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San Francisco’s Spring Festivals & Street Fairs 2026

Look forward to Easter celebrations, Cherry Blossom festivals, Carnaval and more!
By - posted 4/12/2026 No Comment
Union Square Alliance

Spring is blooming! Here’s a round-up of fun and fabulous spring festivals, street fairs, and the best events you can look forward to this Spring 2026.

> Please note that we’ll be continuing to update our Spring Festivals & Street Fairs Guide for 2026.

MARCH 2026

APRIL 2026

MAY 2026

The Union Square Alliance

GG Park’s 2026 “Illuminate LIVE” Free Concert Season

March 1 – November, 2026 – SF (Golden Gate Park) – FREE – The 2026 season features more than 125 free concerts, with live music every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (plus select Saturdays) across genres from indie and reggae to jazz and big band. It all kicks off March 1 in partnership with SF Music Week and Noise Pop, with months of free shows under the trees to follow.

San Francisco Recreation and Park Department

Ocean Beach Bonfires Return for 2026

March 1 – October 31, 2026 – SF (Ocean Beach) – FREE – Gather your friends; beach bonfire season is back. For the first time in four months, it’s finally legal again to have a bonfire at Ocean Beach.

nps.gov

Rare “Blood Moon” Total Lunar Eclipse Over SF

March 2, 2026 – All Over North America – FREE – Catch one of 2026’s most dramatic lunar events as the Moon turns reddish during a total eclipse visible from San Francisco in the early morning of March 3 – the last total lunar eclipse until late 2028.

David Yu via Flickr - CC BY-NC 2.0

2026 “FOG Holi” Festival of Colors

March 7, 2026 – Fremont – $5 – Join thousands of attendees for the Bay Area’s biggest Holi celebration, a vibrant festival of colors, music, dance and unique festival of colors.

Reynaldo Garcia/The Skyline View via Flickr / CC BY 2.0

2026 Non Stop Bhangra’s Holi Festival Of Colors

March 7, 2026 – Oakland – $25 – Join in for a one-of-a-kind Holi celebration. Welcome spring under the open sky, doused in color, enjoying delicious food & drinks, dance lessons, color fights, surrounded by friends while dancing nonstop.

Non Stop Bhangra

SF’s Chinese New Year Parade 2026

March 7, 2026 – SF (Chinatown) – FREE – San Francisco’s world-renowned Chinese New Year Parade lights up the streets with elaborate floats, ferocious lions, a 288-foot Golden Dragon, and hundreds of performers celebrating the Year of the Horse.

David Yu via Flickr - CC BY-NC 2.0

2026 SF’s Chinese New Year Community Street Fair

March 7-8, 2026 – SF (Chinatown) – FREE – Dive into the sights, sounds, and flavors of San Francisco’s Chinatown at the bustling Community Street Fair, which draws around 500,000 visitors and features cultural performances, giant parade puppets, and over 120 booths of food, art, and shopping.

David Yu via Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0

2026 Oakland Restaurant Week

March 12-22, 2026 – Oakland – $15* (Special menu deals likely start at $15) – Take advantage of some amazing specials from your favorite local restaurants featuring unique pre-fixe menus, new menu items, or various lunch and dinner deals.

Visit Oakland

San Francisco Giants FanFest 2026 at Oracle Park

March 14, 2026 – SF (Oracle Park) – FREE – Step onto the field at Oracle Park for Giants FanFest, where alumni meet fans, KNBR broadcasts live, autographs fly, the kids zone buzzes, and photo ops capture all the action.

Reynaldo Garcia/The Skyline View via Flickr / CC BY 2.0

2026 Pi (π) Day Celebration at The Exploratorium

March 14, 2026 – SF (Embarcadero) – $39.95 – Celebrate SF’s homegrown Pi Day at the Exploratorium with math-inspired activities, a lively Pi Procession, and a free slice of pie while honoring the never-ending ratio that describes all circles.

Exploratorium

SF’s “Brides of March” Wedding Dress Pub Crawl

March 14, 2026 – SF (Washington Sq. Park) – FREE – Don a wedding dress and join the Brides for this annual San Francisco tradition at the 25th annual Brides of March. The party will begin with a gathering in Washington Square Park, followed by a bridal procession up Columbus Avenue, and DIY wedding receptions at bar and restaurant parklets.

David Yu

SF’s 175th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival

March 14, 2026 – SF (Market St to Civic Center) – FREE – Celebrate 175 years of Irish heritage at San Francisco’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and festival, featuring colorful floats, marching bands, Irish dancers, live music, family-friendly activities, and new for 2026, Youth Sports Day at Civic Center Plaza.

David Yu

Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival & Parade

March 14-15, 2026 – Dublin – FREE – Where else but Dublin would you want to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Celebrate with a festive parade; three stages of Irish music and dance; authentic Irish food and beverages; more than 250 fine arts and commercial vendors, including an Irish Marketplace; roaming leprechauns and bagpipers; carnival rides; and an Irish Tea Cottage.

