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Oakland's Fantastic Negrito headlines the Mare Island Dock of the Bay Festival Sept. 18.
Rich Fury/Getty Images
Oakland’s Fantastic Negrito headlines the Mare Island Dock of the Bay Festival Sept. 18.
Randy McMullen, Arts and entertainment editor for the Bay Area News Group is photographed for a Wordpress profile in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Thursday, July 28, 2016. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
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There’s a ridiculous amount of cool stuff to do around the Bay Area this weekend, from music festivals and an edgy play about video gamers to new restaurants to check out and a dream trip to Carmel, so let’s get right down to the serious business of having fun, shall we?

And if you are headed to a live performance or exhibit, please check the venue or production’s website for the latest COVID safety precautions before you go.

(Psst, if you want to get this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.)

1 SEE & HEAR: Amazing shows and festivals

As the Bay Area adjusts to the latest COVID conditions, there are a LOT of live and streaming shows to see this weekend, from major festivals starring Vallejo native H.E.R. and Oakland’s Fantastic Negrito, to a new feminist play about the video game biz and much more. Here’s our rundown.

Explore Carmel-by-the-Sea via an e-bike tour that includes bites and sips. (Mad Dogs & Englishmen Bike Shop) 

2 PLAY: Escape to Carmel

Fall is often the best time of year to visit this charming seaside town, the weather is at its best and the crowds are down. Here are four cool things to explore if you go.

3 EAT: Check out the State Street Market

Yes, the Peninsula’s hotly anticipated first food hall is open for outdoor dining and takeout, and being nosy journos and all, we couldn’t resist checking it out, from Grains & Greens to the Grazing Boards at Murdoch’s and more. And we have some thoughts.

4 WATCH: A wild look at Tammy Faye Bakker

“The Eyes of Tammy Faye” isn’t a perfect movie, but it sure as heck ain’t dull. It tops our list of new movies you should know about, along with what might be the most powerful message movie of the year.

5 HEAR: This orchestra wants to cure your COVID blues

Donato Cabrera and the California Symphony are stoked to be playing live this weekend, and they plan to show it with a concert full of solace and joy. Here are all the deets.

Emo Gould’s “Guzzler” made from engine parts, baseball bats, a bike handlebars and vacuum parts, among other things, is on display at the Bedford Gallery. (Bedford Gallery) 

6 SEE: Check out a museum — for free

Saturday is Free Museum Day, an annual event sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine, and participating Bay Area venues are offering everything from eye-popping art made from trash (literally) to the crazy digs of iconic Bay Area artist William T. Wiley. Here’s what you can see for free in the Bay Area.

7 READ: School lunch memories

Some are grand, some are ghastly, but everyone’s got a memory of their school-lunch experiences. Now a new book shares some of those memories, from celebrities like Padma Lakshmi to everyday folks, like the Martinez dad whose insanely adorable lunch bags have gone viral. All the deets are here.