Free things to do in the Bay Area: Summer festivals, music and art events

San Francisco Chronicle​

22-05-2025

Looking for summertime fun but feeling strapped for cash? As luck would have it, there's no need to bust the budget, as regular city-sponsored street festivals, live music series and artistic events — free to enjoy — can be found around the Bay Area all season long.
Take the mystery out of the hunt for enriching things to do on the cheap. Check out the Chronicle's guide to the best free Bay Area events happening through August.
Slip out of the office for an al fresco lunch date with live weekly music curated by Jazz in the Neighborhood. The scheduled lineup includes heavy-hitting artists Destiny Muhammad (June 11), the Sticklerphonics (July 2), Joe Warner (July 16), Erik Jekabson (July 23), guitarist Roni Ben Hur (Aug. 27) and others every Wednesday in the elevated urban garden.
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Through August. Free. Main Plaza, Salesforce Park, 425 Mission St., S.F. 415-597-5000. www.salesforcetransitcenter.com
Circus Bella: 'Hoopla'
Now in its 16th season, the cirque ensemble, directed by Abigail Munn, features some of the brightest circus talent from the Bay Area and beyond. The current production is an energetic exploration of curiosity and imagination, offering a modern twist on a one-ring circus with acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and clowns performing to live music written by Rob Reich and performed by the Circus Bella All-Star Band. Bring a picnic blanket or small folding chairs, as audience seating is not provided. Performances run approximately 60 minutes.
UC Berkeley Astro Nights
A free stargazing and lecture event open to the public is held on the first Thursday of each month, and members of the public are invited to take part in guided viewings using provided telescopes, located on a rooftop observatory. In addition to the viewing, participants are invited to attend an astronomy lecture followed by a Q&A session.
8 p.m. Thursday, June 5, July 10 and Aug. 7. Free. Campbell Hall, University Drive, UC Berkeley, Berkeley. 510-643-6456. www.astro.berkeley.edu/astro-night
June Friday Nights at the Oakland Museum of California
The weekly after-hours event at the museum is scheduled to include live music from Puerto Rican bomba ensemble Aguacero and a drag storytime (June 6), West Coast cumbia with the Discos Resaca Collective (June 13), Juneteenth-focused programming with vocalist Astu (June 20) and Pride Night with a performance from King Isis (June 27). The programming includes live DJ sets, vending from local creators, special museum programming, Off the Grid food trucks and more.
5-9 p.m. Friday, June 6, 13, 20 and 27. Free. Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland. 510-318-8427. www.museumca.org
Novato Concerts on the Green
Enjoy live sets from the Anthony Arya Band, King Dream, Papa Joe and the New Deal, Wolf Jett, and Sol Horizon as part of the free outdoor concert series set on the Civic Green in downtown Novato.
6-8 p.m. Friday, June 6 and 20, July 18, and Aug. 1 and 15. Free. Novato Civic Green, 901 Sherman Ave., Novato. 415-899-8900. www.novato.org/events
Bouquets to Art: Family Art Making
Hang out on the museum's front lawn and create a clay flower inspired by the floral designs on view as part of its annual June 'Bouquets to Art' botanical art exhibition.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, June 7. Free. De Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., S.F. 415-750-3600. www.famsf.org
San Leandro Parade and Cherry Festival
Come to historic Downtown San Leandro for the annual Cherry Parade and festival. It's set to include live music from Dee Coco & Mixx Company, Orquesta Borinquen and blues guitarist Shane Dwight, cherry pie contests, a vending marketplace, food and drinks, a car show, fun zone, and lots of fresh cherries. Creative costumes are encouraged.
Parade at 10-11 a.m.; festival at 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 7. Free admission. 384 W. Estudillo Ave., San Leandro. 510-281-0703. www.downtownsanleandro.com/cherryfest
Live outdoor concerts are held on the second Friday of the month. Upcoming performances include Chris James and Maurice Tani (June 13), Mbira dzaSoko and Extra Large (July 11), Burrows & Dilbeck and Big Blue Soul Revue (Aug. 8), Wolf Jett and the Lemonhammer (Sept. 12).
