Best Annual Event
Annual Women Writers Breakfast & Lunch
Fundraiser for the YWCA at UC Berkeley — women authors talk about their books and lives. I look forward to it every year! It’s held at HS Lordships in Berkeley and the speakers, books, food, camaraderie is wonderful! I highly recommend it! — happywolf
Ardenwood Farms Annual Cajun/Zydeco Festival
The best full day of dancing, great music and great food! And it’s for the entire family to come out and enjoy. — Charli
Bay Area Craft Beer Festival
Fun group of people, good music and the best way to taste craft beer. — cottontails
Burning Man
Because it gets thousands of annoying hipsters out of the Bay Area … yippie. — Oaklandish
Cal Performances’ Fall Free for All
A full day of high-quality free performances in classical, jazz and world music and dance on the campus of UC Berkeley and, it’s FREE. — susanp26e4
Carijama
Needs to be resurrected. — Nnadel
Chalk and Chocolate Festival, Berkeley
The creativity is astonishing! — Ricki
Eat Real Festival
This is where Oakland steps up its game, and we get the crowds to back it up! The past two years have been incredible!! — Psurkis
Where you can pig out with other locavore hotties! — femily
One of my favorite days of the year. You get to run around like a small child, sampling everything, testing the limits of your stomach. And nothing was bad. I still drool thinking about a Cuban sandwich and burger I tried here. — east bay burbs
Fleet Week
Blue Angels — ’nuff said. — Cookie1997
Greek Festival
The food, the vendors, the music and dancing, and that million-dollar view? One of the best events of the year. — egb312
How Berkeley Can You Be?
Bring it back! How many more Wavy Gravy years do we have left? Let’s not squander them. — Janelle Blarg
Freakin’ hilarious event. — Deidre
KFOG Kaboom
At least it was before moving to Candlestick! — rs
Oaktoberfest in the Dimond
Best beergarten street fair in town! — loovalerie
Passover
Even though Elijah never comes, it still rocks!!!! — pablitotraverso
Uptown Festival
Is it happening this year? I went that one time, and it was rad. — Moline, Jennifer
Best Artist
Ben Crowden
His amazing kinetic sculptures add unnecessary gears to everyday life. Now that’s what I call art. — justeatit
Delaine Hackney
Best mosaic artist ever. — Ruthie
GATS
His tags are all over the East Bay. He is the most daring and successful graffiti artist in the entire Bay Area, from BART views to Telegraph street trucks to freeway on ramps, the East Bay makes his art feel like home. — theonlyshow
Honey Lawless
Sex and sass with a flawless ass! If you haven’t caught one of Honey Lawless’ performances than you have missed a true sticky sweet treat. A comedienne that knows how to bring the sexy — now why would you miss that? — honeylawless
J.B. Lowe
One of his paintings makes an appearance in Hereafter! — Moline, Jennifer
JJ Fryzel
Neon 3D paintings!!! What’s not to love? — Pedinoff, Rebecca
Me
Because I am good at what I do. — Oaklandish
Melissa Garden Streblow
Her work is the shit. — dougeyeknoll
Nemo Gould
What an imagination.WOW!!! — skyboy
Best Art Murmur Offshoot
Free Cookies
Fellow hangs out on a blow up couch and gives out cookies. SOOOO good! — ScreennamesRlame
Oakland Art Ride
Good for you, RPS Collective, you’re keeping it real. — heyheyhey
Rock Paper Scissors
The original founders of Art Murmur are returning to what they think is the main objective of that sort of event: making local art accessible and appreciated. — east bay burbs
Stork Club
Cheap drinks and sleazy girls. — Oaklandish
Best Band
Angels of Vice
AOV is one of the best and most versatile rock bands in the bay. There aren’t many left these days. — aneilsen
The Bell Brothers
Great country rock band … a lost craft in these parts! —kevyk
California Honeydrops
Rock my socks. And Lech is a hottie! Ow OW! — suzanabanana
These guys are amazing! I haven’t danced so hard in decades!! — FrustratedTeacher
Amazing sound. Love those guys. The only reason I’m here to vote. — jsmith60
They’ve made incredible progress in their music over the past year. They’re tight, fun to sing along with and amazing fun to dance to. — Charli
They are an amazing dance band. I would hire them for any party, wedding, or event. I love them. — webby05
Diego’s Umbrella
I first heard of these guys when they played one of the Friday night parties at Golden Pacific Brewery (now Trumer Pils) in the flats of Berkeley. They are a phenomenal band and they put on a super energetic show. I have seen them twice since. They’re fantastic. — The Wacky Italian
Green Day
Never thought I’d feel old saying that. — Nicolas
Ominos
Metal, baby! — Kavon Kavoussi
Pacific Chamber Jazz
Quiet music to enhance a party or event without drowning out all possible conversation. — amesgal
Phenomenauts
