Past San Francisco Bay Area Events

Below are the most recent past events previously shown on hiddenSF.com.   Click current San Francisco Bay Area Events to see upcoming events.

past APRIL 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

SF Giants Home Opener, AT&T Ball Park
Friday 4/5/19, 1:35 pm
Regular season home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at AT&T Ball Park. You can get inside for free on some non-game days (e.g., 10 am -4 pm weekends April, May when Giants are out of town).

March Madness  College basketball playoffs on TV
The Games:  Start 3/19/19 through 4/8/19
Final 4:  Saturday 4/6/19 at 3:09 pm and at 5:49 pm on CBS
National Championship:   Monday 4/8/19 at 6 pm on CBS
NCAA brackets & schedule.

March Madness College Basketball Playoffs
National Championship:   Monday 4/8/19 at 6:20 pm on CBS
NCAA brackets & schedule.

Rock & Roll Half Marathon, San Francisco
Sunday, 4/7/19, 6:30 am – 10:30 am
Half marathon race from the west end of Golden Gate park along the shoreline to Golden Gate Bridge, across Golden Gate Bridge and back, and then east along the shoreline to Ghiradelli Square, then south on Polk to Civic Center Plaza. There are bands and cheerleaders along the way. Also, there will probably be an expo from 4/5/19-4/7/19. Visitors expect road closures on race day. See event details.

March Madness College Basketball Playoffs
National Championship:   Monday 4/8/19 at 6 pm on CBS
NCAA brackets & schedule.

NBA Playoffs Begin
Start Saturday, 4/13/19 See detailed schedules for all teams.
Golden Gate Warriors vs LA Clippers
Game 1: Sat, April 13 LA at Golden State, 8 ET, ABC
Game 2: Mon, April 15 LA at Golden State, 10:30 ET, TNT
Game 3: Thu, April 18 Golden State at LA, 10:30 ET, TNT
Game 4: Sun, April 21 Golden State at LA, 3:30 ET, ABC
*Game 5: Wed, April 24 LA at Golden State, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Fri, April 26 Golden State at LA, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Sun, April 28 LA at Golden State, TBD, TBD

Cesar Chavez Day Parade
& 24th Street Festival
Saturday 4/13/19, 11 am – 6 pm, Free
The Parade starts at Mission Dolores Park at 11 am and proceeds through the Mission to the 24th St Festival  (on 24th St between Treat St. and Bryant St.)  The best place to see both is to go to 24th St. between Mission St. and Treat St; you can get there via Bart (24th & Mission Station).  See our Mission Neighborhoods Page and Map for best places to visit nearby.

Coastal Wildflower Day Half Moon Bay
Francis Beach Visitor Center, 95 Kelly Ave, Half Moon Bay
Saturday 4/13/19  10 am-3 pm, Free but parking is $10
Third annual celebration of coastal wildflowers.  Games and activities for the whole family including flower walks, gardening lessons, art show and a native plant sale.  Mainly for native plant enthusiasts.  See more details.

 

past MARCH 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Special Things To Do Outdoors this March   The blooming spring flora are outstanding this time of year.  There’s less fog along the coast and it’s cooler inland.  Here are some good things to check out in March.

• Old St Hillarys Open Space Preserve in Tiburon has some of the very best views in the SF Bay area.  Here are some pictures we took on March 1st last year.
• Dutch Windmill & Tulip Gardens in Golden Gate Park … March 15th-April 15th is the best time of year to tiptoe through the tulips, icelandic poppies and primroses.  Cherry blossoms at the Japanese Tea garden are in full bloom during the same period.
• It’s less foggy along the Half Moon Bay coastline making this is a great time to check out the many HMB coastal trails.  For example, try the Mori Ridge Trail starting at the Shelldance Orchid Nursery in Pacifica.  Or, Devils Slide Trail or Montara Mountain Trail a few miles south.

Fort Mason – Off The Grid starts, Fort Mason Center
Every Friday night starting, 3/8/19, 5 pm – 10 pm, Free entry
This is the largest food truck event in the U.S.  It starts up again on 3/2/18 and runs every Friday evening through October.  There are over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.

March Holidays

• Daylight Savings Starts, Sunday 3/10/19
• Saint Patricks Day, Sunday 3/17/19
• March Equinox, Wednesday 3/20/19
• Cesar Chavez Day, Saturday 3/31/19 (state holiday Monday 4/1/19)
• More Holidays

Daylight Savings Time Begins, San Francisco Bay Area
Sunday 3/10/19.  At 2:00 am turn your clocks forward 1 hour to 3:00 am.  You will lose an hour.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival, Civic Center Plaza
Saturday 3/16/19, 11:30 am-5 pm.
The biggest St. Patrick’s event on the west coast!  Parade starts 11:30 am at Second & Market and ends at City Hall.   It appears that the post-parade festival has been cancelled this year.  See details.

St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday 3/17/19

March Madness  College basketball playoffs on TV
The Games:  Start 3/19/19 through 4/8/19
Final 4:  Saturday-Sunday 4/6/19-4/7/19
National Championship:   Monday 4/8/19
NCAA brackets & schedule.

Mavericks Big Wave Challenge, Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton-By-The-Sea
Sometime before 3/31/19 on 24 hour notice the top 24 surfers in the world will tackle some of its biggest most dangerous waves right here at Mavericks.  Read about the 50-60 foot waves on 1/19/18.  However, the exact date is unknown since competitors must wait for the surf to be massive before they are given notice to get here. We will let you know, in red, right here when the event is scheduled to start.  More details.

Breeding Sea Lions Tour, Ano Nuevo State Park, 27 miles south of Half Moon Bay
12/15/18 – 3/31/19 (every day except Christmas and last weekend in January).  Admission $7 + $3.99 reservation fee
See 2.5 ton, 16 foot long elephant seal bulls skirmish for dominance during breeding season. Thousands of seals and sea lions gather for a 3-month orgy of fighting, mating, and birthing. This naturalist-led tour of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal is about 2.5 hours and 3 miles long. Advance reservations are recommended since available slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends. See more details.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See 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 March – Other

• Pro Sports:
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• 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.

past FEBRUARY 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

The mild weather in February is quite pleasant for inland activities that sometimes get quite hot during other months … such as visiting Historic Niles or Old Mission San Jose in Fremont, Hollister, or, walking the flat manicured Bay trails around Foster City and Redwood Shores.

Visit Fremont? This is a good time of year!
We like visiting the lower East Bay in the winter because summers can get quite hot. Here are some excellent places worth checking out: Coyote Hills Park, the Alameda Creek Trails and old town Niles. The Niles Canyon Railway starts up again in February for two Sundays/month.

NFL Superbowl
Sunday 2/3/19 (3:30 pm)

February Holidays

• Groundhog Day, Saturday 2/2/19
• Superbowl, Sunday 2/3/19
• Chinese New Year, Sunday 2/5/19
• Valentines Day, Thursday 2/14/19
• Presidents Day, Monday 2/18/19 (a national holiday)
• More Holidays

Visit Fremont? This is a good time of year!
We like visiting the lower East Bay in the winter because summers can get quite hot. Here are some excellent places worth checking out: Coyote Hills Park, the Alameda Creek Trails and old town Niles. The Niles Canyon Railway starts up again in February for two Sundays/month.

