Monday, August 20th
(Courtesy of NordWood Themes)
"Oh Come On"
When: 8pm
Where: Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland), thefoxoakland.com
Why: See Emmy Award winner and two-time Grammy nominee David Cross—you know, Tobias from Arrested Development—take the stage for some serious LOL-ing. // Tickets ($35-$45) are available at ticketmaster.com.
$5 Burger Night
When: 4pm to 9pm
Where: Bar San Pancho, 3198 16th St. (Mission), barsanpancho.com
Why: Indulge in Bar San Pancho's tortaguesa, the melding of a torta and a hamburger with griddled ham, creamy queso Americano, pickled jalapeño, and spicy chipotle mayo on pan telera. Team it with ancho fries for $3.
Ping Pong on the Patio
When: 1pm to 8pm
Where: El Rio, 3158 Mission St. (Bernal Heights), elriosf.com
Why: Show off your ping pong skills while sipping on $2 Tecates all day. At 8pm, the DJ will take over with tropical bass and reggaeton.
Chocolate Making
When: 7pm
Where: Workshop SF, 1798 McAllister St. (NoPa), workshopsf.org
Why: Learn how to make organic, single origin dark chocolate with chocolate maker, winemaker, and fermentation specialist Sean Taylor. You'll be using cacao, sea salt, coffee nibs, and spices including ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and coconut. While you're creating your tasty treat, Taylor will discuss the science, art, and cultural impact of the cacao plant in addition to how to purchase chocolate from a taste, health, environmental, and social perspective. You'll leave the class with two chocolate bars, a bag of cacao nibs, and dark chocolate hot chocolate squares. // Tickets ($48) are available at etix.com.
Creative Growth's Collage Party
When: Aug 20-23, 10am to 4pm
Where: Creative Growth Art Center, 355 24th St. (Oakland), creativegrowth.org
Why: Join Creative Growth, a nonprofit that provides art programs to the mentally and physically disabled, for a participatory studio where you can cut, paste, and create alongside their artists. It's free to participate, and there'll be live music, DJ sets, and more. It will all culminate in an exhibition opening on Friday.
Tuesday, August 21st
(Courtesy of Click Your Heels)
Fried Chicken and Dabs
When: 6pm to 8pm
Where: Harvest Off Mission, 33 29th St. (Bernal Heights), harvestshop.com
Why: Get high with concentrates from Jetty Extracts and then chow on fried chicken courtesy of The Front Porch. // RSVP at eventbrite.com.
HIIT Bootcamp
When: 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Where: Salesforce Park (Amphitheater Lawn), 425 Mission St. (SoMa), salesforcetransitcenter.com
Why: Get your heart rate up with high-intensity cardio with Fitness SF. No registration is necessary—just show up.
Debussy Festival
When: 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Where: Noontime Concerts, 660 California St. (Chinatown), noontimeconcerts.org
Why: Catch a free classical music concert on your lunch break with Jeffrey LaDeur on piano.
Pole for All Bodies
When: 7:30pm to 9:45pm
Where: Center for Sex and Culture, 1349 Mission St. (SoMa), sexandculture.org
Why: Welcoming all bodies, genders, orientations and ages, this is a chance to try a class that's both fun and a killer workout. The session is focused on improv, personal expression, confidence building, and intention. // Tickets ($30/single class to $125/five classes) are available at eventbrite.com.
Hip-Hop Cardio
When: 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Where: Dogpatch Dance and Yoga, 435 23rd St. (Dogpatch), dogpatchdance.com
Why: Pump up the jam in a 60-minute choreographed, all-levels class where you'll learn all the moves. // Tickets ($15) are available ateventbrite.com.
Queer and Trans Open Mic
When: 7:30pm
Where: Oakland LGBTQ Center, 3207 Rand Ave. (Oakland), oaklandlgbtqcenter.org
Why: Explore and share short films, music, words, and thoughts. Sign-up begins at 7:30pm.
