Frequently Asked Questions by Event Producers
About The Venue
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We are home to many experimental productions. Our raw industrial event spaces are designed for producers, artists, brands, and communities looking to create experiences that go beyond the ordinary.
The venues sit within magnificent brick warehouses making it an eye catching setting for an immersive experience, urban-style wedding, music performance, festivals, circus act, workshops, community gatherings, unconventional conventions, and creative conferences.
If your event benefits from a flexible industrial environment and room to build something unique, you'll feel right at home at The Loom.
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A raw venue is a flexible industrial space that allows producers to fully customize and build their own experience. Depending on the space and production needs, this may include bringing in staging, furniture, lighting, sound, décor, security, box office operations, and technical infrastructure. We can help facilitate these elements through trusted production partners and venue support services.
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Amplified music in the courtyard requires additional permitting. In addition, outdoor amplified sound has a 10 PM cutoff in accordance with local regulations.
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Yes! But how much support we can provide depends on your event, timeline and budget.
We offer event production support through our in-house team and trusted vendor partners for an additional fee. These services are generally best suited for private events, such as weddings, corporate gatherings, and celebrations when the event producer has a limited team or experience. Events that require significant in-house support will need to be booked out with enough time for The Loom team and our partnered vendors to properly manage staffing needs.
For public events, we require an experienced event producer or production team to lead the event. Public events involve additional planning, permitting, staffing, and logistics to meet the city’s regulations and our safety standards.
If you need support in any way for your event, we're happy to chat with you and recommend the right production resources.
Events Permitting
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Most private events do not require permits.
Public events do, and certain activities, such as amplified outdoor sound or other regulated event elements, may also require permits regardless of whether the event is public or private.
Walk us through the experience you are planning for your event, and our team can help determine what's needed for your event.
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The city of Oakland requries a special event permit if:
Your event consists of 50 or more people, and it is open to the public (as in advertised to the public or has tickets sold on any media platform)
And includes entertainment (e.g., recorded or live music, public speakers, dancers, exhibitions, etc.)
Or you have an ABC Day License Application requiring a signature from the Oakland Police Department.
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Yes. You may retain consulting support for navigating the permitting process with our events support team and completing applications. If you are unfamiliar with Oakland permitting requirements, we strongly recommend working with our team for guidance.
Learn more about Oakland’s Special Events Permit requirements here.
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The Seed Barn includes:
50 amp California Hubble connector power drop
200 amps of 5-band 3-phase camlock power distribution
On-site access to additional power distribution support through trusted production partners
The Canvas Theater includes:
16 individual 20-amp breaker circuits
Capacity to create a 50 amp California Hubble connector power drop
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Yes, generators are allowed with prior approval and appropriate safety planning and permitting.
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Professional lighting and audio packages are available as add-on rentals through trusted vendors. Contact the events team to learn more.
Turn key lighting and sound solutions for small gatherings and talks are available.
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Yes.
Outside production teams are welcome. However, Security and Food & Beverage and Alcohol Vendors must be approved by our events team beforehand and must be licensed.
We can provide a list of pre-approved vendors for you to work with as well.
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Yes, Wi-Fi is available in most of the event areas.
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Limited furniture may be available depending on inventory and event needs, but most productions should plan to source or rent furnishings as part of their build. Furniture set up is the event producers responsibility.
Production & Technical
Vendors & Logistics
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For the safety and security of all impacted by the event, producers must work with one of our vetted security partners, who are experienced with the venue and trained in the specific safety and security needs of our property. Outside security companies are not permitted.
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Yes, but all F&B and alcohol vendors must complete our approval and onboarding process to ensure licensing, insurance, and operational compliance.
Vendor Application form can be found here and is quick and easy for your vendor to fill out. VENDOR APPLICATION FORM
Don’t wait last minute to do this, vendor’s not approved will not be allowed to be onsite for the event.
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Alcohol service may be permitted depending on event type, licensing, insurance, and compliance requirements, we typically work with our preferred vendor, but if you have an F&B vendor in mind, we must onboard them through our vendor application before accepting them as part of the event.
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Yes. Depending on the event scope, venue support may include:
On-site manager (included)
House management (included)
Facilities support (included)
Permit compliance oversight (highly recommended if this is your first time working with the city of Oakland’s events permitting department)
Emergency response & security coordination (add-on)
Vendor coordination (add-on)
Experience design (add-on)
Event marketing (add-on)
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Yes. We maintain a trusted production partners network that includes catering, entertainment, special effects, lighting, sound, media, staffing, and operational support partners.
In addition to F&B vendors we also can connect you with artisan and craft merchants for programming at your event.
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A commissary-style prep area is available with:
3-compartment sink
Ice machine
Refrigerator
Freezer
We have a prep area with limited resources to support, this space is intended to support vendors with food safety compliance, it is not intended as a place to prepare food.
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Absolutely. The event spaces at The Loom are designed for transformation and large-scale creative adaptation. We also have access to a sprawling community of creatives and event producers to help bring your vision to life.
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Yes. Immersive environments and experimental productions are strongly encouraged. The Loom’s raw venue space acts as a blank canvas for one of kind events.
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Depending on your event layout, production plan, and vehicle requirements, select vehicles may be permitted within portions of The Loom’s expansive event courtyard.
Our Oakland event venue has hosted food trucks, art cars, classic car meetups, and other vehicle-focused activations, offering flexible opportunities for unique event production and guest experiences. All vehicle access and placement must be reviewed and approved in advance as part of the event planning and permitting process.
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Yes, pending production review and venue approval. Everything must follow Oakland city ordinances, but we warmly welcome circus performers, acrobats, industrial art installations, and have projectors installed to help facilitate projections to make each event uniquely its own.
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Installations for your event must be reviewed in advance to ensure building safety and preservation of the historic brick are prioritized and that any Oakland city permitting requirements are met.
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Yes. The Loom regularly supports experiential marketing events, launches, installations, and hybrid creative activations and offers special pricing for weekday buy outs.
If it’s a unique experience, it probably belongs here.
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Special effects like Pyrotechnics and fog machines are allowed, but may require additional permits, approvals, and fire safety planning, please speak with our events team and explain your vision in order to learn more.