Annual City Events Calendar
Copyright Kevinkoss.com
- The week column has 1-4 for the week of that month the event happens
- Some events don’t have a week, those happen all month
- These are approximations, some events change which weekend they happen on so be sure to check yourself for the exact date
| Month | Week | Type | Event | More Info | Description |
| Jan | All month | Comedy | SF Sketch Fest | http://www.sfsketchfest.com/home/SF Sketchfest was founded in 2001 as a way to showcase the talents of six Bay Area sketch comedy groups: The Fresh Robots, Kasper Hauser, The Meehan Brothers, Please Leave the Bronx, Totally False People and White Noise Radio Theatre. |
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| Jan | 2 | Crazy | No Pants on BART Day | http://improveverywhere.com/missions/the-no-pants-subway-ride/ Organized by Improv Everywhere (“We Cause Scenes”), The No Pants! Subway Ride — in which, yes, people take off their pants on the subway. |
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| Jan | 3 | Film Festival | Film Noir Festival | http://www.noircity.com/ Castro Theater |
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| Feb | All (Lunar New Year) | Parade | Chinese New Year Celebrations | http://www.chineseparade.com/ Parade begins around 5pm at Market & 2nd and ends on Kearny |
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| Feb | 1 | Festival | SF Beer Week | http://sfbeerweek.org/ |
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| Feb | 1 | Film Festival | San Francisco Independent Film Festival | http://www.sfindie.com/ | |
| Feb | 2 | Show | MacWorld | macworldexpo.com | |
| Feb | 2 | Holiday | Valentine’s Day in San Francisco | http://www.sfstation.com/valentines/ | |
| Feb | 2 | Event | SF Zoo’s Valentine Dinner Sat Evening | http://www.sfzoo.org | |
| Feb | 2 | SF Only | Pillow Fight | http://www.pillowfight.info/ Feathers will fly at this fun, flash-mob type event. Leave it to a place like San Francisco to host the most visible incarnation of the Pillow Fight’s flash-mob-esque gathering, and subsequent public pillow fight. I would say that a safe thousand people were milling around Justin Herman Plaza at Embarcadero and Market Streets in Downtown San Francisco. |
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| Feb | 2 | Party | Friends of Brazil Carnaval Ball | http://www.friendsofbrazil.org/ | |
| Feb | 2 | Music Festival | San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival | http://www.sfbluegrass.org | |
| Feb | 3 | Street Festival | Fat Tuesday on Scott St. | http://republicsf.com/ | |
| Feb | 3 | Music Festival | Noise Pop | http://www.noisepop.com/ | |
| Feb | 4 | Expo | Pacific Orchid Exposition – Fort Mason Festival Pavilion | http://www.orchidsanfrancisco.org/poe.html | |
| Feb | 4 | Food Festival | Blues, Beer and BBQ at the NABE | http://nabe.potrerohillsf.com 4-9, $25, 953 De Haro |
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| Mar | 1 | Music Festival | SF Jazz Spring Season 2009 | ||
| Mar | 2 | Parade | Annual St Patrick’s Day Festival | http://www.uissf.org/ The oldest and largest St Patrick’s Day parade west of the Mississippi -Mar 14, 10a to 5p – Parade at 11:30a Market and 2nd to Civic Center Plaza |
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| Mar | 2 | Film Festival | San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival | http://asianamericanmedia.org/ | |
| Mar | 3 | Expo | San Francisco Flower and Garden Show | http://www.sfgardenshow.com/ | |
| Mar | 3 | Food Festival | Annual San Francisco International Chocolate Salon | http://www.sfchocolatesalon.com/ Experience the finest in artisan, gourmet & premium chocolate in one of the world’s greatest culinary metropolitan areas |
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| Mar | 4 | Festival | Annual Whiskies of the World Expo | http://www.whiskiesoftheworld.com/ The Whiskies of the World Expo® features an incredible collection of whiskies, from exclusive single malts to world-famous blends, bourbons and artisanal spirits. |
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| Apr | 1 | Parade | St. Stupid’s Day Parade & After Party | Bishop Joey leads a costumed parade from the foot of Market Street. Begins at noon. | |
| Apr | 3 | SF Only | Bring your own big wheel | ||
| Apr | 3 | Street Fair | Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival | ||
| Apr | 3 | Film Festival | San Francisco International Film Festival | http://www.sffs.org/ | |
| Apr | 3 | Benefit | Save the Bay – Earth Day Restoration Projects | ||
| Apr | 3 | Parade | Spring Celebration & Easter Parade | Union Street ~ Gough to Fillmore | |
| May | 1 | Street Fair | Cinco de Mayo | ||
| May | 2 | Street fair | How Weird Street Faire | Howard and 2nd Sts en blocks of art and celebration, and ten stages of music. Plus performances and colorful costumes, vendors from around the world, food and drinks, and much more! | |
