Hoppy Trails

Explore East Bay breweries on these festive tours.

Published: June 6, 2018

Photo by Nat and Cody Gantz

Walk It Out

Did you know there’s an Oakland Ale Trail? Download a map on the Visit Oakland website, and embark on a self-guided tour of 11 of the city’s 14 breweries. Imbibers who get their “passport” stamped at all 11 locations will receive a free Oakland Ale Trail growler. visitoakland.com.

Cycle and Sip

Climb aboard Velocipede Tours’ 14-passenger bicycle, and wheel your way to various pubs and breweries in Jack London Square and West Oakland. Though you’re not allowed to drink while pedaling, the two-hour beer tour guarantees three stops—possibly four, depending on the pace of your group—not including Independent Brewing Company, where the excursion starts and ends. oaklandpedaltours.com.

Ride Along

Whole Brew World also explores the Oakland beer scene in its Uptown Beer Walk, but the company’s tour offerings span across the East Bay, too. A comfy van shuttles passengers to Oakland and Berkeley breweries on the Golden West Tour, the Blue Collar Tour takes participants to beer tastings in Alameda and San Leandro, and The Valley Tour highlights the craft-beer establishments of Livermore. Meanwhile, the Diablo Beer Trail Tour—the newest offering—allows guests to experience Martinez and Concord breweries. wholebrewworld.com. —J.F.

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Faces

Ellie Mae Classic

Professional golfers, local celebrities, and athletes—such as Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry—competed at this annual golf tournament held at the TPC Stonebrae Country Club in Hayward. Hosted by the Pleasanton-based mortgage software company Ellie Mae, the weeklong event raised roughly $150,000 for several charities, including the Warriors Community Foundation, which offers education and development programs to underprivileged students around the Bay Area.

An Evening to Remember

The Pleasanton-based Tyler’s Grace Foundation feted its fifth anniversary by hosting a fundraising gala at the Diablo Country Club, where nearly 300 guests gathered to enjoy cocktails, an elegant dinner, auctions, music, and dancing. Proceeds from the benefit will support 30 families affected by cancer.

Gourmet Gallop

To raise funds for Diablo Ballet and its educational PEEK Outreach Programs, 280 people sipped, savored, and strolled their way through downtown Walnut Creek, where several businesses served special drinks and culinary creations to attendees. business fundamentals to local youths.

Taste of Oakland

The 2018 Taste of Oakland festival series in Jack London Square celebrated the unique musicians, culinary talents, and technological innovation coming out of Oakland and the Bay Area. The event benefited Youth Aid Nonprofit, a charity that provides free summer camps and music lessons and teaches business fundamentals to local youths.

California Trail Opening

The Oakland Zoo celebrated the grand opening of its 56-acre California Trail expansion with cake, refreshments, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Guests were treated to a first look at the new permanent exhibition, which re-creates habitats for eight native California species, including the jaguar, grizzly bear, and gray wolf. Twenty-five years in the making, the California Trail aims to highlight the Golden State’s natural history while also promoting wildlife conservation.

Nourish Gala

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano hosted its biggest bash of the year at Round Hill Country Club in Alamo, where more than 200 guests gathered for cocktails and a silent auction before enjoying a three-course dinner with wine. The annual fundraiser supported the Community Produce Program, which provides about 250,000 pounds of produce each month to people in need.

Oakland Ballet Gala

Oakland Ballet Company’s Spring Gala fundraiser took place at the elegant Bellevue Club overlooking Lake Merritt.

The View From the Kitchen

During this special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, New York Times food writer Kim Severson spoke with a trio of acclaimed female Bay Area chefs.

Walk in the Wild

The 26th annual fundraiser for the Oakland Zoo drew 1,200 animal lovers, who explored the grounds while savoring delicious cuisine and drinks from more than 100 Bay Area restaurants, wineries, and breweries.

Notes and Words

Best-selling authors, acclaimed musicians, and talented local youths wowed 1,600 guests at this ninth annual bash, which garnered nearly $2 million for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. Held at the Fox Theater, the fundraiser featured readings and performances by rocker Dave Grohl, writers George Saunders and Kelly Corrigan, and other special guests.

Power of Kindness

Alamo-based nonprofit Party In-Kindness (PIK) hosted its yearly fundraising event at 1515 Restaurant and Lounge in Walnut Creek, where attendees noshed on appetizers, listened to DJ beats, played games, and sipped cocktails and wine. A portion of the proceeds benefited Rooms of Hope, which creates dream spaces for children with life-threatening illnesses. Since its inception in 2014, PIK has raised $100,000 for numerous East Bay organizations.

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