Best Bay Area Events 10/20-11/2

Join GLIDE for its 2026 Holiday Jam: Turn It Up and Turn it Out, Thursday, November 5, at San Francisco's Warfield, headlined by three-time Grammy Award winner and "Godmother of Soul" Patti LaBelle. The evening also features Destani Wolf, Son de Fandango, and the GLIDE Ensemble & The Change Band, and honors Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi with the Lizzie Glide Spirit Award. Enjoy an unforgettable night of music while supporting GLIDE's mission of unconditional love, radical inclusion, and social justice.

You can buy your tix here or enter below for a chance to win a pair.

Terror Vault returns to the historic San Francisco Mint with SLASHED: Return to Hellville, a full immersive haunted experience that plunges guests into the outrageous world of 1980s slasher films. Visitors can upgrade to the VIP Wainwright Family Carnival pre-show, enjoy spooky cocktails at the New Wave vampire bar Fang Bang, shop exclusive merchandise at CreepShop, and return after the season for a special lights-on Behind the Screams tour.

Use code BROKE10 for $10 off Thursday & Sunday tickets (except for 10/29).
You can buy your tix here or enter below for a chance to win a pair of VIP tix!

We have three Brondell Jema Single Handle Touchless Pull-Down Kitchen Faucets to giveaway... winner picks their finish! Streamline kitchen routines from start to finish with the Jema Touchless Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet. Featuring AutoWave touchless technology, Jema turns on and off with the wave of a hand and includes 4 high-performance spray modes: RapidRinse, GentleClean, Aerated Stream, and Pause Mode.

You can buy yours here or enter below for a chance to win.

Alameda Rock & Roll Flea Market
10/24 | Faction Brewing | 2501 Monarch St, Alameda | 10 a.m. | $5

Rock n' shop til you drop at the ALAMEDA ROCK & ROLL FLEA MARKET. 100+ vendors selling records, music memorabilia, musical instruments, vintage clothing, tiki/Hawaiiana, handmade jewelry & gifts, books, videos, food trucks, craft beer and much more! LIVE MUSIC begins at 11:30 feat. Slacktone, Soraia, The Seismics, The Greasy Gills, and Balzac (Prince Buster tribute band!).

The 48 Hills Triple Gala
10/27 | El Rio | 3158 Mission St, SF | 6 p.m. | $50, 21+

Help save local indie media and have three times the fun, with DJ Lizzy al Toque, Chile Lindo empanadas, wild live performances, and fab cocktails. Free drink with ticket! Oct. 27, 6pm-9pm, at El Rio.

Tuesday 10/20

The Ring - Film with Live Orchestra
10/20 | Davies Symphony Hall | 201 Van Ness Ave, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $69+

Lights, Camera, Music! Watch Gore Verbinski’s The Ring on the big screen at Davies Symphony Hall as Hans Zimmer’s score is performed live by the SF Symphony.

Writer’s Block Party: an 826 Valencia Fundraiser
10/20 | Southern Pacific Brewing Company | 620 Treat Ave, SF | 6 p.m. | $40, 21+

Shake off your writer’s block and join us for our Writer’s Block Party, a celebration of youth voice and the neighborhoods that make San Francisco wonderful. Wander from booth to booth through San Francisco's neighborhoods, each with its own hands-on writing prompt or craft, at one of the coziest brewpubs in the Mission District.  

Wednesday 10/21

FREE Movie Night: Satanic Hippies, LSD, and Rabid Meat Pies
10/21 | The Church of Mother Gong | 1345 Grant Ave, SF | 7 p.m. | Free

Join us for a free screening of I Drink Your Blood, David E. Durston’s infamous cult horror film from the psychedelic exploitation era. A band of Satanic hippies descends on a nearly deserted small town, where a young boy’s revenge scheme involving rabies-tainted meat pies goes spectacularly wrong. What follows is a feverish collision of counterculture paranoia, grindhouse horror, black comedy and pure early-’70s delirium.

