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Articles by Johnny Funcheap

Johnny is a self-described cheap-aholic who hunts down the free-er side of San Francisco. He loves street fairs, free concerts in the park, and anywhere that offers free food. Johnny has been featured on KQED's Forum, CBS's Eye on the Bay and is a contributor to the San Francisco Bay Guardian, KFOG and KGO 810 AM. Johnny is the founder of FunCheapSF.com

Tuesday, February 7

de Young Museum Free Admission Day | First Tuesdays
Tuesday, February 7 – 9:30 am | Cost: FREE | de Young Museum
de Young Museum Free Admission Day | First Tuesdays

Founded in 1895 in Golden Gate Park, the de Young Museum is a landmark art museum to showcase the museum’s priceless collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries, and art of the native Americas, Africa, and the Pacific. The museum was …

Legion of Honor Free Admission Day | First Tuesdays
Tuesday, February 7 – 9:30 am | Cost: FREE | Legion of Honor
Legion of Honor Free Admission Day | First Tuesdays

The Legion of Honor displays a collection of 4,000 years of ancient and European art in an exquisite Beaux-Arts building in an unforgettable setting overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Normally $10, admission is free on the first Tuesday of each month (special exhibition surcharges, if …

Conservatory of Flowers: Free Admission Day
Tuesday, February 7 – 10:00 am | Cost: FREE | Conservatory of Flowers
Conservatory of Flowers: Free Admission Day

Whether you’re a native San Franciscan, a visitor from the other side of the world, or a classroom of budding botanists, the Conservatory of Flowers offers an intimate up-close experience with over 1,700 species of rare, exotic and endangered plants from more than 50 different …

Cartoon Art Museum: First Tuesday “Pay What You Wish” Day
Tuesday, February 7 – 11:00 am | Cost: FREE*
*Pay What You Wish Day
| Cartoon Art Museum
Cartoon Art Museum: First Tuesday “Pay What You Wish” Day

The Cartoon Art Museum is the only museum in the U.S. dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of cartoon art in all its forms. This unique institution houses approximately 6,000 original pieces in its permanent collection; a complete volume research/library facility is located on the …

First Tuesdays: Free Admission to SF MOMA
Tuesday, February 7 – 11:00 am | Cost: FREE | San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
First Tuesdays: Free Admission to SF MOMA

In the striking Mario Botta-designed building, SFMOMA houses the West Coast’s most comprehensive collection of twentieth-century art including painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, and media arts. The stellar collection tells the story of modern and contemporary art through master works by Ansel Adams,  Salvador Dali, …

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) | Free First Tuesdays
Tuesday, February 7 – 12:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) | Free First Tuesdays

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) is one of the Bay Area’s premier venues for adventurous art. A multidisciplinary art Center, the YBCA features exhibitions, performance, film/video and community engagement programs, along with rotating art exhibits with a focus on contemporary and emerging artists …

Free Blue Bottle Brazilian Coffee Tasting | Oakland
Tuesday, February 7 – 2:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Blue Bottle Coffee Cupping Room
Free Blue Bottle Brazilian Coffee Tasting | Oakland

Join Blue Bottle Coffee Co. at their Oakland Roastery on Tuesday, February 7th at 2pm for a free public cupping led by Felipe Croce of FAF farms, Brazil.
Blue Bottle visited the FAF operation, near the border of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais state, in October …

Noise Pop 20th Anniversary: Free Concert Night & Photo Exhibit | Bottom of the Hill
Tuesday, February 7 – 6:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Bottom of the Hill
Noise Pop 20th Anniversary: Free Concert Night & Photo Exhibit | Bottom of the Hill

The Noise Pop Photo Retrospective takes a look back at the past 19 years of Noise Pop Festivals: the artists, the fans and the clubs that have shaped the yearly event from what began as a single, sweaty night in a small club to the …

Portraits of Historic SF Movie Theatres | Main Library
Tuesday, February 7 – 6:30 pm | Cost: FREE | San Francisco Main Library
Portraits of Historic SF Movie Theatres | Main Library

Left in the Dark: Portraits of San Francisco Movie Theatres celebrates twentieth century movie theatres and moviegoing through lush full-color fine art photographs and personal essays that offer both scholarly and literary appeal.
Julie Lindow, editor of Left in the Dark, will introduce the book. Authors Katherine Petrin …

Do415 Launch Party: DJs, Giveaways & Drink Specials | SF
Tuesday, February 7 – 8:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with RSVP
| Monarch
Do415 Launch Party: DJs, Giveaways & Drink Specials | SF

Come celebrate the launch of Do415 as they take over the new SF venue, Monarch. Do415 is an event and culture guide for San Francisco.
The DJ lineup includes:
Aaron Axelson, of LIVE 105 & POPSCENE
Brown Amy, of HARD FRENCH
DJ Hothobo, of GROW UP
DJ Creep and DJ Meta, of …

