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San Francisco Summer Festivals: Street Fairs, Wine Tasting, Sample Beer & More
by Jill Loeffler •
San Francisco Summer festivals run from Memorial Day weekend through to Labor Day.
I attend one almost every weekend, so there are so many to choose from each summer. Most offer live entertainment, food, drinks, and other fun activities.
My list of the 9 largest include Carnaval, Pride, and Outside Lands.
Learn more about these and other top festivals every summer in SF.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
1. Carnaval Festival & Parade
Date: Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend
Location: Starts on 24th and Bryant and ends at 15th and Mission
Carnaval is the start of Summer as far as I'm concerned and is one of the largest San Francisco Summer festivals.
This 2-day event is one of my favorites and features 8 blocks of fun to celebrate the Latin and Caribbean cultures.
There are numerous bands, and DJs, during the festival to get you dancing in the streets. There are many food and drink choices if you want to eat and drink too.
In addition, on Sunday there is a massive parade.
It includes many people in authentic native dress, dancers, floats and low rider cars, bring a very lively, and socially conscious start to the season.
The parade is always packed with people so make sure to plan. It starts at 9:30 am and lasts until 2 pm. When the parade ends when the festival begins for that day.
>> More details on this year's event
>> Visit their site for an updated schedule of performances
2. North Beach Festival
Date: Saturday and Sunday over Father's Day Weekend
Location: Numerous locations so make sure to check the link below.
The North Beach Festival has been going strong for over 60 years and is still free to enjoy.
The event lasts from 10 am to 6 pm and includes more than 20 food vendors, several stages of live music and loads of arts and crafts vendors.
This festival also has Italian chalk artists and a kid's area in case you bring the family.
A special event at the festival is the Blessing of the Animals. Occurring both days, you are welcome to bring your pet along with you.
Each year a different animal advocacy group is selected to help support their cause, and if you want to participate with your furry friend, make sure to bring them along and let them enjoy the festival as well.
3. Union Street Festival
Date: Early June
Location: Union Street
This two-day festival is known as one the best San Francisco Summer festivals.
It occurs over 2 days in June and Union Street is packed with food and drink, arts and craft vendors, and a few stages for the musicians to rock out on and for you to get out on and dance.
One of the reasons this is such a popular festival is that the Union Street has not only a craft beer pavilion, but also a wine tasting pavilion.
If you aren't into beer and wine, there is a health & fitness pavilion as well as a fashion pavilion.
This festival is free to enter, and you can understand why so many people love this festival and make sure to enjoy it every year they visit San Francisco.
>> More information on this year's festival
4. Juneteenth
Date: Mid-June
Location: Fillmore Street between Post and Turk
Celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation, Juneteenth is celebrating the abolition of slavery and pride in African American culture and how it has influenced the US.
This event has many live performances on three stages throughout the event. You will also find carnival rides and games plus a massive kid zone.
There is more food than you could imagine, and it is all mouthwatering. It might be spicy, so make sure to buy a beverage to help if your taste buds get hot.
This year, they also have their annual Hair and Fashion show as well as their classic car show.
The is one of the free San Francisco Summer festivals and it runs from 11 am to 6 pm.
5. Pride Parade & Festival
Date: Last Weekend in June
Location: Civic Center Plaza
This free event celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersexed people in their community and gives them the freedom to be out and proud.
Before the party starts, a famous event happens as a huge pink triangle is installed on a mountain near the area.
Then a special ceremony starts at 10:30 am to pay respects to LGTBQI people who lost their lives in the concentration camps.
After these two events, the festival (or should I say party) starts. It runs from noon and goes until 6 pm on Saturday and 11 am to 6 pm on Sunday.
The parade is always on Sunday morning. It starts at 10:30 am at Beale and Market Street and ends at 8th and Market Street in Downtown San Francisco.
This is a can't miss part of the festival since so many people come out and are dressed in wonderful outfits and having fun.
Make sure to get there early as it can get very busy.
As for the actual festival, it is a party like you'll never forget. There are over 20 stages, 300 vendors and dancers and other entertainers.
It's another one of the San Francisco Summer festivals where you will find loads of food and drink available all weekend long.
>> Information for Pride in SF
6. Fourth of July Fireworks & Waterfront Festival
Date: July 4th
Location: SF's Fisherman's Wharf waterfront and other locations around SF
The Fourth of July Waterfront Festival is a full day of activities and live entertainment in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf District. It includes fun events at Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, and the Municipal Pier.
Many of the events are free and family friendly. All of these activities will keep you busy as you wait for the grand finale of the day--the fireworks show.
