The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition, the Japanese Tea Garden endures as one of the most popular attractions in San Francisco, featuring classic elements such as an arched drum bridge, pagodas, stone lanterns, stepping stone paths, native Japanese plants, serene koi ponds, and a zen garden. Cherry blossom trees bloom throughout the garden in March and April.
Admission to the Japanese Tea Garden is free for San Francisco residents with valid ID. Free hours for everyone (even non-residents) are 9-10 am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Japanese Tea Garden 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, SF FREE for San Francisco Residents w/ ID FREE for Everyone from 9-10 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
Non Resident Fees Adults: $12-16 (depends on season)
The free, two–day Festival covers 17 blocks in the Mission District, with five main stages, 50 local performing artists, and 400 vendors. The festival includes international food, dancing, sampling sites and entertainment for families, couples and friends of all ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. In the 47–year history of our Festival, we have welcomed luminaries like Celia Cruz, Santana, the Neville Brothers, Tito Puentes, Luis Enrique, Poncho Sanchez, Los Lonely Boys, Oscar D’León, La India, and Los Tigres del Norte. The two-day celebration is a cultural explosion with free admission for the community. With an attendance rate of over 400,000 people yearly, Carnaval San Francisco is the largest multicultural celebration in California.
The Grand Parade boasts a 60-contingent lineup, with over 3,000 artists representing the cultural heritages of Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Cuba, Peru, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala, El Salvador, and more to participate, televised by CBS. The Grand Parade covers 20 blocks in San Francisco’s historic Latino Cultural District in the Mission.
Every Saturday, the de Young offers free general admission to the permanent galleries to Bay Area residents.Please note that admission to any special exhibits is not included nor discounted and will require the full admission price.
Saturdays feature engaging art experiences for the entire family, including art-making, gallery guides, and tours with discussion and sketching in the permanent galleries.
de Young Museum Golden Gate Park \ 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118 – Most Saturdays – Timed ticket reservations typically from 9:30a to 4:30p Reserve tickets in advance to skip the line – timed tickets required. Limited in person tickets might be available at the membership desk
This offer applies only to general admission for the permanent collection galleries.
Full-priced admission to special exhibitions still applies.
For: Residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma Counties with valid photo ID or postmarked envelope bearing home address
Visitors ages 17 and under always receive free admission to the permanent collection galleries.
Please note this free Saturdays offer could be changed or canceled at anytime. Visit deyoung.famsf.org for updates before attending
For more information please visit the following sites
Kick off the summer with one of the largest street festivals in San Francisco, located in the bustling Cow Hollow neighborhood.
The two-day long Union Street Festival brings neighbors, locals and visitors alike to celebrate in the streets of San Francisco’s Marina District. Come celebrate local business, culture and community with live music, food and goods vendors, family-friendly activity zones, artists, makers and fun for all ages.
Union Street Festival 2025 May 31 – June 1, 2025 | 11 am – 7 pm Union Street between Gough and Fillmore, SF FREE
> 2025 Event Schedule TBA (as of 4/14/25) Here’s what happened in 2024 to have an idea of what to expect:
2024 Event Details (2025 details TBA)
– Live Music and DJs throughout the Event – Saturday Main Stage Lineup: Lyrah, Mint, Dougie Poole, Sean Carscadden Trio, Skinny Hendrixx and the Earthtones – Sunday Main Stage Lineup: Chokecherry, Sour Widows, New Diplomat, False Bottom Band – DJs All Weekend: Rhett Music, Cilla, Neptune Pacific Art Car and DJ Dancepark Collective – 140 of West Coasts Top Artists, Designers and Craftmakers – Over 20 of the Bay’s Best Food Trucks – Refreshing Craft Cocktails, Seasonal Beer, Wine, Spiked Seltzer, Watermelon Mint Cooler –Non Alcoholic Cocktails and Drinks From The New Bar – Collaborative Paint Temple – Miramar Events/Canvas Occasions Take 5 Lounge Space – Facepainting, henna art, robotics demos and kids friendly vendors – Exciting sponsor activations featuring WhistlePig interactive space with Whiskey and Waffle samples – Underwood Wine Waiters Race (Sunday at noon) – Live Mural Painting All Weekend by Francisco Franco – Limited Edition Event T-Shirts With Live Screeprinting by San Franpsycho
For more information please visit the following links
Welcome back to “Bay to Breakers,” the crown jewel of San Francisco events since 1912 with 20,000+ people racing (and 100,000+ watching) from the Bay to the Breakers at the western end of Golden Gate Park in a costumed mass of everything we love about San Francisco.
Bay to Breakers starts in the Embarcadero neighborhood by the San Francisco Bay, and takes you through nine of the city’s most notable neighborhoods—all the way to the Great Highway, where the breakers crash into Ocean Beach.
Join bumblebees, brides, unicorns, runners wearing only running watches, and probably at least one Spider-Man in this world-renowned race-slash-party.
Launching April 19th, one of San Francisco’s favorite vintage and makers market is returning for it’s fourth season!
Come celebrate Earth Day at the 2025 launch of Secondhand Saturday with a special DJ set by Tangerine Meadows and Trippy Chris from Here and There Records, food vendors, coffee and refreshments, a great live music line up and lots of activities.
Secondhand Saturday returns to 37th ave. & Ortega every third Saturday of the month from April to November, featuring special themes and celebrations such as Spring Fun, Surf Swap, Summer of Love fashion show, seasonal workshops and more. Enjoy browsing from 60 incredible vendors offering a variety of vintage fashion, handmade goods, accessories, stylish home decor, art and more! A perfect family & dog friendly weekend outing for all ages!
Second Hand Saturday: Vintage Market 2025 Every Third Saturday April to November 2025 | 10a-4p Outer Sunset – 37th Ave btwn Ortega and Pacheco, SF Free – No parking lot, but street parking is fairly easy in this neighborhood, even on Saturdays
Check out the goods at Secondhand Saturdays on 3rd Saturdays at 10am–4pm. Shop local vintage clothes and goods, enjoy live music from Bay Area artists, and visit booths by 50+ vendors – a community garage sale zone, delicious foods, refreshing drinks and more.
Cost: FREE*
*Free Admission
Fo more information please visit the following links
The Hawaiian May Day Festival is back to the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA, as a two-day event in 2025. Come celebrate May 10-11, 2025.
This FREE family-friendly event is hosted by the Kumu Hula Association of Northern California, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, dedicated to perpetuating Native Hawaiian and Polynesian culture through arts, language, music, and dancing.
2025 theme: Afro Mundo: African Diaspora in the Americas
AfroMundo stands as a powerful testament to the resilience, joy, strength, and enduring spirit of the African diaspora, a people who have profoundly shaped the cultural fabric of the Americas. In the realms of dance, song, and music, the African diaspora has enriched the world with some of its most influential and transformative creations. The rhythmic pulse of African drums, once used to communicate across vast distances, became the heartbeat of countless musical genres.
For more information, please click the link below:
Kick off the summer with one of the largest street festivals in San Francisco, located in the bustling Cow Hollow neighborhood!
The two-day long Union Street Festival brings neighbors, locals and visitors alike to celebrate in the streets of San Francisco’s Marina District. Come celebrate local business, culture and community with live music, dance, food, local craft beers, cocktails and mocktails, plus family-friendly games and activities including the annual Waiter Relay Race, handcrafted goods, art, food and fun for ALL ages!
Plus, San Francisco’s very own San FranPsycho will be live screen printing official festival t-shirts featuring artwork by local artist Amos Goldbaum. It doesn’t get more local than this!
More about the Waiter Relay Race: This beloved Union Street tradition has been going strong for over two decades. Teams of servers from neighborhood bars and restaurants partner up to race up the hill—while balancing a serving tray full of drinks. It’s a high-energy, must-see event you won’t want to miss.
For more information, please click the link below:
Join us for a heartwarming celebration at the North Beach Mother’s Day Night Market in collaboration with Chinatown! Stroll along Grant Avenue between Vallejo and Filbert Street on Friday, May 9, 2025 from 5:00PM to 10:00PM for an evening filled with local treasures.
Discover unique arts and crafts, meet talented local merchants, and find that perfect Mother’s Day gift while enjoying fun activities and games for the whole family. This special night market brings together two vibrant neighborhoods to celebrate moms while supporting local businesses and strengthening community bonds. Come create memories with us!
