'How Berkeley Can You Be!?'

The "How Berkeley Can You Be!?" Grand Parade and Festival, now in its 13th year, is a highly anticipated annual tradition and celebrated household name throughout Berkeley and the greater East Bay. This year's event will be held on Sunday, September 28th, 2008 from 11am-5pm. The event begins with a wildly fun, quirky, and everyone-in parade through the heart of downtown Berkeley that leads into an all-day festival in Civic Center Park. Parade highlights include stilting chickens, magic carpets, motorized cupcakes, marching bands, samba dancers, capoeira arts, policies satire, art bikes, civic organizations, and much more.

Each year over 500 individuals and groups participate in programming and over 15,000 people attend the parade and festival throughout the day, celebrating the legendary, unique character and spirit of Berkeley. In addition, ArtCar Fest, a four-day festival of over 100 Art Cars caravanning throughout the Bay Area, culminates in a spectacular appearance in the "How Berkeley" Grand Parade.

This year the festival site will be run entirely on solar and biodiesel power and, for the second year in a row, be a designated "Zero Waste Zone" by the City of Berkeley and the Ecology Center. New this year is our "How Berkeley" Kids Stage presented by the Buddy Club, plus kids arts & crafts by the East Bay Depot. Main Stage acts include Sila & The Afrofunk Experience, EvilEye Bellydance, Steve Pile Band, and Berkeley's own Wayward Monks.

The event as always is free, family friendly and ADA accessible. Take BART to Downtown Berkeley or ride your bike - free Valet Bike Parking by East Bay Bicycle Coalition at Festival site!

Recognized as "One of The Top Four Festivals in the United States" - Smithsonian Magazine, 2007