Every year, the fireworks draw in thousands. There are two sets fired off at the same time. Both of them are over the waterfront in Fisherman's Wharf at dark.
In addition to this festival, you will also find plenty of other fun things to do every Fourth of July in San Francisco.
>> Fourth of July activities this year in San Francisco
7. Fillmore Jazz Festival
Date: First or Second Weekend in July
Location: Pacific Heights neighborhood
If you are looking for more jazz than you could imagine, at a free event, then the Fillmore Jazz Festival is going to be your dream festival.
The 2-day festival has four different stages, with two main ones, and there is music from 10 am to 6 pm both days.
Not only is there incredible jazz music all day long, but there are many arts & crafts vendors selling their products, people selling gourmet food, and even a beer garden.
Make sure to bring you ID as you can't enter the beer garden if you don't have one.
This means if your friends go in, and you forget yours, you can't go in with them.
If you are looking to check out the neighborhood and relax, there are many bars and restaurants lining the event that have excellent food and drinks options as well.
8. Outside Lands Music Festival
Date: August 9 - 11, 2024
Location: Western section of the Golden Gate Park
Simply stated, Outside Land's is the best music festival in San Francisco. It is situated in the gorgeous Golden Gate Park.
Unlike most of these San Francisco Summer festivals, this three-day festival is jam packed with truly world-famous headliners, while also showcasing up and coming and local bands at the same time.
In the past, some of these bands included Duran Duran, Radiohead, Chance the Rapper, Lionel Richie and others.
The festival makes sure to have different styles of music so every person that attends can hear the music, and see the bands, that they want to experience.
This three-day festival is so popular that tickets sell out quickly so make sure to buy them as soon as possible. Doors open at 11 am each day and music starts at noon and continues until 10 pm.
Parking is incredibly limited so using mass transit or Lyft and Uber is your best bet.
>> This year's line-up and ticketing details
9. Stern Grove Concerts in the Park
Dates: Mid-June to Mid-August
Location: Stern Grove in Golden Gate Park
Although the Stern Grove isn't technically a festival, I list it here because it is close enough to one, and the attitude of everyone attending has a festival feel to it.
The Stern Grove Concert Series has now been running for over 80 years and there is no end in sight.
Stern Grove has many musicians that play during the summer. They start at 2 pm on Sundays but the grove fills up well before that with people picnicking and getting ready for the music.
Make sure to get there in advance and grab a place to sit.
This free event runs every Sunday from late June to late August. The shows usually last about 2 to 3 hours. They are always well attended, and the people are usually dancing and having a great time in the summer sun.
>> This year's dates and details
Places to Stay in SF
If you are still looking for a place to stay, make sure to check out the great deals below!
Booking: Find great deals all around San Francisco for your upcoming stay!
TripAdvisor: What's the #1 hotel in San Francisco? Read reviews & find hotel deals on TripAdvisor!
VRBO: Besides hotels, you'll also find some great places to stay locally through VRBO. Book an apartment or a room and feel more like a local. Find some great places to stay on VRBO here.
Other Big Summer Events
SF Giants Baseball
Dates: Around a dozen home games each month in the summer
Location: Oracle Park in Downtown San Francisco
The San Francisco Giants play in one of the most beautiful parks in the country. When you see them, you will swear you have time traveled back to the 1920s.
Oracle Park is a newer ballpark and has some of the best amenities around including food, beer, and a special kid's area.
There are numerous great restaurants outside the stadium, and they are full of Giants' fans having a great time before the game starts.
Being that this is San Francisco, and even though it is summer, it can get VERY cold when the fog rolls in. So, make sure to bundle up and wear layers in case it is warm during the day and then gets cold at night.
If you decide you don't want to go into the stadium, but want to catch a bit of the action, check out the free area outside near McCovey Cove.
The ushers will let about 100 people stand in front of a fence that is ground level for 3 innings.
Here are a few of the upcoming games.
>> Details to attend an SF Giants game this summer
Theater Performances
Dates: Several shows each week throughout San Francisco
When you visit San Francisco, you will find a multitude of theater shows each week. There are many traveling Broadway shows that come through every year.
Some of the past ones include Mama Mia, Hamilton, and The Lion King and are shown in the larger venues.
If you are looking for more off-Broadway, or local shows, you will find many to choose from also. These are usually in smaller venues, which are more intimate, but the quality of the shows is just as professional as the more famous theater events.
Prices of these shows can be as low as $30 and up to a few hundred dollars depending on shows, dates and seats that you choose.
Make sure to check the calendar and plan so you can see the shows that will entertain and enthrall you when you visit the lovely City by the Bay.
>> Full schedule of theater performances this summer
More Fun Summer Activities in San Francisco
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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