Wear a costume to St. Stupid’s Day Parade, which starts at the foot of Market Street and follows a route through the financial district. Bring socks to toss at the Stock Exchange and pennies to leave at the Bankers Heart. Free.
Macy’s flower show
April 1 - 7, 2019
1 mile NE
See spectacular arrangements of flowers from around the world and attend scheduled events at Macy’s Flower Show at Macy’s in Union Square. The 2019 outer space theme “celebrates the wonder and mystery of the cosmos.” Free.
Jazz
April 3, 2019 (8 p.m.)
13.6 miles NE
Hear Grammy-winning jazz artists when Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour stops for an evening at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley.
Doggie egg hunt
April 6, 2019 (12 to 1:30 p.m.)
S.F., Oakland, Redwood City, Santa Clara
Enjoy finger foods and local vendors while your dog sniffs out eggs filled with tasty treats and prizes at the Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs in three locations (S.F., Oakland, Redwood City).
Teen poetry competition
April 6, 2019 (7 p.m.)
0.3 miles SW
See the Grand Slam Finals of Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam held at Sydney Goldstein Theater.
Scottish fair in Fremont
April 6, 2019
34 miles SE
Celebrate Scotland at Tartan Day Scottish Fair with music, dancing, bagpipes, handmade crafts, historical re-enactments, a children’s area, and meat pies at Ardenwood Historic Farm. Kilts welcome but no dogs.
Beer tasting
April 6, 2019
55 miles north
Taste dozens of beers, vote for your favorites, sample food from local restaurants, and hear live music at Battle of the Brews in Grace Pavilion at Sonoma County Fairgrounds for age 21+.
The scenic Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Francisco begins at Ocean Beach, crosses the Golden Gate Bridge, has live bands along the way, and a finish line concert at the Civic Center.
Food & wine at Pebble Beach
April 11 - 14, 2019
128 miles south
The picturesque gated community of Pebble Beach Resort is the site of hedonistic Pebble Beach Food & Wine, which offers epicurean events featuring 250 wineries and 100 chefs.
Wine walk
April 12, 2019 (4 to 8 p.m.)
1.6 miles north
Visit merchants on Polk Street from Jackson to Post to sample wine and appetizers with your ticket to Polk Street Spring Wine Walk. Held in April, July, and Sept.
Art & antiques show
April 12 - 14, 2019
21.4 miles south
Shop from 100 vendors of fine antiques and decorative arts ranging from the 17th century to modern day at the Hillsborough Antiques + Art + Design Show at San Mateo Event Center. Repeats in November.
Asparagus festival
April 12 - 14, 2019
82.3 miles east
San Joaquin Asparagus Festival has asparagus dishes to eat, a craft fair, a petting zoo, entertainment, and carnival rides at San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.
Cesar Chavez festival
April 13, 2019
1.4 miles SW
Cesar Chavez Holiday celebrates the life and work of the famous Mexican-American civil rights activist and union organizer with a parade leaving Dolores Park at 11 a.m. and ending at a street fair on 24th Street (from Folsom to Bryant). Free.
Easter in the park
April 13, 2019 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
2.8 miles west
Eggstravaganza is a family-friendly event with egg hunts, carnival rides, games, live entertainment, kids’ activities, and a BBQ competition at Robin Williams Meadow in Golden Gate Park. Read the web page to buy tickets in advance (kids age 2 and younger free). No pets.
Cider tasting
April 13, 2019
3.6 miles NW
Sample 150 artisanal ciders from throughout the world with food samples during Cider Summit S.F. at the Civil War Parade Ground in the Presidio. Children may attend with their parents.
Easter in Oakland
April 13, 2019 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
12.2 miles NE
Easter Love Reach has egg hunts up to age 12, face painting, craft-making, entertainment, and a petting zoo at Bushrod Park. Free.
