Throw on your lederhosen and get ready to chug Munich-style all weekend long at various Oktoberfest events.
Enjoy all the eats at Barvale's paella party, Foreign Cinema's 20th birthday bash, and Big Night Restaurant Group's brand new nautical-inspired bistro, The Greenwich. Plus, kick off your week with a sound meditation, pick up some new reading material for less at the annual Big Book Sale, and show off your corn hole skills at Fall Fest, benefiting Alameda Meals on Wheels.
Monday, September 16th
Harvest Dinner
6:30pm
Poggio, 777 Bridgeway (Sausalito), poggiotrattoria.com
Pop over to this across-the-bay Italian restaurant for a five-course seasonal menu with wine pairings. Dishes include mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes, prosciutto with pluots and pistachios, and quail with artichokes, sweetbreads, porcini mushrooms and olive tapenade. // Tickets ($150) can be purchased via Eventbrite.
The Napa Valley Wine Train's 30th Anniversary
6pm to 7:30pm
Napa Valley Wine Train, 1275 McKinstry St. (Napa), winetrain.com
For its 30th anniversary, the Napa Valley Wine Train will cover their train station with iconic memorabilia collected over the years. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, live music, a raffle, and special tours through this iconic train's recently updated railway cars. // Tickets ($25) are available on winetrain.com and support the Children's Museum of Napa Valley.
Sound Healing Symphony
8pm to 9:30pm
Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St. (Nob Hill), gracecathedral.org
Start your week with a soothing 90 minutes of sound meditation inside stunning Grace Cathedral. During this transformative practice, listen to sounds including gongs, singing bowls, didgeridoo, harp and vocals alongside nearly 1,400 other meditators. Opt to sit in the pews or lie down—just don't forget your yoga mat and blanket. // Tickets ($15 and up) can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Tuesday, September 17th
The Riddler Reopens
The Riddler, 528 Laguna St. (Hayes Valley), theriddlersf.com
For those who've felt bubbly-deprived while The Riddler has been closed for city-mandated earthquake updates, the wait is over. You know how to celebrate—with chambongs and tater tot waffles.
Paella Party
6:30pm to 9:30pm
Barvale, 661 Divisadero St. (NoPa)
Hit up tapas hot spot Barvale for a live music- and food-filled fiesta. Eat pinxtos, chicken croquetas, pan con tomate, shishito peppers, and more to your heart's content before diving into the star of the evening: seafood or crispy chicken paella. Vegetarian paella will be available upon request. // Tickets ($35) can be purchased on Eventbrite.
ArtSpan SF Open Studios
6pm to 8pm
Ferment Drink Repeat Brewing Co., 2636 San Bruno Ave. (Portola), fermentdrinkrepeat.com
Pair craft beer with art at FDR Brewery, where 12 ArtSpan SF Open Studios artists will be showing their work. Get hyped for four weekends of SF Open Studios beginning in just a few weeks. // Register for the free event on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, September 18th
3rd Annual Museums4Inclusion Job Fair
9:30am to 1:30pm
California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr. (Golden Gate Park), calacademy.org
This job fair is geared toward helping individuals with disabilities secure jobs in Bay Area museums and educational orgs. Employers onsite looking to hire include SFJazz, Exploratorium, Asian Art Museum, SFMOMA, OMCA, YMCA, Amazon, and more. // Free to attend for job hunters, advance registration is required via Eventbrite.
Get a table at The Greenwich
During business hours
The Greenwich, 3154 Fillmore St. (Marina), thegreenwichsf.com
Marlowe may crush it in SoMa, but Cow Marlowe didn't quite take off. Big Night Restaurant Group has flipped the space, transitioning into The Greenwich, fitted in nautical-themed decor and serving healthier fare borrowed from their other restaurants—think Leo's shrimp louie salad and Park Tavern's McLaren cocktail.
Big Book Sale
10am to 6pm, through Sunday
Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina), fortmason.org
Friends of the Public Library is back with its annual epic book sale, where every $1 book purchased will benefit San Francisce public libraries. Put down your Kindle. // Free to attend, find event details on friendssfpl.org.
