60 Years to the Day: Coliseum 60 Marks Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum’s 60th Anniversary
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Sixty years to the day after the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum opened, VillageGIVE will present Coliseum 60, a free, all-ages community commemoration in East Oakland on Sept. 18, 2026, celebrating six decades of people, memories and community while looking toward the Coliseum's future.
Coliseum 60 will take place Friday, Sept. 18, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Youth UpRising, 8711 MacArthur Blvd. in Oakland, which is hosting the event. The date marks exactly 60 years since Sept. 18, 1966, when the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum opened with its first event, an Oakland Raiders game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
A VillageGIVE Community Initiative, Coliseum 60 is built around the theme "One Community. One Legacy. One Future." The gathering will honor the Coliseum's sports and entertainment history while recognizing the generations of athletes, artists, workers, residents, young people, families, businesses and community organizations connected to its six-decade legacy.
"For 60 years, the Coliseum has been more than a place where people watched games and concerts. It has been part of people's lives, families, work and memories," said Quixote Atkins, CEO of VillageGIVE. "Coliseum 60 is about honoring that history and the people who helped make it matter, while bringing the community together around what comes next."
The program will include a community forum and conversation featuring Ray Bobbitt, founder and managing member of the African American Sports & Entertainment Group (AASEG); Keith D. Brown, executive secretary-treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council, AFL-CIO; and Oakland artist, educator and social justice activist Tarika Lewis, the first woman to join the Black Panther Party.
Together, the conversation will connect perspectives on Oakland's history, workers and community, arts and culture, and the future of the Coliseum area.
Coliseum 60 will also feature historic Coliseum video and memories, opportunities for attendees to share their own Coliseum stories, live music and entertainment, community organizations and resources, community recognition, and a 60th anniversary celebration.
Performing artists will include ZaZa Benjamin, Marcus McCauley and Cordell Williams.
The program will also recognize contributions to Oakland and the East Bay spanning youth, justice, labor, community investment, public service, and vision for the future. Recognition recipients will be revealed during the celebration.
The Coliseum's six decades have connected sports, music and entertainment with generations of Bay Area families, workers and communities. Coliseum 60 will commemorate that history while using the anniversary to bring people together around the community's relationship with the Coliseum and its next chapter.
Admission to Coliseum 60 is free and all ages are welcome. Advance registration is highly encouraged at https://www.coliseum60.com/. Walk-ins are welcome, with onsite registration available.
COLISEUM 60
Friday, Sept. 18, 2026
4 to 8 p.m.
Hosted by Youth UpRising
8711 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94605
Free admission | All ages welcome
Information and registration: https://www.coliseum60.com/
ABOUT VILLAGEGIVE
VillageGIVE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting programs and initiatives that help youth and families thrive, with a focus on education, reading, the arts and mental well-being. Learn more: https://villagegive.com/.
For more information, visit: https://www.coliseum60.com/
Related link: https://villagegive.com/
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