San Francisco Events & Things to Do

San Francisco Calendar

San Francisco is super spendy to live in, but there’s always a ton of fun, free & cheap things to do… if you know where to look. Here’s our calendar of upcoming fun, yet affordable, events.

Don’t want just San Francisco?
Show Me: East Bay | Editors’ Top Picks | All Bay Area Events

See Events For: Today | Sun 12/15 | Mon 12/16 | Tue 12/17 | Wed 12/18 | Thu 12/19 | Fri 12/20

Saturday, December 14, 2019
Free Legion of Honor Museum Day for Bay Area Residents \| Every Saturday Saturday, December 14 – All Day \| Cost: FREE* *Free general admission to Bay Area residents. Valid ID or proof of residency required. This offer applies only to the permanent collection galleries. \| Legion of Honor Every Saturday, the Legion of Honor offers free general admission to the permanent galleries to Bay Area residents. Please note that admission to any special exhibits is not included nor discounted and more...
All Day	de Young Free Day & Souls of Mischief Hip Hop Concert \| SF	FREE* *Free general admission to Bay Area residents. Valid ID or proof of residency required. This offer applies only to the permanent collection galleries.
All Day	Kimochi Silver Bells Arts & Crafts & Food Faire \| SF	FREE* *Not all vendors accept credit/debit cards, so please come prepared.
All Day	Timbuk2 Holiday Warehouse Sale: Up to 70% Off \| 2019	FREE
All Day	2019 Holiday Mercantile: Food, Crafts & Live Music \| SF	FREE
All Day	Souls of Mischief: Film Screening & Panel Discussion \| de Young Museum	FREE
All Day	Sunset Holiday Mercantile 2019 \| SF	FREE
All Day	12th Annual Five & Diamond Holiday Loft Sale \| SF	FREE
4:00 pm	Win Tix: Sweater-Con 2019: San Francisco Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl \| SF	WIN* *Includes Admission to Pub Crawl and Drink Specials.
5:30 pm	SF’s Krampus Crawl: Wandering Guerilla Theater \| Union Square	FREE* *It looks to be free; there's no cover charge listed. Bring cash for drinks and buy yourself a pair of horns to participate.
6:00 pm	Original Vinyl’s First Art Show: Spoof Record Label Album Covers \| SF	FREE
7:00 pm	Downtown SF’s Desi Comedy Night \| Every Saturday	FREE* *Free with RSVP for first 100 people. $10 at door without RSVP
8:00 pm	“Nightlife on Mars” Comedy Night \| SF	FREE* *Free with code CHEAPBASTARD - otherwise it's $10
8:00 pm	Win Tix: Cirque du Soleil’s “AMALUNA” at Oracle Park \| SF	WIN
8:30 pm	“Downtown Comedy Night” Comedy Show \| SF	FREE* *Free with RSVP and code HELLAFUNNY. Otherwise $15 online $20 at the door. Free for first 50 to RSVP
8:30 pm	Saturday Write Fever: Insta-Plays Written & Performed \| SF	FREE
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Final Day: Chronicle Books Holiday Warehouse Sale \| 80% Off Everything Sunday, December 15 – All Day \| Cost: 80% Off \| Chronicle Books HQ Need some last minute gifts, but don’t want to pay outrageous last minute shipping costs? The Chronicle Books Holiday Warehouse Sale is here again with 80% off everything in the store for more...
6:00 am	After Dawn: Premiere Sunday Morning Party \| SF	FREE* *Free but an RSVP is required.
8:00 am	Elf on the Run: 5k & 10k Race & Festival \| Presidio	$30* *Registration prices increase as the event comes closer.
10:00 am	Saint Paulus Pre Christmas Church Service & Potluck Lunch \| SF	FREE
All Day	“Mayor’s Holiday Fair” at SF City Hall \| 2019	FREE
All Day	Timbuk2 Holiday Warehouse Sale: Up to 70% Off \| Mission Dist.	FREE
All Day	2019 SFMade Holiday Gift Fair: 60+ Local Artisans & Sweet Treats \| SF	FREE* *Bring cash for purchase.
All Day	2019 Holiday Mercantile: Food, Crafts & Live Music \| SF	FREE
All Day	Illuminate 2019: SF’s Festival of Light \| 40+ Light Sculptures	FREE
12:00 pm	Win Tix: 7th Annual All-You-Can-Eat Crab Feast \| SoMa StrEat Food Park	WIN* *$68 Adults / $25 Kids 12 & Under
12:00 pm	Children Craft Workshop & Free Photos with Santa Claus \| Japantown	FREE
12:00 pm	7th Annual “All-You-Can-Eat” Crab Feast \| SF	$62* *$62 Early-bird for Adults, otherwise it's $68. $25 for kids.
All Day	12th Annual Five & Diamond Holiday Loft Sale \| SF	FREE* *Free for all ages.
2:00 pm	Jeffrey’s Howliday Party & Santa Paws Photos \| North Beach	FREE
2:00 pm	“Holiday Circus” 2019 Winter Showcase \| SF	$20
3:00 pm	SF’s “Antique Vibrator Museum” Free Guided Tour Day \| Good Vibrations	FREE* *Free, but you must RSVP at least 72 hours in advance by calling the Polk St. store location at (415) 345-0400.
5:30 pm	Movie Night Double Feature: The Neverending Story & Labyrinth \| The Chapel	FREE
6:00 pm	The Holiday Impeachment Party \| SF	$10* *$10 in advance/$15 at door. All proceeds go towards a 501(c)3, Poets Reading the News.
7:00 pm	Win Tix: A New Voice in Indie Music: Lola Kirke \| Rickshaw Stop	WIN
7:00 pm	“Crazy Funny Asians” Comedy Showcase \| SF	FREE* *RSVP Required. Donations ($5-$10) greatly appreciated.
7:00 pm	Laugh Your Gays Off: Free Comedy in The Castro \| SF	FREE* *$5 suggested donation
7:30 pm	Win Tix: Comedy Night: Murray The Magician (YouTube) \| Cobb’s Comedy Club	WIN
8:00 pm	Win Tix: SF Sunday Comedy Showcase \| The Punch Line	WIN
8:30 pm	Free HellaFunny Sundays Stand-Up Comedy \| Neck of the Woods	FREE* *Free with RSVP. Otherwise $15 online $20 at the door
9:00 pm	Win Tix: Tragedy: All Metal Tribute To The Bee Gees & Beyond \| Bottom of the Hill	WIN
9:00 pm	“Return of the Cypher” Hip-Hop & Beatbox Jam \| Boom Boom Room	FREE

