About this Event
Culture Commons Festival is three days of free music, art, film, dance, storytelling and food across the Eureka Cultural Arts District. Humboldt County holds more cultures than most people expect of a place they picture as redwoods, and for one weekend they come together at venues all over the city.
Every festival event is free and all ages. No ticket is needed to attend. RSVP here if you'd like a reminder as the date gets closer.
HOURS
Friday, September 25: 5pm to midnight
Saturday, September 26: 10am to 10pm
Sunday, September 27: 12pm to 8pm
FRIDAY
Opens at 5:30 with Native percussion ensemble Red Cedar, followed by reggae, a dance band with puppets and costumes, and improv jazz. Live art and music at Epitome Gallery, with Gladys and Hermit Crab, until late.
SATURDAY
The longest day. Waterfront dance and drums at Madaket Plaza from ten, alongside the Dockside Market, with Humboldt Taiko, Capoeira Azania, West African dance and an Aztec group. A makers fair at Blue Ox Millworks, a working Victorian-era mill, where a blacksmith and a coppersmith demonstrate their trades alongside live music. Kids' programming at the county library, and basket weaving at the Clarke Museum. At two a puppet parade sets off for the Old Town Gazebo, where music runs until ten, taking in a Wiyot cultural performance and closing with MAKENU. A drag and burlesque runway show begins inside the Clarke Museum at six and moves out to Clarke Plaza, with DJ Kreepeo until nine.
SUNDAY
Printmaking at Epitome Gallery, storytellers from the Stories of Wigi archive at the Da Gou Rou Louwi' Cultural Center, an afternoon of short films and a panel discussion at the historic Eureka Theater, live music through the afternoon, and country square dancing and swing at the Inn at 2nd & C to close the weekend. Films are being selected now and will be announced closer to the festival.
GETTING AROUND
Most of the festival happens within a few blocks of the Old Town Gazebo, close enough to walk between in a couple of minutes. Madaket Plaza is on the waterfront at the foot of C Street, about five minutes away. The county library is at 1313 Third, twelve to fifteen minutes east on foot. Blue Ox Millworks is a mile southeast and is the one worth driving to. Every venue is wheelchair accessible.
GETTING HERE
Eureka is on Highway 101, roughly five hours from the Bay Area and Sacramento, three and a half from Redding, and four from Medford. California Redwood Coast–Humboldt County Airport is twenty minutes north of downtown, with rental cars on site. Music runs late all three nights, so it's a weekend worth staying over for.
Free street parking in Old Town with a two-hour limit. The city lots on Third and on E Street are paid and are the better choice for a longer stay.
ALSO THAT WEEKEND
The Eureka Theater is running two of its own ticketed shows during the festival: a jazz, funk and gospel evening with Paula Jones on Friday night, and a Dolly Parton documentary singalong benefit on Saturday. Those are separate events with separate tickets, not part of the festival.
Full schedule, venue list and lodging: eurekaculturalartsdistrict.org/culturecommonsfestival?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ccf2026
The Culture Commons Festival is produced by the Eureka Cultural Arts District, one of 24 cultural districts designated by the California Arts Council. ECAD is a partnership of the Wiyot Tribe, Ink People Center for Arts and Culture, Eureka Main Street, and the City of Eureka.
Event venue & nearby stays
Gazebo Fountain, 150-198 F Street, Eureka, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.