Wednesday, August 22nd
(Courtesy of Feastly)
Sushi Mudo Pop-up
When: 11am to 2pm
Where: 11th and Folsom St. Corridor (SoMa)
Why: Nosh on fresh sashimi bowls at this pop-up from a pair of chefs who count restaurants Michael Mina, Hotel Nikko, Ame, and Poleng among their bona fides. Make a reservation to dine at one of the communal tables, or take yours to go—expect seven-piece sashimi bowls ($14) with the option to add on extra fish as well as beer and sake. // Reservations are available at eatfeastly.com.
Oyster Hour
When: 3:30pm to 6:30pm
Where: The Cook and Her Farmer, 510 9th St. (Swan's Market, Oakland), swansmarket.com
Why: Get $2 oysters (priced at ½ dozen and farmers dozen only) plus $2 off wine and house cocktails and $1 off beers.
Hip-Hop Night
When: 9pm to 1:45am
Where: Legionnaire, 2272 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland), legionnairesaloon.com
Why: Head to Strictly Business, a free weekly hip hop party playing artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Outkast, Joey Bada$, and Dilated Peoples.
Drinks at White Rabbit
When: 5pm to 12am
Where: White Rabbit, 3138 Fillmore St., (Marina), whiterabbitsf.com
Why: Named for the building where Jefferson Airplane recorded White Rabbit back in 1967, this new bar concept from the Plumpjack Group (Forgery, Wildhawk) is slangin' drinks like the Fierce Rabbit (habañero-infused mezcal, chili, agave, lime, and pineapple juice) and snacks such as deviled eggs, chips and dips, and a build-your-own charcuterie and cheese boards.
Thursday, August 23rd
(Courtesy of Craig Lovelidge)
After Dark: Lasers
When: 6pm
Where: Exploratorium, Pier 15 (Embarcadero), exploratorium.edu
Why: Delve into multi-hued explorations into the laser light—learn how it's made and used in everything from DVD players to fusion energy research. There will also be a slew of fun installations where you can learn to listen with your bones and see some magic. // Tickets ($18) are available online.
Free Summer Jazz
When: 6pm to 7:30pm
Where: The Courtyard between Nordstrom and Crate and Barrel, 660 Stanford Shopping Center (Palo Alto)
Why: Catch the final show of a 10-week series from SF Jazz, featuring headliner Sun Hop Fat, at Stanford Shopping Center. // For more information, go to simon.com.
Handbag Heaven
When: 10am to 5pm
Where: Inge Christopher, 1281 Andersen Dr. (San Rafael), ingechristopher.com
Why: At Inge Christopher's two-day warehouse sale, you can score everything from boho straw carry-alls to geometric wooden clutches at 80 to 90 percent off the regular retail price.
La Cocina at Berkeley Student Union
When: 4pm to 1am
Where: 2495 Bancroft Way, Sproul Plaza, UC Berkeley, studentunion.berkeley.edu/la_cocina
Why: UC Berkeley just upped its food game with the opening of La Cocina's Cantina inside the MLK Student Union, where five of the nonprofit program's participants have opened restaurants. Go slurp pho from Noodle Girl, eat empanadas from El Meson de Violeta, satisfy your soul with a sandwich from Pinky and Red's, or chow down on traditional Syrian food from Old Damascus Fare, and sweets from A Girl Named Pinky. Good news: You need not be a student to visit and eat.
Friday, August 24th
(Courtesy of the November Project)
Treasure Island Sunrise 6k
When: 6am to 7:15 am
Where: Mersea, 699 Avenue of the Palms (Treasure Island), mersea.restaurant
Why: Kick off the weekend off with a free, early morning run around Treasure Island hosted by November Project. // For more info, go to facebook.com.
Napa City Nights
When: 6:30pm to 10:30pm
Where: Corner of Third and Main Streets (Napa)
Why: On Friday nights during the summer, you can BYOB and dinner to the Veterans Memorial Park Amphitheater for free live concerts in genres including rock, blues, jazz, and folk. Bring a blanket for tunes under the stars. // For more info, go to facebook.com.
When: 10pm to 2:30am
Where: The Public Works, 161 Erie St. (Mission), publicsf.com
Why: It's the weekend! Get your rave on at a massive party dedicated to Daft Punk. / Tickets ($5-$10) are available at ticketfly.com; facebook.com.