Earth’s best space band. — hledeen
Rosin Coven
Theatrical, amazing, unique. — Ensign Benson
Best Blogger
Anneli Rufus
Foods, arts, literature — she has something to say worth reading. Kudos to the Express for showcasing her. — Tom Walton
Jonathan Bair
He’s my brother, what can I say? — Madeleine Bair
None from SF …
Most Bay bloggers are terrible, especially the fashion ones. — Neonstar
V Smoothe
More comments than SFGate but a much better discussion! — dto510
Best Club
Bar Three Fifty-Five
Hidden and hip gem with decor to make everyone look beautiful. Best bartenders: good looking and friendly and knowledgeable. Memorable cocktails. — cfield
Disco Volante
Great food, booze, music and company all the time. — 4letterword
The Uptown
Larry let me have a benefit show so they will always be the best club! — the Third Victim
Best DJ
bar:tone
Drum and bass in your face. — bar:tone
DJ Fernando
I love this guy — riirii
Best DJ Night at a Club
None
Y’all are too loud for someone like me who just wants to have a drink and talk to my friends. — Moline, Jennifer
Best East Bay slang word
Blap
To fall or wipe out — lilmartmar
Breh-breh-breh
(Delivered rapidly and emphatically) — santopeligro
Dude
My kids say it often! —Luz
Hella
Could there possibly any other choice? — Disco Von Doom
This should win every year, for eternity. — Nicolas
Magazines
Young people have been using this to describe women’s parts. — holtdesign43
Oakland Shuffle
Walking slowly through an intersection to slow down traffic. — Dan Jewett
Shmammered
The next step beyond hammered … — Lauren Vonnegut
Soup
Means “not good” — p_rev
Best Local Author
Mary Roach
Love her crazy footnotes! — Karenl
Michael Chabon
Have read everything he’s written, I think. He’s also a nice guy and easy on the eyes. — jpsidell
Best Local Book
The Practical Napper
Gotta love naps! — Luz
Best Local Film
A-Town
Drugs and crime in Alameda … totally fiction. — PSBA
Moneyball
At least here’s hoping … — Nicolas
Best Local Film Festival
Albany Film Festival
It was only the first year — but what a great selection of films and filmmakers! Got to meet Les Blank and Geefwee Boedoe. Can’t wait for next year’s festival. — Albanytall
Best Multi-Talented Artist
Alan Leon
Muralist, art teacher, Hebrew calligraphy teacher, yoga teacher, nice guy. — MargoRW
Best Mural
The new Oaksterdam mural on 17th and Broadway
Looking at it is a great way to pass the time waiting for the bus. It blends together some great iconic Oakland imagery. — mhubacek
Best Music Venue
924 Gilman
No question! Volunteer and collectively-run, not for profit, all ages, awesome (semi)new upgraded sound system, and $.05 red vines! — Russell EB
The Fox Theater
I used to think the Fillmore was the best — now you can’t drag me to a show in S.F. on a weeknight. Long live the Fox, which gets me home by eleven on school nights. — Moline, Jennifer
Best musician
Anthony Nielsen
From Angels of Vice … sexy beast! — missminna
Asil Mongellousy
An upcoming bad-ass girl drummer who kills it on the drums. — asil
Best poet
Clay Kirchenbauer
He’s the only poet I know. — kkorlacki
Dominic Canizzaro
Amazing spoken word!! — kojima
Zac Houston
Because I love a typewriter. — mollyg
Best radio station
610 AM — Harold Camping’s Family Radio
At the end of the day, it’s laugh out quality entertainment. — Kavon Kavoussi
KALW
Best locally produced programs, especially Rose Aguilar’s “It’s Your Call”; West Coast Live, plus a wide variety of music and literature programs. And unlike KPFA, never dour. — jallanb
KALX
I have always loved KALX. We need to make sure our community radio stations don’t get sold off (like what’s currently happening to KUSF this year). KALX plays so many different genres of music and has really entertaining DJs with real live personalities! You never know what you will hear, but it will definitely be entertaining and worth it! And talk about the best ticket giveaways! Holy cow!! This station makes the Bay Area really special. — The Wacky Italian
What else is there? — pamelacalvert
KPFA
For when you have enough strength for the truth — kojima
Pandora
I wish there was something better on the air here. — imnottelling
Youth Radio
C’mon they won a 2011 Peabody Award!!! — quixoticfrisson
Best rapper
Essco
Rap your pants off! — watson40141
Marie Muscolino
And she breakdances like a mothercusser. — sugarbunnie
The Jacka
Super flows super hot. — jnow01
Best theatrical production
Walden School’s Upper Group Play: Cats
These fourth, fifth, and sixth graders were incredible! — christad289
Most unlikely place to see art on the walls
Albany Bulb
Even if the art street at this place isn’t on walls, it’s great to come across the amazing artwork at this place. — Ruthie
Businesses
This is usually for good art. — Neonstar
My house
Sad, but true. — SPaws