Monday, December 16, 2019
Enter to Win Win Tix: Free Ice Skating in Union Square 2019/20 \| SF Monday, December 16 – All Day \| Cost: WIN \| Union Square Park A San Francisco holiday tradition, The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square presented by Alaska Airlines, presents magical outdoor ice skating through January 20, 2020. You’ll win a pair of 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.
6:20 pm	Win Tix: “1917” Sneak Preview Private Film Screening \| AMC Metreon	WIN
7:00 pm	A Night of Chamber Music: Beethoven’s Birthday Bash \| SF	FREE* *Free admission, $5-20 suggested donation
8:00 pm	North Beach Comedy Night \| SF	FREE
8:00 pm	“Resistance is Fertile” Free Comedy Night \| SF	FREE
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
2nd Tenderloin Neighborhood Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony \| SF Tuesday, December 17 – 4:00 pm \| Cost: FREE \| Boeddeker Park On Tuesday, December 17th, join the Tenderloin neighborhood in the lighting of the second-ever holiday tree. Live performances and special guests D6 Supervisor Matt Haney and Santa.
5:30 pm	The Stinky Cheese Club \| Bender’s	FREE* *Bring in a good cheese to share and get a free drink.
6:20 pm	Win Tix: CATS Sneak Preview Movie Night at AMC Kabuki \| SF	WIN
7:00 pm	Jericho: Urban Nerf Gun Spy Game \| SF	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is required via Meetup.com
8:00 pm	Santichrist: Theatrical Burlesque Experience & Christmas Party \| SF	$5* *$5-$10 Suggested Donation (NOTAFLOF)
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
2019 Etsy’s Maverick Holiday Market \| SF Wednesday, December 18 – 10:00 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 18th 10 am-4 pm. Shop more...
All Day	Salvation Army 2019 “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
6:00 pm	Menorah Lighting Celebration & Hanukkah Party \| Castro	FREE
7:00 pm	On a Lark Comedy Show: Fundraiser for Mission High School \| SF	FREE* *FREE with code FUNCHEAP. Otherwise it's $10 in advance, $15 at the door.
7:00 pm	Free Astronomy Lecture \| Castro	FREE
8:00 pm	$5 Tix: SF’s “Queerdos” LGBTQ+ Comedy Show \| The Setup	$5* *Use discount code FUNCHEAP for 1/2 off tickets online. Otherwise $10 online, $15 at the door. 21+, and there is a one-item minimum.
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Brand New Rooftop Winterfest at Salesforce Park \| Dec. 19-21 Thursday, December 19 – 4:30 pm \| Cost: FREE \| Salesforce Park As part of Salesforce Park’s special winter programming, Winterfest features activities for the whole family. Today, enjoy music from the Alpha Rhythm Kings.
10:00 am	Hidden San Francisco Walking Tours \| SoMa	FREE
12:30 pm	Free 30-Minute Core & Stretch Express \| Salesforce Park	FREE
5:00 pm	2019 Winter Wonderland: $1 Ice Skating, Santa’s Workshop & 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	Free Third Thursdays at California Historical Society \| SF	FREE
6:00 pm	“Make” Summer Parklet Art Party \| SF	FREE* *This summer parklet party is free for all ages. Paid admission required to visit the museum.
6:00 pm	Exploratorium After Dark: All Is Bright \| Pier 15	$19.95* *$19.95 Adv/Door - Free for Lab Members ($10 Add-On Ticket for the Tactile Dome)
6:00 pm	The Vigil: Annual Homeless Persons Memorial \| UN Plaza	FREE
8:00 pm	Win Tix: Comedy All Stars Alumni: Kira Soltanovich & More \| The Punch Line	WIN
8:00 pm	Haight Ashbury Comedy Night \| Milk Bar	FREE* *Use promo code HELLAFUNNY for free tickets. Otherwise, it's $15.
9:30 pm	SF’s Epic Karaoke Dance Party w/ Sax, Lasers + Fog \| Every Thursday	FREE
