end of the event.
Livermore rodeo
- June
- Livermore, CA
The Livermore Rodeo has celebrated over 100 years of tradition in the Tri-Valley. Includes several events including a Street Fest, Parade, Cowgirl Luncheon, and more!
alameda county fair
- June-July (2021 Fair will be held in October)
- Alameda County Fairgrounds | Pleasanton, CA
Voted one of the top fairs in the country, and home to America’s oldest 1-mile horse race track, the Alameda County Fair brings in thousands of visitors from around the country each summer.
Shakespeare in the vineyard
Voted best Live Theater in the East Bay for three years in a row, Shakespeare in the Vineyard is a unique opportunity to see a classic performance under the stars while sipping on local wines.
eugene o'neill festival
- August-September
- Eugene O'Neill Historic Site | Danville, CA
In celebration of America’s only Nobel prize winning playwright, the Eugene O’Neill Festival features live performances of his plays in a one-room playhouse of the playwright’s Danville homestead.
scottish highland gathering and games
Celebrating over 150 years of Celtic culture and the gathering of clans and societies, the Scottish Games feature several popular events including heavy athletics, Highland dancing, piping and drumming, as well as whisky tastings.
california NATIVE AMERICAN DAY
- September
- Bankhead Theater | Livermore, CA
This free, family-friendly event features a 25-foot Tipi display, traditional Indian dance performances, free arts and crafts for children, and educational booths.
Year-Round Activities
Not sure when you’ll be visiting the Tri-Valley? Enjoy these museums, art galleries, and historic sites available to visitors throughout the year.
Museums
The Blackhawk Museum, located in Danville’s Blackhawk Plaza, houses 5 impressive galleries under one roof. Admission includes access to all five galleries including a vast collection of significant and historic cars, as well as Art of Africa, Into China, World of Nature, and the critically acclaimed Spirit of the Old West. More Info →
Pleasanton’s Museum on Main features permanent and rotating exhibits as well as a vast collection of photographs and artifacts from around the Tri-Valley region. Located in the heart of Downtown Pleasanton in what was previously Pleasanton’s city hall and library, the Museum on Main also acts as the center of Downtown celebrations and events. More Info →
The Museum on San Ramon Valley is located in Downtown Danville, and commemorates the rich heritage and history of the San Ramon Valley, including its geology, pre-colonial inhabitants, railroad developments, the Gold Rush, and early settlers. In addition to permanent educational programs and exhibits, it’s also home to rotating exhibits. More Info →
Dublin Heritage Park and Museums is a 10-acre park with historic buildings, lawns, pioneer cemetery, and picnic areas. The park is designed to maintain and tell the story of Dublin’s rich farming history. More Info →
theaters
Livermore’s Bankhead Theater is the largest performing arts facility in the Tri-Valley, seating 507 guests and hosting a range of performances, lectures, conferences and meetings. The Bankhead Theater is home to a wide range of performances from renowned world-class musicians to rising stars on their way up, from decades-old resident companies to young student performers. More Info →
Downtown Pleasanton’s Firehouse Arts Center is a 221-seat theater featuring performances in music, poetry, theater, comedy, film, and more. Located conveniently near Downtown Pleasanton restaurants and features a parkside patio and entrance adjacent to Lions Wayside Park. More Info →
Built in 1873 for use as a farmer’s lodge, the Village Theatre & Art Gallery has been used as a Grange Hall, movie theatre, and church. Recognized as a historic site by the Heritage Resource Commission, the Village Theatre now serves as a 245-seat performing arts theatre with a fine arts gallery located in the lobby area. More Info →
Art Galleries
The Harrington Gallery is located inside the Firehouse Arts Center and features 2,000 square feet of exhibition space. Harrington Gallery features seven group exhibitions per year, highlighting works by both established and emerging local and regional artists working in a variety of styles, genres, and themes. More Info →
Located in the spacious lobby of the Village Theatre & Art Gallery, and renovated in 2009, this 1,000 square foot exhibition space features rotating fine art exhibits. More Info →
Historic Sites
The Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site commemorates America’s only Nobel Prize winning playwright, Eugene O’Neill, who chose to live in Northern California at the height of his writing career. Isolated from the world and within the walls of his home, O’Neill wrote his final and most memorable plays; The Iceman Cometh, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, and A Moon for the Misbegotten.
More Info →
Ravenswood Historic Site is on the National Register of Historic Places, is a State of California Historical Point of Interest, and is a City of Livermore Historic Preservation Landmark Site. Free public tours are given by costumed docents on a regular basis. Two annual community events are held at Ravenswood: the Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social on the second Sunday in August and the Victorian Yuletide on the second Sunday in December. More Info →