Thursday, May 8 In Person: $24.38 | Livestream: $10
My Wildest Story is a national live storytelling and comedic trauma-bonding event series from the pop-up comedy collective Fools Circle. Featuring some of the Bay Area’s favorite comedians and storytellers, this edition showcases crazy and jaw-dropping personal experiences that could only happen here. Each presenter will tell a three- to five-minute story that will have audiences laughing, shouting and celebrating local culture.
Tuesday, May 13 In Person: $30.10 | Livestream: Free
In this game show from Check, Please! Bay Area producer Cecilia Phillips, foodies participate in challenges where they must answer, analyze and eat their way to the top of the food pyramid. Your ticket includes tasting portions of the theme food…which in this edition is: maiz! We’ll learn about all parts of this native food — fresh corn, sweet corn, grain, masa — and eat tostadas and drink atole from chef Emmanuel Galvan from Bolita Masa.
Harvey Milk's Legacy: A Night of Reflection and Song
Wednesday, May 21 In Person: $30.10 | Livestream: Free
Commemorate the enduring legacy of LGBTQ rights trailblazer Harvey Milk with an evening of live music, rarely seen footage from KQED’s archives and interviews with those who knew him best and carry on his work. Join host Scott Shafer (KQED’s Political Breakdown) as he reflects Milks legacy with panelists David Campos, Gwenn Craig and Honey Mahogany.
SFJAZZ presents the San Francisco Jazz Festival this June 13-15, featuring 35 concerts over 3 days including Stanley Clarke, Charles Lloyd, Patrice Rushen, Lisa Fischer and more. This 3-day event will also include DJs, food trucks, Cellarmaker Brewery beer garden, wine vendors, art, a vinyl record swap and more! Learn more at www.sfjazz.org/festival.
Burrito Showdown
Thursday, May 29 In Person: $30.10 | Livestream: Free
Local burrito barons La Taqueria, Papalote Mexican Grill and La Vaca Birria showcase their takes on the iconic Mission-style burrito! Enjoy food demos that celebrate the rich flavors and cultural roots behind the Mission burrito as you indulge in mouthwatering bites, learn about the history of the burrito in the Bay and experience the passion of these community staples. Don’t miss this delicious celebration of tradition and taste.
KQED Culture Writer Rae Alexandra chronicles the stories of women who defied their times in her series Rebel Girls From Bay Area History. Learn about the dancer who helped start the Black Panthers’ free Breakfast program. The Piedmont nurse and public health teacher who founded Oakland’s first children’s hospital. The Filipina activist so unstoppable her nickname was “Bullet.” We’ll hear their stories — and many others — in our annual bingo night.
Join host Leslie Sbrocco to celebrate the 20th season of Check, Please! Bay Area. Many of Sbrocco’s favorite wineries and more than 50 restaurants from the show will be featured in this showcase of the Bay Area’s amazing culinary community. And the best part is — you get to sample them all! Featuring live entertainment by jazz musician Lidia Rodriguez, featured on KQED Live’s stage. Participating restaurants include Mazra, Routier, Ettan, Piglet & Co., Roasted and Raw and so many more!
Queer cumbia artists throw some of the Bay’s best parties — and they’ve built a community through rhythm born from Afro-Indigenous resilience. Get ready for high-energy live music from psychedelic cumbia band Ritmos Tropicosmos and the dynamic, genre-bending ensemble Bululú. The evening kicks off with a conversation with musicians and DJs about the Bay Area’s growing queer cumbia scene. Then we’ll bring the energy up with a gender-inclusive, all-levels dance lesson from In Lak’ech Dance Academy, an LGBTQ+ studio in Oakland. DJ sets from Mare.E.Fresh (Chulita Vinyl Club, Velvet Cloud Radio) and Sizzle Fantastic (Cumbiatón) will keep the dance floor hot ’til late.
NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest is heading back on the road! Join us this summer in Petaluma at Lagunitas Brewing Co., as Tiny Desk travels to 10 cities for a one-of-a-kind concert. New this year, each stop will feature a different surprise Tiny Desk alum headliner, plus the 2025 Contest winner and an up-and-coming artist from each region. Opening artists will be announced soon.