Friday, December 20, 2019
“Last Day of Fall” Free Walking Tours \| SF Friday, December 20 – All Day \| Cost: FREE* *Free, but donations are accepted. Japanese Tea Garden may require an additional charge. \| All Over San Francisco Last day of Fall Walking Tour Schedule: 9:30 am – Japanese Tea Garden 10:00 am – City Scapes And Public Places 10:00 am – South of Market Architecture Stroll 11:00 am – Fisherman’s Wharf: A Hidden History 1:00 pm – Japanese more...
3:00 pm	Free Sightglass Coffee Cupping \| SoMa	FREE* *Free, but space is limited so an RSVP is requested.
3:00 pm	“Block Fest” Tenderloin Arts Festival & Free Art Making \| SF	FREE* *Free, but an RSVP is required.
3:30 pm	Winter Solstice Eve 2019: Beach Celebration & Plunge \| Ocean Beach	FREE
5:00 pm	Silent Disco at Rooftop Winterfest \| Salesforce Park	FREE
7:30 pm	Win Tix: Comedy Night: Sasheer Zamata (Saturday Night Live) \| Cobb’s	WIN
7:30 pm	“HellaFunny Fridays” Stand-Up Comedy Showcase \| SoMa	FREE* *Free with RSVP or $10 at the Door
8:00 pm	Brave New Jokes: Comedy Showcase \| SF	FREE
8:00 pm	San Francisco Winter Comedy Festival \| Dec. 20-21	FREE* *RSVP Required, otherwise $10 at the door
9:00 pm	Xmas HellaRnB Night (Beyoncé, Rihanna, TLC, Prince & More) \| SF	FREE* *Free with RSVP before 10:30pm; $5 after
9:30 pm	“HellaSingle” Comedy Show & Singles Mixer \| SF	FREE* *Free with RSVP or $15 at the Door
9:45 pm	“Tindervention” Free Comedy Night at Cobbs \| Dec. 20-21	FREE* *Free with RSVP. $17 without RSVP. Two Drink Minimum
Saturday, December 21, 2019
2019 Winter Solstice Ceremony \| San Francisco Zen Center Saturday, December 21 – 7:10 am \| Cost: FREE* *Admission is typically by donation, but consider becoming a member. \| San Francisco Zen Center Words of the season are offered in the equinox and solstice ceremonies, usually outdoors in the courtyard. Ceremony follows evening zazen.
8:15 am	Free Union Square Ice Skating Lessons: Every Weekend \| 2019-2020	FREE* *Free lessons (and free skate rental) but an RSVP is required. Limited to 50 people per session.
All Day	Free de Young Museum Day for Bay Area Residents \| Every Saturday	FREE* *Free general admission to Bay Area residents. Valid ID or proof of residency required. This offer applies only to the permanent collection galleries.
All Day	Free Legion of Honor Museum Day for Bay Area Residents \| Every Saturday	FREE* *Free general admission to Bay Area residents. Valid ID or proof of residency required. This offer applies only to the permanent collection galleries.
All Day	Christmas Weekend Guided 57 Free Walking Tours \| Dec. 21-25	FREE
10:00 am	Winterfest Family Fun: Photo w/ Santa & Face Painting \| Salesforce Park	FREE
10:00 am	Mission Science Workshop: Free Hands-on Science Saturday \| SF	FREE* *Donations are appreciated.
All Day	Free PresidiGo Shuttle \| Downtown to Presidio	FREE
All Day	Children Craft Workshop & Free Photos with Santa Claus \| Japantown	FREE
12:00 pm	2019 Russian Holiday Bell Concert \| SF Main Library	FREE
12:45 pm	2019 “Holiday Fanfare”: Free Outdoor Final Concert \| Civic Center	FREE
3:00 pm	Art in the Park: Live Music, Arts & Spoken Word \| Tenderloin	FREE
4:00 pm	2019 Christmas Carol Music Festival \| SF	FREE* *Free Admission. Donations Requested. Limited seating. Register online.
4:54 pm	14 Hours of The Bay Lights \| The Longest Night of the Year 2019	FREE
7:30 pm	San Francisco Winter Comedy Festival \| December 2019	FREE* *RSVP Required, otherwise $10 at the door
8:00 pm	“Nightlife on Mars” Comedy Night \| SF	FREE* *Free with code CHEAPBASTARD - otherwise it's $10