Let’s explore social events in Oakland, CA happening this week. Local events are a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Look through this page and consider going out and socializing during one of these social events.
Social events are great and offer a world of possibilities. You can make new friends, learn new skills, see things from different perspectives and it’s fantastic for your mental health. And never before has companionship and being able to spend time with others been as important as it is today.
You probably remember being a kid and going up to another person your age and saying, “Do you want to be friends?” and that was pretty much that. Friend made. Alas, it’s not quite as simple now that we’re grown up, but it doesn’t have to be as difficult or as awkward as we think. There are thousands of people out there who would love to meet up with others, finding them just takes a bit of help and that’s what we’re here for.
On this page, we hope you’ll find some interesting events in Oakland where you can make some new friends.
Local Groups’ Events in Oakland
Bachata Dance Classes in Hayward!
◦ When: Thursday, Mar 6th
◦ Where: Bella fit Studio
Join us for an exciting evening of bachata dance workshop designed to help you relieve stress and unwind. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a beginner, our experienced instructors will guide you through the steps and techniques to help you let loose and have fun on the dance floor. This event is open to everyone in the community looking to de-stress and socialize through the power of Latin dance(…)
Hangout at Downtown First Thursdays!
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Natoma Cabana
**Please Read:** This is a 21+ event since we’ll be entering bars. We’ll meet inside Natoma Cabana bar around 7 and will stay there until about 8. After that we’ll check out the various bars and the main stage. We’ll likely break into smaller sub-groups as the night goes on. Please note that once we start moving it’ll likely be hard to catch us.
Let’s hang out at Downtown First Thursdays this Thu(…)
Picnic’n’Kayak at Lake Chabot
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Lake Chabot in Castro Valley
Meetup point:
**Event: Coffee Picnic & Kayaking at Lake Chabot**
**Date:** March 8,2025
**Time:** 11-00 AM – 1:00 PM
**Location:** Lake Chabot Regional Park, Marina Area
**Highlights:**
* Coffee and pastries picnic
* Kayaking and paddleboat rentals
**What to Bring:**
* Picnic blanket/chairs
* Sunscreen, hat, water bottle
* Snacks
Information on Boating and Kayaking : https://www.lakechabotr(…)
San Francisco Language Exchange | Make Friends, Learn Languages & Culture
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Woodbury
Learn a new language at this language exchange event!
Come and **make new friends** in a fun, casual atmosphere. No matter which country or background, you will feel welcome.
Socialise, share your knowledge or get new ideas on where to meet people or places to go in San Francisco.
**JOIN on the website for FREE entry** offers: [https://meetpeoplesocial.com/](https://meetpeoplesocial.com/)
**Joi(…)
Trivia at Original Pattern
◦ When: Thursday, Mar 6th
◦ Where: Original Pattern Brewing Company
Come out for a night of trivia at Original Pattern!
Trivia starts at 7. We’ll be there around 6:15 to start saving tables upstairs for the group (come early to help us save seats).
Please remember to keep your RSVP updated if plans change, and I look forward to seeing you all there!(…)
Murder & Mystery Games @ Fieldwork Brewing / Berkeley
◦ When: Tuesday, Mar 4th
◦ Where: Fieldwork Brewing Co.
There are times when sleuthing and spying about pay off…and maybe even solve a murder! Tonight we’ll be playing games that have to do with investigation, murder, and mystery!!
We’ll be returning to Fieldwork Brewing in Berkeley! Fieldwork has tons of locally made beers on tap as well as food trucks for dinner. Learn more about them out [HERE](https://www.visitberkeley.com/directory/fieldwork-br(…)
Special International Women’s Day Workshop: #IAmRemarkable
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: undefined
***Reserving 10 FREE seats for members of Irreverent Women Discuss! Please RSVP on Meetup to receive the event invitation & Zoom link.***
#IAmRemarkable is a global movement, reaching 550,000+ participants and fuelled by over 3,000 facilitators across 180 countries. We exist to empower everyone, including underrepresented groups, to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond, while (…)
LeadDev San Francisco Meetup
◦ When: Thursday, Mar 6th
◦ Where: New Relic
**Get ready for the launch of LeadDev San Francisco Meetups!**
LeadDev Meetups are making a comeback and we’re excited to announce they will now be held quarterly!
Join us for the special launch event on March 5th and enjoy an evening of networking and lightning talks. Drinks and nibbles will be provided on the night, thanks to New Relic.
**Date:** Wednesday, 5 March 2025
**Time:** 6 – 9 pm
**Loc(…)
Social Mixer for Ones into Astrology, Numerology, Myers-Briggs…
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Anina
**Step into a night of connection and conversation at our Mystical Minds & Personality Insights One-on-One Social Mixer!**
Are you fascinated by astrology, numerology, tarot cards, dream interpretation, or quirky superstitions? Or perhaps you’re intrigued by psychological and personality-based topics like Myers-Briggs (MBTI), Enneagram types, love languages, or even handwriting analysis? This even(…)
Meet People Social San Francisco | Cultural International Party
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Woodbury
Drink specials.
