Oakland schedules March 12 City Hall rally to welcome Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu
Oakland plans downtown welcome for newly crowned Olympic champion
Oakland is set to host a public homecoming rally for figure skater Alysa Liu on Thursday, March 12, 2026, following her gold-medal performance at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The event is scheduled for noon to 1:30 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza outside Oakland City Hall, with doors opening at 9 a.m. Organizers also scheduled a pre-rally news conference for 11 a.m. inside City Hall.
The rally is free, but attendance requires advance registration because of capacity limits. Organizers have projected a crowd of about 7,000 people at the plaza and have said the event reached capacity through its ticketing process. Liu is expected to attend and address the crowd as part of the official program.
Why a rally, not a parade
Event materials indicate Liu requested a rally format rather than a parade. Organizers described the approach as intended to highlight Oakland’s community and local artists while keeping the gathering centered at a single downtown site.
The program is planned as a single, ticketed gathering at Frank Ogawa Plaza, with Liu scheduled to speak.
What attendees should expect: security screening, bag rules, and transit
Attendees should expect security screening at entry points. Event guidance includes restrictions on items that can be brought into the venue, including weapons, drones and certain recording equipment beyond standard cell phones, plus limits on large signs and oversized bags. Organizers have encouraged people to arrive early and to use public transportation, rideshare, BART, or AC Transit given the downtown location.
Time and place: Thursday, March 12; program begins at 12:00 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza outside Oakland City Hall.
Entry: doors open at 9:00 a.m.; advance registration required; admission subject to capacity and screening procedures.
Access: venue described as ADA accessible; families are expected, with guidance that children under 5 do not need tickets.
Context: an Olympic win and a long U.S. drought broken
Liu’s Olympic title in women’s singles ended a 24-year gap since the last U.S. woman won Olympic gold in the discipline (Sarah Hughes in 2002). Her win also marked a milestone for U.S. women’s figure skating after a period in which the country’s top finishes often fell short of the top podium spot.
The Oakland celebration arrives after a competitive arc that included Liu’s early rise as a teen national champion, her participation at the 2022 Winter Games, and a later return to top form that culminated in major international results leading into the 2026 Olympics.