SF Giants – KNBR 680 Fan Fest, AT&T Ball Park
Saturday  2/10/18, 10 am- 3 pm, Free
The World Champion Giants baseball team will personally meet & greet some 40,000 fans at the annual pre-season fan fest.  This is a way to get on the baseball  field, watch players answer questions asked by the fans, and get autographs (at 6 autograph booths if you want to stand in a long line).  Fan fest can also be watched on line at sfgiants.com.  See more details about fan fest or listen to Radio KNBR 680 which is co-sponsoring the event.

FREE Sunday at the Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park
Sunday, 2/11/18, 11 am-5 pm
All guests get FREE admission one Sunday every quarter.  Get there early because you can expect crowds.  It’s a 400,000 sf world-class science exhibit including an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum and a four-story rain forest. See more details.

Chinese New Year Events
Saturday 2/10/18-3/4/18
Several other events are also held to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Chinatown. For details check this calendar.

• Chinese New Year Procession:  Saturday 2/10/18 10:15 am.  A much smaller version of the big parade which will be held 2/24/18.
• Flower Market Fair:  Saturday-Sunday 2/10/18 & 2/11/18 Traditional food & Chinese entertainment on stage.  Not too exciting but a good excuse to visit Chinatown.
• Chinese New Year Day:  Friday 2/16/18.  Golden Dragon Unveiling.
• Miss Chinatown U.S.A. Pageant:  Thursday 2/22/18.
• Chinese New Year Parade & Street Fair:  Saturday 2/24/18  5:15 pm-8 pm.

Tulipmania, Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf
Saturday 2/10/18– Sunday 2/18/18
This is a good time of year to visit Fisherman’s Wharf … it’s not so crowded with tourists. 39,000 blooming flowers may give you a good excuse to visit Pier 39 … though it didn’t look like that many to us last year. See Tulipmania.

Chinese New Year Parade, Chinatown along Kearny Street (between Market St & Columbus Ave)
Saturday 2/24/18, 5:15 pm-8:00 pm, Free
Gung Hay Fat Choy (Best wishes and congratulations. Have a prosperous and good year)! This parade is a historical tradition starting in the 1860s and has been named one of the top ten Parades in the world. Now some 500,000 spectators watch it in person along with another 3 million TV viewers (that’s us because parade day is almost always cold & rainy). Getting there earlier than 4:30 pm (it is very crowded) via public transportation (parking is tough) is recommended. See www.chineseparade.com for details including exact route.

Chinese Community Street Fair, Chinatown
Saturday 2/24/18, 10 am-4:30 pm, Sunday 2/25/18, 9 am-5 pm, Free
The street fair will be located along Grant Ave from Clay St. to Broadway, Pacific Ave. from Stockton to Kearny. It was not that exciting last year but is a good excuse to visit Chinatown and has traditional Chinese entertainment such as lion dancing on stage.  See details and Chinatown map.

San Francisco Zoo  10 am-4 pm daily
Month of February Seniors Discount
Seniors, if both are over 65 years old, receive a 2-for-1 admission every day of February.  See discount details and details on regular admission (usually $16 for out-of-town seniors) & parking costs ($10-12)

Mavericks Big Wave Challenge, Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton-By-The-Sea
Sometime before 3/31/19 on 24 hour notice the top 24 surfers in the world will tackle some of its biggest most dangerous waves right here at Mavericks.  Read about the 50-60 foot waves on 1/19/18.  However, the exact date is unknown since competitors must wait for the surf to be massive before they are given notice to get here. We will let you know, in red, right here when the event is scheduled to start.  More details.

Breeding Sea Lions Tour, Ano Nuevo State Park, 27 miles south of Half Moon Bay
12/15/18 – 3/31/19 (every day except Christmas and last weekend in January).  Admission $7 + $3.99 reservation fee
See 2.5 ton, 16 foot long elephant seal bulls skirmish for dominance during breeding season. Thousands of seals and sea lions gather for a 3-month orgy of fighting, mating, and birthing. This naturalist-led tour of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal is about 2.5 hours and 3 miles long. Advance reservations are recommended since available slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends. See more details.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• 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 February – Other

• Pro Sports:
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Football Bowl Games:  See schedule and the best bowl games each weekend.
• Pro Football:  Oakland  Raiders:  See schedule.   SF 49ers:  See schedule.
• Hockey:  San Jose Sharks:  See schedule.
• College Sports of all types, including football, are in full swing.  See Stanford, Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• 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.

past JANUARY 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

January is a great time of the year for watching football on TV.  The mild weather around San Francisco Bay also makes it a excellent time to visit sights that are crowded during other months.  For example, Fisherman’s Wharf is good to check out this time of year because it’s not overloaded with tourists; Pier 39 often has some 50% off deals for locals only December-January.  Check out the many links on this hiddenSF site for more ideas.

New Years Day, Tuesday 1/1/19
As mentioned before, the beautiful 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park is free to non-residents (as well as residents as usual) all day Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.  By the way, the nearby California Academy of the Sciences is open every day of the year including Christmas and New Years Day … see details.

Audubon Walk, Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, Pescadero
Tuesday 1/1/19 10 am, Free
Also see many other First Day Hikes in different counties around California.
This is a nice change from watching sports on TV!  This pleasant low key 2-hour docent-guided walk in Pescadero Marsh is less than 2 miles long and children can join as well (definitely no dogs however).

On New Years Day a few years ago we went and saw a kingfisher bird along with the normal array of herons, coots, etc.  Then we walked Pescadero Beach and snacked at our favorite little town, Pescadero, afterwards.

The docents give two such walks every month, the first & third Sunday or you can go on your own like we usually do.  See Sequoia Audubon walk details.

College Football Bowls, Tuesday 1/1/19
See a complete schedule of all bowl games.   Some of the biggest bowl games we will watch on New Years day are the:
* Rose Bowl: Tuesday 1/1/19, 2 pm.  #6 Ohio State from the Big 10 vs #9 Washington from the Pac 12.  You can watch the Rose Bowl parade in the morning and the Rose Bowl game at 2 pm.
* Sugar Bowl: Tuesday 1/1/19, 5:45 pm.  #5 Georgia vs #15 Texas.

National College Football Championship
Monday 1/7/19, 5:00 pm at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA
#1 Alabama vs #2 Clemson.  Both teams are undefeated in this college championship playoff game.

NFL Playoff Schedule
See full schedule and superbowl news.

• NFC & AFC Championship Games: Sunday 1/20/19 12:05 pm and 3:40 pm
• Superbowl: Sunday 2/3/19 (3:30 pm)

Martin Luther King Day, Monday 1/21/19

Holiday Ice Skating Rinks in San Francisco,
Union Square & Embarcadero Center
Rent some skates or just enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Both are surrounded by festive stores and decorations. See details below.
Embarcadero Center Ice Rink – The “largest outdoor rink in San Francisco” 11/5/18-1/19
Union Square Ice Rink – A holiday tradition for seven years. Open 11/7/18-1/21/19

Here’s a list of ice rinks between San Mateo and Palo Alto.

