October 25–November 1, 2026
By BAR Editorial Staff
Angela Davis in Berkeley, Bay Area musicians in San Jose and San Francisco, and Día de los Muertos gatherings across the region give the last week of October a lively mix of conversation, music and remembrance. Families can make an afternoon of neighborhood Halloween celebrations, while theatergoers have one final week to catch Dracula in Mountain View. These selections offer a few ways to get out before the calendar turns to November.
Ideas and memory
Angela Davis in Conversation with Poulomi Saha (●) (Oct. 28) brings the activist and scholar to Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall at 7:30 p.m. Beginning with Nina Simone’s musical expression of freedom, Davis will explore liberation before joining UC Berkeley’s Poulomi Saha in conversation. Listed tickets start at $28; online and phone orders carry a $15 order fee. In San Francisco, In Their Name: Día de Los Muertos 2026 (through Nov. 20) offers another way to consider what communities preserve. SOMArts’ annual exhibition, curated by Bridgétt Rex and Rio Yañez and dedicated to Tosha Stimage, brings together altars and installations around remembrance, care and resistance. Admission is free; visit Thursday, 3–7 p.m.; Friday, noon–7 p.m.; or Saturday and Sunday, noon–5 p.m. The gallery at 934 Brannan Street is an option for an afternoon visit or a Thursday evening stop. For a Peninsula gathering, Millbrae’s Día de los Muertos Celebration (Oct. 30) runs 6–8 p.m. at the Recreation Center, with children’s activities and a performance from Mills High School’s Latino Mentor Program. Families can contribute photographs or mementos to the community altar, displayed through Nov. 7.
Live music with room to move
Top Chefs (●) (Oct. 30) brings a Fillmore-grown musical spirit to the SJZ Break Room in downtown San Jose. Led by emcee Afterthought, the ensemble moves among hip-hop, jazz, R&B and soul, pairing original music with familiar classics. Its Stoop Sessions began outside Afterthought’s childhood home and grew into a platform for Bay Area artists. That neighborhood connection carries into a set that brings an emcee and a live ensemble onto the same stage. Doors open at 7 p.m., the show starts at 8, and admission is listed at $27 including fees. In San Francisco, John Scofield’s Electrospective (Oct. 30–Nov. 1) revisits the guitarist’s electric catalog at SFJAZZ with bassist Oteil Burbridge, organist Larry Goldings and drummer Adam Deitch. Friday and Saturday begin at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday starts at 7. Listed prices range from $50–$135 across the run. Compare performances before choosing: the venue flags Friday and Sunday as nearly sold out.
Neighborhood treats and a theatrical chill
Beebe Memorial Cathedral’s Harvest Festival (●) (Oct. 31) offers an afternoon of family fellowship for Halloween. The longtime Oakland Black church welcomes children of all ages for food, games and activities from noon–2 p.m. at 3900 Telegraph Avenue; costumes are encouraged. Later, Fillmore After Dark and Kids Scream Zone (Oct. 31) brings an all-ages gathering to Fillmore and O’Farrell streets and the adjacent Safeway plaza in San Francisco, 4–9 p.m., with performances, vendors, a costume contest and trunk-or-treat activities. Prefer your suspense seated? TheatreWorks’ Dracula (through Nov. 1) closes its run at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Steven Dietz’s adaptation brings the vampire story to the stage; the Oct. 28 evening performance includes a post-show cast discussion. Check the performance calendar when booking, and note the production’s warnings for blood, loud sounds and flashing lights.
ON THE RADAR
Brandon Woody’s Upendo / Gabrielle Cavassa (●) (Nov. 7): Plan ahead for this one-night SFJAZZ double bill pairing Woody’s trumpet-led Upendo with vocalist Cavassa in Terence Blanchard’s UpSwing series. The 7 p.m. concert is at Miner Auditorium; listed tickets are $45–$105. Check the venue’s ticket selector before making plans.
DIG DEEPER
Explore more Bay Area events in BAR’s event calendar. Check organizer pages for current admission, availability and last-minute changes before heading out.
