The Weekend In Cheap | July 15-17

This weekend in San Francisco features parties celebrating everything from the French New Wave to soccer to the launch of online swap community, as well as free hip-hop in the park and a mystery night bike ride.

Here’s our picks for our favorite five things to do this weekend – July 15-17, 2011.

Friday, July 15

Bardot A Go Go
A big fan of French films, bouffants and Truffaut? Then do le swing all the way into Saturday at the Rickshaw Stop’s 12th Annual Post-Bastille Day Dance Party. Music will be provided all night long at this all-ages event by DJs Pink Frankenstein and Brother Grimm, in addition to drink specials and French videos. There will also be free 60s hairstyling by Peter Thomas Hair Design, so that you can be all glammed up for a night of go-go girls and Godard.

Rickshaw Stop (155 Fell St., SF) | Friday, July 15 | 9p | $10

Saturday, July 16

The Bay Bridged’s Phono Del Sol Festival
Get your dance on in the “Daylight” at a free Aesop Rock performance at Potrero Del Sol Park for the Bay Bridged’s first-annual Phono Del Sol Festival. This free, all-day festival also includes co-headliner Mirah, as well as Man/Miracle, Magik*Magik Orchestra, Religious Girls and Appetite. And if Appetite’s set makes you hungry, grab something on site from Off The Grid’s curated assortment of food trucks so that you can not only settle a growling stomach, but enjoy tours of John Vanderslice’s legendary Tiny Telephone studio facilities, live DJ sets and a full day of free activities for the entire family.

Potrero del Sol Park (25th St. @ San Bruno, SF) | Saturday, July 16 | Noon-6p | FREE

Rentacular Spectacular
Spend your Saturday socializing with other swappers and savvy shoppers at Rentalic’s Rentacular Spectacular in Golden Gate Park. A large social network that helps to facilitate sharing within communities, Rentalic is celebrating its online debut by hosting a day of “spectacular fun,” with a potluck, picnic and games like bocce ball, a soccer clinic, bean bag toss and more. There will also be a clothing and toy swap, followed by a fashion show where you can show off your new threads for prizes. So bring your sassiest strut and score some swapped stuff for some spare change, just as long as you remember to register beforehand at www.rentalic.com for free.

Marx Meadow (Golden Gate Park, SF) | Saturday, July 16 | Noon-4p | 5¢

The San Francisco Mystery Midnight Bike Ride
Party as you pedal your way to a mysterious location as a part of the San Francisco chapter of Midnight Mystery Ride’s monthly mystery bicycle ride. Participants meet every third Saturday at a local bar announced the day of the ride at www.midnightmystery.org to follow the ride leader to an undisclosed location where they’ll “drink and be merry.”  So make sure you aren’t riding wobbly after a few wine coolers (as the SFPD can fine you), and speed around on your old Schwinn for an all-levels cycling extravangza, complete with drinks, socializing and lots of chilled out cruising.

Starting point is TBA | Saturday, July 16 | 11:59p | FREE

Sunday, July 17

USA vs. Japan | Women’s World Cup Finals Outdoor Viewing Party
Finish off the Women’s World Cup right with a free, family-friendly viewing party of the final match between USA and Japan in Civic Center Plaza on a 13’x17’ screen. There will also be activities for the kids, including mini-soccer games, giant inflatables and soccer skills challenges. And if after a few rumbles on the pitch, you find your stomach also rumbling, head over to the gourmet food trucks provided by Off The Grid to further feed that soccer frenzy.

Civic Center Plaza (Polk & Grove St., SF) | Saturday, July 17 | 11:45 a.m. | FREE

What about the week ahead? Just because it’s no longer the weekend, doesn’t mean the fun ends.
Monday, July 18– Pledging blind allegiance to Palin, watch “Cedar Rapids” with drinks
Tuesday, July 19– Literary potluck, “Inner Space” screening & wine-tasting
Wednesday, July 20– Free Cal Academy of Sciences, “The Birds” outdoor film, urban spy game
Thursday, July 21–The English Beat free concert, Magnetic Poetry Slam