NFL Playoff Schedule
See full schedule and superbowl news.

• Superbowl: Sunday 2/3/19 (3:30 pm)

Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show Cow Palace, Daly City
Saturday-Sunday 1/26/19-1/27/19, 8:00 am-5 pm, Admission $19
If you want a dog, have a dog or just like dogs this is the big local show you don’t want to miss. It is the oldest major dog event in Northern California and one of the most prestigious in the U.S.  with almost 2,000 dogs of more than 175 different breeds.  This is a rare benched show which means you can walk around and talk with the breeders and see (& pet sometimes) their animals at their benches between events. We like the wandering around and seeing dogs up close & personal much more than we like the judging events.  Check see details.

By the way, if you already have a dog, check out our extensive page on best dog walks & parks in the SF Bay area.  Almost all of these walks are good for humans too, even if you don’t have a dog.

Mavericks Big Wave Challenge, Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton-By-The-Sea
Sometime before 3/31/19 on 24 hour notice the top 24 surfers in the world will tackle some of its biggest most dangerous waves right here at Mavericks.  Read about the 50-60 foot waves on 1/19/18.  However, the exact date is unknown since competitors must wait for the surf to be massive before they are given notice to get here. We will let you know, in red, right here when the event is scheduled to start.  More details.

Breeding Sea Lions Tour, Ano Nuevo State Park, 27 miles south of Half Moon Bay
12/15/18 – 3/31/19 (every day except Christmas and last weekend in January).  Admission $7 + $3.99 reservation fee
See 2.5 ton, 16 foot long elephant seal bulls skirmish for dominance during breeding season. Thousands of seals and sea lions gather for a 3-month orgy of fighting, mating, and birthing. This naturalist-led tour of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal is about 2.5 hours and 3 miles long. Advance reservations are recommended since available slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends. See more details.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• 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 January – Other

• Pro Sports:
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Football Bowl Games:  See schedule and the best bowl games each weekend.
• Pro Football:  Oakland  Raiders:  See schedule.   SF 49ers:  See schedule.
• Hockey:  San Jose Sharks:  See schedule.
• College Sports of all types, including football, are in full swing.  See Stanford, Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• 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.

 

past DECEMBER 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Night of Lights Between Main Street & Kelly, Half Moon Bay
Friday, 12/7/18, 6-9 pm, Free
This local home-made event is a big favorite of Half Moon Bay residents and their children. There are tree lighting festivities, a parade, caroling, roasted chestnuts, booths by local clubs, open retail stores and more. Since mainly locals attend highway traffic has not been a problem to date. See details.

California Academy of Sciences – FREE quarterly admission day, Golden Gate Park
Sunday 12/10/17, 11 am-5 pm, Free
The Academy of Sciences is expensive ($35.95/adult) and often crowded. However, on four Sundays each year there is free admission on a first-come first-serve basis compliments of Chase Bank. Early arrival is highly recommended and you can still expect to stand in line. See details.

We have also heard that the Academy’s nightlife events (6-10 pm Thursday nights, $15 for adults over 21) are a good way to go. They have cocktails, music (sometimes live), and unique themes each week … and the crowds are not so intense. Check ahead to confirm details.

By the way, the Academy of Sciences is open every day of the year including Christmas Day.  See details.

Lighted Boat Parade, Fisherman’s Wharf
Friday evening, 12/14/18, 6-8 pm, Free
More than 60 decorated boats will parade along the waterfront (from  Pier 39 to the St Francis Yacht Club and back) in this annual parade.  The Fisherman’s Wharf Fishing Fleet will remain lit at night during the holiday season; best viewing of the fleet is from Jefferson Street between Jones & Taylor.  See details.

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Cow Palace, Daly City
6 Weekends, Saturdays & Sundays, 11/17/18 – 12/23/18, 10 am-7 pm
Admission $30/adult, Parking $12/car (or free on the street where we usually park, at least during daylight). Twilight tickets after 3 pm are $18 at the box office; we like those.
A big event on three acres transformed into a  facsimile of Victorian London circa 1865.  You can walk around amidst hundreds of amateur “actors” playing different roles. Enjoy “authentic” food, music, shops and a wide variety of free shows inside.  It’s a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.  See details about the fair including any on-line price deals.

Christmas Day, Tuesday 12/25/18
The beautiful 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park is free to non-residents (as well as residents as usual) all day Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.  By the way, the nearby California Academy of the Sciences is open every day of the year including Christmas and New Years Day … see details.

Holiday Ice Skating Rinks in San Francisco,
Union Square & Embarcadero Center
Rent some skates or just enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Both are surrounded by festive stores and decorations. See details below.
Embarcadero Center Ice Rink – The “largest outdoor rink in San Francisco” 11/5/18-1/19
Union Square Ice Rink – A holiday tradition for seven years. Open 11/7/18-1/21/19

Here’s a list of ice rinks between San Mateo and Palo Alto.

College Football Bowl Finals
Saturday 12/15/18 – Monday 1/7/19.
The college football bowls start December 12/15/18 and end with the semi-finals on Monday 1/1/19 and the national championship on Monday, 1/7/19.  See the best bowl games schedule.  Some of the biggest bowl games we will watch on New Years day are the:
* Rose Bowl: Tuesday 1/1/19,  Ohio State vs Washington
* Sugar Bowl: Tuesday 1/1/19,  Georgia vs Texas
* College National Championship: Monday 1/7/19. Alabama vs Clemson will play in the College National Championship.

Breeding Sea Lions Tour, Ano Nuevo State Park, 27 miles south of Half Moon Bay
12/15/18 – 3/31/19 (every day except Christmas and last weekend in January).  Admission $7 + $3.99 reservation fee
See 2.5 ton, 16 foot long elephant seal bulls skirmish for dominance during breeding season. Thousands of seals and sea lions gather for a 3-month orgy of fighting, mating, and birthing. This naturalist-led tour of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal is about 2.5 hours and 3 miles long. Advance reservations are recommended since available slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends. See more details.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

New Years Eve Dance Party – USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier, Alameda
Monday 12/31/18, 7:30 pm-1 am, Admission
There are three dance floors on the enclosed, heated hangar decks of this famous World War II aircraft carrier which is now a National Historic Landmark. This is a big, fun event that thousands attend. It is run by and proceeds benefit the USS Hornet Museum.  See details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• 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 December – Other

• Pro Sports:
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Football Bowl Games:  See schedule and the best bowl games each weekend.
• Pro Football:  Oakland  Raiders:  See schedule.   SF 49ers:  See schedule.
• Hockey:  San Jose Sharks:  See schedule.
• College Sports of all types, including football, are in full swing.  See Stanford, Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• 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.

past NOVEMBER 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

This month has the fewest tourists and the weather is often surprisingly good … so November is a quiet month for locals to enjoy the many year-round activities and attractions San Francisco offers. For example, weekends on Ocean Beach can be outstanding this time of year.

Fall along the Half Moon Bay Coast
Fall is the best time of year to visit the coast.  See things to see (see map) and trails & beaches (see map) along the Half Moon Bay Coastline. We also recommend visiting Pescadero, our favorite small town between San Francisco & Santa Cruz.