Creative festival in Oakland
April 13, 2019
19.3 miles east
Offering lots of “activities that spark curiosity and ignite creativity,” family-friendly Tinkerfest lets you dismantle cars and a plane engine, build drawing robots, make a drum, build a doll, weave, and event solder at Chabot Space & Science Center.
Monster trucks
April 13, 2019 (6:30 p.m.)
43 miles south
Big trucks with big wheels create big excitement at Monster Jam at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Bacon and beer in San Jose
April 13, 2019 (2 p.m., VIP 1 p.m.)
45.7 miles south
Enjoy craft beer, bacon-inspired tastes from local restaurants, music, and interactive games at Bacon and Beer Classic at Avaya Stadium.
Caribbean dance show
April 13 - 14, 2019 (reception April 10)
multiple locations
Cuba Caribe Festival presents Cuban social dances at Brava Theater, plus a reception with artists at Museum of the African Diaspora.
Grilled cheese
April 13 - 14, 2019
0.8 miles SE
Buy creative grilled cheese creations from 20 vendors during S.F. Grilled Cheese Fest at SoMa StrEat Food Park. Optional unlimited craft beer. Free admission for children age 10 and younger.
Wine tasting
April 13 - 14, 2019
1.1 miles NE
Taste wine from 150 California vintners at SF Vintners Market at City View at Metreon for age 21+. Repeats in Nov.
Craft fair
April 13 - 14, 2019
2.3 miles north
Renegade Craft Fair has indie crafts, food trucks, craft cocktails, DJ music, and workshops in the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center. Repeats in July and Nov. Free.
Festival in Sebastopol
April 13 - 14, 2019
55 miles north
Celebrate the blooming apple trees at Apple Blossom Festival, which includes an old-fashioned parade (Saturday 10 a.m.), live blues on Sunday, and a street fair with food and craft vendors both days in Sebastopol.
People in the street
April 14, 2019 (Tenderloin)
San Francisco neighborhoods
Walk, bike, or roller skate on a city street when most cars are banned for Sunday Streets, which are held about once a month from March to October.
Hip hop cocktail party
April 14, 2019 (3 to 6 p.m.)
2 miles south
Enjoy drinks, hors d’oeuvres, dance performances, and a silent auction at One Love, a benefit for the Hip Hop DanceFest at Dance Mission Theater.
South Bay Easter concert
April 14, 2019 (7 p.m.)
53.2 miles south
Celebrate Easter by hearing and/or singing Handel’s entire Messiah with a full orchestra in Los Gatos. Register free online.
Jewish wine tasting
April 17, 2019 (6 to 8:30 p.m.)
3.6 miles NW
Pairing Wine with Tzedakah features 14 “California wineries connected to the Jewish community” with appetizers at San Francisco Film Centre for age 21+.
Charity tasting event
April 18, 2019
0.5 miles east
Taste features 20 local chefs making “artfully inspired bites and cocktails” with a silent auction to support charity at Root Division on Mission Street.
Free walking tour
April 18, 2019
1.1 miles NE
Actors portray historical figures on Free Tours of the Yerba Buena Neighborhood, monthly through August.
Play about yoga business
April 18 - 20, 2019
1 mile NE
A yoga apparel company devastated by a scandal devises a surprising plan to save the company in Yoga Play at San Francisco Playhouse.
Watch actors read the scripts of new plays written by “up-and-coming Bay Area playwrights” during Lights Up at City Lights Theater in San Jose.
Thrilling drama
April 18 - May 19, 2019
1 mile NE
With devastating realism, The Jungle recreates the short-lived, self-governing society that emerged within a sprawling refugee camp in Calais, France and the intimate stories of its residents at the Curran.
Billed as the longest-running film festival in the Americas, San Francisco International Film Festival screens 180 films from 50 countries, awards prizes, and holds parties, panel discussions, and classes.
Master magician and mentalist Jay Alexander entertains with comedy, sleight-of-hand, and human lie detection at Marrakech Magic Theater, with optional appetizers and cocktails for sale. Reviews.