5:30-7:45 p.m. Friday, June 13, July 11, Aug. 8, and Sept. 12. Free. Park Place and Washington Ave., Point Richmond. https://pointrichmondmusic.org
Drag Story Hour at the de Young with Per Sia
The glamorous drag artist will read books for a children's storytime, sparking imagination and offering a positive queer role model. In addition, the museum's permanent collections are free to enjoy as part of its Free Saturdays programming.
11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, June 15. Free. Kimball Education Gallery, de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., S.F. 415-750-3600. www.famsf.org
Sweetwater Sunday Residency: Josh Zee and Friends
Listen in as local guitar shredder Josh Zee (Protein, the Mother Truckers) performs with a band featuring local all-stars.
6 p.m. Sunday, June 15. Free. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. 415-388-3850. www.sweetwatermusichall.org
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: Lunchtime Thursdays
Invigorate your workday with free live lunchtime music set in peaceful Yerba Buena Gardens. The weekday series' inspiring and diverse curation includes jazz organist Sundra Manning, Persian vocalists Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat, Los Angeles-based Native American singer-songwriter Raye Zaragozaon, Japanese koto music from Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, Indo jazz with the Arun Ramamurthy Trio, Oakland-based Dani Offline, the Del Sol Quartet, R&B vocalist-pianist Lady Bianca, Toninho Horta's Brazilian jazz quartet, WAM Local Sirens B. DeVeaux, and Mare and Trío Guadalevín.
12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19 and 26; July 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31; Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28. Free. Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St. between Third and Fourth streets, S.F. 415-543-1718. www.ybgfestival.org/thursday-lunchtime
Summer Music at Bon Air
Bread and Roses presents a family-friendly series offering local craft brews and live music. Performers scheduled include Matt Jaffe in June and Jeffrey Halford and the Healers in July.
5-7 p.m. Thursday, June 19; Sunday, July 20. Free. Bon Air Center, 50 Bon Air Center, Greenbrae. 415-461-0200.
Redwood City Music in the Park
Free outdoor concerts are presented on Wednesdays through late summer. Upcoming shows include San Benito County Line (July 18), Tempest (June 25), Top Shelf Classics (July 2), Jimbo Scott & Yesterday's Biscuits (July 9), Andre Thierry (July 16), and others. Food and drinks available.
6-8 p.m. Wednesdays. Through Aug. 20. Free. Stafford Park, King Street and Hopkins Avenue, Redwood City. www.redwoodcity.org
Actors Ensemble of Berkeley: Cymbeline
Glenn Havlan and Gaby Schneider direct Shakespeare's dark, romantic tale, featuring interwoven storylines that converge in a final scene of forgiveness and hope.
4 p.m. Friday July 4; 4 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays, July 5-20. John Hinkel Park Amphitheater, 41 Somerset Place, Berkeley. www.aeofberkeley.org
San Francisco Symphony at the Stern Grove Festival
The free, outdoor summer concert series set in an ethereal eucalyptus grove near the beach offers a program with Edwin Outwater conducting the Symphony in a performance featuring ukulele virtuoso-vocalist Taimane.
2 p.m. Sunday, July 6. Free, reservations required. Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, S.F. 415-252-6252. www.sterngrove.org
City Center Summer Smooth Jazz Series
The Renzo Piano-designed open-air mall offers a weekly live music series, with guitarist Jonathan Butler (July 7), piano-saxophone duo Brian Simpson and Jackiem Joyner (July 19), and trumpeter Rick Braun (July 26).
6-8 p.m. Saturday, July 7, 19 and 26. Free. City Center Bishop Ranch, 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon. 925-815-1902. www.citycenterbishopranch.com
Cheryl E. Leonard: On Thin Ice
From Antarctic icebergs to Europe's largest glacier and frozen lakes in Yosemite National Park, the sounds of ice are showcased in a performance by Cheryl E. Leonard. Field recordings combine with live sounds in compositions about our transforming polar and alpine regions. Part of the S.F. Public Library's 'Everybody's Climate 2025' July event series.
1-2 p.m. Sunday, July 13. Free. Main branch, S.F. Public Library, 100 Larkin St., S.F. 415-557-4400. www.allwaysnorth.com
Festival Napa Valley: Forrest Eimold
The young, award-winning pianist-composer will perform a program focused on piano works by Gordon Getty.