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!

Daylight Savings Time Ends
Sunday morning 2:00 am 11/4/18 
In the San Francisco Bay Area (i.e. Pacific Time) at 2:00 am turn your clocks back to 1:00 am.

The Head of the Lagoon Rowing Regatta, Foster City Lagoon map
Saturday, 11/10/18, 9 am-12:35 pm, and Sunday, 11/11/18, 9 am-1:00 pm
This big two-day  rowing regatta is hosted by the Stanford Rowing center that features several Collegiate & Open crews on Saturday and Junior & Master crews on Sunday.  Up to 250 crews will be racing each day.    If you’ve never watched crew races before the Foster City Lagoon is a perfect venue.  See more details.

Veterans Day, Sunday 11/11/18
Here’s a good list of Discounts to Veterans and Active Duty Military (restaurants & stores) on or around Veteran’s Day.

Thanksgiving Day
Thursday, 11/22/18

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Week
Friday, 11/23/18, and Monday, 11/26/18
Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year (it’s when retail stores profits often go “in the black”). Here are the best shopping centers in the Bay area.  Cyber Monday, 11/25/18, when shoppers are still looking for bargains on-line from their work computers, has now also become a part of this big weekend.

On-line discounts are never better than these two days. Personally, I make my clothing shopping list for the entire year and buy it all on Black Friday.  Brand items which are almost never on sale can be discounted 30% or more.

Holiday Ice Skating Rinks in San Francisco,
Union Square & Embarcadero Center
Rent some skates or just enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Both are surrounded by festive stores and decorations. See details below.
Embarcadero Center Ice Rink – The “largest outdoor rink in San Francisco” 11/5/18-1/19
Union Square Ice Rink – A holiday tradition for seven years. Open 11/7/18-1/21/19

Here’s a list of ice rinks between San Mateo and Palo Alto.

 

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Cow Palace, Daly City
6 Weekends, Saturdays & Sundays, 11/17/18 – 12/23/18, 10 am-7 pm
Admission $30/adult, Parking $12/car, Twilight tickets after 3 pm are $18 at the box office.  We like those!
Join the largest cast (over 700 local hobbyists) of costumed Dickensian characters in the world who do an excellent job recreating Charles Dickens’ Victorian London Town. The show fills more than 3 acres and feels even bigger. There is a wide variety of things to do (food, shows, shops, caroling, street performers, wandering the town, etc.) that will get you in the mood for Christmas. See details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• 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 November – Other

• Pro Sports:  See the San Francisco Giants.
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• 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.

 

past OCTOBER 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

The clear, mild weather usually makes Fall the best time of the year to visit Half Moon Bay and the Half Moon Bay Coastline.  See the pumpkin patches and visit Pescadero, our favorite small town between San Francisco & Santa Cruz. Be aware, however, that Halloween along the coast is very crowded so start & leave early to help minimize chances of getting stuck in a serious traffic jam.

Hardly Strictly Blue Grass Festival, Golden Gate Park
Friday 10/5/18 – Sunday 10/7/18, 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.  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 an old pdf  2017 map and schedule).

Blue Angels Air Show, Fishermans Wharf & Marina area
Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10/5/18 – 10/7/18, 3 pm-4 pm, Free
On Friday-Sunday, the Fleet Week Air Show starts at 12 pm with several other aircraft performances and ends with the Blue Angels from 3 pm – 4 pm.  See more about best places to watch the show.

San Francisco Fleet Week, Fishermans Wharf area
Monday-Monday 10/1/18 – 10/8/18, Free
Fleet Week attracts more than a million visitors each year to see the parade of ships, ship tours and air show featuring the Blue Angels.  See more details .

Columbus Day Parade, Fishermans Wharf to Washington Square, Free
Sunday 10/7/18 Starts 12:30 pm, Free
The oldest Italian-American parade in America (est. 1869). Over 400,000 people attended last year so with Fleet Week going on simultaneously this will be one of the most crowded days of the SF year.  The parade starts at Jefferson & Stockton Streets in Fishermans Wharf and moves up Columbus Avenue to Washington Square.  See details.

Grand National Rodeo  Cow Palace, Daly City
Fri-Sat 10/12/18-10/13/18 & 10/19/18-10/20/18, Admission
If you like rodeos this is the one to see in San Francisco once per year. There are several different events during the week including livestock exposition, cattle dog competitions, and horse shows depending on your interests.  It generally opens at 8 am and rodeo shows are at 7:30 pm on Friday & Saturday evenings. See details.

Art & Pumpkin Festival,  Half Moon Bay
Sat-Sun 10/13/18-10/14/18, 9 am-5 pm, Free
If you can stand the very heavy weekend traffic (over 350,000 attended last year) check out the Art & Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay and the pumpkin stands near Half Moon Bay. We go much earlier in the month and earlier in the morning (certainly before 10 am) when traffic is not as bad.  It often backs up for miles on Hwy 92, especially around the Lemos Farm kid’s rides just east of the city.  See details.

 

Renaissance Fair, Hollister, CA
Saturdays & Sundays only, 9/15/18-10/21/18,  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.

See Hundreds of Hawks/hour, Hawk Hill, Marin Headlands
9/10/18-10/9/18, 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.

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.

• Sunday Streets SF Excelsior (10/14/18, 11 am-4 pm).
• 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.

Free Shakespeare In The Park,  A Midsummer Night’s Dream, see calendar.
* 10/20/18 Comedy of Errors Tour opens on some weekends. See see calendar.

Halloween,
Wednesday 10/31/18
Halloween is a big deal in San Francisco. For those into history, from the 1940s until 2006 the most fantastic costume event in the world was held Halloween Eve on Castro Street, SF. But, alas, this amazing street celebration was cancelled after crowds of hundreds of thousands became too difficult to control. Now you will have to go to a private party to seriously celebrate or pay to get into a night club.  The USS Hornet Monster Ball mentioned just above is a good option for ballroom dancers, in costume or not.  Zillow thinks these neighborhoods in SF & San Jose are the best in the nation for trick or treating.

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. (5/6/18-10/28/18)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, 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, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  3/18/18 – 10/21/18.  See details.   Twilight at the Presidio is held there Thursday nights, 5 pm-9 am, from 5/17/18-10/20/18 as well.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/22/18-October.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Stern Grove Concerts – Sundays, 6/17/18-8/19/18, 2 pm-5 pm.  See details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park. (year round)
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 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 calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Sundays.  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 (open year round subject to weather).

Month of October – Other

• Pro Sports:  See the San Francisco Giants.
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• 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.

Related Pages:

• PAST SF Bay Area Events.  See events which have already passed.
• Top of page and Home page

past SEPTEMBER 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Week long event held 8/26/18-9/3/18
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

Stanford Football is starting up again
vs San Diego State, Friday, 8/31/18, 6:00 pm at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs USC, Saturday, 9/8/18, 5:30 pm at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs UC Davis, Saturday, 9/30/17, 11 a, at Stanford.  See schedule.

