San Francisco Events & Free Things to Do

Upcoming Events

Here’s a calendar listing of all of our upcoming fun & cheap events for the entire Bay Area including San Francisco, East Bay, Peninsula, South Bay and North Bay.

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See Events For: Today | Mon 12/17 | Tue 12/18 | Wed 12/19 | Thu 12/20 | Fri 12/21 | Sat 12/22

Monday, December 17, 2018
Illuminate 2018: SF’s Festival of Light \| 37 Light Sculptures Monday, December 17 – All Day \| Cost: FREE \| All Over San Francisco Illuminate SF Festival of Light happens Thanksgiving 2018 through New Year’s Day 2019 and shines a light on San Francisco’s ever-expanding light art scene. Get your glow on during this two-month celebration during more...
3:00 pm	Tour of Diego Rivera’s 1st US Mural \| Union Square	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is required. Please note, the tour is limited to 25 people.
3:00 pm	Funk Legend “George Clinton” in Conversation \| SF	$5
6:00 pm	Sketchfest NightLife \| California Academy of Sciences	$15* *Tickets are $15 ($12 for Academy members)
7:30 pm	A Christmas Music of Brass & Pipe Organ Concert \| Grace Cathedral	$15* *Sliding ticket scale of $15 to $60. Funcheap readers can get 25% off with code: JFC
7:30 pm	Free Benefit Concert for a Cause \| SF	FREE* *Donations appreciated but not required!
8:00 pm	Super Smash Bros Tourney: Booze, Comedy & Video Games \| SF	FREE
8:00 pm	Haight Street Trivia, Comedy, Gaming & Free Pizza Night \| Milk Bar	FREE
8:00 pm	“Resistance is Fertile” Free Comedy Night \| SF	FREE
8:00 pm	Free Standup Comedy Night & Pop Up Food \| Oakland	FREE* *Free, but sliding scale donations are requested.
8:30 pm	“Classical Revolution” Chamber Music Jam \| Mission Dist.	FREE* *Free, but a $5-20 donation is welcome to support the musicians.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
1st Tenderloin Neighborhood Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony \| SF Tuesday, December 18 – 4:00 pm \| Cost: FREE \| Boeddeker Park Come Celebrate the 1st even Tenderloin Neighborhood Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony in Boeddeker Park, bring Light and Joy to the community. Honoring Outgoing D6 Supervisor Jane Kim and incoming d6 Supervisor Matt Haney more...
5:00 pm	Light Up The Night 2018: Free Bike Light Campaign \| SF	FREE* *Free bike safety lights for those who do not already have them.
5:30 pm	The Stinky Cheese Club \| Bender’s	FREE* *Bring in a good cheese to share and get a free drink.
6:00 pm	Midway Gallery Binary Salon 06: Art, Talk & Drinks \| SF	FREE* *Free with RSVP
7:00 pm	Free Sneak Preview Movie: “Second Act” \| AMC Metreon 16	FREE* *RSVP code required; arrive early as admission is not guaranteed.
8:00 pm	Tokens: Stand-Up Comedy for Everyone \| Oakland	FREE* *$5 suggested donation, not required
8:00 pm	Vinyl Room Standup Comedy Show \| Burlingame	FREE
8:00 pm	Win Tix: Electropop House & Yacht Rock: Roosevelt \| August Hall	WIN
8:00 pm	Milkin’ It: Tuesday Night Free Comedy \| Upper Haight	FREE* *Free, but donations are appreciated.
8:00 pm	PizzaHacker Free Comedy Night \| SF	FREE* *Free and an RSVP entitles you to a discount on pizza

Wednesday, December 19, 2018
2018 Etsy’s Maverick Holiday Market \| SF Wednesday, December 19 – 11:00 am \| Cost: FREE \| Crocker Galleria LIVE outside the box and come celebrate all things awesome with local artists, designers and crafts at the bottom floor of the Crocker Galleria on Wednesday December 19th 11 am-6 pm. Shop more...
