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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!

Thursday, September 24

“SOMA Nights” 2026: Neighborhood Block Party + Night Market (SF)
Thursday, September 24 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Folsom St. (between 6th-12th)
"SOMA Nights" 2026: Neighborhood Block Party + Night Market (SF)

SOMA Nights returns in 2026, bringing a monthly street party to San Francisco’s Folsom Street (6th–12th) on the fourth Thursday of each month, from April 23 through September 24, 2026. This free, high-energy event spotlights the neighborhood’s creative spirit with local food, pop-up vendors, art, ...Monthly

SF’s Grace Cathedral’s “Rose Window” Laser Light Show (Sept. 21-25)
Thursday, September 24 – 8:00 pm - Ends at 12:00 am | Cost: FREE | Grace Cathedral
SF's Grace Cathedral's "Rose Window" Laser Light Show (Sept. 21-25)

For five nights this September, San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral will get a seriously dramatic nighttime makeover. Grace Window returns to Nob Hill September 21-25, 2026, sending 25 laser beams from the roof of The Fairmont San Francisco across the neighborhood and directly into all 25 ...

Every Thursday: “Inner Circle” Dance Party at White Rabbit (SF)
Thursday, September 24 – 9:00 pm - Ends at 1:00 am | Cost: FREE*
*Inner Circle is always Free with RSVP
| White Rabbit
Every Thursday: "Inner Circle" Dance Party at White Rabbit (SF)

Free Thursday Party featuring DJs spinning House, Disco, Remixes, Currents, Classics and more every Thursday at White Rabbit. Join us at White Rabbit on Thursdays for Inner Circle, a weekly get-together dedicated to the DJ and a love for dance music. No cover. No worries! ...Every Thursday

16th & Mission Open Mic (w/out a mic)
Thursday, September 24 – 9:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Absolutely free for all!
| 16th & Mission BART (southwest streetcorner)
16th & Mission Open Mic (w/out a mic)

Time: 9pm to 12am, Celebrating 20 years in May 2023 (currently 19 years strong). Instagram: @16thmission. For 18 years, this outdoor “open mic-without-a-mic” has welcomed poets, musicians, emcees, comedy, and everything in between. In the best of San Francisco tradition, everyone is welcome, ...Every Thursday

Friday, September 25

Dolly Parton Day 2026: Free Outdoor Fest at Union Square (SF)
Friday, September 25 – 12:00 pm - Ends at 3:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*No RSVP required
| Union Square Park
Dolly Parton Day 2026: Free Outdoor Fest at Union Square (SF)
Dolly Day is a community-organized day of recognition, honoring the life of Dolly Parton with the intention to make it an annual event in San Francisco. The September 25th San Francisco event brings together music, generosity, and glam in a free, public gathering open to fans ...
SF’s Huge “Sunset Night Market” (Sept. 25)
Friday, September 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Irving & 22nd
SF's Huge "Sunset Night Market" (Sept. 25)

The long-awaited return of the Sunset Night Market has arrived!  Sunset Night Market™ gets ready for summer with The Dragon Boat Festival! Join us for a night of food, culture, music, and community spirit. Bring your family, invite your friends, and wish for good luck while taking ...

“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 ...

SF’s HellaSecret “Crazy Funny Asians” Friday Night Comedy Showcase (7p + 9p)
SF’s HellaSecret “Crazy Funny Asians” Friday Night Comedy Showcase (7p + 9p)

Inspired by the blockbuster movie, see some of the Bay Area’s top comedians at San Francisco’s Crazy Funny Asians comedy showcase, presented by Funcheap and HellaFunny. Let’s celebrate the Bay’s Asian-American culture and heritage with laughs at a secret location – a two-floor comedy club near ...Every Friday

“Rush Hour Comedy Night” w/ SFs Best Black & Asian Comedians (The Function)
Friday, September 25 – 7:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*RSVP Required
| The Function
"Rush Hour Comedy Night" w/ SFs Best Black & Asian Comedians (The Function)

Welcome to ‘Rush Hour Comedy Night’ where laughter knows no bounds and cultural collisions are the name of the game. Join our dynamic duo of black and Asian comedians as they embark on a whirlwind adventure through the streets of humor, weaving together their diverse backgrounds and ...Every Friday

“The Stoner Comedy Jam” Friday Nights (SF)
Friday, September 25 – 8:00 pm - Ends at 9:30 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with RSVP (21+ with Valid ID) - One item minimum purchase per person required
| Moe Greens
"The Stoner Comedy Jam" Friday Nights (SF)

