eat oakland

The Crucible Fire Arts Festival

NARRATIVE
Approaching and passing the West Oakland BART Station giants and giantesses constructed from metal begin to fill the skyline.

As the sun sets, fire tongues lick and leap from metal sculptures. Robots lumber and throw flames. Leather pants, and fire tools abound to the marvel and disbelief of the attendees and to the satisfaction of the artists and performers.

CONTACT INFORMATION
The Crucible
1260 7th Street
Oakland, CA 94607

Phone: 510-444-0919
Email: info@thecrucible.org

HOURS
Wednesday-Saturday, 2nd week in July
8 pm - midnight

* Fire & Arts Soiree is held on Saturday.

PRICE RANGE
Luxurious (but worth it!) or ask to volunteer!

SUMMARY
After 7 years of watching this flaming spectacle from the freeway and that BART-way I finally decided to volunteer to get a grounds-eye view of the goings-on.

From the gorgeous Serpent Mother to the stories upon stories of metal sculpture gods and goddesses surrounded by a flaming garden of spectacle, art, robotics, pyrotechnics, demonstration, and interactivity (DANCE DANCE IMMOLATION!), the entire site is alight with elements that entice and delight all ages.

Last night I served as a youth escort and worked with another youth escort to introduce the little 5 years olds to the fire arts and explain how it all worked. Their eyes (as well as mine) opened wide at the wonder of so much fire, noise, music, performances, and characters that abounded on the grounds.

The Fire Oddesey combines dance, theater, opera, live and recorded music, humor, acrobatics, aerobatics that filled the bleachers and held the audiences delight.

All hail the Fire Arts Festival and the Crucible for an excellent event!

SERVICE
Awesome. Well organized from the layout to the volunteer experience and the participant logistics.

RESTROOMS
Port-o-potties with handwashing stations! (Always appreciated.)


SUGGESTION
More demonstrations of the how these pieces were created or perhaps a pre-festival gallery walk where we can ask the artists how these pieces were created!

Labels: Fire Arts Festival, robotics, The Crucible

posted by wrki @ 2:47 PM