Labor Day Weekend— Sat-Mon 9/1/18-9/3/18 has some big events for those who are into artistic events. See:

• Sausalito Art Fair:   Opens at 10 am, 9/1/18-9/3/18. The “Granddaddy” of outdoor art festivals but the admission is expensive. 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: 8/26/18-9/3/18.  An amazing week long party.  See details and pictures.
• Kings Mountain Art Fair: 10 am-5 pm, 9/1/18-9/3/18.  Nice free art fair on Skyline Blvd but parking & traffic is a challenge.  See more details.
• Milbrae Art & Wine Festival:  10 am-5 pm, 9/1/18-9/2/18.  A big free Mardi Gras-style street fair.  See more details.
• Hamlet – Free Shakespeare in the Park:  2 pm, 9/1/18-9/3/18.  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.

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.

• Sunday Streets SF Western Addition (9/9/18, 11 am-4 pm).
• Sunday Streets SF Tenderloin #2  (9/23/18, 11 am-4 pm).
• 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.

Stanford Football is starting up again
vs USC, Saturday, 9/8/18, 5:30 pm at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs UC Davis, Saturday, 9/30/17, 11 a, at Stanford.  See schedule.

Free Shakespeare In The Park,  A Midsummer Night’s Dream, see calendar.
* 9/1/18-9/9/18, Weekends, 2:00 pm
The Main Presidio Parade Ground, San Francisco.  Excellent free Shakespeare performances in a beautiful setting.  On Sundays you can also enjoy the weekly Picnic at the Presidio from 11 am – 4 pm.
* 9/15/18-9/23/18, Weekends, 2:00 pm
Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, McClaren Park, San Francisco
* 10/20/18 Comedy of Errors Tour opens on some weekends. See see calendar.

Rolex Big “Sailing” Boat Series, St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco Bay
Thu-Sun 9/12/18-9/16/18, Free
In an effort to bring large racing sail boats to compete in the San Francisco Bay, members of the St. Francis Yacht Club created the St. Francis Perpetual Trophy Regatta in 1964.   It features 4 days of world-class competition, between 100 teams from around the world, and has become the West Coast’s premier regatta.  See details and pictures.

SF International Dragon Boat Festival, Merrit Island, Oakland
Saturday-Sunday, 9/15/18-9/16/18, Free admission
One of the largest competitive dragon boat races in the United States.  The festival has entertainment, food and free activities.  See details.

San Francisco’s Comedy Day, Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park
Sunday, 9/16/18, 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.

Sausalito Floating Homes Tour, Kappas Marina, Sausalito
Saturday 9/30/17, 11 am-4 pm, Admission   (Note: will return in 2019)
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).

Renaissance Fair, Hollister, CA
Saturdays & Sundays only, 9/15/18-10/21/18,  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.

Free Shakespeare In The Park,  A Midsummer Night’s Dream, see calendar.
* 9/15/18-9/23/18, Weekends, 2:00 pm
Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, McClaren Park, San Francisco
* 10/20/18 Comedy of Errors Tour opens on some weekends. See see calendar.

Fall Prevention Week
Friday-Thursday, 9/22/18-9/28/18,  see website
Falls can be serious at any age but especially for older adults. Approximately 1 in 3 adults over 65 fall every year.  The San Mateo County Fall Prevention Task Force says that falls account for 80% of accidental injury deaths in individuals over the age of 85, and 20% in ages 75 to 84.  Here are some exercises to help prevent falls.  One of them is to practice standing on one leg.  It can’t hurt you to learn them for future reference or for a senior friend.

California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr, Golden Gate Park
Sunday-Tuesday, 11 am-5 pm, 9/23/18-9/25/18, Free quarterly admission day
The Academy of Sciences is expensive ($35.95) and often crowded. However, four Sundays/year there is free admission on a first-come first-serve basis. Early arrival is highly recommended and you can still expect to stand in line. See more general details. We’ve also heard that the Academy’s nightlife events ($15, 6-10 pm Thursday nights for adults over 21 only) are a good way to go. They have cocktails, music (sometimes live), and unique themes … and the crowds are not so intense.

Pacific Coast Fog Fest, Palmetto Street, Pacifica
Sat-Sun, 9/29/18-9/30/18, 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 9/30/18, 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.

Stanford Football is starting up again
vs UC Davis, Saturday, 9/30/17, 11 a, at Stanford.  See schedule.

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. (5/6/18-10/28/18)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, 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, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  3/18/18 – 10/21/18.  See details.   Twilight at the Presidio is held there Thursday nights, 5 pm-9 am, from 5/17/18-10/20/18 as well.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/22/18-October.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Stern Grove Concerts – Sundays, 6/17/18-8/19/18, 2 pm-5 pm.  See details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park. (year round)
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 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 calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Sundays.  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 (open year round subject to weather).

Month of September – Other

• Pro Sports:  See the San Francisco Giants.
• 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.

past AUGUST 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Women’s Professional Tennis Tournament,  San Jose State University, San Jose
Monday-Sunday, 7/30/18-8/5/18, Admission (note: it’s usually on TV ESPN2 and ESPN3 too)
This Bank of The West Tennis Classic has been played since 1971.  It has featured some of the top professional women’s players including Maria Sharapova and other Grand Slam Champions.

Santa Clara County Fair, 344 Tully Road, San Jose
Thu-Sun, 8/2/18-8/5/18, Admission
Four days of music, food and entertainment.  But it will be hot, of course.  Groupon had two tickets for the price of one last year so is worth checking.  See more details about this county fair.

Renaissance Faire, 180 Woz Way, Downtown San Jose
Saturday-Sunday, 8/4/18-8/5/18, 10 am – 5 pm,
Admission: Adults $16, Kids free through $13 depending on age, Parking around $5

The San Jose Renaissance Faire is not as big as some such events but it’s a very pleasant “adventure.”  For a start, this one is easy to get to and parking is not a big hassle. Plenty of food, arts & crafts for sale and well done events too!  See website.

Some tips: (1) In the past we’ve seen 40% off discount tickets on Groupon.  (2) Get there early in the day for less hassle & heat (San Jose can get hot in the summer).   (3) Check out the Children’s Discovery Museum which is also located here at Discovery Meadow.  (4) also see information of other nifty Rennaissance Faires in the SF Bay Area.

Jerry Day aka Jerry Garcia Festival, McClaren Park, SF
Sunday 8/5/18. Doors open 11 am; show starts 11:30 am.   Free (but big donations will get you a reserved seat)
Calling all Deadheads!   A yearly festival celebrating Jerry Garcia which is located in the Excelsior neighborhood where he was a child. See website.

Free Shakespeare In The Park, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Cupertino
7/21/18-8/5/18, Weekends 7:30 pm
Memorial Park Amphitheater, Stevens Creek & Mary Ave (Across from De Anza College), Cupertino.  Also in other locations throughout the summer.  See complete calendar.

Most Incredible Meteor Shower of the Year
Late Thursday night/early Friday morning, 8/11/16-8/12/16  (and continues through 8/24/16)
The Perseid meteor shower of 2016 peaks tonight and experts say it may get up to 200 meteors/hour this year.  They are best seen, all across the sky, after midnight.  If that’s too late for you it will also be shown live on the Internet at 8 pm EDT  (5 pm our PDT) on Thursday evening.  See details.

