June 21, 2015 is the first day of summer (the summer solstice) and officially the longest day of the year with 14 hours,46 minutes and 52 seconds between sunrise and sundown.

So that means tons of sunshine and a great excuse to get out and enjoy San Francisco for all its worth.

First Day of Summer / Longest Day of the Year
June 21, 2015 | Sunrise 5:48am | Sundown 8:35pm
San Francisco Bay Are
Most events free, some are $5 to $10

5am – Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic

Set your alarm early and make the beautiful drive to the north coast for the annual Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic in wine country with a dawn balloon launch and nearly 30 hot air balloons. Don’t worry if you can’t get up early, the festival goes until 11am. Read More

9:30am – International Yoga Day Festival

Thousands of people will come together in San Francisco to celebrate International Yoga Day with yoga breakout sessions, meditation, talks on spirituality and live music from Grammy nominee Jai Uttal. Read More

10am – Father’s Day Free Day at San Francisco Zoo

Fathers enjoy free admission to the San Francisco Zoo when they bring their kids to celebrate World Giraffe Day. Free for dads dads only, kids gotta pay up. Read More

10am – Northern California Pirate Festival

The largest pirate festival in the U.S. takes right here in the Bay Area with the 9th annual Pirate Festival hosted on the Vallejo Waterfront with canon battles, mermaids, rum bars and over 500 costumed characters. Tickets are $10 or $7 through Funcheap. Read More

11am – Off the Grid Picnic in the Presidio

A fun weekly picnic on the main parade lawn of The Presidio run by Off the Grid with DJs and lawn games. Bring your own lunch or grub from tons of food trucks and a full bar with DIY bloody mary and mimosa kits. Read More

11am – Free Guided Walking Tour of Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco City Guides celebrates Father’s Day and the longest day of the year with 15 different free walking tours all over the city. Learn about Dogpatch, the Golden Gate Bridge, Cow Hollow, Victorian architecture and more. Read More

Noon – Rock ‘n’ Roll in a Beautiful Native Garden

Celebrate the summer solstice with live music and plants – a day of rock ‘n’ roll and surf music in an environment full of interesting foliage and plants native to the Bay Area.  Read More

Noon – Free Smitten Ice Cream Day

The first 100 people at Smitten’s new shop in Pacific Heights get free ice cream. Or if you’re a dad, you get free ice cream whenever you arrive because it’s Father’s Day – and the shop is open until 10pm! Read More

Noon – Electronic Music Picnic in Golden Gate Park

AYLI (As You Like It) throws countless late night dance parties, but on the solstice they’re throwing a 6-hour dance party picnic under the sunshine. Read More

Noon – 18th Annual Native Contemporary Arts Festival

A diverse program of Native music, dance, crafts and spoken word performances in Yerba Buena Gardens. Read More

1pm – Symphony & Circus in the Park

For 133 years the Golden Gate Park Band has been playing free summer symphony concerts in Golden Gate Park. Today they play whimsical circus music accompanied by performers from Circus Bella. Read More

2pm – Stern Grove Festival

The 20-piece Pacific Mambo Orchestra headlines the Stern Grove Festival classic sound of the mambo-crazed orchestras of the 1950s. Read More

5pm – Airbnb’s Pride Welcome Wagon

It’s never too early to begin prepping for Pride. Arbnb will be wheeling in a pop-up welcome wagon in the Castro from 5pm to 9pm with free coffee, juice and cookies with workshops where you can create thoughtful handmade gifts to share with friends or strangers. Read More

7:30pm – Ocean Beach Summer Solstice Celebration

Celebrate the longest day of the year with a traditional Solstice ritual at Ocean Beach followed by a cold plunge in the ocean. Read More