A Paris Love Story stars Hershey Felder, who brings the impressionist composer Claude Debussy and his music to life at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.
Entry is free at Muir Woods National Monument and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park on Free Entrance Days in the National Parks. Expect more people and less parking than usual.
Earth Day street fair
April 20, 2019
1.6 miles south
Earth Day San Francisco has live music, keynote speakers, organic food vendors, an eco fashion show, and an eco kids’ zone on Valencia Street (from 19th to 20th). Free.
Beer festival
April 20, 2019 (7 to 10 p.m.)
2.3 miles north
A ticket to San Francisco International Beer Festival gets you unlimited beer samples from 100 brewers, unlimited food samples, spirit tasting, and live music at Fort Mason Center for age 21+.
Easter festival & parade - Oakland
April 20, 2019 (10:30 to 12:30)
12.3 miles east
Bring a decorated hat to wear, and join the 11:30 a.m. parade, with face painting and treats during the Easter Parade & Spring Festival at Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church in Oakland. See the poster.
Color eggs naturally
April 20, 2019 (10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.)
14.7 miles NE
Children make patterns on eggs with brilliant plant-based colors at the hands-on workshop Naturally Dyed Eggs at UC Botanical Garden.
Earth Day at the beach
April 20, 2019 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
23.1 miles north
Help clean up the beach and then create sculptures from sand, rocks, shells, and seaweed while musicians and dancers perform at the Earth Day Celebration at Stinson Beach. No dogs. Free.
Rabbit race in Cupertino
April 20, 2019
44.1 miles south
Big Bunny 5K has awards by age category; the Kids’ Fun Run has medals for all at Cupertino Civic Center.
Easter parade - Campbell
April 20, 2019 (noon)
54 miles south
Bunnies and Bonnets Parade has marching bands, animals, and dancers going west on Campbell Avenue (from Railway Avenue to 3rd Street). Free.
The mother-daughter team of Carolina Lugo & Carolé Acuña entertain with pulsating sounds of footwork, songs, castanets, syncopated hand clapping, and guitar at Peña Pachamama in North Beach. (Minimum purchase of two food or drink items.)
OpenTable lists restaurants that offer special brunch, lunch, and dinner menus on Easter weekend. Select a morning hour to see brunch availability, or select an evening hour for dinner.
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence offer entertainment, an Easter bonnet contest, and “Foxy Mary” and “Hunky Jesus” contests at Golden Gate Park. Free.
Earth Day in Berkeley
April 21, 2019
12.8 miles NE
Berkeley Earth Day promises “inspiring speakers, music, upcycled crafts, veggie food, and dozens of eco-vendors” at David Brower Center. Free.
Berkeley wine walk
April 24, 2019 (5 p.m.)
14 miles NE
Sample local wines with small bites at “about 20” participating businesses on Gourmet Ghetto Wine Walk, which includes a wine glass and supports charity.
Vaudeville cabaret
April 25 - June 28, 2019
2 miles NE
Wear cocktail attire to The Speakeasy, a 1920s watering hole with multiple rooms of bootleggers, bouncers, war veterans, and barflies put on by Boxcar Theatre behind a secret door in North Beach.
Remember those timepieces your parents used to wear on their wrists? See a huge assortment at the Wind-Up Watch Fair at 459 Geary Boulevard. Free.
A play about writer C.S. Lewis
April 26 - 28, 2019
1.1 miles NE
London-born actor David Payne brings the witty author to life in his one-man show My Life’s Journey: An Evening with C.S. Lewis. Hear about his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien, why he nearly abandoned the Narnia Chronicles, how he came to embrace Christianity, and how an American woman turned his life upside down, at Marines’ Memorial Theatre.
Hear lectures on health and spirituality, and meet vendors of ecological, green, and holistic products and services at New Living Expo in San Mateo Event Center.
Bird festival
April 26 - 28, 2019
42 miles NW
Choose from 60 field events, including nature walks and workshops, during Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival at Point Reyes National Seashore and surrounding counties. Some events sell out early.
