Lake Merritt Merriment
Radio Regatta promises fun on the water
Matthew Green - Thursday, August 23, 2007
On Sunday afternoon, Lake Merritt comes alive as the second annual Radio-Regatta hits its salty shores. Boats of all shapes and sizes - from kayaks, paddle and sailboats to a guided comedic lake tour aboard a pontoon - are all available to rent for half price. And for those looking for a little taste of Venice, there's also all-day gondola service.
The boathouse's banquet hall and outdoor patios are open free to the public all afternoon, where locally made beer and homemade sangria will be served, as a lineup of local DJs spin for the crowd. Boaters should bring FM radios aboard their vessels - beats will be broadcast on a microtransmitter with a signal just strong enough to share the party in real time with every nautical explorer.
The Regatta is organized by Oaklandish, an ecstatically pro-"The Town" nonprofit guerrilla arts group, locally known for off-kilter urban art/entertainment projects and ubiquitous tree-with-roots logos and apparel. It's as much about having a blast (or splash) as it is to reintroduce residents to the city's bounty of overlooked public spaces.
"When we were growing up here, it was just like, 'You don't want to touch the waters of Lake Merritt,' " says Oaklandish founder Jeffrey Hull, who was raised on the lake's east side, and like most people he knew, enjoyed it from a good distance. Although there have been major cleanup efforts throughout the past decade, the "scary water" stigma still keeps people at bay.
Originally a tidal slough, Lake Merritt was formed when dammed in the 1860s. Its mix of fresh stream water and tidal saltwater from the bay (which runs up the estuary channel into the lake), allows for rich biodiversity, making the lake one of the oldest wildlife sanctuaries in North America.
The regatta's initial impetus was to emphasize that "we should all be on the lake," says Hull. "I was thinking about how to get as many people as possible out there and turn the lake into a big party."
The regatta is sponsored by Linden Street Brewery, a new Oakland business that operates in the tradition of Oakland's 40-plus pre-Prohibition breweries. Its newest brew - Urban People's Common Lager - will premiere at the event (served, of course, in biodegradable cups).
But despite the probable prevalence of alcohol and hipsters, the day is explicitly intended for all ages, particularly families with young children, says Hull, who recently became a father. Hull describes the scene at last year's event, one of his group's most successful exploits to date, in which the waters were suddenly filled with vessels of all kinds as hundreds of onlookers, from infants to seniors, partied in the sunshine on the boathouse's decks.
"It was a great intergenerational cross-population of people," he says. "We were all looking at each other going, 'Why don't we do this all the time?' "
Asked where his intense hometown pride stems from, Hull is quick to respond:
"Everybody identifies with the underdog spirit, the loser, the dark horse. It gives you a real opportunity to champion something," he explains, referring to Oakland's perennially troubled reputation. "I love the sunshine, the geography, the people. ... I have a unique perspective here and I feel I want to share it."
2-7 p.m. Sun. 568 Bellevue Ave., in Lakeside Park, Oakland. Party is free for all ages (not including drinks), boat rentals are half price. www.oaklandish.org. E-mail: info@oaklandish.org.
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