| May | 2 | Athletic Event | Amgen Tour of California | amgentourofcalifornia.com The world’s top professional cycling teams compete over an eight-day, 700-mile race on a route that includes the California redwoods, wine country, Pacific Coast. San Francisco hosts stage 3 of the race |
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| May | 2 | Fireworks | KFOG KaBoom! | www.kfog.com Pier 30/32 Festival featuring live music followed by fireworks |
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| May | 3 | SF Only | Bay to Breakers 12K | http://www.baytobreakers.com/ Third Sunday in May Start at Howard & Beale – 8:00a |
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| May | 3 | Parade | Carnaval San Francisco | http://www.carnavalsf.com/ California’s largest multi-cultural celebration, drawing hundreds of thousands of people – two days of dancing, music, arts, entertainment, food and a grand parade on Sunday |
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| May | 4 | Holiday | Memorial Day Ceremony at the Presidio | ||
| Jun | 1 | Music Festival | Stern Grove Festival | http://www.sterngrove.org/ | |
| Jun | 1 | Street Fair | Union Street Art Festival | http://www.unionstreetfestival.com/ | |
| Jun | 2 | Street Fair | Haight Ashbury Street Fair | http://www.haightstreetfair.org/ | |
| Jun | 2 | Street Fair | North Beach Festival | ||
| Jun | 2 | Street Fair | North Beach Festival | http://sfnorthbeach.org | |
| Jun | 4 | Parade | Gay Pride Parade | ||
| Jul | 1 | Fireworks | 4th of July Fireworks | ||
| Jul | 1 | Music Festival | North Beach Jazz | http://www.nbjazzfest.com/ | |
| Jul | 3 | Benefit | AIDS Walk San Francisco | http://www.aidswalk.net/sanfran/ | |
| Jul | 4 | Music Festival | Fillmore Jazz Festival | http://www.fillmorejazzfestival.com/ | |
| Jul | 4 | San Francisco Marathon | |||
| Aug | 4 | Music Festival | Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival | ||
| Aug | 1 | Street Fair | Nihonmachi Street Fair | http://www.nihonmachistreetfair.org/ | |
| Sep | 1 | Street Fair | Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair | http://www.moonfestival.org | |
| Sep | 1 | Arts | Shakespeare in the Park | ||
| Sep | 3 | Comedy | Golden Gate Comedy Festival | http://www.comedyday.com/ | |
| Sep | 3 | Music Festival | Treasure Island Festival (music) | ||
| Sep | 4 | Street Fair | Folsom St. Fair | ||
| Sep | 4 | Music Festival | San Francisco Blues Festival | http://www.sfblues.com/ | |
| Oct | All | Art Festival | SF Open Studios | http://www.artspan.org/sf-open-studios Each weekend in October, you can grab a guide map and go to artist’s studios and see their work in the place they work. The artists typically have coffee and treats out and many of the artists are in spaces that house multiple artists so you can see a few with one stop. This is really a lot of fun. |
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| Oct | 1 | Music Festival | Hardly Strictly Bluegrass | http://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/ Free concert in Golden Gate Park. Musicians have included Billy Bragg, The Chieftains and Lyle Lovett. |
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| Oct | 1 | Street Fair | Castro Street Fair | ||
| Oct | 1 | Street Fair | Noe Valley Harvest Festival | http://www.noevalleyharvestfestival.com | |
| Oct | 1 | Parade | San Francisco Lovefest | ||
| Oct | 1 | Music Festival | SF Jazz Festival | ||
| Oct | 2 | Street Fair | SF DECOMPRESSION Heat the Street FaIRE | http://regionals.burningman.com/ Indiana Street in San Francisco |
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| Oct | 2 | SF Only | Fleet Week | ||
| Oct | 2 | Parade | Italian Heritage Parade – Columbus Day Parade | http://www.sfcolumbusday.org/ Oct 12 – Columbus Day Parade – Fisherman’s Wharf to North Beach |
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| Oct | 3 | Street Fair | Bernal Fiesta on the Hill | http://www.bhnc.org/ | |
| Oct | 3 | Food | Whiskey Festival | http://www.maltadvocate.com Features more than 200 of the world’s finest, rarest, and most expensive, single malt and blended Scotch, Irish, bourbon, Tennessee, Japanese, Welsh, Canadian and other whiskies from around the world to sample in one Grand Ballroom. |
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| Oct | 3 | Street Fair | Potrero Hill Festival | http://www.potrerofestival.com/ | |
| Oct | 3 | SF Only | Exotic Erotic Ball | http://www.exoticeroticball.com It’s part Mardi Gras, part burlesque, and part rock concert, yet totally unique. The Exotic Erotic Ball is a celebration of human sexuality and freedom of expression. It’s a lingerie, fetish, masquerade affair. |
