San Francisco’s May Festivals & Street Fairs
Here’s a round-up of fun and fabulous May festivals, street fairs, and events including San Francisco’s Carnaval, The Bay’s Huge “626 Night Market,” Bay to Breakers, and more you can look forward to this May 2024.
> We’ll be updating this guide with more May events soon!
MAY 2024
- SFMOMA Free Community Day – May 4, 2024
25th Annual How Weird Street Faire – May 4, 2024Postponed due to weather. Tentatively rescheduled for June 22, 2024- de Youngsters Day Out – May 4, 2024
- 2024 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – May 4 – Nov. 2
- 2024 Taiwanese American Cultural Festival – May 11, 2024
- Hawaiian May Day Festival 2024 – May 11, 2024
- The Exploratorium’s Free Admission Day – May 12, 2024
- The Bay’s Huge “626 Night Market” – May 17-19, 2024
- SF’s “Sundown Cinema” Film Night in the Park – May 17 – Oct. 18, 2024
- Bay to Breakers 2024 – May 19, 2024
- 2024 San Francisco Carnaval Festival & Parade – May 25-26, 2024
SFMOMA Free Community Day
May 4, 2024 – SF (SoMa) – FREE – Free Community Days offer free museum-wide admission to all visitors, combined with a wide range of immersive activities and performances inspired by the latest SFMOMA exhibition.
25th Annual How Weird Street Faire
May 4, 2024 Postponed due to weather. Tentatively rescheduled for June 22, 2024 (pending permit approval) – SF (SoMa) – $25 – The longest-running dance festival/street parade on the West Coast returns with 9 stages of DJ music, art, and weirdness with this year’s theme: “Star Weird” May the 4th Be With You.
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2024 de Youngsters Day Out
May 4, 2024 – SF (Golden Gate Park) – FREE – Bring the family to de Young Museum for their annual free all-day celebration of the arts with a museum takeover of art activities and hands-on activities.
2024 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
May 4 – Nov. 2, 2024 – SF (SoMa) – FREE – Yerba Buena Gardens Festival hosts a full lineup of free outdoor music, theater, circus, dance, poetry, and children’s programs. The Festival kicks off on Saturday, May 4 at 1 pm with Cuban soul from Pedrito Martinez.
2024 Taiwanese American Cultural Festival
May 11, 2024 – 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.
Hawaiian May Day Festival
May 11, 2024 – Hayward – FREE – Join the family-friendly festival dedicated to perpetuating Native Hawaiian and Polynesian culture through arts, language, music, and dancing.
The Exploratorium’s Free Admission Day
May 12, 2024 – 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.
The Bay’s Huge “626 Night Market”
May 17-19, 2024 – Pleasanton (Alameda County Fairgrounds) – $5 – Inspired by the famous open-air nighttime bazaars of Asia, come ready to feast and explore 200+ food, merchandise, crafts, arts, games, music, and entertainment attractions.
SF’s “Sundown Cinema” Film Night in the Park
May 17 – Oct. 18, 2024 – SF – FREE – This free outdoor movie series, the only one of its kind in the Bay Area, will feature seven films in seven parks across San Francisco, beginning on Friday, May 17, at Dolores Park with a Selena sing-along.
Bay to Breakers 2024
May 19, 2024 – SF (From Howard & Main to the Great Highway) – FREE to watch or ‘race’ unofficially – Welcome back to “Bay to Breakers,” 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.
2024 San Francisco Carnaval Festival & Parade
May 25-26, 2024 – SF (Mission Dist.) – FREE – San Francisco’s Carnaval features a free, two–day festival covering 17 blocks in the Mission District, with five main stages, 50 local performing artists, and 400 vendors, plus its Grand Parade which boasts a 60-contingent lineup, with over 3,000 artists representing the cultural heritages of Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Cuba, Peru, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala, El Salvador, and more.
Saturday, December 21
Come experience a Holiday Mercantile at Union Square’s Winter Walk! Union Square is the perfect destination for holiday shopping, and this season from December 14th-22nd, Sunset Mercantile is partnering with Union Square Alliance to feature a holiday marketplace at Winter Walk 2024. Our tented outdoor ...
Sunday, December 22
Sunset Mercantile’s weekly outdoor market featuring farmers, ranchers, food trucks, live music, children’s activities, vendors, makers, merchants, artists, and local organizations. Bring the whole family for free seasonal art activities at the Sunset Mercantile Artship. Enjoy shopping an array of farm fresh produce, artisan goods. ...Every Sunday
Come experience a Holiday Mercantile at Union Square’s Winter Walk! Union Square is the perfect destination for holiday shopping, and this season from December 14th-22nd, Sunset Mercantile is partnering with Union Square Alliance to feature a holiday marketplace at Winter Walk 2024. Our tented outdoor ...
