1906 San Francisco Earthquake & Fire Anniversary Ceremony (2026)

Submitted by the Event Organizer

When the earthquake hit on April 18, 1906, it did so in the wee hours at 5:12 am. The cast iron Lotta’s Fountain on Market Street became a crucial meeting point and is now known as SF’s oldest surviving monument.

Every year since, city officials (and in past years, survivors too) gather around the fountain for a reunion at 5:12 am to mark the exact time of the Great Quake.

1906 Quake Ceremony & Remembrance
Saturday, April 18, 2026 | 5:12am
– Commemoration begins at 4:30am
– Walk to Golden Fire Hydrant for the repainting ceremony at 5am
Lotta’s Fountain, Market/Geary/Kearny, SF
FREE

Here’s the press release for 2026:

The San Francisco Fire Department will commemorate the 120th anniversary of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire on Saturday, April 18, 2026, with two longstanding remembrance events: the annual gathering at Lotta’s Fountain and the ceremonial repainting of the Golden Fire Hydrant.

The morning begins at 4:30 a.m. at Lotta’s Fountain in downtown San Francisco, where members of the fire department, community members, public safety leaders, and city officials will gather to honor those who lost their lives and to recognize the resilience that helped San Francisco recover.

This year’s commemoration at Lotta’s Fountain will also feature the return of Searchlight 2, the 1928 Kleiber truck built for the San Francisco Fire Department as Light Wagon 2, returning to San Francisco as part of Guardians of the City’s historic fire apparatus collection. Believed to be the last known Kleiber truck in existence, it is a remarkable piece of city and fire service history, built in San Francisco by the Kleiber Motor Company.

Following the ceremony, at approximately 5:00 a.m., participants will proceed to the Golden Fire Hydrant at 20th and Church Streets for the annual repainting ceremony. The hydrant holds historic significance as the only reliable water source used by volunteers and firefighters to save much of the Mission District in the aftermath of the disaster.

These commemorative events serve as both a tribute to San Francisco’s past and a reminder of the importance of readiness in the face of future emergencies.

Event Details, Location 1:
Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2026
Time: 4:30 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.
Location: (Lotta’s Fountain) Market and Kearny, San Francisco

Event Details, Location 2:
Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2026
Time: 5:45 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.
Location: (Golden Hydrant) 20th and Church Street, San Francisco

Typical Schedule of Events (please note exact details & schedule may change from year to year)

• 4:45 a.m.: Master of Ceremonies Welcome Remarks
• 5:00 a.m.: Mayor, Fire Chief, Police Chief introduced. Mayor hangs wreath on Lotta’s Fountain
• 5:11 a.m.: Moment of silence and announce countdown (start countdown just before 5:12)
• 5:13 a.m.: Sirens
• 5:14 a.m.: Sing “San Francisco”
• 5:15 a.m.: Announcement/invitation to paint the Golden Hydrant at 20th and Church streets, which saved the Mission
• 5:50 a.m. : Help respray the Golden Hydrant at 20th and Church

San Francisco Earthquake and Fire from Red Channels on Vimeo.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.