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| Oct | 4 | SF Only | Halloween | http://www.sfstation.com/halloween/ Use to be Halloween in the Castro was one of the biggest events. But the city has been trying to move it for years. The best thing to do on Halloween changes every year. My best advice is to check out SF Station’s Halloween Guide and to avoid the Castro and City Hall area if you are driving someplace that night. |
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| Oct | Arts | Litquake | |||
| Nov | 1 | Parade | Dia de los Muertos Procession | http://www.dayofthedeadsf.org/ | |
| Nov | 2 | Benefit | Swords to Plowshares Annual Veteran’s Day Dinner | http://www.swords-to-plowshares.org Benefits the Swords to Plowshares organization. Swords to Plowshares is the only veterans service agency in the United States that provides a full continuum of care to low-income and homeless veterans. We do not discriminate based on length of service, branch of service or military discharge status. |
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| Nov | 2 | Film Festival | American Indian Film Festival | http://www.aifisf.com/ | |
| Nov | 2 | Show | San Francisco Green Festival | http://www.greenfestivals.org/san-francisco/ | |
| Nov | 2 | Holiday Event | Holiday Ice Rink at Union Square | http://www.unionsquareicerink.com/ | |
| Nov | 2 | Holiday Event | Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink | http://www.alwaysdream.org | |
| Nov | 3 | Holiday Event | Macy’s Tree Lighting – Union Square | http://www.unionsquareshop.com/ | |
| Nov | 2 | Holiday Event | Beach Blanket Babylon Holiday Shows | www.beachblanketbabylon.com Go to see the giant Christmas tree hat. |
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| Nov | 3 | Holiday Event | Pier 39′s Tree Lighting Ceremony | http://www.pier39.com/ | |
| Nov | 4 | Holiday Event | Ghirardelli Square Tree Lighting Ceremony | http://www.ghirardellisq.com | |
| Nov | 4 | Show | San Francisco International Automobile Show | sfautoshow.com | |
| Dec | 1 | Holiday Event | Hiller Aviation Museum: Santa Arrives by Helicopter | http://www.hiller.org/ | |
| Dec | 1 | Food Festival | Slow Food’s Annual Crab Feed | http://www.slowfoodsanfrancisco.com/ | |
| Dec | 1 | Holiday Event | 555 California Street Tree Lighting Ceremony | Learn More Jewish comedy on Christmas in a Chinese restaurant |
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| Dec | 1 | Holiday Event | Union Street Fantasy of Lights | Learn More Come and enjoy street Entertainment including jugglers, face painters, Santa’s reindeer, meet the Snow Queen, kids activities, carolers, and much more! |
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| Dec | 2 | Holiday Event | Fisherman’s Wharf Holiday Lights & Sights Parade – Lighted Boat Parade | visitfishermanswharf.com The oldest and largest lighted boat holiday parade on San Francisco Bay. More than 100 boats festooned with lights & holiday decorations parade along the waterfront. Spectators can get a great view from the walkway along the Aquatic Park, PIER 39, Marina Green, and Crissy Field Beach. Restaurants along the Wharf also offer a fantastic vantage point as well as traditional holiday menus. After the parade, viewing of these spectacular lights can be seen most prominently on Jefferson Street between Jones & Taylor Streets at the Sportfishing Harbor. |
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| Dec | 2 | Holiday Event | Santacon- A Santa Critical Mass | santacon.info | |
| Dec | 2 | Holiday Event | Bill Graham Menorah Day Festival | Union Square | Details Full day festival capped with the lighting of a giant 25-foot tall mahogany menorah menorah in in the middle of the square. |
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| Dec | 2 | Holiday Event | Dance Along Nutcracker | http://www.sflgfb.org/dancealong/ The SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band performs music from the holiday classic, audience participation encouraged. Center for the Arts, 978-ARTS |
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| Dec | 3 | Holiday Event | Heklina/TrannyShack Annual Star Search | http://www.trannyshack.com/ You have not been to a drag show until you’ve been to Trannyshack. |
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| Dec | 3 | Holiday Event | Unsilent Night Boombox Christmas Parade, 7:30 Delores Park | http://www.unsilentnight.com/press.html Unsilent Night has been performed across the world, from Berlin to Tallahassee, and has been recreated in the studio for a gorgeous CD on Bang on a Can’s Cantaloupe Music label. |
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| Dec | 4 | Holiday Event | Annual Kung Pao Kosher Comedy | http://www.koshercomedy.com/ Jewish comedy on Christmas in a Chinese restaurant |
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| Dec | 4 | Holiday Event | Japanese New Year Bell Ringing Ceremony (Joya no kane) | ||