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Free Events

San Francisco… land of the free. Here’s just the free stuff in SF and the Bay Area. Keep your wallet in your pocket and enjoy!

Wednesday, July 1

Drink & Draw Art Event & Raffle | The Knockout
Wednesday, July 1 – 6:30 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | The Knockout
Drink & Draw Art Event & Raffle | The Knockout

At Drink and Draw, artsy bar patrons draw to a theme and submit their artwork into a raffle for cocktails and other prizes at The Knockout in the Mission District. The artwork gets scanned online for all to admire. Drink and Draw happens every first Wednesday of the ...Monthly

Thursday, July 2

Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum
Thursday, July 2 – 11:00 am - Ends at 7:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission to galleries. Film programs are excluded. No advanced tickets required, but subject to capacity limits
| Berkeley Art Museum / Pacific Film Archive
Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is the visual arts center of the University of California, Berkeley. Through art and film programs, collections, and research resources, the University aspires to be locally connected and globally relevant, engaging audiences from the campus, community, and beyond. Normally $18, the ...Monthly

SF’s Free DFT Monthly Block Party: “Downtown First Thursdays” (2026)
Thursday, July 2 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with RSVP
| 2nd Street between Market and Howard Streets
SF’s Free DFT Monthly Block Party: “Downtown First Thursdays” (2026)

Downtown First Thursdays is back for a full year of street parties in 2026: Starting Jan 1, 2026 with a New Year’s Day Edition.  DJs – Live Performances – Dancing – Drag – Food Trucks – Shopping – Fashion, and new surprises every month. All ...Monthly

Friday, July 3

“HellaSecret” Speakeasy Comedy Show & Cocktail Night (Oakland)
"HellaSecret" Speakeasy Comedy Show & Cocktail Night (Oakland)

Get ready for our “HellaSecret” speakeasy comedy show in Oakland. A series of pop-up live comedy shows at unique spots all across the bay. We’ll take over a venue and you’ll get an email with the secret location. This HellaSecret comedy show takes place in a ...

Free National Parks Admission for Independence Day Weekend (July 3-5, 2026)
Free National Parks Admission for Independence Day Weekend (July 3-5, 2026)

Sometimes you’ve just got to get away from it all and clear your head with the peace and serenity of a national park. On certain “fee-free” days throughout the year, enjoy free entry to all national parks and monuments, including Muir Woods and Yosemite National Park, and ...

“Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid” Block Party + DJs (Oakland)
"Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid" Block Party + DJs (Oakland)

The Town’s favorite block party, Friday Nights at OMCA, is back for the 2026 season, inviting the Bay to kick off the weekend with the crew—whether family, friends, or neighbors. Join us every Friday, April–October, at 5 pm for a free evening of live music, interactive activities, ...Every Friday

Baukunst First Fridays: Art, Music + Food (Bernal Heights)
Friday, July 3 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 8:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Baukunst
Baukunst First Fridays: Art, Music + Food (Bernal Heights)

Join us for Baukunst First Fridays, our brand-new monthly celebration blending art, music, and food! Every month, experience a vibrant evening of creativity, delicious bites, and fantastic tunes. Mark your calendars and bring your friends — let’s make every first Friday unforgettable! Baukunst First Fridays ...Monthly

“Oakland First Fridays” Street Festival
Friday, July 3 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 9:30 pm | Cost: FREE | Telegraph & 27th
"Oakland First Fridays" Street Festival

Oakland First Fridays is an immersive art and community experience on the first Friday of each month from 5-9:30pm for five huge blocks on Telegraph Avenue between 27th Street & 22nd Street. Photography from @skyhighoakland via Oakland First Fridays Oakland’s KONO district (Koreatown/Northgate) springs to life ...Monthly

Saturday, July 4

4th of July Bonfire Day at SF’s Ocean Beach (2026)
Saturday, July 4 – 6:00 am - Ends at 9:30 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Fire rings are first come, first serve
| Ocean Beach Fire Pits
4th of July Bonfire Day at SF's Ocean Beach (2026)

For the first time in four months, it’s finally legal again to have a bonfire at Ocean Beach. During the “No Burn” Season (which runs from November 1 to the end of February), bonfires are not allowed, but starting March 1, 2026, bonfires are back ...

Free National Parks Admission for Independence Day Weekend (July 3-5, 2026)
Free National Parks Admission for Independence Day Weekend (July 3-5, 2026)

Sometimes you’ve just got to get away from it all and clear your head with the peace and serenity of a national park. On certain “fee-free” days throughout the year, enjoy free entry to all national parks and monuments, including Muir Woods and Yosemite National Park, and ...