Total Solar Eclipse
Monday 8/21/17, 10:15 am PDT in the SF Bay Area
A total eclipse is a once in a lifetime event and will happen in many places in the U.S. this year.  Here in the SF Bay area we will get a partial (75%) eclipse.  In Kansas City (especially St. Joseph) where I grew up there will be a total eclipse.  Here’s a good article on the subject.

Fall Plant Sale, UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley
Thursday, 8/25/16, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm, Admission
If you are into plants, especially California natives, the University of California Botanical Garden in Berkeley should definitely be on your bucket list to visit sometime.  It’s a great place for an interesting hike too.  Their Fall Plant sale is a good day to visit if you want to buy plants or get free advice.  See more details.

Monterey Motorsports Reunion & Pre-Reunion Races
Laguna Seca Raceway, east of Monterey, Admission
Saturday-Sunday, 8/18/18-8/19/18, Pre-Reunion Vintage Car Races. See details.
Thursday-Sunday, 8/23/18-8/26/18, Rolex Motorsport Reunion Races. See details.
These two racing events in Monterey Classic Car Week are a great way to see vintage sport cars in action at one of the best, most spectator-friendly race courses in America. You can avoid the crowds and much of the costs by attending the pre-reunion weekend races rather than the reunion event itself. See details

Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance,  Pebble Beach Lodge near Carmel
Sunday 8/26/18, opens 10:30 am,  Admission ($375 on the day of the show)
See 200 of the “best of the best” collector cars and motorcycles in the world at the “best finishing hole” in golf. This is the culmination of an entire week of events for automobile connoisseurs. Besides old collector classics, new concept cars are also shown.  We’ve also been the day before the actual event and had lot’s of fun for much less cost.  See more details on this approach.

Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Week long event held 8/26/18-9/3/18
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. (5/6/18-10/28/18)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, 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, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  3/18/18 – 10/21/18.  See details.   Twilight at the Presidio is held there Thursday nights, 5 pm-9 am, from 5/17/18-10/20/18 as well.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/22/18-October.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Stern Grove Concerts – Sundays, 6/17/18-8/19/18, 2 pm-5 pm.  See details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park. (year round)
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 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 calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Sundays.  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 (open year round subject to weather).

Month of August – Other

• Pro Sports:  See the San Francisco Giants.
• 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.

past JULY 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekend

Fourth of July Festivities, San Francisco Bay
Sat-Sun,  Wed  6/30/18-7/1/18, 7/4/18, Free
There are always big festivities including fireworks at approximately 9:30 pm 7/4/17.  They will be shot from barges located in SF Bay just north of Aquatic Park and Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf.  Expect large crowds, snarled traffic, and sometimes fog over the SF Bay in the evening.  See more.

On the Peninsula, the 4th of July fireworks at Foster City is always one of the top displays.  See more about fireworks & festivities around the Bay.

Independence Eve Celebration,
Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond
Tuesday 7/3/18, Free with paid parking.  Seating is limited!
6:30 pm: doors open, 8 pm: Oakland Symphony concert, 9:15 pm: fireworks over the water.  See more details.

CANCELLED 2018 AS PER http://www.kion546.com/news/2018-hollister-independence-rally-cancelled/712281171
Hollister Motorcycle Rally & Music Street Festival, Hollister, CA
Fri-Sun 6/30/17-7/2/17, Free
Celebrate the “birth of the American biker” as exaggerated in Marlon Brando’s movie The Wild Ones. This is one of the biggest biker rallies in California; about 150,000 attendees show up in this town of 35,000.   See more.

Flower Pianos, SF Botanical Garden, Golden Gate Park
12 straight days Thursday-Monday, 7/5/18-7/16/18, different times on different days
Free for SF residents, $8 Botanical Garden admission for non-residents.
12 pianos are set up around the garden for 12 straight days turning it into an outdoor concert hall.  It’s a good excuse to visit this beautiful place and hear some nice piano performances as well, some by professionals and some by talented visitors depending on when you go.  We went a couple of years ago and afterwards walked over to the de Young museum nearby to enjoy the Golden Gate Park Band.   See the full flower piano schedule.

Hillsborough Concourse D’Elegance, Crystal Springs Golf Course (just off Hwy 280), Burlingame
Sunday, 7/15/18, 10 am-4 pm.  $35 Admission
A nice way to spend a Sunday if you like cars.  It’s very close & not too crowded, the venue is quite pleasant and weather summer warm.  See more details.    For something even better, but much less convenient and more expensive ($375), try going to the Pebble Beach Concourse  on 8/26/18.

National Ice Cream Month
July is national ice cream month and the third Sunday, 7/15/18, is national ice cream day.  Check out our San Francisco Ice Cream Page and Map for some of the best ice cream in the world any time of year.

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.

• Sunday Streets Mission (7/15/18, 11 am-4 pm)  On Valencia St. in the SF Mission district.
• 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.

Amazon Prime Day 2018 – 30 Hours of Unusual Deals
Monday-Tuesday 7/16/18-7/17/18  (subject to change)
Discounts all day Tuesday starting Monday. Like Black Friday after Thanksgiving, you get discounts from regular Amazon prices on over 100,000 products, especially Amazon brand products.   Unlike Black Friday these discounts tend to be on “flash” ads so they are not available all day; we’ve found that it’s a bit hard to find but why not check it out.

2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens Tournament, AT&T Park
Friday-Sunday, 7/20/18-7/22/18, admission
More details about Rugby Sevens.  It is an increasingly popular variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players playing seven minute halves, instead of the usual 15 players playing 40 minute halves.

Free Shakespeare In The Park, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Cupertino
7/21/18-8/5/18, Weekends 7:30 pm
Memorial Park Amphitheater, Stevens Creek & Mary Ave (Across from De Anza College), Cupertino.  Also in other locations throughout the summer.  See complete calendar.

Gilroy Garlic Festival, Gilroy
Friday-Sunday, 7/27/18-7/29/18, admission
If you like garlic-flavored food this event is big and unique.  They even have free garlic ice cream to help you handle the heat (bring a sun hat & sun lotion too).  There is also a Garlic Train from San Jose (charter train tickets must be purchased online in advance) to help avoid the driving & parking hassle.  See more details.  Also see our page on things to do in nearby Morgan Hill.

Berkeley Kite Festival, Berkeley Marina (Caesar Chavez Park)
Sat-Sun 7/28/18-7/29/18, Free (however parking costs $15)
Over 25,000 kite fanatics attend this event every year. Features great winds, spectacular views, live music and a three-ring circle of kiting craziness. See details.   It’s crowded but parking ($15) and shuttles can be found at a variety of spots including Golden Gate Fields.

Women’s Professional Tennis Tournament,  San Jose State University, San Jose
Monday-Sunday, 7/30/18-8/5/18, Admission (note: it’s usually on TV ESPN2 and ESPN3 too)
This Bank of The West Tennis Classic has been played since 1971.  It has featured some of the top professional women’s players including Maria Sharapova and other Grand Slam Champions.