**What:** Friends, Music, Drinks, Games, Prizes!
**When:** 5:30pm every Friday
**Where:** Woodbury. Inside.
**Cost Online:** Just a 4 USD online donation to participate. If you don’t buy online, entry costs 8 USD at door.
**JOIN on the website for FREE entry** offers: [https://meetpeoplesocial.com/](https://meetpeoplesocial.com/)
**Join the WhatsApp group** on the website above to(…)
Friday Night Showcase @ The MADE
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment – (The MADE)
Join The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment on the first Friday of each month for **The MADE Showcase!** Drop by to try out some indie games, see cool creations and meet other local devs and gamers. The next Event is on **March 7th, 2025**.
**Visitors and Playtesters:** Entry is $15 for the evening, and proceeds go toward supporting The MADE’s mission of preserving playable history and inspi(…)
Neurodivergents Unite! – March 3rd (Meeting 36!)
◦ When: Tuesday, Mar 4th
◦ Where: Downtown Historic Firehouse Presentation Space
Join us on March 3rd for an evening of connection, conversation, and community. Bring a friend, a favorite game, or your latest hyperfixation!
**Structured Activity Planned for Event:**
We’re excited to introduce an optional 20–30 minute obstacle/stim course at the beginning of the meetup. This activity is designed to spark discussion about the impact of movement and stimming on our well‐being. ((…)
The Write Time on Piedmont
◦ When: Thursday, Mar 6th
◦ Where: The Crepe Pan
Welcome to Write Time!
We’ll meet up on Wednesday at 5:30 PM at the Crepe Pan on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland and wrap up by 7:30 PM. I’ll be inside with a sign that says “Write Time” to make it easier to find us.
In terms of structure, we’ll write in two 45-minute blocks and aim to follow this structure:
5:30 – Meet up, say hello, settle in
5:45 – Writing block #1
6:30 – Break and check in (not r(…)
EdgeAI and On-Device ML Developer Networking at General Lithium
◦ When: Wednesday, Mar 5th
◦ Where: 1338 Mission St
Building local LLM solutions? Interested in meeting like-minded developers? Looking for inspiration for edge and forward-deployed AI solutions? Come join us at our networking event for developers building constrained AI solutions and learn how General Lithium can help enable your team to create world-changing solutions.(…)
Cellarmaker Oakland Lake Merritt Run
◦ When: Wednesday, Mar 5th
◦ Where: Cellarmaker Oakland
We will meet at Cellarmaker Brewing in Jack London Square, and we will run a 5k or \~5-miler around Lake Merritt before returning to the taproom for beers and food. (The 5k turnaround will be at Snow Park — near the 20th St/Harrison St/Lakeside Dr signal light.)
**Run routes**
4.73 mi (via Grand Ave) — https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/5811797326
5k (Turnaround at Snow Park) — https://www.m(…)
IT Social San Francisco | Data, Technology, Cybersecurity, IT
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Woodbury
Drink specials.
**What:** Friends, Music, Drinks, Games, Prizes!
**When:** 5:30pm every Friday
**Where:** Woodbury. Inside.
**Cost Online:** Just a 4 USD online donation to participate. If you don’t buy online, entry costs 8 USD at door.
**JOIN on the website for FREE entry** offers: [https://itsocial.com.au/](https://itsocial.com.au/)
**Join the WhatsApp group** on the website above to meet peop(…)
No Hurry, No Worry Weekly Hikes at Redwood Regional Park (winter reboot)
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Redwood Gate
Friday afternoon hike in addition to our regular Wednesdays!
Join us for this 5.5 mile, moderate hike at Redwood Regional Park.
Enter from Redwood Gate https://goo.gl/maps/PrGuttC8dEnxN1KC9
Park at either Fishway Lot (first parking lot on the left), or Wayside Lot, and we will meet at Fishway Lot.
At 3 pm we will start with meet and greet; and each person gets to share 1 – 2 things that made t(…)
Knitting with Friends
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: I’m Moment Kaffee
Greetings yarn enthusiasts!
Next weekend, Saturday the 8th, let’s hang out a cool place on College Ave called I’m Moment. The food looks delicious so come hungry.
Bring your yarn project.
See you then!
Laurel(…)
Resourcing: Get More Glimmer & Glow in Your Life
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Near Rachel’s House
Learn how to access beautiful moments of pause, connection, and calm in between some of the madness of life. In this session we’ll be exploring some of those delicious states, doing exercises that help you feel confident, grounded, warm, open and connected. Learn how to hit the Pause button in these states and really anchor them into your body for when you need to resource the most.
No boring lec(…)
Tips to meet people at social events
You can make more friends at one party by showing interest in them than in a month by trying to meet people online. Meeting new people and making genuine connections in local events can be fun and easy if you go with the right mindset.
