Best SF Bay Area
Events, Weekends & Festivals 2017
We limit our picks to ONLY the best events in the SF Bay area in 2017, personally handpicked for local insiders to enjoy. Many are unique world-class affairs. A few are just a lot of fun. The events below are organized by month & regularly updated including local Pacific Coast time. Also see regular weekly events at the end of each month below and recently past events.
AUGUST 2017 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends
Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Week long event held 8/27/17-9/4/17
Even the organizers have a difficult time explaining this unique week-long party/art festival/event held in the desert. However, it is “amazing” and something our 21-35 year old friends would never miss. Over 50,000 people attend and it always sells out. See details and pictures
Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in July.
- Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Over 90 different events (music & shows) held various days of each week. (5/7/17-10/29/17)
- Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights, 3/3/17-10/27/17, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action. See details.
- Picnic at the Presidio, Main Parade Ground – Sundays, 3/19/17-October, 11 am-4 pm. Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue. See details. Twilight at the Presidio is held there Thursday nights, 5 pm-9 am, through the summer as well. See details.
- Stern Grove Concerts – Sundays, 6/25/17-8/27/17, 2 pm-5 pm. See details.
- Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm. Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park. See more details.
- Free Shakespeare In The Park, Hamlet – Free Shakespeare by talented actors appear in various venues around the Bay Area such as Pleasanton (July), Cupertino (July), Redwood City (August), SF Presidio (September), SF McClaren Park (September). See more details.
- Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round. Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
- Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather. Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
Month of August – Other
- Pro Sports: See San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers.
- College Sports: In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports. Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
- FREE Monthly Museum Days:
Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.
SEPTEMBER 2017 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends
Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Week long event held 8/27/17-9/4/17
Even the organizers have a difficult time explaining this unique week-long party/art festival/event held in the desert. However, it is “amazing” and something our 21-35 year old friends would never miss. Over 50,000 people attend and it always sells out. See details and pictures
Labor Day Weekend— Sat-Mon 9/2/17-9/4/17 has some big events for art lovers. See:
- Sausalito Art Fair: Opens at 10 am, 9/2/17-9/4/17. The “Granddaddy” of outdoor art festivals. Also check out the nearby ICB Building Art Studios Event while you are there.
- Sausalito Artists at Work: Open 9/2/17-9/4/17. Visit with more than twenty artists at work in their art studios at the historical ICB Building.
- Burning Man Festival: 8/27/17-9/4/17. An amazing week long party.
- Milbrae Art & Wine Festival: 10 am-5 pm, 9/2/17-9/3/17. One of the biggest events on the Peninsula if you enjoy street festivals. Free Mardi Gras-style celebration. See more details.
- Hamlet – Free Shakespeare in the Park: 2 pm, 9/2/17, 9/3/17, 9/4/17. At the Presidio Parade Ground. See details. Also check out the regular Sunday Picnic on the Presidio food truck event from 11 am-4 pm while you are there.
- Regular Weekly events: These are always good too.
Mountain View Art & Wine Festival, Castro Street, Mountain View
Sunday, 9/9/17-9/10/17, 10 am-6 pm
One of the biggest and best street fairs on the Peninsula. There will be over 600 artists selling handcrafted ware, big bands and more. See details.
Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors. In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.
- Western Addition (9/10/17, 11 am-4 pm) along Fillmore St & Fulton St.
- Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
- For more details see Sunday Streets.
Renaissance Fair, Hollister, CA
Saturdays & Sundays only, 9/16/17-10/15/17, 10 am-6 pm
History comes to life at this Hollister version of the Renaissance Fair. Held at Casa de Fruta every Saturday and Sunday for a month in the fall. Admission $28/day + parking. No pets are allowed. See more details.
San Francisco’s Comedy Day, Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park
Sunday, 9/17/17, 12 pm-5 pm, Free
The professional comedy community joins together (each year since 37 years ago when Robin Williams helped them start) to produce a FREE highly-entertaining, PG-13 rated, five-hour show with 40 comedians at Golden Gate Park. Up to 10,000 attendees. Doggies are allowed too. See details.
See Hundreds of Hawks/hour, Hawk Hill, Marin Headlands
9/10/17-10/9/17, Free
The largest known flight of daytime raptors (hawks, falcons, vultures, etc.) takes place every autumn at Hawk Hill, the 920 foot peak on the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge. See details.
Pacific Coast Fog Fest, Palmetto Street, Pacifica
Sat-Sun, 9/23/17 – 9/24/17, 10 am-6 pm. Free admission
Over 200 vendors on the main street of Pacifica. See more details.
Folsom Street Fair
Folsom Street, between 8th and 13th Streets
Sunday 9/24/17, 11 am-6 pm, Admission free (with a “strongly” suggested donation of $10 last time we went)
The largest leather event in the world and very kinky with much nudity. Adults only (and not really recommended for straight males). Live entertainment and over 200 exhibitor booths. Warning: definitely do not go if you are at all easily shocked. See details.
Sausalito Floating Homes Tour, Kappas Marina, Sausalito
Saturday 9/30/17, 11 am-4 pm, Admission
See hundreds of the most unique & beautiful houseboat homes in the world and look inside 15 of them. It includes a free art fair and live music. Usually sold out in advance even though the houseboat tour is rather expensive (About $55 including fees. Only 800 tickets remaining as of 8/3/17).
OCTOBER 2017 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends
Hardly Strictly Blue Grass Festival, Golden Gate Park
Friday 10/6/17 – Sunday 10/8/17, 11:00 am – 7 pm, Free
We particularly like this music festival because it is low-key (bring your dog and picnic blanket for sitting on the grass) and features over 100 different musical artists on seven different stages. You can wander in and out of the venues even during performances. If you can’t make it there physically check out the live webcast and archives.
It is located on the west side of Golden Gate Park south of John F Kennedy Dr between the Polo Field (about 32d Ave) and Highway 1 (Park Presidio Blvd). See details and a pdf map (2016 version) showing the stages.
As a final tip, we have noticed that new events are often more unique and pleasant before most of the “world” learns about them. Then they sometimes become more crowded, commercial, and less free wheeling. Also, go early in the day. So don’t wait if you see something you may like. If you have never lived in San Francisco you may not realize that it is definitely a public party town without peer! The inhabitants really do spend a lot of effort throwing outstanding, unique, and fun events. Enjoy these special things to do … only in San Francisco!
Related Pages:
- PAST SF Bay Area Events. See events which have already passed.
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