Thursday, September 19th
Culture for Community Free Day
10am to 9pm
Venues around the Yerba Buena neighborhood
SFMOMA is just one of more than a dozen arts organizations and restaurants in SoMa's arts district that are waiving admission today as part of the Culture for Community project. Make a day of it participating spots including 111 Minna Gallery, Contemporary Jewish Museum, B Bar, and Pizzeria Delfina. // Event is free but space is limited and RSVP is encouraged.
Foreign Cinema's 20th anniversary party
6pm to 11pm
Foreign Cinema, 2534 Mission St. (Mission), foreigncinema.com
Can you believe it's been 20 years?! Let's all raise a toast to one of SF's most beloved restaurants at their big bash with Italian eats, beverages, costumes, and live performances. // Tickets ($70 and up) are available on Eventbrite; ticket sales support the Mission Neighborhood Center, 826 Valencia, and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
Windy Chien book launch
6pm to 9pm
Rare Device, 600 Divisadero St. (NoPa), raredevice.net
Fiber artist Windy Chien—whose works have been installed at Art Basel Miami Beach and National Geographic HQ—will be at Rare Device to showcase her new book, The Year of Knots. (If don't know about Chien and her knotty project, listen to our interview with her on the 7x7 podcast.) You'll get an inside look at the Mission dweller's artistic process; the first 50 guests will receive a 10-foot rope for practicing knot tutorials. // Free to attend, event details on Facebook.
Meditation Open House
5pm to 8pm
Anchor Meditation, 2118 Union St. (Cow Hollow), anchormeditation.com
Interested in making meditation a part of your daily routine? Stop by Anchor Meditation's sleek studio space for a free wellness event with 15-minute meditation demos, crystal healing, chair massages, mocktails, healthy snacks, and more. Plus, learn about the science of stress with founder Kelly Ryan and purchase classes during the event at a discounted rate. // Register for the free event on anchormeditation.com.
4th Annual Tender Bender Block Party
6pm to 9pm
Cedar St. Alley, Larkin St. and Cedar St. (Tenderloin)
The design-centric businesses of the Tenderloin are putting together a neighborhood bash. Spend the evening dancing to live music from a brass band and nibbling bites from Jane on Larkin and The Saratoga. Your ticket includes beer, wine, and cocktails; proceeds supporting La Cocina. // Tickets ($25) can be found on Eventbrite.
Friday, September 20th
Russian River Women's Weekend
12pm on Friday through 5pm on Sunday
R3 Resort, 16390 Fourth St. (Guerneville), ther3hotel.com
Make your way to this LGBTQ-friendly weekend packed full of activities. There will be nonstop DJ dance parties, pool games, karaoke, yoga, drag shows, burlesque performances, and workshops. // Tickets ($60) get you access to all of the events and can be bought on brownpapertickets.com. Event details on womensweekendrussianriver.com.Oktoberfest Block Party
3pm to 11pm
Schroeder's, 240 Front St. (Financial District), schroederssf.com
Oktoberfest is starting strong this week: Schroeder's annual fest is one of the biggest celebrations of the German holiday in town. Warm up with live music, bratwursts, pretzels, and a stein-holding contests; when you're fully sauced, join in the beer chugging competition. Bonus point for lederhosen or German attire—a free beer is coming your way. // Free to attend; special food and drink packages available on Eventbrite.
Oktoberfest in the Gardens
6:30pm to 11pm
Conservatory of Flowers, 100 JFK Dr. (Golden Gate Park), conservatoryofflowers.org
Prefer to take your Oktoberfest bier to a real garten? The Conservatory of Flowers is serving brews from Standard Deviant Brewing, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, and Plow Brewing, all set to a live polka band. Some German-ish eats will be on hand from The Little Red Riding Truck and Roadside Rotisserie. // Tickets ($29 and up) can be found on conservatoryofflowers.org.