Martin Scorsese’s The Last Waltz
10/21 | Jewish Community Center of San Francisco | 3200 California St, SF | 7 p.m. | $26.73

Before the screening of one of the most influential music documentaries, capturing The Band’s legendary farewell concert in San Francisco, we’re excited to host a special conversation. Music journalist Ben Fong-Torres will speak with cinematographer Hiro Narita, music critic and journalist Joel Selvin, and the film’s Executive Producer and former tour manager for The Band, Jonathan Taplin.

Coldplay One Lens Book Launch
10/21 | Bourbon & Branch | 501 Jones St, SF | 6 p.m. | Free w/ RSVP

Join us for a cocktail party celebrating the US release, with an artist presentation. Books and prints will be available. One Lens is a 256-page coffee table book that traces the band’s evolution through the eyes of one photographer, whose own practice evolved alongside them, from film to digital. San Francisco is where Victoria Smith’s photographic journey with Coldplay began in 2001. Now, we’re celebrating where it all started.

Thursday 10/22

Root Division's 25th Annual Benefit Art Auction
10/22 | Root Division | 1131 Mission St, SF | 6 p.m. | $100-$4,000

Now in its 25th year, our auction showcases and raises critical funds for Bay Area artists when costs of living, shrinking studio availability, and reductions in public support for the arts continue to threaten the region's cultural ecosystem. We are proud to feature an eclectic mix of high-quality artwork from over 100 established and emerging artists. A reprise from last year’s success, we’ll have the artwork installed in Root Division’s gallery, online bidding, and a suite of in-person events. 

NightLife: Día de los Muertos
10/22 | California Academy of Sciences | 55 Music Concourse Dr, SF | 6 p.m. | $26

Dónde la música y la memoria se encuentran. Join us for our fourth annual Día de los Muertos celebration, una noche en Michoacán, honoring tradition through art, music, and community. Gather with us for the unveiling of a special alebrije honoring Claude and celebrating the life of an Academy icon.

Friday 10/23

Beats & Crafts: ArtSpan Open Studios Opening Night Party
10/23 | The Faight Collective | 473A Haight St, SF | 6 p.m. | Free w/ RSVP

Summon the crafting spirit with some groovy beats. Join Interrobang for an arts crafting night with some live music and DJs as a fun after party to ArtSpan. Some art supplies are available but please feel free to bring your own crafts.

In Their Name: Día de Los Muertos 2026 Opening Reception
10/23 | SOMArts Cultural Center | 934 Brannan St, SF | 6 p.m. | $15

Curated by Bridgètt Rex and Rio Yañez, "In Their Name: Dia de Los Muertos 2026" cherishes the ancestral memory, love, and devotion carried and embodied by mother figures across generations. In keeping with the tradition of Día de los Muertos, the exhibition also includes personal altars dedicated to loved ones who have passed.

Haunted Riot with Frightwig: An Alt Punk Show
10/23 | The Chapel | 777 Valencia St, SF | 7 p.m. | $30.10

The night opens with a live storytelling set from Bay Curious, uncovering the eerie and unexpected history of The Chapel and setting a spooky tone for what’s to come. From there, the lights drop and alt/punk acts AroMa and Frightwig take over, moving from haunting atmosphere to full-volume chaos.

Saturday 10/24

SF Open Studios: Weekend 5
10/24-25 | Various SF Venues | San Francisco | 11 a.m. | Free

Connect directly with artists at their studios or pop-up exhibitions in the following neighborhoods: Chinatown • Civic Center • Cole Valley • Downtown • Duboce Triangle • Haight-Ashbury • Hayes Valley • Inner Sunset • Laurel Heights / Presidio Heights • Marina • Nob Hill • Nopa/Divisadero • North Beach • Pacific Heights • Parkside • Richmond • Russian Hill • Sunset • Twin Peaks • West Portal

Donuts and a Breakdancing Battle
10/24 | Embarcadero Plaza | Market & Steuart St, SF | 1:30 p.m. | Free

Whack Donuts is celebrating its 2-year anniversary with a 5v5 breakin’ crew battle at Embarcadero Plaza on October 24, 2026. Come celebrate with live breaking, music, community, and plenty of vegan donuts as we bring together dancers and supporters for a day of culture and competition.