Eat Drink SF
When: Through Aug. 26th
Where: Fort Mason Festival Pavilion (Marina), eatdrink-sf.com
Why: Now in its 10th year, Eat Drink SF returns to Fort Mason for three days of tasty bites provided by local chefs including Belinda Leong (B. Patisserie), Ryan Mcllwraith (Bellota), and Adam Tortosa (Robin).
Saturday, August 25th
(Courtesy of Another Bullwinkel Show)
Chocolate and Chalk Art Festival
When: 10am to 5pm
Where: Gourmet Ghetto, Shattuck Ave. (Berkeley), gourmetghetto.org
Why: Watch the sidewalks come to life as artists of all ages and backgrounds color the streets with chalk. As if that weren't fun enough, there will also be more than 25 chocolate-y treats ranging from habañero chocolate gelato to Caribbean chocolate soup and chocolate chicken tikka kabobs. // For more info, go to anotherbullwinkelshow.com.
31st Annual Chinatown Street Fest
When: 10am to 5:30pm
Where: 399 8th St. (Oakland)
Why: Spanning eight blocks of Chinatown, the annual festival will have more than 200 booths with tasty food, arts and crafts, live music, and cultural entertainment. // For more info, go to facebook.com.
Vintage Paper Fair
When: 10am to 6pm
Where: Hall of Flowers, 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way (Golden Gate Park)
Why: For two days you can peruse the West Coast's largest selection of postcards, photography, sports memorabilia, and all kinds of interesting old paper things. // vintagepaperfair.com
Silicon Valley Pride Festival and Parade
When: 10am to 6pm
Where: Plaza de César Chávez, 1 Paseo De San Antonio (San Jose)
Why: The 43rd annual Silicon Valley Pride is the largest LGBT event in the South Bay. // svpride.com
Blues, Brews & BBQ
When: 12pm to 6pm
Where: Downtown Napa
Why: Listen to Bay Area blues bands on three different stages while partaking in lots of wine, barbecue, arts and crafts, and more than 40 microbrews in the beergarden. // For more info, go to facebook.com.
Palo Alto Festival of the Arts
When: Through Sunday, Aug. 26th, 10am to 6pm
Where: University Ave. and Webster St. (Palo Alto)
Why: In its 37th year, this arts fest takes over the tree-lined streets of downtown Palo Alto with 300 fine artists. //mlaproductions.com
Drinks at Laureate Bar and Lounge
When: 4pm to 1am
Where: The Laurel Inn, 444 Presidio (Laurel Heights), jdvhotels.com
Why: A bar is the perfect reason to the visit The Laurel Inn. Go for specialty cocktails that offer local riffs on the classics—like the Presidio Mule or the Golden Gate Ecstasy. Small bites include bacon-wrapped dates, shrimp ceviche, sourdough and dips, and more.
Sunday, August 26th
(Photo by Corey O'Brien on Unsplash)
Sand Sculpture Contest
When: 9am to 3:30pm
Where: Drakes Beach Rd. (Point Reyes Station)
Why: Show off your sandcastle-building skills at this annual contest put on by Point Reyes National Seashore. It's free to enter and prizes will be awarded in several categories. // For more info, go tonps.gov.
Niles Antique Faire and Flea Market
When: 6am to 4pm
Where: Niles Town Plaza, 37592 Niles Blvd. (Fremont)
Why: Once known as the Hollywood of the silent film era, Niles—the one-time small town that's now incorporated into the city of Fremont—is hosting its annual multi-block vintage event starting with a pancake breakfast at 5am. Shop more than 225 antiques vendors as well as resident garage sales. // For more info, go to niles.org.
Origami-Palooza Festival and Paper Airplane Challenge
When: 11am to 4pm
Where: East Japan Center Mall, Post and Bunchanan Streets (Japantown)
Why: Test your origami skills, enter the paper airplane challenge, or simply watch as paper is transformed into impossible shapes and forms. // For more info, go to japancentersf.com.
Go Topless Day
When: All day
Where: Check out the international "Boob Map."
Why: To celebrate Women's Equality Day, some ladies around the world are going topless today. Run free! // gotopless.org/gotopless-day
