The Green Heart of Oakland
The Gardens at Lake Merritt, a seven-acre collection of themed gardens, is conveniently located in the heart of Oakland at Lakeside Park, our nation’s first wildlife refuge.
Established more than a half century ago, the Gardens serve as a source of great regional pride, a cultural and educational center and a place to […]
August Special Events
Wild Oakland Free Guided Pollinator Walk in the Gardens Saturday, August 10, noon-2:00. Learn what is happening in the plant and pollinator world of Oakland… like the construction of our new bee hotel!
The walk and talk will be led by Tora Rocha, Park Supervisor for the City of Oakland and founder of the Pollinator Posse, a […]
Come join Wild Oakland for a walk in the Gardens Saturday, August 10, noon-2:00, and learn what is happening in the plant and pollinator world of Oakland… like the construction of our new bee hotel!
The walk and talk will be led by Tora Rocha, Park Supervisor for the City of Oakland and founder of the Pollinator […]
We are happy to announce the Autumn Lights Festival fundraiser returns to the Gardens at Lake Merritt from 6pm – 10pm on Friday and Saturday, October 18 & 19, 2013!
Imagine several acres of garden illuminated with amazing and enchanting art installations created by local Bay Area artists. Electric fireflies flickering in the trees, glowing waterfalls, a flock of interactive books, a Polynesian Paradise with hand-crafted tiki lanterns and hula girls projected on palm trees. Fire art cars and live fire performers light the night while music and sound installations surprise at every turn on the garden paths lit with hundreds of luminarias. Attendees are invited to participate during the evening by coming dressed in their most interesting illuminated garden attire.
• Lighted art, fire, and sound installations by Local Bay Area Artists
• Food, Beer & Wine
• Artist’s Museum Store
Tickets
Click here to buy tickets
Tickets are $25 in advance at or $35 at the gate
Children 3-12 years are half price, free under 3 years
VIP Tickets for 21+ are $50, and are available in advance only. VIP Ticket includes free wine and beer tastings and illumination toys in the VIP lounge.
Artists and Art Installations
ARTIST
ART INSTALLATION
LOCATION
WEBSITE & EMAIL
R. Emil Barber & Kyle Milligan
Polynesian Paradise with Hand-crafted Tiki Lanterns & Vintage Hula Projections
Palmetium Garden
www.kylemilligan.com
kukubyr@hotmail.com
Clive Brown
Eco-Foam Flower
Tree Stump near Rose Garden
cliveeta@yahoo.com
Clive Brown
Disappearing Pine/Infinity Mirror
Pine Tree near the Beehive
cliveeta@yahoo.com
Susan Casentini
Projected garden-related vintage home movies
Rock Face at the Waterfall Cascades
www.studioquercus.com
casentini20@hotmail.com
Stan Clark
Space Forest of Inflatable Sacred Space Asparagus Trees
Location TBA
www.oyeahtoys.com
oyeahtoys@gmail.com
Karen Cusolitos
Giant Floral Metal Sculpture
Location TBA
www.americansteelstudios.com
Karen@americansteelstudios.com
Echo Landscaping
Giant Trees Lit From Below
various trees
www.echolandscape.net
mike@echolandscape.net
John Fadeff
Projected Shorts
The Green House
www.johnfadeff.com
fadej@att.net
Tara Gill
Photographic Light Box
Location TBA
www.taragill.com
taranoella@gmail.com
Golden State Bonsai Federation
Lighting on Bonsai Trees
Bonsai Garden
www.gsbf-bonsai.org/lake-merritt
gsbcnorth@gmail.com
Insect Sciences Museum of California
Living Insects Painting
Community Garden
www.bugpeople.org
eddie@bugpeople.org
Adam Katz
Submersible Water Lighting
Waterfalls & Ponds
adam@geekeasy.com
Kyle Milligan
Tulip Lanterns
Location TBA
www.kylemilligan.com
casentini20@hotmail.com
Joanie Mitchell
Illuminated Batiks
Gazebo
www.joaniemitchell.com
joaniebatik@yahoo.com
Keiko Nelson
Floating Water Sculptures
Garden Pond
www.keikonelson.com
keiko@keikonelson.com
Robin North
Chrysalis Path Lights
Location TBA
rlnorth@sonic.net
Mie Preckler
Illuminated Tree Arch
Red Gate Area
www.miepreckler.com
miepreckler@gmail.com
Danya Pugliese
Patterned Steel Lightboxes
Location TBA
www.DanyaPugliese.com
dpugliese@meca.edu
Sacred Leaf Studio presents Mud Lites
Ceramic Garden Lanterns
Sensory Garden
www.sacredseed.com
mudlites@sacredseed.comnbcresta@gmail.com
Ann Schnake
MobileInTent
Location TBA
www.annschnake.com
zananovana@gmail.com
Elida Scola
Overlapping Tree
Location TBA
galleriascola@yahoo.com
Valerie Sobel
Vegetal Hand-felted Light
Location TBA
www.valeriesobel.com
valerie@zoobywooby.com
Sun Brothers Studio (Kevin Gauna)
Entry TBA
Location TBA
www.sunbrothers.com
k@sunbrothers.com
Ashwin Swamy & Eric Thorne
Etched flowing and glowing squid panels
Location TBA
swamy.ashwin@gmail.com
Tech Liminal
Electric Fireflies
Hornbeam Tree
www.Techliminal.com
anca@techliminal.com
Tech Liminal
Illuminated Trumpets
Angel’s Trumpet Tree
www.Techliminal.com
anca@techliminal.com
Jamie Vaida
Garden of Fire Flowers
Fire Garden
www.jamieaida.com
jamievaida@gmail.com
Lauran Van Duren & Kyle Milligan
Crysalis Lanterns
Magnolia Tree
laura@lauravanduren.comcasentini20@hotmail.com
Kim Webster
Illuminated Blown Glass Plants & Mosaic Planters
Location TBA
www.kwebsterglass.com
glassgardener@juno.com
Kelly Whalen & Sara Dubois
Gourd Lanterns; Kitchen Sieve Lanterns; Carved Pumpkins
Community Garden
Mary White & Christina Bertea
Illuminated Bird Baths
Near Lathe House
mwhiteglass@gmail.com
Kevin Woodson
Woven Paper Lanterns
Mimosa Tree
www.kevinwoodson.com
kevin@kevinwoodson.com
Performers and Performance Schedule
PERFORMERS
FRIDAY 18
SATURDAY19
Aileen Lawlor of Fire Smoothie
www.firesmoothie.com
Fire Dancer
8-9:30PM Firescape Garden
8-9:30PM Firescape Garden
Amber & Aaron Snider
www.ambersnider.com
Singer Songwriter on guitar, Folk/Rock/Blues/Americana
6-8PM
Andrea Farrell & Jeremy Elliott of Wreck This Place
www.wreckthisplace.com
Singer Songwriter on guitar
8-10PM VIP Lathe Garden
Chris Head of Tank Half Full
www.tankhalffull.com
Singer Songwriter on guitar & harmonica
8-10PM
Dalyte Kodzis & Claire Gendler
dkodzis@gmail.com
What’s a garden without Pink Flamingoes?
