Pride Festival

Civic Center Plaza
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Last weekend of June annually
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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|

North Beach Festival

Washington Square
1635 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
3rd weekend of June annually
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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|

Cherry Blossom Festival

1706 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Mid April, Annually
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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|

Union Street Festival

On Union, between Gough and Steiner Streets
1st weekend of June, annually
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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|

Beer and Oyster Festival

Fort Mason
99 Marina Blvd,
San Francisco, CA, 94123
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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|