BARKADA BONFIRE NIGHT

Sometimes the best thing we can do is slow down.

No scoreboard. No schedule to chase. No next possession.

Just our Barkada family, the coast, good food, a fire—and a little time to appreciate where we are and who we get to share it with.

Saturday, September 12

A little oysters.
A little ocean.
A little fire.
A lot of Barkada.

This one isn’t about basketball. No scoreboard, no clock, no place we need to rush off to.

It’s simply a day to slow down, gather, eat well, laugh loudly, and appreciate the people beside us.

FIRST STOP — TOMALES BAY OYSTER COMPANY

12 NOON-ish – 4:00 PM

We’ll start the day at Tomales Bay Oyster Company for oysters fresh from the source—and we mean fresh. They’re literally pulled straight from the water at their farm.

OYSTERS 🦪
Sold fresh from the farm by the dozen or in bags of 50. Pricing varies by oyster size—bring cash or a credit card. Bring your own cooler; they provide the ice!

Parking is tight, so plan to come early if you can. Come anytime around noon, hang out, grab oysters, and enjoy Tomales Bay with the Barkada crew.

Then we make our way down the coast.

5:00 PM — MEET AT DRAKES BEACH

Barkada Bonfire begins. 🔥

As the day slows down and the sun starts dropping toward the Pacific, we’ll gather at Drakes Beach.

Bring a chair. Pull up close to the fire. Let the kids run around. Share some food. Tell some stories.

And for a few hours, just be here.

A moment to pause.

To hear the ocean instead of the noise of everyday life.
To watch our kids laugh and grow.
To appreciate friendships that started through basketball but became something much bigger.

Because seasons move quickly.

Kids grow up. Teams change. Life keeps moving.

So every once in a while, we should make a fire, pull our chairs a little closer, and appreciate right now.

That’s Barkada.

Community isn’t only built inside a gym.

Sometimes it’s built around a fire.

WHAT TO BRING

  • Beach chairs

  • Blankets

  • Hoodies + warm layers

  • Firewood — everyone bring some to keep the fire going

  • S’mores

  • Snacks + drinks to share

  • Cooler for your oysters

  • Flashlight or lantern

  • Wagon

  • Good vibes

Meeting Point

  • The best place to meet is at the parking lot near Drakes Beach. This area provides easy access to the beach and fire rings.

Parking Information

  • The parking lot is located at the entrance to Drakes Beach. Arrive early, especially on weekends, as it can fill up quickly.

  • There are picnic tables available near the visitor center, which can be a good gathering spot before heading to the beach.

SEPTEMBER 12 • TOMALES BAY → DRAKES BEACH

Come early for the oysters.
Stay late for the fire.

Pause. Connect. Be present.

Because someday, these will be the stories we tell around another fire.

BARKADA BONFIRE NIGHT

SAVE THE DATE
9.12.26

TOMALES BAY → DRAKES BEACH
FIRST STOP — TOMALES BAY OYSTER COMPANY 12 NOON-ish – 4:00 PM
5:00 PM — MEET AT DRAKES BEACH - Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes Favorites

Things to do if you guys arrive early:

  • Palace Market — Buffalo milk soft serve is the famous little Point Reyes treat here. Grab a cone plus picnic snacks before heading to the beach.

  • West Marin Culture Shop / former Cowgirl Creamery — worth wandering through for local food and provisions; it has also been known for buffalo-milk soft serve floats with fermented seasonal fruit sodas.

  • Heidrun Meadery — honey wine! They make naturally sparkling mead from honey, more crisp and Champagne-like than the heavy, sweet mead people sometimes expect. Beautiful farm setting for a relaxed stop.

  • Bovine Bakery — classic Point Reyes Station stop for pastries, morning buns, scones and coffee.

  • Toby’s Feed Barn + Coffee Bar — very Point Reyes: part feed store, part local shop, art gallery and coffee stop.

  • Point Reyes Books — small independent bookstore with especially good nature and local selections.

  • Cypress Tree Tunnel — iconic quick photo stop on the drive farther into Point Reyes. It’s an easy add-on rather than a major hike.

  • Chimney Rock / Elephant Seal Overlook — one of the better wildlife stops if the group wants a little adventure beyond Drakes Beach.

  • Point Reyes Lighthouse — the dramatic, classic Point Reyes stop. It involves a lot more walking and 308 steps, so save it for anyone who wants to explore before the bonfire.

  • South Beach Overlook / Great Beach — big, windswept Pacific views and a beautiful quick scenic stop.

Tomales Bay oysters → Point Reyes Station → Palace Market soft serve → Heidrun honey wine for the adults → Cypress Tree Tunnel → Drakes Beach → bonfire. People who arrive early can add Chimney Rock or the lighthouse; everyone else can just meet at the beach.

Come early, wander, eat something local, see something beautiful—and eventually we all find each other by the fire.