All Day	Salvation Army 2018 “Toy & Joy” Holiday Sort & Giveaway \| SF	FREE* *RSVP required and space for volunteers is limited
11:00 am	“Biblio Bistro” Farmers’ Market Cooking School \| UN Plaza	FREE
All Day	24 Holidays on 24th Street: Wine Tasting for a Cause \| Noe Valley	FREE
5:30 pm	East Bay Green Drinks: Free Snacks & Networking \| Oakland	FREE* *Free, but RSVP is required.
5:30 pm	Food First Meeting: A World Where People Have Access to Food \| Berkeley	FREE
6:00 pm	SF’s Beer Bus: Free Monthly Brewery Bus Crawl \| SF Brewers Guild	FREE* *Free shuttle. Bring money for beer and food.
7:00 pm	The Marsh Holiday Party: Entertainment & Free Desserts \| Berkeley	FREE* *The event is free but we will gladly accept your end of year donations.
7:00 pm	Nerd Nite: Geeky Lectures in a Rock Club \| Rickshaw Stop	$8
7:00 pm	Free Astronomy Lecture \| Presidio	FREE
7:00 pm	$25 Ticket Lottery for “Dear Evan Hansen” in SF \| Curran	$25* *Must enter ticket lottery to be eligible for $25 tickets
7:00 pm	Jericho: Urban Nerf Gun Spy Game \| SF	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is required via Meetup.com
7:30 pm	“Moonlight Comedy”: Stand Up Under the Stars \| Oakland	FREE
7:30 pm	Win Tix: A New Voice in Indie Music: Lola Kirke \| Cafe du Nord	WIN
8:00 pm	“The End” Insane Tarantino-Style Improv \| SF	$5* *$5
8:00 pm	Cobb’s Free Xmas Comedy Nights \| December 19-20	FREE* *Free with RSVP. Must arrive by 7:30pm for guaranteed entry. All shows are 18 & over with valid photo ID. Like most comedy clubs, there is a two drink minimum.
8:00 pm	Win Tix: Really Funny Comedians (Who Happen to Be Women) \| The Punch Line	WIN
8:00 pm	Win Tix: Twinkling Experimental Pop: Cults \| The Chapel	WIN
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Winter Solstice Eve 2018: Beach Celebration & Plunge \| Ocean Beach Thursday, December 20 – 3:30 pm \| Cost: FREE \| Ocean Beach (Quintara) Join at sunset on the eve of the year’s longest night, as they renew the commitments to one another and to the Earth. In these hard times, find yourself here in more...
10:00 am	Hidden San Francisco Walking Tours \| SoMa	FREE
4:00 pm	24 Holidays on 24th Street: Vodkas & Latkes \| Noe Valley	FREE
5:00 pm	2018 Winter Wonderland: $1 Ice Skating, Snow & Holiday Market \| SF	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is requested.
5:00 pm	Free Museum & Gallery Crawl: Yerba Buena Third Thursdays \| SoMa	FREE* *All gallery and museum entries will be free except for the Contemporary Jewish Museum which will be offering a special entry price of $5.
5:00 pm	“Krampus du Nord” Evil Holiday Pop-Up Bar \| Dec 20-22	FREE* *Free entry, but bring cash for drinks
6:00 pm	3rd Tenderloin Museum’s Annual Holiday Bazaar \| SF	FREE
6:00 pm	Exploratorium After Dark: Essentials \| Pier 15	$19.95* *$19.95 Adv/Door - Free for Lab Members ($10 Add-On Ticket for the Tactile Dome)
6:00 pm	Make: Monthly Artist Happy Hour & Local Vendors \| Dogpatch	$8* *Free with admission. Admission: Adults $8.00, Students/Senior $6.00.
