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 9

A Double Feature About Using Art as Protest

Join us for a double feature presented by INDECLINE – Followed by a Q&A (moderated by Broke-Ass Stuart) featuring INDECLINE, John “Jack Napier” Law co-founder BLF/Billboard Liberation Front, and Winston Smith!

The Art of Protest

INDECLINE was founded on the idea that no matter how bad things get, there are concrete actions that can be taken as a form of resistance. They might not always be legal or polite, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be art. We are proud to present to you our proof of concept: a documentary highlighting both the words and works of those that fight the fight, who risk their safety and freedom for the sake of making those very ideas mean more. The art of protest is the process of finding humor in the Armageddon, but then hiding the tools of change in between the laughter. Featuring exclusive interviews with Pussy Riot, Shepard Fairey, Ron English, John “Jack Napier” Law, Tom Morello and more.

10/9
Roxie Theater 3117 16th St, SF
6:30 p.m.
Tickets $11.62-$16.62

October 10

How We Fight: The Power of Asian American Activism

Join us for an evening of performance and conversations that reflect on how Asian Americans have historically used political protest and organizing to advance their community objectives.

In a live storytelling performance, Emily Kwong (NPR host and founder of Inheriting and Shortwave podcasts) and Nicole Salaver (Balay Kreative) will share the legacy of Filipino civil rights leader Patrick Salaver, one of the leaders behind the Third World Liberation Front at San Francisco State University in the late 1960s. The movement brought ethnic studies programs to colleges nationwide and laid critical groundwork for cross-racial solidarity organizing.

Thursday, October 10, 2024 7:00 PM (PT)
The Commons, KQED Headquarters 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco
In-Person: $17.25 ($15 ticket + $2.25 fees and taxes) / Live
Tickets & Livestream

October 12

ELECTRIC FIELDS – FREE PARTY – GOLDEN GATE PARK BANDSHELL JUSTIN MARTIN

• ALL AGES
• Great Northern | Monarch | Green Gorilla Lounge | SF LIVE |

THIS EVENT IS AT GOLDEN GATE PARK BANDSHELL 1pm to 6pm

75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118

Get ready for a DAYTIME EVENT ! Join us on Sat OCTOBER 12, 2024 at 1pm to 6pm for a FREE PARTY featuring the legendary DJS playing sweet beats to move your feets.

Let’s dance the day away in the beautiful GOLDEN GATE PARK BANDSHELL. Don’t miss out on this epic gathering of music lovers and good vibes. See you there!

NIGHT AFTERPARTY WILL BE at GREAT NORTHERN with GREEN GORILLA LOUNGE and Friends

7pm till late

RSVP

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.

Highlights include:

• KQED, NPR and PBS programs live on stage.
• Crafts, games and resources from neighborhood vendors and cultural organizations.
• Fireside chats with KQED reporters and personalities.
• Behind-the-scenes looks at the KQED newsroom operations and on-site reservation for limited studio tours.
• Community media-making workshops and studio recording sessions.
• Interactive all-ages art, science and learning activities.
• Bites from food trucks and carts featured in KQED Food.
• Local live music presented by Noise Pop’s Homegrown Stage.

Saturday, October 19 | 11am – 6pm
KQED Headquarters | 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco
ALL AGES | FREE
More info & set times

October 27

Castro Merchants Halloween Block Party & Castro’s Weekend of Halloween

Castro Merchants Halloween Block Party – a spooky all-ages event! Halloween is back in the Castro and we’ll be bringing the festivities out to the neighborhood! Featuring costume contests for kids, pets, and adults, entertainment, and more. Dress to impress!

Oct 27, 2024 · 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Noe St. Between Market & Beaver, San Francisco
Info

Castro’s Weekend of Halloween

Join us along Castro Street & other parts of the district on Saturday October 26th + 27th as the neighborhood comes alive with Spooky Halloween activations. There will be loads of decor, candy, photos and activities.

Saturday, October 26, 2024
12:00 PM  6:00 PM
Info

November 7

UNSTAGED

A FREE, BLOCK-LONG INTERACTIVE ARTS EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY MARKET STREET ARTS

Each First Thursday through November from 4-7 PM, UNSTAGED: First Thursdays ✦ Live on Mid-Market, is a free, interactive, live performance experience on Market Street between 5th and 6th.

UNSTAGED activates sidewalks and storefronts bringing SF’s entertainment district, Mid-Market, back to its historic roots. UNSTAGED joins other Market Street Arts programs, Make it! and Busk it!, to bring artistic expression to the public realm throughout this vital San Francisco corridor.

November 7, 4-7 PM
Market Street between 5th and 6th, San Francisco
Info & Programming here.

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.

CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS

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