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Oakland Welcomes Alysa Liu With Sold-Out Rally and Key to the City

The Olympic champion chose a plaza rally to highlight Oakland’s culture and local artists.

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An aerial drone view of Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland on Jun. 14, 2025.
A group of Alysa Liu fans, including Aimee Eng (third from right), hold signs during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on March 12, 2026.
Kid Mendoza takes a photo of his dog, Kozy, as artists with Illuminaries paint a mural of Olympic gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland on Feb. 28.

Overview

  • The City of Oakland staged a Welcome Home rally at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza at noon, where Mayor Barbara Lee presented Liu with the key to the city.
  • Bay Area stars Kehlani and G‑Eazy performed as Olympic greats Kristi Yamaguchi, Andre Ward and Brian Boitano took the stage, with video tributes from Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr.
  • The free event required advance tickets and reached capacity, with reports citing 5,000 tickets sold versus roughly 7,000 expected attendees and security screenings pausing entry once full.
  • Liu addressed thousands of supporters, thanked her hometown and underscored that she withdrew from this month’s World Championships to focus on post‑Olympic opportunities before returning next season.
  • Organizers said the rally format reflected Liu’s request for a community celebration rather than a parade, featuring local students, cultural groups and team mascots.