6:30 pm	Museum of Ice Cream’s “Pinkmas” Free Night: First 350 People \| SF	FREE* *Free for first 350 solo people each Thursday in December 2018 from 6:30-8pm
7:00 pm	Penthouse’s Sexy Strippers & Firefighters Toy Drive Bash \| Penthouse Club	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is required. Bring a toy for the toy drive, plus cash for tips.
7:00 pm	StorySlam’s Live True Storytelling Competition \| Oakland	$5* *Sliding scale donation requested, $5-$20
7:00 pm	Free Sneak Preview Movie: “If Beale Street Could Talk” \| AMC Metreon 16 (SF)	FREE* *RSVP code required; arrive early as admission is not guaranteed.
8:00 pm	Haight Ashbury Comedy Night \| Milk Bar	FREE* *Use promo code HELLAFUNNY for free tickets. Otherwise, it's $15.
8:00 pm	Cobb’s Free Xmas Comedy Nights \| Secret Guest List	FREE* *Free with RSVP. Must arrive by 7:30pm for guaranteed entry. All shows are 18 & over with valid photo ID. Like most comedy clubs, there is a two drink minimum.
8:00 pm	Free Sneak Preview Movie: “Escape Room” \| AMC Van Ness 14	FREE* *RSVP code required; arrive early as admission is not guaranteed.
8:00 pm	Win Tix: “A Very Merry Misfit Cabaret” Holiday Special \| SF	WIN
Friday, December 21, 2018
2018 Solstice Sun Hike \| Tilden Park Friday, December 21 – 6:15 am \| Cost: FREE \| Tilden Park Rise with the sun, on this early morning hike. Meet at the Nature Center and hike to the peak in hopes of greeting the solstice sun. BYOC. Bring your own Coffee! And more...
All Day	Free Early Boarding for Ugly Holiday Sweaters on Alaska Airlines \| 2018	FREE* *No RSVP required, show up to airport with a valid airline ticket on Friday, December 21 wearing ugly holiday sweater
3:00 pm	Free Sightglass Coffee Cupping \| SoMa	FREE* *Free, but space is limited so an RSVP is requested.
All Day	Winter Solstice “Luminescent Grand” Concert at Winter Walk \| Union Square	FREE* *It appears that all events are free and open to the public, but please note there may be a nominal charge for some activities.
5:00 pm	“3rd On Third” Arts & Music \| Bayview	FREE
5:00 pm	Friday Food Truck Throwdown: Luchador Wrestling + Food Trucks \| Fremont	FREE
5:30 pm	The Vigil: Annual Homeless Persons Memorial \| UN Plaza	FREE
6:15 pm	2018 Winter Solstice Ceremony \| San Francisco Zen Center	FREE* *Admission is typically by donation, but consider becoming a member.
7:00 pm	Bicycle Art Salon \| Oakland	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is required by contacting the organizers via email to bicycleartsalon@gmail.com or phone at 510-230-8270.
7:30 pm	“HellaFunny Fridays” San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Showcase \| SoMa	FREE* *Free with RSVP or $10 at the Door
8:00 pm	You Betta Work Comedy Fiesta Show \| San Mateo	FREE* *Free with $5 Suggested Donation
8:00 pm	San Jose Bike Party	FREE
8:00 pm	Fandango Jarocho: Son Jarocho Jam Session \| Berkeley	FREE* *Donations welcome
8:00 pm	Win Tix: African-American Shakespeare Company’s “Cinderella” \| Herbst Theatre	WIN
8:30 pm	Win Tix: Fishbone: Crazy Glue X-Mas \| Great American Music Hall	WIN
8:30 pm	Win Tix: Funk Rock & Jazz Fusion: More Fatter \| Rickshaw Stop	WIN
9:30 pm	“HellaSingle” Comedy Show & Singles Mixer \| SF	FREE* *Free with RSVP or $10 at the Door
9:45 pm	Win Tix: Comedy Night: Sean Keane & Sammy Obeid \| The Punch Line	WIN
11:59 pm	Ursids: Winter Solstice Meteor Shower \| The Last Shooting Stars of 2018	FREE
Saturday, December 22, 2018
SF’s $60 Luxury “Tahoe Ski & Snowboard Bus” \| Sports Basement Saturday, December 22 – All Day \| Cost: $60* *Use the code TURNING20 at checkout for 20% off tickets - so it's $60 instead of $75 - but that this code may expire at any time. \| Sports Basement (Participating) Spend a breathtaking day skiing and snowboarding at the world famous Squaw Valley Resort or Alpine Meadows, without the hassle of planning, driving or purchasing all that gear and gas. As part more...