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. (5/6/18-10/28/18)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, 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, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  3/18/18 – 10/21/18.  See details.   Twilight at the Presidio is held there Thursday nights, 5 pm-9 am, from 5/17/18-10/20/18 as well.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/22/18-October.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Stern Grove Concerts – Sundays, 6/17/18-8/19/18, 2 pm-5 pm.  See details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park. (year round)
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 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 calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Sundays.  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 (open year round subject to weather).

Month of July – Other

• Pro Sports:  See the San Francisco Giants.
• 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.

past JUNE 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekend

The weather is usually outstanding in June and there is plenty to do around the Bay Area.

cityFEST, Leo Ryan Park, 650 Shell Blvd/Hillsdale, Foster City
Friday, 6/1/18, 5 pm – 11 pm;  Sat, 6/2/18, 10 am – 11 pm; Sun, 6/3/18, 10 am – 7 pm.
FREE admission, $10 parking.
Foster City’s biggest event formerly known as the Arts & Wine Festival.  A local family-oriented event which includes a Carnival, Festival, and Live Entertainment.  Over 175 booths, 20 different carnival rides and 40,000 attendees expected. See more.

Biggest Little Airshow, Hiller Aviation Museum, in San Carlos immediately south of Foster City
Saturday 6/2/18, 10 am-1 pm, Admission includes museum
This is a good time to see the Museum along an aerial extravaganza including model helicopters, drones, quadrotors and more!   The adjacent San Carlos Airport will be closed to regular air traffic from 10:30 am- 12 noon to allow realistic jet-powered and propeller-powered model aircraft to roll down the runway and into the sky!  Event is included with the museum admission: $16/adult, $11 for seniors and youths ages 5-17.  Capacity is limited.  See more details.

NBA Finals on ABC TV
– Game 1:  Thu 5/31/18, 6 pm
– Game 2: Sun 6/3/18, 5 pm
– Game 3: Wed 6/6/18, 6 pm
– Game 4: Fri 6/8/18, 6 pm
– Game 5: Mon 6/11/18, 6 pm (if needed)
– Game 6: Thu 6/14/18, 6 pm (if needed)
– Game 7: Sun 6/17/18, 5 pm (if needed)
All games will be shown on ABC TV.  See NBA playoff background and TV schedule information for more up to date details.

Escape from Alcatraz Triathalon, Marina Green, SF
Sunday 6/3/18, 7:30 am-11:45 am. Free to watch
If you want to see some of the top triathaletes in the world compete join some 20,000 spectators at the Fitness Festival on Marina Green.   This will be the center of the action before, during and after the race (e.g., swim start 7:30 am, first professional finisher 9:30 am,  awards presentation 12 pm, etc.).  See description and schedule.

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.

• Sunday Streets Sunset/Golden Gate Park (Sunday 6/3/18, 11 am-4 pm)
• 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.

Belmont Stakes, Elmont, New York (outside of NYC)
Saturday, 6/9/18.  Post time is approximately 3:37 pm PST.  Free on NBC TV.
The third and oldest leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown is the 1-1/2 mile Belmont Stakes.

Golden Gate Park Band Festival, Music Concourse, Golden Gate Park
Sat-Sun, 6/9/18-6/10/18, 11 am – 5 pm, Free
10 different bands will be playing at the Music Concourse between de Young Museum and the Academy of Sciences.  Drop by as you enjoy the many other things to do in Golden Gate Park.

 

Novice Dragon Boat Race, Foster City Lagoon, Leo Ryan Park
Sunday, 6/10/18, 9 am-4 pm
A 1-day race focused on novice beginner teams and corporate teams.  This is a way for you and your friends to participate in this unique sport.  See Bay Area Dragons Club details.

San Mateo County Fair, County Fair Grounds, 2495 S Delaware St/E. 25th Ave, San Mateo
One week, Sat-Sun 6/9/18 – 6/17/18
There is a charge for admission and a charge for parking.  Check the website for several special promotions.
A typical county fair (corn dogs, racing pigs, 4H farm animals, music, etc.) located almost next door to Foster City.  Free entertainment comes with Fair admission.   Special concerts play nightly (ads say “all concerts free with fair admission” but if you want reserved seats they are expensive).

North Beach Festival, Washington Square Park, North Beach
Sat-Sun, 6/16/18-6/17/18, 10 am – 6 pm, Free
Big outdoor arts & crafts festival in historic North Beach. We don’t go because we are jaded having lived on Russian Hill adjacent North Beach for several years … so prefer to enjoy North Beach when it is less crowded.  See more details.

• June Holidays
  • Fathers Day, Sunday 6/17/18
  • Summer Solstice, Thursday 6/21/18
  • Independence Day, Wednesday 7/4/18
  • More Holidays

  Stern Grove Concerts, Stern Grove, SF
  Starts Sunday 6/17/18,  2 pm-about 5 pm, Free
  These free world-class Sunday concerts start again for the 80th summer season.  Very crowded so get there early, especially the opening Sunday, but definitely worth at least one visit.  See background information and schedule.

  

  Day-Long Pride Festival at Civic Center. It’s like a gay theme park!

  San Francisco Pride Festival & Parade, Civic Center, Market St., Castro St. and many other locations.
  Sat-Sun 6/23/18-6/24/18, Free
  One of the oldest, biggest, and most famous lesbian gay bisexual transgender events in the world.  Over 1 million visitors come to the City to attend.   The main parade starts at 10:30 am on Sunday, 6/24/17, at Market/Beale and ends at Market/8th Street. See more details and a calendar of many related events.

  Blossom Festival, Saratoga Civic Center, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga CA
  Sat 6/23/18, 10 am-4 pm, Free
  We’ve never been but this 42 year old free event put on by the Saratoga Historical Foundation & City of Saratoga  might be worth checking out if you live in the South Bay.  It has over 100 booths, antique cars, food trucks and live music.  See more details.

Jazz on the Hill, College of San Mateo, San Mateo, CA.
Saturday 6/???, 12 pm-6 pm, Free   CANCELLED 2018???
A day-long community event sponsored by the jazz station KCSM 91.1 FM and San Mateo Jr College.  It’s free, the setting is beautiful, and there will be plenty of good food by local vendors.  Last year over 5000 attended.  See more details.

Opera at the Ballpark, SF Giants Ballpark
Friday 6/30/17, 7:30 pm, Free   CANCELLED 2018??
Enjoy a free live simulcast of Mozart’s Don Giovanni by the San Francisco Opera under the stars at AT&T Park.  See details & sign up now to register for an early entry starting at 5 pm which gets you the best seats.

Hollister Motorcycle Rally & Music Street Festival, Hollister, CA
Fri-Sun 6/30/17-7/2/17, Free   CANCELLED 2018 AS PER http://www.kion546.com/news/2018-hollister-independence-rally-cancelled/712281171
Celebrate the “birth of the American biker” as exaggerated in Marlon Brando’s movie The Wild Ones. This is one of the biggest biker rallies in California; about 150,000 attendees show up in this town of 35,000.   See more.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in June.

• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Over 90 different events (music & shows) held various days of each week. (5/6/18-10/28/18)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, 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, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/22/18-October.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park. (year round)
• Bicycle Sundays – Sundays.  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 (open year round subject to weather).

Month of June – Other

• Pro Sports:  See Golden State Warriors playoffs, San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks playoffs.
• 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.

past MAY 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekend

May is filled with good events to see and do and the weather is usually fantastic.