When it comes to meeting new people, nothing beats showing up in the real world. But none of the tips will work if you are not coming from the right place. Keep an open mind when attending social events. Reframe strangers as potential friends, it will make it much easier to approach conversations and fully engage in them.
When choosing an event, keep an eye on interesting themes, something you can relate to. Meeting new people in the context of mutual interest increases your chances of being friends.
Research events with the types of people you want to meet. They could be people in your age group, your field of work, or a specific neighborhood. Do not be too strict though, loosen up a little bit from your expectations.
Go where people are intentionally looking to make friends such as networking events where it feels normal and expected to walk up and introduce yourself.
In this digital era, apps and websites are the most convenient solutions for finding out about local events. If you are not sure where to look for events happening in Oakland, you can try out Visitoakland.com, Museumca.org, or Visitcalifornia.com.
RELATED: How To Meet People In Oakland, California
BAY AREA | “Good Luck, Babe!” | One-Day Choir
◦ When: Tuesday, Mar 4th
◦ Where: Cityview Event Space
No auditions. No judgment. No need for perfection. Just the joy of singing in harmony with a room full of beautiful humans.
2025 March Concert
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Hertz Hall
The Intermission Orchestra will be playing songs from Star Trek, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy XV, and more!!
Mighty Real presents KERRI CHANDLER
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: The Great Northern
Friday 3/7 – Mighty Real presents Kerri Chandler w/ resident David Harness + opening set by Charles Hawthorne.
AfterGlow Chorus Concert – Wonder & Joy
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Oakland
Honoring Stevie Wonder’s 75th birthday, AfterGlow’s breathtaking program spans genres across classical, jazz, R&B, and more!
Connect Silicon Valley Danville Breakfast with Promod Haque
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Aracely Lounge
A unique opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces, build new connections and explore a deeper sense of purpose with Promod Haque.
Collage des Cultures Africaines Conference and Performance
◦ When: Thursday, Mar 6th
◦ Where: Oakland Technical High School
Come and celebrate our 30th year of immersing communities in African Culture. You will experience singing, dancing, and drumming.
Shane Smith & The Saints: First Annual Benefit Concert for Oakland Lacrosse
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Diablo Country Club
Join for a night of music with Shane Smith & The Saints! Proceeds from this event go directly to the Oakland Lacrosse Club 501(c)(3).
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS — The Dance Party
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: The Great Northern
The ultimate tribute dance party to Benito and DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS!
Oakland Mayoral Candidates Forum
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Allen Temple Baptist Church
Join us for the Candidates’ Forum and Overview of Oakland Ballot Measures!
EST 1957: Ghanaian Independence Day Party
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Cave Oakland
Celebrate Ghana Independence with style!
Pre-Noruz Party with DJ Taba at MADARAE
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Madarae
Get ready to party with DJ Taba live in San Francisco at MODARAE – it’s going to be lit!
The Source Wellness Market
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: The Source Chiropractic – Berkeley
Immerse yourself in an evening of holistic wellness at The Source Wellness Market – a gathering of community, vendors, and chiropractic!
The Menagerie presents the Women of Oddities
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: Preservation Park
Celebrate International Women’s Day with us at Preservation Park in Oakland showcasing ALL of our female vendors.
Hillside Echoes presents The Lonesome Ace Stringband
◦ When: Thursday, Mar 6th
◦ Where: The Hillside Club
The Lonesome Ace Stringband bring grit, skill and abandon to Americana music, bridging old-time, bluegrass and folk traditions.
RECLAIM 3/8/25 – daytime dance party for both BIPOC and Queer folks
◦ When: Saturday, Mar 8th
◦ Where: BANDALOOP
Let’s come together to reclaim our love for dance and celebrate the joy of movement!
hoodslam // DISASSEMBLED
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Continental Club
Pro Wrestling Rated R // This Is Real since 2010 // last sports team in Oakland // 21+ #dontbringyourfnkids // doors 7ish, show 8-11ish
LET’S DANCE (BOWIE DANCE PARTY) S.F.
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Cat Club
+ Music For The Masses (Dark 80s New Wave Nite) – 2 Rooms Of Music
Book Launch: Connecting Dots by Joshua A. Miele
◦ When: Tuesday, Mar 4th
◦ Where: JCC East Bay
Join us for the exciting book launch of “Connecting Dots” by Joshua A. Miele featuring book sales, signings, and an interview of the author
Let’s Ferment!
◦ When: Friday, Mar 7th
◦ Where: Ecology Center Store
Back with Let’s Ferment! Join us for an evening of fun and learning all about the art of fermentation hosted by Karen Wang-Diggs!
Code BEAM America 2025
◦ When: Thursday, Mar 6th
◦ Where: Marines’ Memorial Club & Hotel
The Erlang and Elixir Conference: 2 days of case studies, demos, coding, discussions, networking and just being a part of the community