San Francisco Halloween Bar Crawl 2026
10/24 | Mayes Oyster House | 1233 Polk St, SF | 4 p.m. | $17.85

This annual event gives you an extra weekend to wear costumes, meet up with friends and celebrate at some of the best bars along Polk Street and in the surrounding area. It is the first day of the full Halloween Pub Crawl series and a great chance to get into the Halloween spirit early.

Sunday 10/25

World Of Dumplings 2026
10/25 | Ferry Building | 1 Ferry Building, SF | 11 a.m. | Free

World of Dumplings' celebrates our different cultures and communities through our shared love of dumplings - highlighting our similarities and celebrating our delicious differences.

Monday 10/26

Perfect Pairing | Wine & Watch: Haunted Mansion (2023) and Flambeaux Wine
10/26 | The Walt Disney Family Museum | 104 Montgomery St, SF | 6 p.m. | $15-$25, 21+

In celebration of spooky season, join us for a special screening of Haunted Mansion—the 2023 film inspired by the beloved New Orleans Square attraction, paired with wine from Flambeaux Wine, a Healdsburg winery inspired by New Orleans traditions.

Tuesday 10/27

PBS Film Preview: Lynn Novick’s ‘Crime and Punishment in America’
10/27 | Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California | 110 The Embarcadero, SF | 6 p.m. | $22

How did the United States become the world’s leading incarcerator? Join acclaimed filmmaker Lynn Novick for a preview of her forthcoming PBS documentary, Crime and Punishment in America, executive produced by Ken Burns and Sam Pollard.

The Black Cat Hotel
Now-10/31 | The Palace Theater | 644 Broadway, SF | 6 p.m. | $64.95+

This Halloween, the Hotel opens its doors once more - though returning guests may notice a few changes. The mirrors are being replaced. Garlic is temporarily unavailable. And the new staff, though impeccably mannered, only ever work nights. Unlike a traditional stage show, The Black Cat Hotel unfolds around you. Performers may speak directly to you; rooms become scenes; and your small group moves physically through the story before eventually emerging into the Hotel bar.

Wednesday 10/28

Blind Book Art Challenge
10/28 | Madrone Art Bar | 500 Divisadero St, SF | 6 p.m. | Free entry w/ RSVP, 21+

Choose a gift-wrapped mystery, horror, or thriller book and create an original artwork inspired by its first paragraph or page, without knowing anything else about the story. Put your imagination, interpretation, and creative instincts to the test as you connect visual art and literature in an unexpected way over drinks and community. At the end of the evening, participants will have the opportunity to share their artwork and take their book home.

Aliza Kelly's Haunted Tea Party
10/28 | Bimbo’s 365 Club | 1025 Columbus Ave, SF | 8 p.m. | $46.36, 21+

What starts as an astrology experience slips into something stranger, spookier, and far more chaotic than anyone (including Aliza) had planned. After all, it is …almost Halloween. A theatrical, high-energy spiral of readings, rituals, and revelations — a one-night-only soirée you won’t want to miss. Tea attire requested; there will be a costume contest!

Thursday 10/29

The Vampire Lestat Drag Show
10/29 | Thee Stork Club | 2330 Telegraph Ave, Oakland | 8 p.m. | $12-$15

The twice sold out Bay Area Théâtre Des Vampires: Interview With The Vampire themed Drag Show returns once more to Thee Stork Club just in time for Halloween! This is a show you won’t wanna miss as we’ll be celebrating All Hallow’s Eve with our favorite toxic bratty vamps! Live music from Pretty Frankenstein (and special guests), with drag & burlesque performers tba! Come dressed as your favorite characters from the show as there will be a costume contest and prizes!