Thursday, February 9

Pop-Up Vibrator Museum Nightlife | California Academy of Sciences
Thursday, February 9 – 6:00 pm | Cost: $12*
*$12 general, $10 for museum members - 21+
| CA Academy of Sciences
Pop-Up Vibrator Museum Nightlife | California Academy of Sciences

Be the first to catch a sneak peek of the Academy’s new aquarium gallery Animal Attraction, about the incredible mating strategies of the animal kingdom—from hermaphroditic banana slugs to cannibalistic praying mantids.
Get an insider’s perspective on the exhibit from aquarium director Bart Shepherd, catch Jane …

Friday, February 10

Win: Free TCHO Valentines Chocolate Bundle
Friday, February 10 – 1:00 pm | Cost: WIN*
*$16.95 value
| TCHO
Free TCHO Valentines Chocolate Bundle

Get your Valentine something sweet and dark that will melt on their tongue with the gorgeous (and tasty) Morla “♥” Alphabites Box from San Francisco’s very own TCHO chocolate factory.
These stunning alphanumeric illustration series by award-winning graphic designer Jennifer Morla each contact 12 bars of …

Saturday, February 11

2012 Chinatown Community Street Fair | SF
Saturday, February 11 – 10:00 am | Cost: FREE | Portsmouth Square
2012 Chinatown Community Street Fair | SF

Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of San Francisco’s exhilarating Chinatown during one of the community’s most exciting times of the year.
Enjoy dance and music from throughout Asia and experience ancient and modern Chinese arts such as calligraphy, kite-making, and acrobatics.
Chinese New Year Community …

Sunday, February 12

2nd Sundays Dance Salon | SoMa
Sunday, February 12 – 2:00 pm | Cost: FREE | CounterPULSE
2nd Sundays Dance Salon | SoMa

Dancers’ Group and CounterPULSE present 2nd Sundays, an open discourse project in which artists share works in progress and participate in a constructive conversation with audience members and fellow artists.
This is an exciting opportunity to advance the open exchange of ideas and participate in the …

Monday, February 13

Win: The Poor Bastard’s SF Alamanac
Monday, February 13 – 1:00 pm | Cost: WIN*
*$10 value
The Poor Bastard's SF Alamanac

Local artist Stephen Kovacic put together The Poor Bastard’s SF Almanac, a scrappy DIY 108 page  local 2012 daily organizer with art on every page, a great listing of free weekly, monthly and annual events in SF, plus local history, insider guides to SF (like how …

Tuesday, February 14

Free Beer-Soaked Hot Dog Night: Tuesdays | The Riptide Free Beer-Soaked Hot Dog Night: Tuesdays | The Riptide

Follow the L until it ends on Tuesdays after work and get rewarded with free hot dogs soaked in beer each Tuesday night at The Riptide, a great little 1940s-era dive bar at the edge of San Francisco in the Sunset. And all of this …

Wednesday, February 15

Free Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation Dance Class | SF
Wednesday, February 15 – 7:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free but donations accepted to cover costs of renting the dance studio
| Studio Garcia
Free Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation Dance Class | SF

Screw Thriller…  here’s your chance to learn sister Janet’s moves and then perform it flash mob style all over SF.
Come celebrate Janet Jackson by joining Bay Area Flash Mob and learn the choreography for the dances from the classic ’80s video “Rhythm Nation.”

The free classes take …

Sunday, February 19

Warren Hellman Memorial Celebration Day | Golden Gate Park
Sunday, February 19 – 12:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Hellman Hollow (Speedway Meadow)
Warren Hellman Memorial Celebration Day | Golden Gate Park

Founder and benefactor of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Warren Hellman passed away on December 18th, 2011. In keeping with his generous spirit, he has endowed the festival and it will continue on.
There will be a public celebration for Hellman at the newly re-named Hellman Hollow …

Tuesday, February 21

Celebrate Mardi Gras Jazz & Marching Band Parade | SF
Tuesday, February 21 – 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Place Pigalle
Celebrate Mardi Gras Jazz & Marching Band Parade | SF

Celebrate Mardi Gras with a parade that will start at Octavia & Hayes (Place Pigalle), with Second Line featuring Jazz Mafia, Monophonics, Members of Extra Action Marching Band.
After the parade continue the celebration at Brick & Mortar Music Hall, where the parading musicians will have a …

Friday, February 24

Alisha’s Free Home Cookin’ Fridays | The Riptide Alisha's Free Home Cookin' Fridays | The Riptide

Follow the L until it ends on Fridays after work and get rewarded with grubbing on free home cookin’ from Alisha.
Each week she whips up home-style food that ranges from Blushin bunnies, Chili con carne, chicken pot pie, and, if you’re lucky, even tater tot …