You know what makes stand-up comedy funnier? Smoking while watching it live! Come to San Francisco’s premiere cannabis club Moe Greens every Friday night for a night of laughter and, well, getting stoned. HellaFunny is taking over the cannabis lounge at Moe Greens for the ...Every Friday

Japanese Tea Garden’s Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)
Japanese Tea Garden's Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California ...Every Friday

“Pay-What-You-Can” Taco Day at SF’s Tato (Every Friday)
"Pay-What-You-Can" Taco Day at SF's Tato (Every Friday)

While many restaurants are struggling, San Francisco Mexican restaurant TATO wants to give back. They’re bringing back their “Taco Love” special which features a two taco plate with sides, and pay-what-you-can pricing. Pay-What-You-Can Taco Day Tato 4608 3rd St. (@ McKinnon) San Francisco (Bayview) Every ...Every Friday

Dread Scott: The Body Politic (YBCA)
Friday, September 25 – 11:00 am | Cost: FREE*
*$10 regular admission, discounts for seniors and students
| Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Dread Scott: The Body Politic (YBCA)
“The Body Politic” is the most significant exhibition of Dread Scott’s work to date, bringing together recent projects that explore the structures of power and examine American patriotism. Well-known for an early work that became the center of national controversy over its use of the ...
SF’s Punk Vinyl Pop-Up: Fat Wreck Chords 35th Anniversary Celebration (SF)
Friday, September 25 – 4:00 pm - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | FAT Record Store SF Pop Up
SF's Punk Vinyl Pop-Up: Fat Wreck Chords 35th Anniversary Celebration (SF)
Independent punk pock record label Fat Wreck Chords Record Store hosts a one-hour pop-up event at 2196 Palou Ave in San Francisco’s Bayview. The event takes place on Friday, September 25, 202, and offers a chance to visit the store ahead of their two sold ...
SF’s “Visitacion Valley” Night Market + Block Party (2026)
Friday, September 25 – 4:00 pm - Ends at 8:30 pm | Cost: FREE | Leland Avenue (Between Bayshore & Peabody)
SF's "Visitacion Valley" Night Market + Block Party (2026)

The inaugural Visitacion Valley Night Market takes place on the last Fridays of August and September along Leland Avenue in San Francisco. This free community event features delicious food vendors, local shopping, live music, street dancing, family-friendly activities, and resources from community organizations. All ages ...

“Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid” Block Party + DJs (Oakland)
Friday, September 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Most outdoor activities and entertainment is free and open to the public from 5-9pm. Regular Museum applies to enter the galleries
| OMCA (Oakland Museum of California)
"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

Walnut Creek Oktoberfest: Free Festival, 21+ Chillgarten + Kids Zone (Sept. 25-26)
Walnut Creek Oktoberfest: Free Festival, 21+ Chillgarten + Kids Zone (Sept. 25-26)

Walnut Creek Oktoberfest @ Civic Park East in Downtown Walnut Creek Mark your calendar: Walnut Creek Oktoberfest is back for an unforgettable weekend of German-inspired food and beers, local craft brews, live entertainment, and contests. Plus, don’t miss the enhanced Chillgarten, a relaxed 21+ lounge ...

“Union Square Dances” Free Outdoor Friday Night Dance Party (SF)
Friday, September 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 8:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Union Square Park
"Union Square Dances" Free Outdoor Friday Night Dance Party (SF)

Come out to Union Square Park every Friday from 5 pm to 8 pm through October 16 for our free Union Square Dances. Enjoy rotating styles of live music and dancing, including Salsa, Country Western, Swing, Bollywood, and Tango. Each event starts with a lesson followed by ...Every Friday

Sunset Night Market: The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Friday, September 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free
| Irving St. btwn 20th-25th Ave.
Sunset Night Market: The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Sunset Night Market™ shifts into fall with one of the most beloved celebrations: The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival! This festival is a time for giving thanks and the gathering of friends and family. Join us for a night of moon cakes, laterns, music, cultural performances, food, ...
$1 Drink Fridays: “Battle of the Decades” DJ Party (North Beach)
Friday, September 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 11:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission with RSVP on Eventbrite
| Monroe
$1 Drink Fridays: "Battle of the Decades" DJ Party (North Beach)

Fridays are now a little bit more awesome. Did someone say $1 drinks? Monroe in North Beach hosts “Battle of the Decades” DJ party and happy hour every Friday with a DJ spinning progressive tunes. Every hour is a different decade – with drink prices ...Every Friday