City of Dublin

80,000 Free Tulips Are Coming to SF’s Union Square 2026

March 21, 2026 – SF (Union Square) – FREE – More than 80,000 tulips will cover Union Square in San Francisco and you are invited to visit the square and pick your own bunch of tulips to take home for free.

The Union Square Alliance

2026 Renegade Craft Fair Market at Fort Mason

March 28-29, 2026 – SF (Fort Mason) – FREE* ($5 suggested donation) – Shop from over 250 artists at Renegade San Francisco featuring the best craft designers, artists, and creatives from SF and beyond, plus food trucks on site.

Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival

2026 St. Stupid’s Day Parade

April 1, 2026* – SF (Downtown) – FREE – Noon – A weird and wild DIY street parade through downtown. This “wonderfully idiotic tradition” parades through San Francisco often with a doggie diner head floats, chants of “No More Chants,” silly costumes and all the meaningless fun you’d expect from a city filled with fun weirdos. *Please note that this is an annual San Francisco tradition, and although, details have not yet been announced yet (as of 2/28/26), we expect it to happen again in 2026.

Edward Holmes

SF’s Mount Davidson Easter Sunrise Service & Cross Lighting 2026

April 4-5, 2026 – SF (Diamond Heights) – FREE – San Francisco’s grandest Easter tradition lights up the city’s largest cross overnight before early risers gather at dawn atop the city’s highest peak for a scenic, non-denominational sunrise service.

©Andrei Stanescu via Canva.com

SF’s Easter In the Park & Hunky Jesus Contest 2026

April 5, 2026 – SF (Dolores Park) – FREE – Join the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for their free, day-long Easter in the Park celebration featuring a family-friendly egg hunt, live drag and trans performances, and the legendary Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contests.

Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc.

SF’s “Bring Your Own Big Wheel” Race on Easter Sunday 2026

April 5, 2026 – SF (Potrero Hill) – FREE* ($10-20 donations are requested) – Watch dozens of contestants risk humiliation and serious injury racing their big wheels (those giant plastic tricycles from when we were kids – no rubber wheels allowed) down the crazy curvy Vermont & 20th streets – the actual curviest street in SF – on Easter Sunday, all for glory.

David Yu via Flickr

California Henge”: San Francisco’s Natural Light Show

April 9, 2026 – Nob Hill (California St & Gough St) – FREE – A twice-yearly celestial spectacle aligns the rising sun perfectly down California Street, casting a golden glow toward the iconic San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and creating a stunning photo opportunity for early risers.

Stu Berman

Golden Gate Park Band’s Free Symphony in the Park Season 2026

April 10 – Sept. 27, 2026 – SF (Golden Gate Park) – FREE – Golden Gate Park’s 30-piece symphony has been playing free concerts in Golden Gate Park since 1882. Many concerts feature music of specific nationalities or cultures, including costumed guest performances from dancers, singers, and speakers, who will enlighten and entertain.

©noblige via Canva.com

2026 Cesar Chavez Day Parade & Festival

April 11, 2026 – SF (Mission Dist.) – FREE – Be a part of the largest event honoring labor and civil rights leader Cesar E. ChavezCesar Chavez in Northern California with a parade, and big festival with live performances, a lowrider car show and more.

David Yu via Flickr

SF’s 2026 Cherry Blossom Festival

April 11-19, 2026 – SF (Japantown) – FREE – One of the largest Cherry Blossom festivals in the country, San Francisco celebrates for two weekends, April 11-12 and April 18-19, culminating in a grand parade on the final Sunday of the festival.

David Yu via Flickr

SF’s World Naked Earth Day Bike Ride 2026

April 18, 2026 – SF (Rincon Park) – FREE – Be on the lookout as The World Naked Bike Ride rolls through San Francisco.

Yosemite National Park

SF’s 420 Celebration at Hippie Hill 2026

April 20, 2026 – SF (Golden Gate Park) – FREE – 420 at Hippie Hill is a well-known San Francisco tradition, bringing tens of thousands of people from all over to Robin William Meadow (formerly Sharon Meadow) in Golden Gate Park to celebrate the right to use cannabis. The festival has evolved from unpermitted and unofficial to a full-blown free festival with DJs, yoga, guided meditation, ecstatic dance, a stretch session, sound healing, and more. The 2026 info has yet to be announced (the permitted 2024 festival was cancelled), but if there’s one thing you can count on, is people to show up anyway and celebrate.

420 Hippie Hill SF

2026 Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks

April 21, 2026 – Bay Area – FREE – Look up for your chance to see The Lyrids which are known for their fast and bright meteors.

