Keep your eyes peeled for comedians and celebs—Sketchfest returns to San Francisco this week.
Plus, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day brings not only a day off, but plenty of ways to get outdoors and give back. Then, peruse world-class works at Fog Design + Art, take in the sights and yummy smells at the Presidio’s newest cafe, and celebrate 21 years of the Noir City Film Festival.
Have a good one.
Mark MLK Day with free admission and special programming at the Museum of the African Diaspora. Highlights will include art activities, a scavenger hunt, performances by Destiny Arts Junior Company, and a screening of documentary Stamped from the Beginning; Monday, 11am to 4pm. // MoAD, 685 Mission St. (SoMa); details at moadsf.org
Don your gear and get outdoors with free entrance to all National Parks in honor of Dr. King’s birthday; Monday. // Details at nps.gov
You can also honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by volunteering in the East Bay. Join the Watershed Project and other community organizations for a variety of service projects along the Richmond Greenway. Volunteer work will be followed by an MLK memorial and community celebration; Monday, 9am to 1pm. // Pullman Portal on the Richmond Greenway, 16th St. and Chanslor Ave.; RSVP at thewatershedproject.org
Enjoy an afternoon of live music at the MLK2024 Music Festival with appearances by Grammy Award–winning artists and performers; Monday, at 1pm. // Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St. (SoMa); details at norcalmlkfoundation.org
Nosh Italian-inspired bites at the Presidio’s Tunnel Top's new cafe. With stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the restaurant’s patio, Il Parco is serving vibrant salads filled with fresh produce, focaccia pizzas, pastries, and Equator coffees; open daily. // Il Parco, 215 Lincoln Blvd. (Presidio); details on instagram @ilparco.sf
Experience The Wiz on its first Broadway-bound tour in 40 years. Its iconic score is packed with soul, gospel, rock, and ’70s funk set to the tale of Dorothy’s journey to find her place in a contemporary world; Wednesday through February 11. // Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor St. (Tenderloin); tickets at broadwaysf.com
Experience the breathtaking, aerobatic adrenaline rush of Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza, under the big top circus tent at Oracle Park; Wednesday through March 10. // Under the Big Top at Oracle Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza (SoMa); tickets at cirquedusoleil.com
Explore 45 galleries at the 10th Annual Fog Design + Art Fair. Things kick off with a Wednesday night preview gala followed by a week of artist and curator talks, an interactive bagel pop-up shop, and well-known local exhibitors including Crown Point Press, Altman Siegel, Pace Gallery, and Jessica Silverman; Wednesday through Sunday. // Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina); tickets at fogfair.com
Join Saint Joe’s for its annual Fog party and debut of five new exhibitions and pop-ups. The celebration will feature DJs, food, drink, and appearances from Bay Area artists; Thursday, 7pm to 10pm. // Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, 1401 Howard St. (SoMa); tickets at thethirdplace.is
Laugh your ass off at more 100 SF Sketchfest shows this week. Returning for its 21st year, the comedy festival brings more than laughs with music, podcasts, movies, variety, and theater. The best in the biz will be there—think Monty Python's Eric Idle, Margaret Cho, David Wain, and "Weird Al" Yankovic; Thursday through February 4th. // Lineup and tickets at sfsketchfest.com
Thank you to our partners at SF Sketchfest.
Get late-night access to galleries at Thursday After Hours at the Oakland Museum of California. The weekly evening series is rich with culture, community, and cocktails. Take advantage of a two-for-one ticket deal by purchasing online in advance; Thursdays, 5pm to 8pm through March 28. // Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St. (Oakland); tickets at museumca.org
Experience Grace Cathedral in a different light at Grace Light—a large-scale immersive light installation created by George Zisiadis, with an original score composed by Gabriel Gold; Friday at 5:45pm. //Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St. (Nob Hill); tickets atgracecathedral.org
See things in black and white at the Noir City Film Festival. You can expect dozens of films from Hollywood's noir movement over the course of 10 days; Friday through January 28. // Grand Lake Theatre, 3200 Grand Ave. (Oakland); tickets at noircity.com
Experience Pacita Abad. The most significant U.S. presentation of the artist’s multifaceted and mesmerizing art practice is in its final weeks at SFMOMA. This wide-ranging exhibition features more than 40 daring works, including her signature trapunto paintings—stuffed, quilted canvases Abad adorned with materials and methods she investigated during her lifetime; through Sunday, January 28th. // SFMOMA, 151 Third St. (SoMa); reserve tickets now at sfmoma.org.
Thank you to our partners at SFMOMA.
(View of the exhibition 'Pacita Abad,' SFMOMA, 2023; courtesy of the Pacita Abad Art Estate; photo: Nick DeRenzi. 'Pacita Abad' is organized by the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis.)
