Every year on the second weekend of June since 1978, the streets of the Haight Ashbury district are a buzz with thousands of visitors, all there to celebrate the warmer temperatures with a bit of live music and some arts and crafts. Mix in a variety of places to grab something to eat and drink and it’s clear why so many arrive every year for the festivities. Haight Street is awash with a diverse crowd of hipsters, hippies, yuppies with strollers, a bit of grunge, and pretty much everything in between. |Haight Street Festival|

Every year on St. Patrick’s Day, the Financial District is abuzz with live music and revelers celebrating the holiday, ushering in the warm Spring weather ahead. This stretch of Front Street, in between California and Sacramento streets, right by the Embarcadero Center, is sealed off from vehicular traffic, and is packed to the brim with patrons downing drinks from either Schroeder’s Cafe or Harrington’s Bar and Grill. The crowd is a mixture of fancy dressed professionals unwinding after a long day at the office and those that are clad in more festive green garb. Live music and flowing beer are definite selling points, but just remember that admission is free so it’s best to come a bit early to avoid the rush of the office crowd. Live music usually entails a cover band, so if you’re a fan of classic rock, you’re in the right place.

Celebrating its tenth year in existence, the Annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival is a weekend long music festival held in Golden Gate Park that is free to the public thanks to the sponsorship of Warren Hellman. Attracting a crowd of more than 600,000 for the weekend, visitors came in droves, many of which parked and locked their bicycles to every tree along the path to Speedway Meadows. Visitors came to see over 60 acts on six stages over the three day event, with high profile musicians like Elvis Costello, Joan Baez, Indigo Girls, Patti Smith, Rosanne Cash, Randy Newman and Emmylou Harris performing. Along with plenty of music, the festival featured local vendors selling food, non-alcoholic drinks, and merchandise. Alcohol is allowed, but is not for sale on the premises. Plenty of people came prepared with ice chests, blankets, picnic gear, and their dogs to enjoy the festivities, if only it was a little bit warmer. |Hardly Strictly Bluegrass|

With the emergence of gourmet food carts reaching critical mass in the city, it’s no surprise there is now a festival dedicated to the phenomenon. Snaking around a handful of city blocks along Folsom Street, close to Garfield Square in the Mission District, the SF Street Food Festival this year was packed to the brim with hungry visitors, all there to experience something unexpectedly delicious that was prepared from a mobile kitchen. The wait times just to sample dishes from various vendors like |Roli Roti| and |Kung Fu Tacos| were overwhelming to say the least, which made coordinated efforts with friends to wait in multiple lines the right move.

Many of the vendors with more notoriety such as |Hapa Ramen| or |Creme Brulee Cart| ran out of food fairly quickly, but there were still numerous choices that made the trip worthwhile like the homemade smores from |Kika’s Treats|. The choices this year were mixed between established restaurants trying to market themselves with quick bites and fancy non-alcoholic drinks, and actual street food vendors whose locations they operate from change on the regular. There was even a silent auction that raised money for charity by auctioning off cool prizes such as being a chef for a day at |Chez Panisse| and an all day butchery class at |4505 Meats|. |SF Street Food Fest|

Celebrating 40 years in the city, this annual weekend long event draws an estimated crowd of over one million people, all there to show support for tolerance and pride. The festivities include a parade down Market Street, culminating with a massive festival in Civic Center Plaza. The event features live music, food and beverage concessions, a diverse crowd, and plenty of colorful costumes. Admission is free and is open to all ages. |SF Pride|

Right in the heart of North Beach, participants at this Summertime festival in Washington Square will find live bands and vendors selling food and beverages, all in a nice park setting. Unlike the street fairs in other districts, it’s great to be able to sit down on the grass and bask in the sun while watching the performances. On the streets around the park, open only to pedestrian traffic, you’ll find various arts & crafts booths and beer gardens. Admission is free and the festival runs both Saturday and Sunday. Parking is impossible, using public transit is highly recommended. |Event Site|

For over forty years, San Francisco has celebrated the arrival of flowering cherry blossoms with a two weekend long celebration in the middle of |Japantown|. Originally a tradition in Japan called |Hanami| (flower viewing), celebrations there consist of outdoor parties and feasts amongst the blooming trees that can go on until the wee hours. Since the flowers typically only last a week or two on the tree, the cherry blossom is said to symbolize the fleeting beauty of life.

The parade on the last day of the festival begins at the Civic Center, travels down Post Street and ends at Fillmore Street. This year’s parade had its share of taiko drummers, Japanese Animation costume contest winners, and beauty pageant winners, not to mention some impressive |Matoi| twirling. At the tail of the parade, scores of people carrying large barrels of sake make offers of rice wine in anticipation of the staple crop planting season. The festival also features local merchants selling their wares and numerous food venders serving everything from BBQ to ramen noodles. |Nor Cal Cherry Blossom Festival|

Celebrated in conjunction with the Columbus Day festivities since 1981, Fleet Week draws over one million visitors to the city for its various exhibits, parades, air shows, roof deck parties, and beer gardens at the Marina Green. The beer garden is often packed, drawing crowds for their cold brews, various prepared foods, and unobstructed views of the bay. Festivities run pretty much all weekend, starting with the parade of Naval ships at 11:30 am on Saturday and concluding with a live concert series at Pier 39 that goes from 1 pm until 7 pm Sunday. Other notable activities include the air show and Blue Angels aerial performances that start at 12:30 pm and finish at 4 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday night, pick a nice vantage point, grab a blanket, and watch the fireworks show at Pier 3 that begins at 9:30 pm. When Sunday comes around, the |Italian Heritage Parade| is another event worth seeing. The parade starts at 12:30 pm and moves right down Columbus Street, through the North Beach District. So dust off that old bomber jacket, don some aviators, and prepare yourself for Highway through the Danger Zone on repeat. |Fleet Week|

For the past 33 years, the Union Street Festival has the been the unofficial beginning of Summer for local residents, ushering in longer days of sun and marking an end to the cold temperatures. Open only to pedestrian traffic, the street is filled with booths selling various types of food, local vendors selling their wares and artwork, a few live music stages, a beer garden on nearly every block, and plenty of Marina scenery. This year’s event was particularly warm, and crowded; the beer was ice cold and the food was extra greasy, fried and delicious. Admission is free and the festival runs both Saturday and Sunday. Parking is impossible, using public transit is highly recommended. |Union Street Festival Site|

On the third Saturday of May for the past 10 years, the Beer and Oyster Festival has been a great daytime drinking event held at the meadow in |Fort Mason|. Clear skies and temperatures in the upper 80s, large cups of Harp Ale and Guinness, raw and barbequed oysters on the half shell, live music, and of course the nice Marina scenery all make for a memorable Springtime event. |SF Beer & Oyster Site|