Canva Photo Unlimited License

Free Drive-Movie Night

April 23, 2026 – San Jose & Concord – FREE – The West Wind Drive-In Theaters in Concord & San Jose offer a Customer Appreciation Night with music, bounce houses, games, and of course, free movies.

West Wind Drive-In and Public Market

2026 Dutch “King’s Day” Windmill Festival

April 25, 2026 – SF (Golden Gate Park) – FREE – Drape yourself in orange and head to the giant Murphy Windmill in Golden Gate Park to celebrate all things Dutch with traditional Dutch games, flea market, Dutch food, beer, music & more.

Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities, Inc

San Francisco’s Annual DogFest 2026

April 25, 2026 – SF (Duboce Park) – FREE – DogFest is a mutt-tastic festival at one of the most dog-friendly parks in the city and the biggest dog event in San Francisco.

McKinley School

Pickin’ On The Polk 2026

April 25, 2026 – SF (Polk Gulch) – FREE – Like a mini Hardly Strictly Bluegrass taking over an entire neighborhood, Pickin’ on the Polk is a free 10-hour block party transforms Polk Street into an all-day bluegrass, jazz, rock and electronic festival.

Discover Polk

Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival 2026

April 25-26, 2026– Cupertino – FREE – Over two days, explore Japanese cultural exhibits like ikebana, swords, bonsai, and koi, live entertainment including Taiko drum, dancers, martial arts and live music, taste delicious Japanese cuisine, children activities and a play area with a petting zoo and pony rides, plus Japanese cultural demonstrations like tea ceremony, origami, calligraphy, and Shogi.

Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association

2026 “Opening Day On The Bay” Boat Parade & “Blessing of the Fleet”

April 26, 2026 – SF (Marina Green) – FREE – Opening Day on the Bay marks the official start of the San Francisco boating season, and typically shows off over 100 historic workboats, fireboats, towboats, and classic and contemporary craft.

Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association

 

David Yu

2026 Taiwanese American Cultural Festival

May 9, 2026 – SF (Union Square) – FREE – The West Coast’s largest celebration of Taiwanese American culture features tasty Taiwanese cuisine in the festival food court, show-stopping performances, fun, cultural activities and crowd-favorite vendors.

TAP SF,

Huge Free Waterfront Concert: Om Records 30th Anniv. Bash

May 9, 2026 – SF (Embarcadero) – FREE – San Francisco’s Embarcadero Plaza hosts a massive free concert celebrating 30 years of local dance music label Om Records, with DJs and live music along the waterfront.

Fog City Flea

Hawaiian May Day Festival 2026

May 9-10, 2026 – Pleasanton – $25 – Join the family-friendly festival dedicated to perpetuating Native Hawaiian and Polynesian culture through arts, language, music, and dancing. New in 2025, it’s now a two-day festival.

Vincent Camacho via Unsplash

The Exploratorium’s Free Admission Day 2026

May 10, 2026 – SF (Embarcadero) – FREE (Pay What You Wish) – The Exploratorium opens up its doors to everyone each year to celebrate Mother’s Day. It’s typically the only “pay what you wish” day all year.

© Exploratorium, www.exploratorium.edu / Gayle Laird

2026 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival

May 9, 2026 (Full 2026 season TBA but typically May-Nov.) – SF (SoMa) – FREE – Yerba Buena Gardens Festival hosts a full lineup of free outdoor music, theater, circus, dance, poetry, and children’s programs.

de Young Museum

de Youngsters Day Out 2026

May 16, 2026 – SF (Golden Gate Park) – FREE – Enjoy a free day of art-making, entertainment, and live performances in the galleries designed for kids and families of all ages.

de Young Museum

Bay to Breakers 2026

May 17, 2026 – SF (From Howard & Main to the Great Highway) – FREE to watch or ‘race’ unofficially – The crown jewel of San Francisco events since 1912 with 20,000+ people racing (and 100,000+ watching) from the Bay to the Breakers at the western end of Golden Gate Park in a costumed mass of everything we love about San Francisco.

Bay to Breakers

2026 San Francisco Carnaval Festival & Parade

May 23-24, 2026 – SF (Mission Dist.) – FREE – San Francisco’s Carnaval features a free two-day festival spanning 17 blocks in the Mission District with five stages, 50 local performers, and 400 vendors, plus a Grand Parade featuring 60 contingents and more than 3,000 artists representing cultures from across Latin America and the Caribbean.

David Yu via Flickr

SFMOMA Free Day

May 24, 2026 – SF (SoMa) – FREE – Enjoy free admission to all galleries, including the new Matisse special exhibition, plus family-friendly activities throughout the day.

Henrik Kam / SFMOMA

2026 Bay Area Book Festival

May 30-31, 2026 – Berkeley – Most Events Free – The Bay Area Book Festival returns with four headliner events, eight Writers’ Workshops, a lively outdoor fair/block party, and six indoor stages packed with top-notch programming in Downtown Berkeley.

Michael Hitchner