There will be no Oakland First Fridays on Nov. 6. The monthly street festival on Telegraph Avenue posted on its website that it does not have the money to safely put on the November event. Organizers say they are "not giving up on December just yet" and are asking for donations.
Where the money went
The East Bay Times reports that the event has received only about 30% of the corporate sponsorship organizers expected this year. As of September, a 2026 budget report showed $165,751 in revenue, about half of the projected $319,803, and a $24,589 operating deficit. Sponsorship money mainly pays for event staff, private security and portable toilets.
Shari Godinez, executive director of the KONO Community Benefit District, which has run the event since 2013, told the paper that December is unlikely unless she can raise $50,000. She said past sponsors including Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health gave nothing this year. She also said Airbnb and Visit Oakland each cut their contribution from $15,000 to $5,000. A Kaiser spokesperson told the paper the company gets hundreds of requests and cannot fund them all.
Why sponsors pulled back
Organizers point to two violent incidents this year: a March 7 shooting at EZ Lounge that killed two people and a May 1 crash in Uptown that injured seven. Both happened blocks away and hours after the festival ended. The KONO district also blames media coverage that it says linked unrelated crimes to the festival. A city spokesperson told the paper that city spending on police, fire inspections and permits for events has dropped because of the budget deficit. Those costs run $10,000 to $15,000 per event.
What the festival is
According to its website, First Fridays is free and runs along Telegraph Avenue from West Grand Avenue to 27th Street. It features local artists, musicians, food vendors and small businesses. The East Bay Times says the current form began in 2011, and organizers said attendance reached up to 20,000 this year. Donations can be made through the organizers' website.