Rain forces venue change for large holiday celebration for Oakland families

OAKLAND, Calif. - Rain nearly derailed a major holiday celebration for underserved families in Oakland on Friday evening, but organizers refused to let the weather cancel a tradition that's taken place now for 17 years at various venues. 

The free event, originally scheduled to take place outdoors at Children’s Fairyland, was canceled by the venue just one day before it was set to take place due to weather concerns.

Alex Cox, co-founder of the nonprofit OakLuv, quickly scrambled to secure a new location — pivoting to an indoor space across town at Line 51 Brewing.

Despite the last-minute change, buses still transported families to the new venue, where they were treated to food, music, entertainment and gifts.

Some families said they were initially disappointed by the change in venue.

"Oh no, because I wanted my little brother to see the animals there," said 13-year-old Ahmed Sharif.

But after arriving and seeing the festivities inside, he changed his mind.

"Ooh — this is nice," he said, later adding, "The vibe here is cool and chill."

Each child received a holiday gift, thanks in part to support from Oakland Roots and Forever Oakland, which helped provide toys for as many as 2,000 children.

"The music gets us going. It’s very fun," said 10-year-old Lathan Crooks. "It has a lot of people, which is kind of nice."

Cox estimates  the venue change likely reduced attendance, but hundreds of families still took part in the celebration.

Cox says canceling the event entirely was never an option.

He says his own childhood growing up in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood with a single mother inspired him to create annual holiday gatherings for families facing similar struggles.

This year marked the 17th year he has organized a holiday celebration for underserved families citywide.

"This is an opportunity for me to never forget my roots," Cox said. "And to collect a coalition of partners and relationships that allow us to do something special for the community during the holidays."

The event was made possible through a coalition of nonprofits, a local sports team, and Oakland-based businesses.

Inside the brewery, children played games, had their faces painted, and played games while their parents connected with each other.  

"Really just being around other people and meeting other families," said parent Loretta Berry.

For some families, the celebration helped ease the stress of the holiday season.

"This helps me so much, because I was wondering where I was going to get gifts from," said parent Reginae Hightower.

She added, "Thank you — more than words can put together. We hope you keep coming back and keep appreciating our community."

Cox said the fact that the event continued despite the rain is a testament to the resilience of Oaklanders.

Any surplus gifts from the celebration will be donated to other nonprofits to distribute to families in need.

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU