City guides
United States of America
California
What’s on in San Francisco
San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration
29 — 30 June 2024
Market Street, from Embarcadero to the Civic Center
As the world's most gay-friendly city, San Francisco celebrates gay and lesbian pride with a festive procession and numerous music stages. The parade features hundreds of themed ma…
San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration
29 — 30 June 2024
Market Street, from Embarcadero to the Civic Center
As the world's most gay-friendly city, San Francisco celebrates gay and lesbian pride with a festive procession and numerous music stages. The parade features hundreds of themed marchers and floats, after which thousands of people from every walk of life gather at the Civic Center to carry on the party in front of one of the many music stages. The area is lined with stalls selling everything from food and drink to crafts and souvenirs.
Website www.sfpride.org
San Francisco Carnaval
25 — 26 May 2024
Mission District
Every Memorial Day weekend, the Mission District hosts San Francisco's version of the Mardi Gras celebrations with music and dancing, food and craft stalls, contests, street perfor…
San Francisco Carnaval
25 — 26 May 2024
Mission District
Every Memorial Day weekend, the Mission District hosts San Francisco's version of the Mardi Gras celebrations with music and dancing, food and craft stalls, contests, street performers, and a parade with lavish floats, marching bands and colourful costumes. The Grand Parade is an exotic celebration of different traditions and cultures from around the world, with floats and dancers depicting vibrant multi-cultural themes, from samba and Chinese Lion dancers to African drummers, and accompanied by the hip-swinging music of Latin America, Brazil and the Caribbean.
Website www.carnavalsanfrancisco.org
Chinese New Year Parade
TBC 2025
Chinatown
The New Year Parade is the highlight and focus of the two-week Chinese New Year celebrations that includes the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant, the Community Street Fair and the New Yea…
Chinese New Year Parade
TBC 2025
Chinatown
The New Year Parade is the highlight and focus of the two-week Chinese New Year celebrations that includes the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant, the Community Street Fair and the New Year Flower Market. A San Francisco tradition since the 1849 Gold Rush, the Parade is the biggest celebration of its kind outside Asia and is listed as one of the top 10 parades in the world. Hundreds of spectators gather to watch as colourful floats, elaborate costumes, firecrackers, stilt walkers, lion dancers and marching bands go by, and wait in expectation for the world-famous annual Golden Dragon, which is 160 feet (49m) long and takes more than 100 men to carry it through the streets.
Website www.chineseparade.com
Haight Ashbury Street Fair
9 June 2024
Haight Street, Haight-Ashbury District
One of the city's most famous neighbourhoods, Haight Ashbury was the centre of the hippie movement in the 1960s, and the summer Haight Street Fair is a vibrant and colourful celebr…
Haight Ashbury Street Fair
9 June 2024
Haight Street, Haight-Ashbury District
One of the city's most famous neighbourhoods, Haight Ashbury was the centre of the hippie movement in the 1960s, and the summer Haight Street Fair is a vibrant and colourful celebration of its cultural heritage and creative roots. Two stages provide a variety of musical presentations and entertainment, and the streets are filled with food and drink vendors, art and craft stalls and street performers.
Website www.haightashburystreetfair.org
North Beach Festival
15 — 16 June 2024
North Beach District; main stage in Washington Park
Every year 'Little Italy' celebrates San Francisco's oldest street festival with arts and crafts, a pizza toss competition, local delicacies, Italian street chalk art, cooking demo…
North Beach Festival
15 — 16 June 2024
North Beach District; main stage in Washington Park
Every year 'Little Italy' celebrates San Francisco's oldest street festival with arts and crafts, a pizza toss competition, local delicacies, Italian street chalk art, cooking demonstrations and cheese carving. The weekend kicks off with the Animal Blessing at the national Shrine of St Francis, and entertainment includes live jazz, rock, blues, salsa and swing music in a salutation to the Italian and Beat Generation history of the neighbourhood.
International Beer Festival
TBC 2025
Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason.
The biggest beer festival in the city is an annual event that features hundreds of beers from around the world, including Thailand, Japan, England and Germany, as well as local bre…
International Beer Festival
TBC 2025
Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason.
The biggest beer festival in the city is an annual event that features hundreds of beers from around the world, including Thailand, Japan, England and Germany, as well as local brews. Live bands and a wide selection of food from local restaurants add to the atmosphere, with visitors allowed to taste as much as they like.
Website www.sfbeerfest.com
Monterey Jazz Festival
27 — 29 September 2024
Monterey Fairgrounds, Monterey
The Monterey Jazz Festival is one of the oldest and most famous annual jazz festivals in the world. Throughout the decades, some of the greatest names in jazz have played including…
Monterey Jazz Festival
27 — 29 September 2024
Monterey Fairgrounds, Monterey
The Monterey Jazz Festival is one of the oldest and most famous annual jazz festivals in the world. Throughout the decades, some of the greatest names in jazz have played including Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, McCoy Tyner and Oscar Peterson. The main focus of the festival is jazz education, and several workshops are held over the weekend.
Website www.montereyjazzfestival.org