9 Great Things to do in The Bay Area While All your Friends Are at Burning Man

Burning Man is here and people from all over the world are going to fly to a desert and do weird things and party. Not everyone is a “burner”, (I certainly am not one because I didn’t know that term existed until a couple of weeks ago) so we are taking it upon ourselves to find some fun alternative parties and free options for you to enjoy here in the Bay Area.

It is ok to be weird here in town and save some cash, your bank account, liver and brain synapsis may not tingle as much as if you were at “The Burn”, but they may thank you in the long run. Plus it’s one of the times of the year to be in San Francisco because, hey, no one else is.

Saturday August 23rd:

Noise Pop 20th Street Block Party
FREE
12-6 pm – 20th Street Corridor (between Harrison & Bryant) in San Francisco.
The Box Factory – 865 Florida St.

The Mission Merchant Association along with the amazing event promotions company, Noise Pop is throwing a free Block Party in the Mission. You can have some fun right in your back yard on the 20th Street Corridor (between Harrison & Bryant) in San Francisco. There will be live music, events and lots of food and stuff to purchase. Block parties are the best. Make sure you stop by Mutiny Radio and to The Box Factory to participate in an interactive photo and video booth called The Mission Statement. You can tell your favorite stories about your experiences in The Box Factory. Our boy Broke-Ass Stuart is being interviewed there at 3pm. Go heckle him.

Sunday August 24th:

The Zombies Live Stern Grove Festival
FREE
2 pm – Stern Grove

So this is the one all my young hipster friends are freaking out about. The legendary 1960s English rock band, The Zombies are an amazing will be playing a free concert at Stern Grove in San Francisco. This show will be once in a lifetime. The Zombies are very old men. Take this opportunity to let a few living legends entertain you to the core.

The 50th “Sunday Streets”: SF’s Official Block Party
FREE
All day – The Mission District

Sunday Streets Block Party is the day after Noise Pop, so you can send this entire weekend on the streets of the Mission District. When was the last time you could say that, and not be feel very ashamed of your dirty dirty self. There are so many cool things going on in the Mission
Seriously, the Mission is doused with history and you can have yourself a damn good time FOR FREE. This fest will be a great date option or an event the entire fam can enjoy.

Punk Cooking: Recipes Paired with Music at Omnivore Books
FREE
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm – 3885a Cesar Chavez Street, San Francisco, CA
There are so many people on this planet who cannot cook. You would have more and better sex if you knew how to put together a nice meal for you punk lover. They may even do that thing to you that they are normally too punk to do, if you make them a nice little something to eat. You can brush up on your skills at Punk Cooking at Omnivore Book. Punks eat meat, I know you’re in the Bay, but please learn to cook a steak. Please!

Wednesday August 27th: 

Pop Punk band, Joyce Manor Plays Amoeba Music
FREE
5 pm – 1855 Haight St. San Francisco, CA 94117

I’m not going to gear this entire list of events to the same type of person. Everyone is different and we line different things. If you’re in the Bay Area and you’re into pop punk rock, you can see the local pop punk band, Joyce Manor play live at Ameoba Music San Francisco on Wednesday, August 27th. Who doesn’t love in-store performances? This is a really cool option for a free midweek outing.

Free Improv Class & BYOB
FREE
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm – 2097 Turk St., San Francisco, CA
This is such a fun out of the box event! It is totally free, and you can bring booze. It doesn’t matter if you’re a serious aspiring actor or if you want to mix things up in your life. Improv classes can cost thousands of dollars.

Friday August 29th:

Rooftop Garden Concert
FREE
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm – Kaiser Center | 300 Lakeside Dr., Oakland, CA. Oakland

If you live in the East Bay (Oakland), you can go to a unique concert that takes place in a rooftop garden. It’s always cool to do something different and maybe even a little classy. You can’t always be a nonconformist weirdo who doesn’t like anything nice. Sometimes, you just need to go hear some jazz in a cool and relaxing setting and mind your own business. Get some zen and hear some awesome music!

RETROBURN – Vintage Dance Music For SF’s Non-Burner Community
$8
8 pm – Monarch101 6th St, San Francisco, California 94103
So, the 60s hipster community is not into the Burn. They are throwing an Anti Burning Man party, or maybe we can consider it to be an alternative for the vinyl record collecting, 60s vintage wearing Euro-centric scene. The entry fee is only $8, so you can go and twist your cares away, and still have enough cash for a few cocktails!

Saturday August 30th

Beautiful Moment Film Showing
FREE
9 pm – 3117 16th Street, San Francisco, CA

I learned of this film from another Broke-Ass Stuart Contributor. This film about San Francisco will only be shown for ONE NIGHT at the Roxie. There is that exclusivity. Go get it!!

Beautiful Moment, a San Francisco based film which captures a cinematic perspective, expressing a viewpoint that is shared by many that aim to thrive in skateboarding. The film offers a glimpse into this world’s subtleties, passion, innovation, consternation, and unacceptability. A moment is simply this film’s representation in which, we all may relate to the beautiful feeling of fruition regardless of life’s hurdles.

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photo from KQED