It’s April in San Francisco, which means there are incredibly fun, artful shindigs happening all over the place. From fancy dance parties and costumed balls to hotel takeovers and interactive installations, all the events below are artist-driven and wonderfully curated for curious, creative San Franciscans.

For 3 days, 150 independent artists take over the Hotel del Sol, turning every room into a one-of-a-kind art experience. This is one of my favorite art happenings to visit, every room is a little, artful adventure, and the vibes are wonderful.

Hotel Del Sol, 3100 Webster St. SF
Fri, Apr 17 at 7:00 PM - Sun, Apr 19 at 7:00 PM

Startup Art Fair | Tickets start at $17

Footage from last year:

Immersive art installations, ethereal electronics, a live AV, and an EDM dance party in a secret location (psst it’ll be off market street). This party is fueled by Creative Collective Artists, and should be a trip.

MUSIC: Jake Oleson (live av set) - Left/Right - miido - Saffaire b2b cstr- djohn - clavitron

April 10
10 p.m.-4 am

Tickets $45, location sent to ticket holders

A three-night showcase of immersive art+tech installations that reimagine the digital self through ritual, memory, and care. New artist-led series platforming emerging voices from the Bay Area.

Across installations, objects, and media works, soft systems resists optimization and spectacle, and instead centers memory, ritual, and belief as core structures of the digital self. from intimate gestures to shared acts of care, these works map how such systems take shape within our collective experience.

April 17 - 19
Gray Area, 2665 Mission St, San Francisco

Tickets are sliding scale

The SF Library Main Branch and the Asian Art Museum open up multiple floors for music, lectures, and live performances all night long. This party is free, and full of booksmart and interesting neighbors that you could just as easily meet on the dancefloor, as in a cool demonstration given by a legendary iconoclast. This event has everything.

Night of Ideas returns in 2026 with an after-dark celebration of art, innovation, and culture across cities in the U.S. Night of Ideas San Francisco’s theme “Lighting the Way,” invites our Bay Area audiences to explore how ideas, creativity, and collective action can illuminate paths forward, helping reveal new ways of thinking and connecting about what’s next, as we look ahead to the next 250 years after the American Declaration of Independence. Curated by KQED!

Saturday, April 11, 3pm - 12am
SF Public Library Main Branch + Asian Art Museum
100 + 200 Larkin Street, SF
FREE: https://nightofideas.org/san-francisco/

The SF Empty Bowls event will bring the community together through a simple shared meal. At the event, guests choose a handmade bowl, fill their bowl with soup, and sit down for a meal of soup, bread and a cookie. The guests get to keep the bowl as a reminder of all the 'empty bowls' in our community. All proceeds will be donated to the SF-Marin Food Bank.

Local artists, musicians, and businesses make this event possible entirely through their generous donations - Beautiful handmade bowls are donated by ceramics artists in SF, the Bay Area and beyond. There will be live music at the event by local bands. Soups will be provided by Randall Museum's Cafe Josephine. SF Rec Park is providing the Randall Museum venue at no cost. Organized by Lalitha Bardalaye and Aileen Barr, artists and residents of San Francisco.

SUNDAY MAY 3, 2026‍ ‍
1pm-3pm
Randall Museum
199 Museum Way, San Francisco, CA

www.sfemptybowls.org

Tickets are  $65 per person

The Art Deco Society of California invites you to an unforgettable evening of glamour, music, and vintage elegance at our 41st Art Deco Preservation Ball! This dazzling celebration brings the Roaring Twenties and the Swinging Thirties back to life in the stunning Hibernia Bank, one of San Francisco's most historical buildings.

This year, we celebrate the Golden Age of Art Deco with dancing to big band classics, classic cocktails, and surprise performances!

For One Night Only…

This historic hall transforms into an elegant Ballroom, where Alex Mendham and His Orchestra will sweep you onto the dance floor with the irresistible rhythms of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. Memento Moda will offer an elegant Photo Portrait Studio. Many more special guests to come!

Dress to Impress! Formal evening wear inspired by the 1920s-40s is highly encouraged!

The Hibernia San Francisco, CA
Saturday, Apr 25 from 7 pm to 11 pm
Tickets start at $170

This annual gala kind of defines what a big, fun Museum party can be. SF MoMa opens all 7 floors, with multiple dance parties, live shows, artful installations, food and beverage (included) everywhere, and most importantly, wonderfully dressed patrons.

Art Bash is where you run into your most creative friends and the bay’s most decadent art patrons wearing their most interesting outfits. It is a beautifully choreographed night of chaos, art, and music, chock full of eye candy.

Artist-Designed Installations by Isaac Julien, Richard Misrach, and Chelsea Ryoko Wong.

Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 5 p.m.–1 a.m.
Tickets start at $95 (and go up from there depending on how disgustingly rich you are)

tickets

SF's coziest vendor market returns to SOMA in May!

Come to our historic venue for a free weekend featuring over 35 local artisans and our one-of-a-kind antique mercantile filled with stunning pieces of rare print & ephemera.

Sat, May 9 from 11am-5pm & Sun, May 10 from 11am-4pm.

Bring your friends and family along for a shopping experience unlike anything else in the city.

The Box SF
1069 Howard St, San Francisco

Free - Info here

A large, gallery-driven art fair at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion this April 16–19, 2026, bringing together a dynamic cross-section of modern and contemporary art from the Bay Area and beyond.

April 16–19, 2026
Fort Mason Festival Pavilion
2 Marina Boulevard
Tickets start $35