San Francisco Got Its Groove Back, The Cultural BOOM Feels Real
After an incredible summer of live events, concerts, and free outdoor festivals, San Francisco feels like it got its groove back. Every outdoor space that could hold a crowd was alive this past June-September from the Golden Gate Park bandshell to the street festivals every first Thursday in SOMA, every which way you turned there was music, art, and community.
A far cry from last winter’s deluge of negative media stories focused on San Francisco’s so-called ‘demise’. The conservative crones were crying foul at every opportunity, trying to label us as a ‘failed city’, bloviating on every negative statistic they could conjure without ever setting foot in the Bay.
But not everyone measures success with financial spreadsheets and alarmist soundbites.
And those pundits have forgotten what we’ve always known, that since the Gold Rush San Francisco has been a town of boom and bust. And this past summer, a rhythmic, steady boom was heard echoing through speakers and pounding on dance floors, streets, parks, and halls throughout our city.
Metaphorical you might say, but if you were out there like us this summer, you felt it too. SF culture is alive.
I couldn’t be happier to tell you about a festival coming this fall, that in many ways symbolizes Bay Area community, culture, and resilience. KQED, the Bay Area’s beloved public media station, is throwing its free, festive block party and open house at its headquarters in San Francisco’s Mission District.
You get to enjoy the amazing local musical talent on the Noise Pop stage outdoors, and indoors you get to explore where all the amazing live journalism and broadcasting happens. The event is totally free and will have a delicious collection of food and art vendors all over the street party. Not to mention, the voices we love from Forum, NPR, Bay Curious, Frontline, Deep Look, and much more, live, and onstage inside.
Let’s take a look at all the wonderful events you should put on your calendar, so you can rub elbows with your community, in the coming days and months…
October 19
Spend a Saturday with KQED, the Bay Area’s beloved public media station, for a free and festive block party and open house at our headquarters in San Francisco’s Mission District.
Spend a Saturday with KQED, the Bay Area’s beloved public media station, for a free and festive block party and open house at our headquarters in San Francisco’s Mission District.
Noise Pop Homegrown Stage
ALL DAY Hosts Per Sia and Dulce De Leche
11:00AM-2:00PM MUSICAL PERFORMANCE DJ Brown Angel
2:00-2:30PM MUSICAL PERFORMANCE Aki Kumar
3:00-3:30PM MUSICAL PERFORMANCE Bululú
4:00-4:45PM MUSICAL PERFORMANCE Brijean
5:00-6:00PM MUSICAL PERFORMANCE La Misa Negra
NEWSROOM ENTRANCE
11:00 AM- 3:00PM Newsroom and Studio Tours (first come first served)
11:00AM-1:00PM Recordings on Camera: KQED/Check Please Testimonials (first come first served)
11:00AM-1:00PM Recordings on Mic: Radio Testimonials (first come first served)
KQED LIVE STAGE AT THE COMMONS
11:15:00 AM Screening: KQED’s 70 Years of Broadcasting the Bay
12:00:00 PM PropFest! Breaking Down Your Ballot w/ Bay Curious
1:00:00 PM Can AI Be Funny? with Comedians Dhaya Lakshminarayanan + Sarah Rose Riskind
2:00:00 PM The Choice: Frontline and KQED Covering the Presidential Election
3:00:00 PM Mind Your Own: Stories of Belonging From African Perspectives
4:00:00 PM Book Bans & the Freedom to Read with Litquake + Brian Watt
5:00:00 PM Forum with Mina Kim + Special Guest
Saturday, October 19 | 11am – 6pm
KQED Headquarters | 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco
ALL AGES | FREE
More info & set times
November 14
Walk Your Values: A Conscious Fashion Show
Walk Your Values is a fashion show experience hosted by KQED and ethical fashion nonprofit Remake. Inspired by Remake’s Walk Your Values New York Fashion Week runway shows and KQED Arts’ series Fit Check, this unique gathering celebrates self-expression through conscious style choices and pre-loved, upcycled, and ethically produced pieces.
