September Fairs & Festivals

It may be the “official” end of summer, but the festival season is still going strong with tons of interesting fairs and festivals in San Francisco.

September 2012 brings us a dragon boat festival, two free ways to see the Opera, sumo wrestlers, a night of fashion parties, a free Alanis Morissette concert, the naughty Folsom Street Fair and tons more ways to have fun.

Here’s Funcheap’s picks for our Top 15 Fairs & Festivals for September 2012.
Any favorites we left out? let us know!

San Francisco Zine Fest 2012
Sept 1+2 | FREE | County Fair Building

Join SF’s most interesting writers, cartoonists and illustrators Saturday and Sunday, September 1st and 2nd 2012, for the 11th Annual San Francisco Zine Fest. Over the two-day festival at the San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park, with over 150 small-press and DIY creators.

“Doin’ It In the Park” 2012: DJ Festival & Free BBQ
Sunday, September 2 | FREE | Marx Meadow

A big dance party and chow-down in Golden Gate Park with free BBQ and a full lineup of DJs spinning at this all day family-friendly festival

Il Giro di San Francisco Bike Race
Monday, September 3 | FREE | Levi’s Plaza

Il Giro di San Francisco (formerly the “San Francisco Gran Prix”) is an annual bike race around the streets of San Francisco that’s had competitors cruising around the city since 1975.

Fashion’s Night Out 2012
Thursday, September 6 |  FREE

As if you needed an excuse to shop, Fashion’s Night Out is an annual event taking place on September 6, 2012 that makes shoppers descend on San Francisco like locusts looking for great deals and fun shopping parties.

Sumo Wrestling Festival & Expo 2012
Saturday, September 8 | FREE | Japantown Peace Plaza

A one-of-a-kind event in Japantown.Watch demonstrations; meet real sumo wrestlers and watch actual matches from wrestlers weighing around 400 lbs.

Opera in the Park 2012
Sunday, September 9 | FREE | Sharon Meadow

The San Francisco Opera puts on their annual free concert in Golden Gate Park on Sunday, September 9, 2012, at 1:30pm.

San Francisco Int’l Dragon Boat Festival
September 15 + 16 | FREE | Treasure Island

The 17th Annual San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival is a free weekend of world-class dragon boat racing, cultural performances at one of the largest competitive dragon boat festival in the United States.

Free Opera at the Ballpark 
Saturday, September 15 | FREE | AT&T Park

Going to see Rigoletto at the War Memorial Opera House costs, oh, upwards of $200 for good seats. But, thanks to the Opera at the Ballpark program, you can watch a live simulcast from any seat at AT&T Park totally free.

2012 Comedy Day
Sunday, September 16 | FREE | Sharon Meadow

One stage, five hours, 40 comedians. Some of the Bay Areas best comedians take to the stage for a huge free annual comedy festival in Golden Gate Park.

“Tour de Fat” 2012
Saturday, September 22 | FREE | Lindley Meadow

The annual beer and bicycle festival from Fat Tire returns to Golden Gate Park with a parade, live music, strange vaudeville-style entertainment and bike-friendly fun and games.

Folsom Street Fair
Sunday, September 23 | FREE, donations requested | Folsom Street

The 29th Annual Folsom Street Fair, a true Only in San Francisco original, covers 13 city blocks filled with 400,000 people in their most outrageous leather/rubber/fetish attire enjoying the world’s largest leather fair.

“Art in Nature” Festival in the Woods
Sunday, September 23 | FREE | Redwood Regional Park, Oakland

Experience art in nature and discover more than 200 artists and performers tucked among the meadows, redwoods and oaks long the mile-long Stream Trail of Redwood Regional Park in Oakland  at the family, bicycle and dog friendly Annual Art In Nature: The Natural Of Art Festival

8th Annual Free Museum Day
Saturday, September 29 | FREE

Participating museums and cultural institutions all over the Bay Area will open their doors free of charge to all visitors who download the Museum Day Ticket thanks to Smithsonian Magazine.

Polk Street Blues Festival
September 29 + 30 | FREE | Upper Polk Street

Produced by the same people behind the Fillmore Jazz Festival, this is San Francisco’s only free blues festival, the 3rd Annual Polk Street Blues Festival takes over upper Polk Street (from Broadway to California) with two stages of live music.

Alice Now & Zen Fest 2012: Alanis Morissette 
Sunday, September 30 | FREE | Sharon Meadow

Every year Alice 97.3 throws a big end-of-summer free concert in Golden Gate Park. The 2012 “Now & Zen” Fest features a lineup of adult-friendly rock that includes Alanis Morissette, Matt Nathanson, Ed Sheeran and more.