Winter Walk returns to Union Square from December 13 – 22, located on Stockton Street to O’Farrell to Post! This 10-day event will turn two blocks into a pedestrian plaza with lush turf, diverse food truck offerings, enticing bars, and Instagram-worthy arctic-themed décor. Enjoy live performances and ...
Glowfari returns in November 2024! This wildly popular, family-friendly experience features hundreds of ALL new, larger-than-life animal lanterns throughout the Zoo. Each lantern tells the story of the ongoing journey of wildlife, the importance of every species on our planet, and Oakland Zoo’s commitment to ...
Wednesday, December 25
Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 49th Year! The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 25th – Jan 2nd The 1st Lighting: Wednesday, Dec 25th Bill Graham Menorah Day ...
Thursday, December 26
Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 49th Year! The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 25th – Jan 2nd The 1st Lighting: Wednesday, Dec 25th Bill Graham Menorah Day ...
Friday, December 27
Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 49th Year! The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 25th – Jan 2nd The 1st Lighting: Wednesday, Dec 25th Bill Graham Menorah Day ...
Saturday, December 28
Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 49th Year! The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 25th – Jan 2nd The 1st Lighting: Wednesday, Dec 25th Bill Graham Menorah Day ...
Sunday, December 29
Sunset Mercantile’s weekly outdoor market featuring farmers, ranchers, food trucks, live music, children’s activities, vendors, makers, merchants, artists, and local organizations. Bring the whole family for free seasonal art activities at the Sunset Mercantile Artship. Enjoy shopping an array of farm fresh produce, artisan goods. ...Every Sunday
Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 49th Year! The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 25th – Jan 2nd The 1st Lighting: Wednesday, Dec 25th Bill Graham Menorah Day ...
Monday, December 30
Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 49th Year! The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 25th – Jan 2nd The 1st Lighting: Wednesday, Dec 25th Bill Graham Menorah Day ...
Tuesday, December 31
Glowfari returns in November 2024! This wildly popular, family-friendly experience features hundreds of ALL new, larger-than-life animal lanterns throughout the Zoo. Each lantern tells the story of the ongoing journey of wildlife, the importance of every species on our planet, and Oakland Zoo’s commitment to ...
Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 49th Year! The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 25th – Jan 2nd The 1st Lighting: Wednesday, Dec 25th Bill Graham Menorah Day ...
Wednesday, January 1
Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 49th Year! The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 25th – Jan 2nd The 1st Lighting: Wednesday, Dec 25th Bill Graham Menorah Day ...
Glowfari returns in November 2024! This wildly popular, family-friendly experience features hundreds of ALL new, larger-than-life animal lanterns throughout the Zoo. Each lantern tells the story of the ongoing journey of wildlife, the importance of every species on our planet, and Oakland Zoo’s commitment to ...
Thursday, January 2
Get ready, San Francisco, for the return of this brand new free monthly party coming back to Downtown SF. A new, free, all-ages street party comes to Downtown SF every first Thursday of the month, from 5-10pm. Free kids activities, disco, two outdoor bars, live ...Monthly
Saturday, January 18
Saturday, January 25
The Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair is held on the weekend before Chinese New Year Day. The Flower Fair is the place to come to purchase fresh flowers, fruits, candies and brand new supplies for the home to begin the new lunar year. Delight ...
Sunday, January 26
The Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair is held on the weekend before Chinese New Year Day. The Flower Fair is the place to come to purchase fresh flowers, fruits, candies and brand new supplies for the home to begin the new lunar year. Delight ...
Glowfari returns in November 2024! This wildly popular, family-friendly experience features hundreds of ALL new, larger-than-life animal lanterns throughout the Zoo. Each lantern tells the story of the ongoing journey of wildlife, the importance of every species on our planet, and Oakland Zoo’s commitment to ...
Thursday, February 6
Get ready, San Francisco, for the return of this brand new free monthly party coming back to Downtown SF. A new, free, all-ages street party comes to Downtown SF every first Thursday of the month, from 5-10pm. Free kids activities, disco, two outdoor bars, live ...Monthly
Saturday, February 15
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. The Chinatown Community Street Fair takes place the weekend of the Chinese New Year Parade. At the fair, experience Chinese cultural arts such ...
Sunday, February 16
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. The Chinatown Community Street Fair takes place the weekend of the Chinese New Year Parade. At the fair, experience Chinese cultural arts such ...
Thursday, March 6
Get ready, San Francisco, for the return of this brand new free monthly party coming back to Downtown SF. A new, free, all-ages street party comes to Downtown SF every first Thursday of the month, from 5-10pm. Free kids activities, disco, two outdoor bars, live ...Monthly