NBA Basketball Playoffs – Semi Finals 
– Game 4: Warriors @ Pelicans, Sunday 5/6/18 at 12:30 pm PST on ABC.  The Warriors lead 2 to 1.
– Game 5: Pelicans @ Warriors, Tuesday 5/8/18 if needed at a time to be determined.
– Game 6: Pelicans @ Warriors, Thursday 5/10/18  if needed at a time to be determined.
– Game 7: Warriors @ Pelicans, Monday 5/14/18  if needed at a time to be determined.
Conference Finals begin Tuesday 5/15/18
NBA Finals begin Thursday 5/31/18
NBA Finals Game 7 (if needed) Sunday 6/17/18
See TV schedule with more details.

Stanley Cup Hockey Playoffs – Second round
The San Jose Sharks are playing the Vegas Golden Knights.
– [email protected], Sunday 5/6/18 at 4:30 pm.
– [email protected], Tuesday 5/8/18 at time to be determined.
See more details.

The Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky. Free on TV (NBC sports live streaming)
Saturday 5/5/18, 11:30-4:30 pm, 3:50 pm post time
4/28/18-5/5/18  is the biggest week of the year for horse racing culminating in what is known as the “fastest two minutes in sports.”  The Kentucky Derby is the country’s premier race for 3-year old thoroughbreds (1-1/4 miles).  See Derby week’s details.

Cinco De Mayo Festival, Valencia St. between 21st & 24th Streets, Mission District, SF
Saturday 5/5/18, 10 am-6 pm, Free
This festival celebrates the contributions made by Latinos to the United States and commemorates the anniversary of a victory by Mexican forces over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. See festival details.

Polynesian Festival, Leo Ryan Park Amphitheater, 650 Shell Blvd/Hillsdale, Foster City
Saturday 5/5/18, 10 am – 5 pm, FREE admission
Unique day of activities celebrating the Polynesian culture.  There will be award-winning professional Polynesian dance performances, food booths, arts and crafts booths and sometimes even outrigger canoe rides by the Ho’okahi Pu’uwai Outrigger Canoe Club (with more than 100 members and headquartered in Foster City).  See more

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.

• Sunday Streets Tenderloin (5/6/18, 11 am-4 pm)
• 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.

May Holidays

• Mothers Day, Sunday 5/13/18
• Memorial Day, Monday 5/28/18
• More Holidays

Amgen Tour of California Bike Race, Stage 4, Morgan Hill/San Jose
Men’s Time Trial, 1:30 pm-4 pm,Wednesday 5/16/18, Free
The Amgen Tour of California is the biggest professional bicycle race in America, the U.S. version of the Tour de France, consisting of seven stages running from 5/13/18-5/19/18.  See route details.   If you enjoy going on your own shorter bike rides see our best SF Bay bike tours page.

Preakness Stakes, Baltimore, Maryland
Saturday, 5/19/18.  Post time 3:20 pm.  Free on NBC Sports TV.
The second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown is the 1-3/16 mile Preakness Stakes.  See more here.

Annual Bay to Breakers Race, San Francisco
THE RACE  Sunday 5/20/18, Start time 8 am.  Begins at Main & Howard St. and ends at the Ocean Beach Parking Lot
THE FINISH LINE FESTIVAL  Sunday 5/20/18, Ocean Beach Parking Lot
The Bay to Breakers 12k run and walk is probably the biggest foot race in the world (over 50,000 runners in 2016) and includes everyone from world-class runners to a wide range of costumed runners including corporate centipedes and fat old nude walkers.  It is also the oldest consecutively run annual footrace in the world, dating back to 1912.If you don’t want to run in it (like we and probably half of the SF Bay Area population has already done) then just go to Golden Gate Park to watch the finish and join the festivities held afterwards. See details.  See pictures.

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, Yerba Buena Center, SF
Various days 5/6/18 – 10/28/18, Free
Over 90 different events (usually music or shows) held various days of each week from 5/6/18-10/28/18.  See schedule.

San Francisco Carnaval, Mission District, San Francisco
Festival, Saturday-Sunday, 5/26/18 – 5/27/18, 10 am-6 pm, Free.  Harrison St. between 16th & 24th Streets.
Parade, Sunday 5/27/18, 9:30 am, Free.  The parade starts at 24th & Bryant Street then moves west on 24th St. then north on Mission St.
A big, crowded Latin American/Caribbean Street festival and parade in the Mission District.  The easiest way to access it is probably via the 24th/Mission BART station which is located near the center of the parade.

Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana
Sunday, 5/27/18, all day with engines starting at 9:12 am-3:30 pm, Free on TV
One of the most famous motor car racing events in the world. It’s a 500 mile race where top lap speeds can get over 236 mph (this is the record made in 1996, in 2017 the top speed for a full lap was over 226 mph).  See more details.

Memorial Day Monday 5/28/18
For good things to do just look around our website. The Bay area is blessed with hundreds of hidden gems which are open every day.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/17 – 5/31/18, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in May.

• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Over 90 different events (music & shows) held various days of each week. (5/6/18-10/28/18)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, 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, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/22/18-October.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park. (year round)
• Bicycle Sundays – Sundays.  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 (open year round subject to weather).

Month of May – Other

• Pro Sports:  See Golden State Warriors playoffs, San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks playoffs.
• 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.

past APRIL 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

NBA Playoffs 
Playoffs begin Saturday 4/14/18
– Spurs @ Warriors,  Saturday 4/14/18, 12 noon  ABC
– Spurs @ Warriors, Monday 4/16/18, 7:30 pm TNT
– Warriors @ Spurs, Thursday 4/19/18, 6:30 pm TNT
– Warrors @ Spurs, Sunday 4/22/18, 12:30 pm ABC
Semifinals begin Monday 4/30/18
Conference Finals begin Tuesday 5/15/18
NBA Finals begin Thursday 5/31/18
NBA Finals Game 7 (if needed) Sunday 6/17/18
See TV schedule with more details.

NBA Basketball Playoffs – Second Round 
Second Round of Playoffs:
– Pelicans @ Warrors , Saturday 4/28/18 on TNT.  Time to be determined later.
Conference Finals begin Tuesday 5/15/18
NBA Finals begin Thursday 5/31/18
NBA Finals Game 7 (if needed) Sunday 6/17/18
See TV schedule with more details.

Stanley Cup Hockey Playoffs 2018
4/10/19-4/6/18.  The San Jose Sharks beat the Ducks 4 to 0.  The second round dates when they play against Los Vegas are to be determined.  See more details.

Stanley Cup Hockey Playoffs – Second round
The San Jose Sharks will play the Vegas Golden Knights.
– [email protected] Sharks, Thursday 4/26/18 at 7 pm
– [email protected], Saturday 4/28/18 at 5 pm
– [email protected], Monday 4/30/18 at 7 pm
– [email protected], Wednesday 5/2/18 at 7 pm
– [email protected], Friday 5/4/18 at 7 pm
– [email protected], Sunday 5/6/18 at time to be determined
– [email protected], Tuesday 5/8/18 at time to be determined.
See more details.