Bay Area arts: 10 cool shows and events to catch this weekend

"The Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2026. The legendary basketball squad, which was founded in 1926, has been delighting sports fans and families now for a full century. So, you're invited to help the Globetrotters celebrate the occasion when they bring their 100 Years Tour to Northern California. It's your chance to witness one of the most famous sports/entertainment franchises of all time while being amazed by plenty of crazy trick shots, incredible no-look passes and humorous hi-jinks."

"The Harlem Globetrotters will be facing off against their usual revivals - the ever-hopeful Washington Generals - at four different NorCal venues. First up, the Globetrotters will take the court at 7 p.m. Jan. 15 at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz, followed by 3 p.m. games at Tech CU Arena in San Jose on Jan. 17 and Chase Center in San Francisco on Jan. 18. They finish up the run with a 1 p.m. Jan. 20 contest at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento."

"He was snaggletoothed, the color of dirty Ivory Soap and ate tons of rats, but the Bay Area loved him just the same. R.I.P. Claude the albino alligator, taken too soon this December at age 30. On Jan. 18, the institution that held the Louisiana-born beast for 17 years - the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco - will hold a celebration in his honor in Golden Gate Park. It's thought there are fewer than 200 albino alligators in the worl"

The Harlem Globetrotters celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2026 and bring the 100 Years Tour to Northern California. The tour features gravity-defying dunks, game-changing tricks, crazy trick shots, no-look passes and humorous hi-jinks. The Globetrotters play at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz on Jan. 15, Tech CU Arena in San Jose on Jan. 17, Chase Center in San Francisco on Jan. 18 and Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Jan. 20. The California Academy of Sciences will hold a memorial celebration for Claude the albino alligator on Jan. 18 in Golden Gate Park. Claude lived to 30, spent 17 years at the Academy, and was one of fewer than 200 albino alligators worldwide. Tickets and information for the Globetrotters are available at harlemglobetrotters.com.

Read at The Mercury News