Join local creatives, activists, designers and influential style/fashion journalists to explore the lifecycle of clothes and the intersection of personal style and sustainability in the Bay Area.
Dress in your most stylish pre-loved outfit, learn style tips and connect with other fashion enthusiasts to build a better future for people and the planet.
Thursday, November 14, 2024 8:00 PM
SF Ferry Building, Grand Hall 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco
In Person: $28.75 ($25 ticket + $3.75 taxes and fees)
Tickets & Livestream
November 21
Oakland to All Mini-Ball: Fashion, Runway and Vogue Competition
Bay Area ballroom collective Oakland to All is throwing a Breaking News Mini-Ball at KQED!
Ballroom culture blends voguing performance and runway competition, and carries a legacy in the LGBTQ+ community beginning in the 1920s.
This event features a panel discussion featuring Bay Area legends and a deluxe ball. Four categories inspired by the news media industry will be interpreted through a ballroom lens. Only one person can win per category and take home the trophy and the bragging rights.
Whether you’re a seasoned icon or a fresh face ready to make your mark, the stage is waiting for you to christen the first ever vogue ball at KQED.
Breaking News! The kids are about to SERVE!
Thursday, November 21, 2024 7:00 PM (PT)
The Commons, KQED Headquarters 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
In Person: $10 / Livestream: Free
Tickets & livestream
December 5
Salsa Showdown
Salsa comes in all forms: It’s a flavorful way to top a delicious dish, a musical genre and a hotly contested secret ingredient of abuelas!
Dip your tortilla chip into the salsas produced by local makers Papalote, Casa Sanchez and Kuali, and learn how Mexico’s regional cultures and Bay Area vibes influence their craft.
Then, move your body to the hypnotic salsa sounds of the band Bululú with a post-tasting dance party!
Thursday, December 5, 2024 7:00 PM (PT)
The Commons, KQED Headquarters 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco
In Person: $23 ($20 ticket + $3 taxes and fees) / Livestream: Free
Tickets & livestream
December 10
Dating with Dhaya
Looking for love in the digital age is tricky, especially for love-seekers over 55!
This edition of Dating with Dhaya is here to help. Comedian Dhaya Lakshminarayanan plays matchmaker for one lucky person while subjecting local contestants to hilarious rounds of revealing questions (and some gentle roasting) as they search for a date. Will Cupid’s arrow hit a target? Will it even matter when you’re laughing so hard?
Before the show, we’ll host trivia happy hour at 6pm for those looking to make platonic connections. After the show, stick around for a single mingle and make a match of your own!
Tuesday, December 10, 2024 7:00 PM (PT)Add to Calendar
The Commons, KQED Headquarters 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco
In Person: $23 Show-Only; $30 Trivia Happy Hour + Show (plus taxes and fees) / Livestream: Free
Tickets & livestream
December 13
KQED Holiday Night Market
Apply to be a vendor here!
Want to get in the holiday mood by supporting Bay Area creators? Local food and craft vendors take over KQED’s headquarters at this seasonal night market.
Chocolatiers, jewelry makers, ceramicists, bakers and more highlight their hidden gems and niche finds for shoppers of all ages — and they are ready to help you to find great gifts for your loved ones.
Admission includes a food and beverage coupon.
Friday, December 13, 2024 5:00 PM (PT)
KQED Headquarters 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco
In Person: $11.50 ($10 ticket + $1.50 fees and taxes)
Tickets & livestream
December 18
Science Is A Piece of Cake: California Forests
Learn about California’s beautiful forests via cake! KQED Check, Please! producer Cecilia Phillips hosts a cake bake-off, where California’s rich forests will serve as our visual prompt.
Each cake will be inspired by trees and their surrounding ecosystems, depicting a rich canopy of flora and fauna.
Enter the competition as a beginner, intermediate or advanced baker or join in the audience to learn about this important habitat — and eat delicious cake!
Sign up to enter your cake here!
Wednesday, December 18, 2024 7:00 PM (PT)
KQED Headquarters 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
In Person: $23 ($20 ticket + $3 taxes and fees) / Livestream: Free
Tickets & livestream
This post was sponsored by KQED
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