7:30-8:30PM
Deborah Hamouris and Buffalo of The DulciMates
www.djhamouris.com
Mountain Dulcimer & Voice
6-8PM
Franklin Beauregard Davis
brassworksmusic@gmail.com
Various Brass Instruments
8-10PM
Harold Tervort
htervort@att.net
Native American Style Flutes
8-10PM Sensory Garden
6-8PM Sensory Garden
Ian James
www.themagicofianjames.com
Mind Reading Magician
6-8PM Museum Store
Jc Villafan
www.jcvillafan.com
Singer Songwriter
6-8PM VIP Lathe Garden
Kelek Stevenson and Dave Evans of Bitter Water
m_stevenson@berkeley.edu
Banjo & Guitar
6-8PM
Laramie Crocker and his Universal Fun Machine
www.laramiecrocker.com
Singer Songwriter on guitar, with 3 singers and bass
6-8PM VIP Lathe Garden
Laura Inserra
www.laurainserra.com
Hang Drum
8-10PM
Lee Davidson
davidsonlee86@gmail.com
Rope lights dancer
8-10PM
Lisa Graciano
www.lisagraciano.com
Bluesy World Music with Guitar, Flute and Vocals
8-10PM
Manda & Noelle of Very Fairy Events
www.facebook.com/veryfairyevents
Face/Body Painting and Glitter Hair Strands
6-10PM Japanese Garden
6-10PM Japanese Garden
Monica Williams & Wendy Loomis of Phoenix Rising
www.phoenixrisingmusic.net
Native America Flute and Drums
6-8PM Location TBA
Nathan Moon
Acoustic Guitar
6-8PM
Paul Anderson
www.travellersrow.com
Dulcimer & Guitar
8-10PM
Vanessa Lowe
www.vanessalowe.com
Eccentric Indie Folk Pop
8-10PM in VIP Lathe Garden
Volunteers Needed
If you would like to contribute by volunteering at the Autumn Lights Festival, please fill out and submit this form.
Funds raised will be used for improvements to the Gardens at Lake Merritt for the enjoyment of the entire community.
The Autumn Lights Festival is hosted by the Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt and produced by AnotherBullwinkelShow.
Thank you to our wonderful sponsors:
[…]
July Special Events
Golden Gate Lily Society Show and Sale, Saturday and Sunday, July 13-14, noon-5pm, in the Lakeside Park Garden Center. Free admission.
Sydney Mitchell Iris Society Sale, Friday, July 26, 7:30pm in the Lakeside Park Garden Center. Free admission.
Managing Pests in Your Garden Safely, Saturday, July 27, noon-1pm: Want to learn more about what is […]
Article by Tricia Christopher, Landscape Architect and Designer of the Mediterranean and Sensory Gardens
Lavenders are featured prominently in the Sensory Garden, with their own “Lavender Hill” in the center of the garden. Here, drifts of several lavender varieties in beautiful shades of blues, purples and whites provide distinctive herbal fragrance.
Lavender is known for it’s […]
June Special Events
Love Our Lake Day, Sunday, June 9 from 11am to 4pm at Lake Merritt, Lakeside Park and in the surrounding Oakland neighborhoods. Oaklanders and visitors alike are invited to come play in the car-free streets & parks surrounding Lake Merritt and celebrate the area’s transformation through Measure DD!
We are expecting many visitors to the Gardens […]
Love Our Lake Day is taking place on Sunday, June 9 from 11am to 4pm at Lake Merritt, Lakeside Park and in the surrounding Oakland neighborhoods. Oaklanders and visitors alike are invited to come play in the car-free streets & parks surrounding Lake Merritt and celebrate the area’s transformation through Measure DD!
On Love Our Lake Day, […]
May Special Events
SPRING ROSE SHOW! Sunday, May 5, from 1-5pm, at the Lakeside Park Garden Center. Free to the public. Themed “Fairy Tales,” The East Bay Rose Society’s 66th Annual Spring Flower Show is designed to be fun for the whole family. Roses will be displayed by Society members, along with donations from Oakland’s very own jewel, the […]
For more than 50 years, this special garden in the heart of Oakland has been a place that city residents and visitors alike just love to experience as well as contribute to through volunteerism. And it is through the dedicated service of our volunteer force that we are able to keep the Gardens at Lake Merritt […]