8:30 am	Free Ice Skating Lessons in Union Square \| SF	FREE* *Free lessons (and free skate rental) but an RSVP is required. Limited to 50 people per session.
All Day	San Francisco Free Guided Walking Tour Days \| Christmas Weekend	FREE
All Day	Oakland’s Free Parking Days for the Holidays \| 2018	FREE* *Free parking at off-street garages and lots but stated time limits will still be enforced. Please note that street meters are still enforced.
All Day	2018 Artisans Holiday Open Studios: 100+ Artists & Craftspeople \| Berkeley	FREE
All Day	2018 Pottery Holiday Show & Open Studios \| Berkeley	FREE
11:30 am	San Francisco Shih Tzu Meetup Group \| Alta Plaza Park	FREE
12:00 pm	2018 Russian Holiday Bell Concert \| SF Main Library	FREE
1:00 pm	Win Tix: Oakland Ballet Company: Graham Lustig’s “The Nutcracker” \| Paramount Theater	WIN* *Discounts available for seniors (62+) and children.
4:00 pm	Christmas Carols Sing-along & Reception \| SF	FREE* *Free Admission. Donations Requested.
4:30 pm	FeedMobSF: Help Feed the Homeless \| Civic Center	FREE
5:00 pm	“Krampus du Nord” Holiday Pop-Up Bar \| Final Day	FREE* *Free entry, but bring cash for drinks
6:15 pm	Full Moon Tibetan Chanting Ceremony \| Berkeley	FREE
8:00 pm	“Nightlife on Mars” Comedy Night \| SF	FREE* *Free with code CHEAPBASTARD - otherwise it's $5
8:00 pm	Downtown Comedy Night at SF’s Newest Art Bar \| SF	FREE* *Free with RSVP and code HELLAFUNNY. Otherwise $15 online $20 at the door. Free for first 50 to RSVP
9:00 pm	Win Tix: Tribute Band: Grateful Shred \| Great American Music Hall	WIN
10:00 pm	No Scrubs: ’90s Hip Hop and R&B Dance Party \| Bar Fluxus	FREE* *Free with RSVP before 11pm. $5 After
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Free Ice Skating Lessons in Union Square \| SF Sunday, December 23 – 8:30 am \| Cost: FREE* *Free lessons (and free skate rental) but an RSVP is required. Limited to 50 people per session. \| Union Square Park Don’t know how to skate? Kaiser Permanente is inviting beginner skaters to the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square presented by Alaska Airlines to come learn from professional skate instructors more...
6:00 am	After Dawn: Premiere Sunday Morning Party \| SF	FREE* *Free but an RSVP is required.
10:00 am	Winter Solstice Walk: Nature Hike with Great Views \| Mt. Diablo	$6* *Free, but an RSVP is required; $6 /vehicle park entrance fee ($5 for seniors; exact change required)
All Day	San Francisco Free Guided Walking Tour Days \| Christmas Weekend	FREE
All Day	Final Day: 2018 Pottery Holiday Show & Open Studios \| Berkeley	FREE
All Day	Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair: 200+ Artists & Festive Lights \| Berkeley	FREE
All Day	2018 Artisans Holiday Open Studios: 100+ Artists & Craftspeople \| Berkeley	FREE
11:00 am	Museum of Craft & Holiday Craft Station at “Winter Walk” \| SF	FREE* *It appears that all events are free and open to the public, but please note there may be a nominal charge for some activities.