Practical Magic 2 Movie Night
10/29 | Oracle Park | 24 Willie Mays Plaza, SF | 6 p.m. Doors | $28

Join us for a special Halloween screening of the Warner Bros. film PRACTICAL MAGIC 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the beloved modern classic.

Friday 10/30

Late Night Editions: Halloween Eve
10/30 | de Young Museum | 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, SF | 6 p.m. | $45+

Late Night Editions: Halloween Eve rises from the shadows and takes over the legendary de Young in the heart of Golden Gate Park. Wander beneath towering redwoods and through haunting galleries for a night where art, music, and mystery collide under the park’s twilight canopy. Stroll the candlelit galleries while live DJ sets from In Session pulse through the halls. Delight in bites from Off the Grid food trucks, moody cocktails, and immersive photo moments around every corner. Come dressed in your most art-inspired, avant-garde costume, and prepare for a wickedly unforgettable night.

San Francisco Zombie Crawl
10/30 & 10/31 | The Devil’s Acre | 256 Columbus Ave, SF | 7 p.m. | $19.98+, 21+

Pick up your Zombie Crawl survival kit to enjoy drink discounts, free welcome shots at select venues and all-access entry at multiple bars, lounges and nightclubs. Come in costume, rally a group of friends and bounce from bar to bar visiting multiple Halloween parties in one night.

Saturday 10/31

Goth Yoga on Halloween: Stretch Your Body, Darken Your Soul
10/31 | The Church of Mother Gong | 1345 Grant Ave, SF | 4 p.m. | $20

Before the costumes, the candy, and the questionable decisions, start your Halloween with something that's actually good for you. Goth Yoga returns to the Church of Mother Gong in North Beach for an afternoon of stretching, breathing, and getting a little weird. It's yoga with a slightly darker disposition. This all-levels class welcomes beginners, and you don't need flexibility, experience, or goth credentials (though nobody will stop you from wearing all black). You'll be out by 5:30, limber and centered, with plenty of time to make your Halloween plans. Some mats and blocks are available, but bring your own if you have them.

Dark Hallow: Halloween Immersive Variety Show Party
10/31 | Fluid510 | 1544 Broadway, Oakland | 9 p.m. Doors | $45+, 21+

Welcome to a sanctuary where vampires, werewolves, and slayers suspend their ancient rivalries… a temporary middle ground where you are invited to step out of the shadows and represent your clan. The Main Spectacle: A spellbinding Variety Show featuring gravity-defying aerial acrobatics from our DARK Events residents, alongside guest artists from The Ruckus Revival, Flux Vertical Theater, Hubba Hubba Revue, Twisted Windows and more.

DJ Mandy Presents: The Raveyard
10/31 | The Castro Theatre | 429 Castro St, SF | 8 p.m. | $39.75+, All ages

A rave‑inspired Halloween celebration, blending music, dancing, and a communal atmosphere.

Sunday 11/1

Tenderloin Street Fair: Día de Muertos Celebration 2026
11/1 | Tenderloin | 150 Golden Gate Ave, SF | 2 p.m. | Free w/ RSVP

Rooted in the traditions of San Francisco’s diverse Latino communities, the celebration invites everyone to honor the holiday with ofrendas, enjoy delicious food, and celebrate life through music, dance, community, and friends. Fill the streets with us for live music, lucha libre, local food and vendors, a Kids Zone, face painting, arts + crafts, Lotería, hands-on cultural activities, an outdoor bar, and more.

Monday 11/2

Lexi Jayde
11/2 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero St, SF | 8 p.m. | $32.47+

Lexi Jayde is a Los Angeles-born singer-songwriter whose candid lyricism and cinematic pop songwriting have earned her a devoted global audience and hundreds of millions of streams.

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