11 a.m. Monday, July 14. Free, reservations recommended. CIA at Copia Ecolab Theatre, 500 First St., Napa. www.festivalnapavalley.org
Pleasant Hill Blues and Brews Festival
Enjoy a family-friendly weekend with live music, food, drinks and craft vendors, a kids zone and craft-brew tastings. Performers scheduled include the King Tritones, Mighty Mike Schermer and Top Shelf Classics.
6-9 p.m. Friday, July 18; 4-9 p.m. Saturday, July 19. Free admission; beer tasting tickets are $45-$49.87. Pleasant Hill Park, ​147 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. www.bluesandbrewsfestival.com
Free Shakespeare in the Park: 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona'
Ely Sonny Orquiza directs the 43rd season of 'free Shakes,' which features a modern adaptation of the classic comedy, considered to be Shakespeare's first play.
6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, July 19-20, 26-27 and Aug. 2-3. Memorial Park, Cupertino • 6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 9-10, 16-17 and 23-24. Red Morton Park, Redwood City • 2 p.m. Saturday-Monday, Aug. 30-Sept. 1 and 6-7. McLaren Park, S.F. • 2 p.m. Sept. 13-14 and 20-21. Sue Bierman Park, S.F. Free. www.sfshakes.org
Downtown Alameda Art & Wine Faire
Take in the summer sun and island breezes at a street festival with more than 200 vendors, foods, local wine and beer, live music on three stages and a children's zone with carnival rides. Performers scheduled include the Spazmatics, Dan Durkin, Drew Harrison, Zebop, the Sun Kings, Life in the Fastlane and others.
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, July 26-27. Free admission. Park Street, between Central and Clement avenues, Alameda. 510- 523-1392. www.downtownalameda.com/artandwine
Up Your Alley Fair: Leather and Kink Block Party
Show up in your favorite leather or rubber for a kink/alt/leather kick-off to 'leather Pride' season that culminates with the more well-known Folsom Street Fair. Live onstage entertainment is set to include DJ sets, go-go dancers, bondage and kink performers, plus the infamous Steamworks twister stage.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, July 27. Free admission. Dore Alley, Ninth and Folsom streets, S.F.
Vine Street Block Party
The family-friendly street festival in downtown Berkeley is set to include wine-pouring stations, food and retail vendors, live music, and more.
Noon-6 p.m. Sunday, July 27. Free. Vine Street, between Shattuck Avenue and Walnut Street, Berkeley. 510-540-6444. www.northshattuck.org
'The Jingwei Bird: Music & Poetry'
Explore the complexity of climate change and our relationship to the planet with a multidisciplinary performance featuring the Del Sol Quartet and San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim. The program includes newly composed music by Asian American composers and bilingual poetry. Part of the San Francisco Public Library's Everybody's Climate 2025 July event series.
6-7 p.m. Thursday, July 31. Free. Main branch, S.F. Public Library, 100 Larkin St., S.F. 415-557-4400. www.sfpl.org/events
Nihonmachi Street Fair: The Art & Soul of Jtown
The 51st annual street fair will include two stages with a robust daily live entertainment lineup, children's zone, beer fest, an Asian artisans area, Doggie World, a Sounds of Thunder car show, food, drinks and more.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 2-3. Free admission. Peace Plaza, 1581 Webster St., S.F. 415-771-9861. www.nihonmachistreetfair.org
32nd annual Pistahan Parade and Festival
A parade marks the start of the largest Filipino fair on the West Coast. It's set to offer live arts, culinary, dance, health, heritage, innovation, sports and tavern pavilions. Each will host different hands-on and authentic cultural experiences, including folk dance and live entertainment from emerging as well as established artists, food and local artisan vendors.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 9-10. Free. Esplanade, Yerba Buena Gardens Great Lawn, Mission Street between Third and Fourth streets, S.F. 415-625-3976. www.pistahan.net
The large fest brings together around 15,000 people annually to Oakland's Laurel District. It includes a robust lineup of live music, craft activities, a vending marketplace, international food and drinks and more.