San Francisco and Oakland are full of ways to spend time outside, support local artists, and connect with neighbors this week.
From Tuesday, August 25 through Sunday, August 30, the schedule includes live music, short films, opera, street markets, dance parties, food, wine, puppetry, and a community feast. Several events are free, while others require tickets or registration.
Here are five events in San Francisco and five in Oakland for the week of Monday, August 24 through Sunday, August 30, 2026.
San Francisco events
🏢 Ice Cream Social with Kai Lyons
Tuesday, August 25, noon to 2 p.m.
Mechanics Monument Plaza, 488 Market St
Neighborhood: Financial District
Cost: Free. No RSVP required.
Take a lunch break downtown for live jazz and Afro-Caribbean guitar from San Francisco guitarist and bandleader Kai Lyons. Guests can also enjoy a free scoop of Polly Ann Ice Cream while supplies last.
The event is part of the Downtown SF Partnership’s Ice Cream Social series. It is open to the public and takes place outdoors at Mechanics Monument Plaza.
View event details through the SF Examiner.
🏙️ Creativity Explored Short Film Festival
Wednesday, August 26, 6 p.m.
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Screening Room, 701 Mission St
Neighborhood: SoMa
Cost: Free with registration.
The program, titled We Can Love It Together: Creativity Explored Short Film Fest, features short films and animations made by Creativity Explored artists over the past two decades.
The evening includes work by artists Ade Lewis, Elena Cooper, Samedi Djeimguero, and Zachary Adams. Creativity Explored supports artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities and helps them create, exhibit, and sell their work.
Check the venue information before attending if you need specific access accommodations.
View event details through the SF Examiner.
🌉 Expansive Showcase
Thursday, August 27, 7:30 p.m.
Strand Theater, 1127 Market St
Neighborhood: Mid-Market
Tickets: $15 to $56.
Opera Parallèle and the Transgender District present the fifth annual Expansive, a showcase of transgender and nonbinary classical artists.
This year’s theme, “Revolution Is Just the Beginning,” honors the 60th anniversary of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, a significant event in transgender history. The program combines classical music, spoken word, and visual projections. The performance runs for approximately 75 minutes without an intermission.
View event details through the SF Examiner.
🏙️ Visitacion Valley Night Market
Friday, August 28, 4 to 8:30 p.m.
Leland Avenue between Bayshore Boulevard and Peabody Street
Neighborhood: Visitacion Valley
Cost: Free.
Visitacion Valley hosts its first night market and block party this Friday. The event will feature food vendors, local shopping, live music, street dancing, family activities, and community resource tables.
The market is designed as a neighborhood gathering, so visitors can support small businesses while spending time on Leland Avenue. Public transportation, walking, biking, or rideshare may be easier than driving because parking is limited in the area.
See the event listing and updates.
🌳 BonPOP 2026
Sunday, August 30, 2 to 6 p.m.
San Francisco Botanical Garden Fountain Plaza, Golden Gate Park
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
Cost: Free for San Francisco residents with valid ID.
BonPOP returns for its fifth annual celebration of Obon tradition. The event includes ancestral dance, taiko drumming, vendors, food, music, and activities for visitors of different ages and backgrounds.
From 2 to 4 p.m., guests can browse vendors and participate in activities. Bon Odori dancing takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. Yukata and kimono vendors, Japanese crafts, snacks, and community activities will be part of the afternoon.
Admission is included with Botanical Garden entry. San Francisco residents, Gardens members, veterans, children age four and under, and Museums for All or EBT participants may qualify for free admission. Bring identification if you plan to use the resident admission option.
Learn more and RSVP through Gardens of Golden Gate Park.
Oakland events
🌳 Boob-E-Que
Friday, August 28, noon to 4 p.m.
Mosswood Park, 3612 Webster St
Neighborhood: Mosswood
Cost: Free. Register online.
Boob-E-Que is a Black Breastfeeding Week celebration with food, line dancing, massages, face painting, raffles, and time for community connection.
The event is intended to bring families and supporters together in a relaxed outdoor setting. Registration is recommended. Because event details and capacity can change, check the organizer’s event page before attending.
Register here. You can also review the event listing.
🏙️ Days Like This Community Dance Party
Friday, August 28, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The Pergola at Lake Merritt, 599 El Embarcadero
Neighborhood: Adams Point
Cost: Free.
This community dance party brings house music and an all-ages crowd to Lake Merritt. A house dance class begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the main party from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The gathering is community organized and has previously been held as a free, welcoming event for people of different ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
🌉 Paella Pop-Up and Wine Tasting
Saturday, August 29, 2 to 6 p.m.
Temescal Alley, 482 49th St, Suite B
Neighborhood: Temescal
Cost: $45. Two seatings.
Chef Erik Aragon will prepare paella onsite at Sapphire Hill Winery’s Oakland Outpost. The 2 p.m. seating features Paella Mixto. The 4 p.m. seating features Arroz Negro.
Each ticket includes one paella entrée and a tasting flight of at least five Sapphire Hill wines selected to pair with the meal.
This is a ticketed event with limited seating, so plan ahead.
View event details and tickets through Temescal District.
🏙️ Puppet Fair Weekend
Saturday and Sunday, August 29 and 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave
Neighborhood: Lakeshore
Cost: Included with general admission.
Children’s Fairyland celebrates 70 years of puppetry with a full weekend focused on screen-free storytelling, an open-air museum of puppets, learning about puppet styles and the history of the art form, the origins of the Storybook Puppet Theater, and gorgeously crafted productions.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater performs at Aesop’s Playhouse stage at 3 p.m. on both Saturday, August 29, and Sunday, August 30. Review the full schedule before arriving because performances take place across the park.
Get tickets and see the full schedule at Children’s Fairyland.
🏢 St. Augustine Feast-ival
Sunday, August 30, noon to 2 p.m.
St. Augustine Church, 400 Alcatraz Ave at Colby
Neighborhood: Rockridge
Cost: Free. Open to all.
St. Augustine Church hosts a family-friendly community meal with catered vegetarian Indian food.
The Feast-ival is open to neighbors, families, parishioners, and visitors. The church’s regular Sunday Mass begins at 10 a.m., with the community meal following at noon.
For the latest information, including any schedule changes, contact the parish office at (510) 653-8631 or check the St. Augustine Church calendar.
A simple way to plan the week
For free events, arrive early when possible. Ice cream, food, and seating may be limited. For ticketed events, confirm prices and availability through the official event page before leaving home.
Public transportation may be the easiest option for downtown San Francisco, Visitacion Valley, Lake Merritt, Temescal, and Rockridge. Outdoor events may also involve uneven pavement, crowds, or changing weather, so comfortable shoes and a light layer are useful.
Before attending, review each venue’s current accessibility information. If you need an accommodation, contact the organizer or venue in advance.
For more local business and community perspective, explore MFHC’s Bay Area small business coverage.
San Francisco and Oakland continue to show how local culture, small businesses, public spaces, and community organizations shape the Bay Area. This week’s calendar offers many ways to participate without spending much, from a free concert and ice cream social to neighborhood markets, dance gatherings, and public celebrations. For MFHC, strong communities and strong local enterprises grow together through consistent participation, thoughtful stewardship, and lasting trust.
Published weekly by The McFadden-Finch Holdings Company. MFHC builds value-driven ventures across hospitality, real estate, community philanthropy, and pet care, uniting expertise across industries to deliver sustainable growth, quality, and trust. To explore partnership or engagement, visit www.m-fhc.com.
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