Nerd Nite East Bay: Pilgrims, Shipping Cranes, Urban Wine

Thanksgiving Sinners: True Stories of the Appalling Pilgrims

This November, get your understand of the Pilgrim journey to Plymouth rocked. With a well-known origin story that turns out to be mostly false, the Pilgrims set sail with a cargo hold full of heresy, sedition and hanky panky, took a brief, comical stop in the Netherlands, and arrived in the New World to found one of history’s most dysfunctional societies. Find out the truth behind the Pilgrims forgotten foibles and hear terrible stories of disaster and intolerance that are even worse than Thanksgiving dinner with your racist uncle.

Speaker: Arthur Kay

A Tour of Oakland’s Modern and Historic Shipping Cranes

The famous tours of Oakland’s shipping cranes and harbor seaport immediately sell out each year, so Nerd Nite East Bay brings the tour to you! Discover how the immensely complex Port of Oakland functions, go on a deep dive into the golden age of megaships, get a guided tour of specific ships and cranes, and learn about the history of the Port of Oakland as the agricultural gateway of America and economic engine of the Bay Area.

Speaker: Roberto Bernardo, Port of Oakland

Pour Decisions Driving Oakland’s Urban Wine Industry

The Bay Area is at the leading edge of the urban winemaking renaissance, with wineries thriving in repurposed industrial spaces throughout Oakland. Find out how the business of small growers and urban wine differs from the tasting rooms of Napa, how unique varietals like Chenin Blanc and Grenache are utilized, and go beyond the basics to get the gritty, unexpected details of how science turns grapes into delicious social lubrication.

Speaker: Fred Dick, Urbano Cellars Winery