Dance week
April 26 - May 5, 2019
Bay Area
Attend hundreds of performances, classes, and workshops during Bay Area Dance Week. Free.
Bug Day
April 27, 2019 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
1.8 miles SW
Watch live honeybees, buy honey, make bug-related crafts, touch live exotic insects, see insects under microscopes, compete in the Insect Olympics, and maybe even eat a bug during Bug Day at Randall Museum. Free.
Wine tasting
April 27, 2019 (1 to 4 p.m.)
2.4 miles north
More than 30 Mendocino wineries and food producers are headed to San Francisco to give you a Taste of Mendocino at Fort Mason Center for age 21+.
Run around Angel Island
April 27, 2019 (8 a.m.)
8.2 miles north via ferry
Follow a hilly loop trail around Angel Island State Park (either once or twice) with stunning views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge at Romancing the Island Half Marathon & 10K.
Farm festival in Muir Beach
April 27, 2019
18.3 miles NW
Meet baby goats and lambs, feed chickens, watch sheep shearing and goat milking, see bees, make crafts, hear live music, buy food for sale, walk the trails, and enjoy ocean views during Spring Fling at Slide Ranch.
Petaluma festival
April 27, 2019
38.5 miles north
Petaluma Butter & Egg Days features a noon parade, arts & crafts booths, live music, a beer garden, and a kids’ area in downtown Petaluma. Free.
San Jose international festival
April 27, 2019
48.8 miles south
International Children’s Festival features dancers from 25 countries, pony rides, bounce houses, a petting zoo, and international food at Discovery Meadow. Free.
Japanese festival in Cupertino
April 27 - 28, 2019
45 miles south
Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival [sound] features Japanese food, arts & crafts booths, entertainment (taiko drums, dancing, martial arts, music), cultural demonstrations, (tea, origami, flowers, bonsai), and a children’s area, indoors & outdoors at Cupertino Memorial Park. Free.
Designer home tour
April 27 - May 27, 2019
2.9 miles NW
San Francisco Decorator Showcase features the work of dozens of local interior and landscape designers in a 1904 remodeled home at 3800 Washington Street in Presidio Heights. Closed Monday except Memorial Day.
Boat parade
April 28, 2019 (noon)
2.1 miles north
Opening Day on the Bay marks the official start of boating season with a blessing of the fleet at 10:30 a.m. in Raccoon Strait, followed by a colorful parade at noon of 100 boats moving along the waterfront from Crissy Field to Pier 39. Press release. Free.
Neighborhood festival
April 28, 2019
4 miles south
Glen Park Festival is a low-stress event with live entertainment, jump houses, and craft and food vendors on Diamond Street & Wilder Street in quaint Glen Park. Take BART to Glen Park station. Free.
Mandolin music
April 28, 2019
5.6 miles south
The annual San Francisco Festival of the Mandolin this year features “a tribute to San Francisco’s special history of Italian mandolin masters” with a 1 p.m. concert, workshops, and ethnic food at Croatian American Cultural Center.
Car & air show
April 28, 2019
24 miles SW
Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show is a macho dream with cars, airplanes, motorcycles, and even tractors on display, plus stunt shows, kids’ activities, food vendors, and live music at Half Moon Bay Airport.
Vintage and antique lovers will find an eclectic variety of items available from 200 dealers at the Petaluma Spring Antique Faire. Repeats in September. Free.
Dance festival in San Jose
April 28, 2019
52 miles south
Watch dozens of groups perform a wide range of dances (including hula, modern, jazz, and salsa) lasting about five minutes each at sjDANCEco Festival outdoors at Santana Row. Free.
Concerts in the park
April 28 - Oct. 6, 2019
3 miles west
Golden Gate Park Band plays a variety of music (classical, marches, opera, swing, and show tunes) at Spreckels Temple of Music in Golden Gate Park. Free.
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