Saturday, September 21st
(Courtesy of Pop-Up Magazine)
11th Annual Eat Real Festival
11am to 10pm; 11am to 6pm Sunday
Jack London Square, 38 Webster St. (Oakland), jacklondonsquare.com
Foodies unite for this all-out, open air festival packed with the best street food. Taking over the Oakland waterfront, this nonstop block party brings cooking demos, food-centric classes, DJs, and a kid zone. The main attraction: 50-plus food vendors and more than 40 beverage options. Come hungry and thirsty. // Free to attend with some special foodie classes ($25 and up per class). Find general event details on eatrealfest.com and classes for purchase via Eventbrite.
Alameda Fall Fest
Noon to 4pm
Encinal Yacht Club, 1251 Pacific Marina (Alameda)
Support Alameda Meals on Wheels at this afternoon outdoor fest with 14 local craft breweries, three wineries, and a few live bands. If corn hole is your thing, get ready to compete for bragging rights. // Tickets ($50) include drink tastings and a lunch voucher; purchase via Eventbrite.
Presidio Theatre Opening Celebration
6:30pm to 10pm
Presidio Theatre, 99 Moraga Avenue (Presidio), presidiotheatre.org
Newly restored, the Presidio Theatre is reopening its doors. To celebrate, tonight they'll have performances by lion dancers, the SF Girls Chorus, Beach Blanket Babylon, and Te Mana O Te Ra. After an hour of acts, enjoy a reception and feel free to explore the new digs. Can't make it tonight? There is also a free open house tomorrow from noon to 5pm. // Tickets for Saturday night ($50) can be found on presidiotheatre.org.
Pop-Up Magazine
7:30pm
Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway (Oakland)
Two things we really love: Oakland's drop-dead glamorous Art Deco Paramount Theatre; and the interactive lit-meets-music-and-performance event that is Pop-Up Magazine. In other words, get yourself to Pop-Up in Oakland tonight, where "The Escape Issue" will be packed with live stories and news pieces hinged on a bit of everything—think politics, the past, hostile countries, climate change, the internet, and negativity. (Just FYI, the Friday night show in SF is sold out). // Tickets ($38 and up) are available on popupmagazine.com.
Sunday, September 22nd
Oktoberfest by the Bay
5pm to midnight Friday; 11am to midnight Saturday; 11am to 5pm Sunday
Pier 35, 1454 The Embarcadero (Embarcadero)
Get a workout lifting steins at Pier 35 today, as Oktoberfest by the Bay finishes its three-day drunk fest. Load up on plenty of bratwurst and jam out to the 21-piece Chico Bavarian Band. You can also participate in German Day festivities—think flag parade and a log cutting. // Tickets ($25 and up; food and drink available for purchase) can be found on Eventbrite.
See Treasure Island's new sculpture
Open to the public through 2022
West of 9th Street and Avenue of the Palms (Treasure Island)
Following the teardown and rebuilding of the eastern section of the Bay Bridge, some of the steel has made its way into a new art installation on the west side of Treasure Island. Named "Signal," by conceptual artist Tom Loughlin, it uses 36 tons of steel to create a 25-foot-diameter circle that you can step inside, complete with a glowing light from the original bridge and a foghorn-esque sound unit. // Free to view, details about the work on signalsf.com.
Emerging Designs and Sustainable Fashion Show
1pm to 6pm
Dirty Habit, 12 4th St. (SoMa), dirtyhabitsf.com
Today is the last day of Sustainable Fashion Week; cap it off at the rooftop bar Dirty Habit with an eco-fashion show and bubbly, bites, and cocktails at the after-party. // Tickets ($40) are available via Eventbrite.
Craft Spirits Carnival
2pm to 5 pm, Saturday and Sundy
Golden Gate Club, 135 Fisher Loop (Presidio), presidio.gov
If winding down the weekend seems too dull, get spirited at the 9th Annual Craft Spirits Carnival, where you can taste handcrafted ultra-premium spirits from around the world including gin from Australian distillery Four Pillars; organic spirits made in Los Angeles from Greenbar Distillery; and whiskey from Balcones Distilling of Texas. // Tickets ($100 and up) can be purchased on Eventbrite.
