Ready your rainbow everything—it's Pride month. (Guru Khalsa)
17 Street Fairs + Festivals for a Poppin' Summer
08 June 2018
Grab your picnic blanket and sunscreen—the next few months are jam-packed with neighborhood street fairs, cultural events and, of course, major music festivals.
June 1-10: Healdsburg Jazz Festival
You can still catch the tail end of this 10-day fest featuring live music, from choir to New Orleans funk, at diverse venues including the historic Raven Theater and the glam Hotel Healdsburg. // Tickets ($45-$75) are available at healdsburgjazzfestival.org.
June 8-9: Huichica Music Festival
Head up to Sonoma's Gundlach Bundschu Winery for tastes of summer varietals set to a lineup of psychedelic surf rock, indie, and folk bands. Bask in the sun (or shade) and chill at this laid back music fest. // Tickets ($45–$125) are available at eventbrite.com; sonoma.huichica.com.June 9: Spring India Day Festival
In its fourth year, the free Spring India Day Festival will fill Union Square with the aromas and sounds of India. Go for mouthwatering eats, lively music and dancing, and shopping. // 11am to 5pm, Union Square, facebook.com.
June 9: SF Parkour International Jam
Parkour lovers, rejoice: There is now a whole festival dedicated to vaulting over walls and swinging from bars like monkeys. The free, three-day event will bring together parkour enthusiasts and free runners (aka "traceurs") from all corners of the Bay Area. // 10am to 6pm; for events and locations, go to facebook.com.
June 10: Railroad Square Music Festival
More than 20 musical performers, a farmers market, and an artisan shopping party will make up this free one-day fest in the heart of Santa Rosa. The event is geared towards intimate performances to connect people and the community. // Noon to 7pm, Davis and 4th St. (Santa Rosa), railroadsquaremusicfestival.com
June 9-10: Ghirardelli Square Festival
There's a first time for everything. Take in arts and crafts, live entertainment, and perhaps even some mini golf at the free 1st Annual Ghirardelli Square Festival, where you can expect treats galore including Cali wines from Wattle Creek, frosty beers from San Francisco Brewing Co. and, of course, classic Ghirardelli chocolate sundaes. // 10am to 6pm, 900 N Point St. (Ghirardelli Square), facebook.com
June 16-17: North Beach Festival
After 64 years, this free street fair in the heart of Little Italy is still kicking with 125 arts and crafts booths, gourmet eats and drinks, two stages for live music and spoken word, and a chalk art area for kids. // 10am to 6pm, Grant Ave. and Vallejo St. (North Beach), sresproductions.com
June 17 through Aug. 19: Stern Grove Festival
Kicking off on June 17th (hello, Father's Day!), Stern Grove Festival returns for its 81st season, with free concerts every Sunday at 2pm. Pack a picnic, grab dad, and see R&B/soul sensations Peabo Bryson and Jeffrey Osborne in the meadow. Don't miss Ziggy Marley (June 24) and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down (July 1). // Stern Grove, 19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd. (Parkside), sterngrove.org
June 23-24: SF Pride + Parade
Break out your rainbow wigs, glitter lashes, and pasties—it's time once again to party at the country's largest LGBTQ bash. This year's parade promises more than 200 floats, as many exhibitors at Civic Center, and 20-plus stages with as much wild entertainment as you can handle. // Parade starts at 10:30am on Sunday, June 24, with festivities both days at Civic Center from noon to 6pm; for more info, go to sfpride.org.
June 30-July 1: Burger Boogaloo
Hosted this year by John Waters himself, the annual Burger Boogaloo is pretty much your only chance to catch Devo live—cuz you know, you've been waiting for that. Also see rare appearances from Le Shok, Hunx & His Punx, and Gris Gris. // 11am to 10pm at Mosswood Park, 3612 Webster St. (Oakland); tickets ($99-$269) are available at eventbrite.com; burgerboogaloo.com.
June 30-July 1: Fillmore Jazz Fest
The largest free jazz happening on the West Coast, Fillmore Jazz fest draws more than 100,000 music lovers each year for an Independence Day celebration with live music on multiple stages and more than 12 blocks worth of arts and crafts from painting to pottery and tasty eats. // 10:30am and 6pm, Fillmore Street (Fillmore), sresproductions.com.
July 1: Japan Day Festival
This will be a day filled with Japanese cultural arts, music, and dance including taiko drumming and a shodo (calligraphy) workshop. // 11:30am to 4pm, Peace Plaza, Post St. at Buchanan St. (Japantown), japancentersf.com.
July 8: Napa Live Music Crawl
Head to Downtown Napa for a free live music crawl across 35 indoor and outdoor venues, all within walking distance of each other. With blues, bluegrass, rock, reggae, funk, and more, you could kinda sorta think of it as a mini SWXW. // Noon to 6pm, multiple locations, donapa.com
July 18-28: Festival Napa Valley
Sophisticates should mark their calendars for this Wine Country celebration of musical and culinary delights, with free chamber concerts and luncheons at some of the region's poshest spots (ahem, Las Alcobas). See violinist Joshua Bell perform music he recorded for the 1998 Academy Award–winning film The Red Violin, or attend the gala at Hall Winery featuring headliner Kristin Chenoweth. // Concerts, both free and ticketed, will take place at various times and locations. For info and tix, go to festivalnapavalley.org.
August 5: Jerry Day
Put some flowers in your hair and pay tribute to the late, great Jerry Garcia and his San Francisco roots. The 16th annual Jerry Day promises to be a love fest with an eclectic group of performers including several who played with the man himself. // 11am, Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre at McLaren Park, 50 John F Shelley Dr. (Portola), jerryday.org
August 10-12: Outside Lands
If you been once, you've been a dozen times...and you're ready for another round. This year's lineup pretty much kicks ass: Join the rhythm nation with Janet Jackson, Florence + the Machine, Beck, The Weeknd, and more. // Noon to 10pm, Golden Gate Park, tickets ($149-$749) are available at sfoutsidelands.com.
August 11-12: Pistahan Parade & Festival
Experience an explosion of Filipino art, dance, music, and food at this 25th annual free event that goes from Civic Center down Market Street to Fourth Street. Billed as the largest celebration of Filipino Americans in the country, the two-day event is expected to draw nearly 80,000 people each day for marching bands, vibrant floats, and a human Philippines flag. // 11am to 5pm, Civic Center, pistahan.net