Bank of America’s “Museums On Us” Free Museum Weekend (2026)
Bank of America's "Museums On Us" Free Museum Weekend (2026)

Holders of Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, or U. S. Trust cardholders (credit cards and debit cards) get free admission to six Bay Area museums, two Sacramento museums and to more than 225 cultural institutions nationwide, for the first full weekend each month including the de ...Monthly

Golden Gate Park Band’s 4th of July Symphony in the Park
Saturday, July 4 – 1:00 pm - Ends at 2:45 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free, but donations are welcome.
| Spreckels Temple of Music (Golden Gate Park Bandshell)
Golden Gate Park Band's 4th of July Symphony in the Park

The Golden Gate Park Band presents its 144th season in Golden Gate Park’s music concourse. That’s right, this 30-piece symphony has been playing free concerts in Golden Gate Park since 1882. For 2026, the Golden Gate Park Band performs free weekly concerts most Sundays at 1 pm. ...Every Sunday

Sunday, July 5

Free National Parks Admission for Independence Day Weekend (July 3-5, 2026)
Free National Parks Admission for Independence Day Weekend (July 3-5, 2026)

Sometimes you’ve just got to get away from it all and clear your head with the peace and serenity of a national park. On certain “fee-free” days throughout the year, enjoy free entry to all national parks and monuments, including Muir Woods and Yosemite National Park, and ...

Bank of America’s “Museums On Us” Free Museum Weekend (2026)
Bank of America's "Museums On Us" Free Museum Weekend (2026)

Holders of Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, or U. S. Trust cardholders (credit cards and debit cards) get free admission to six Bay Area museums, two Sacramento museums and to more than 225 cultural institutions nationwide, for the first full weekend each month including the de ...Monthly

Asian Art Museum: Free Admission Day (Every First Sunday)
Sunday, July 5 – 10:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Special exhibitions may require separate admission surcharge
| Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum: Free Admission Day (Every First Sunday)

Through the power of art, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco brings the diverse cultures of Asia to life. Located in the heart of San Francisco, the museum is home to one of the world’s finest collections of Asian art, boasting more than 18,000 ...Monthly

SF’s “Head West” Marketplace at the Ferry Building (Every 1st Sunday)
Sunday, July 5 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | San Francisco Ferry Building
SF's "Head West" Marketplace at the Ferry Building (Every 1st Sunday)

Come for the Marketplace, stay for the experience! HEAD WEST is a marketplace for emerging + established local brands and small businesses. From hand-made ceramics to locally sourced vintage, there are always new categories of goods available to explore. Marketplaces becomes a destination to not ...Monthly

Golden Gate Park Band’s Symphony in the Park: Musical Landscapes
Sunday, July 5 – 1:00 pm - Ends at 2:45 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free, but donations are welcome.
| Spreckels Temple of Music (Golden Gate Park Bandshell)
Golden Gate Park Band's Symphony in the Park: Musical Landscapes

The Golden Gate Park Band presents its 144th season in Golden Gate Park’s music concourse. That’s right, this 30-piece symphony has been playing free concerts in Golden Gate Park since 1882. For 2026, the Golden Gate Park Band performs free weekly concerts most Sundays at 1 pm. ...Every Sunday

Tuesday, July 7

“Legion of Honor” Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)
"Legion of Honor" Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)

The Legion of Honor displays a collection of 4,000 years of ancient and European art in an exquisite Beaux-Arts building in an unforgettable setting overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Normally, general admission is $20 for adults, but on the first Tuesday of the month, admission ...Monthly

de Young Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)
Tuesday, July 7 – 9:30 am - Ends at 5:15 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission to general galleries; special exhibition fees still apply. Timed tickets required
| de Young Museum
de Young Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)

Located in beautiful Golden Gate Park, the de Young Museum is a landmark art museum founded in 1895. Your visit includes a whirlwind trip around the world as the museum’s collections feature priceless treasures and works of arts from the 17th through the 20th centuries ...Monthly

SF’s Cartoon Art Museum’s “Pay What You Wish” Day (First Tuesdays)
Tuesday, July 7 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Pay What You Wish Day
| Cartoon Art Museum
SF's Cartoon Art Museum's "Pay What You Wish" Day (First Tuesdays)

Founded in 1984, the Cartoon Art Museum has something for everyone—from comic strips, comic books and anime to political cartoons, graphic novels and underground comix. People of all ages can view original cartoon art at exhibitions and screenings, produce their own comics and animation at ...Monthly