Wine, flowers, and dragons. What more could you ask for?
FEBRUARY 1
SF ZOO FREE ADMISSION DAY FOR SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENTS
A free day for all San Francisco residents. Proof of San Francisco residency is required and can be established by providing: a valid driver’s license, a valid identification card, or a utility, phone, or other local bills with your name and address, along with a current valid photo I.D. First free admission at 10:00 am. Last free admission at 3:00 pm. 1 Zoo Road, SF. www.sfzoo.org/visit/tickets-hours.htm
FEBRUARY 2-16
SAN FRANCISCO INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL (SF INDIEFEST)
This film festival features the best of independent films and videos from the Bay Area and beyond. Roxie and various other theaters. 415-820-3907. www.sfindie.com
FEBRUARY 5 (FIRST SUNDAY)
FREE ADMISSION DAY, ASIAN ART MUSEUM
KAISER HALF-MARATHON & 5K RACE
One of the most scenic half-marathons, featuring a course through Golden Gate Park and along the Pacific Ocean. Starts and finishes together in Golden Gate Park. 415-759-2690. www.rhodyco.com
SAN FRANCISCO WALKING TOUR DAY (A SUPERBOWL ALTERNATIVE)
17 free guided walks with a history theme. Various locations throughout the City. General website: www.sfcityguides.org. For specific tours, see below:
- 10:00 am – Cow Hollow
- 11:00 am – The Castro: Tales of the Village
- 11:00 am – Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco
- 11:00 am – Japanese Tea Garden ($6-8 admission to the Tea Garden is required)
- 11:00 am – Haight-Ashbury
- 11:00 am – Japanese Tea Garden
- 11:00 am – Mission Dolores Neighborhood
- 11:00 am – Downtown Deco
- 11:00 am – Billionaire’s Row: Outer Broadway Architecture
- 11:00 am – Dogpatch and Potrero Point
- 11:00 am – Golden Gate Bridge
- 1:00 pm – Japanese Tea Garden
- 1:00 pm – American History in Golden Gate Park
- 1:30 pm – Noe Valley: A Village within the City
- 2:00 pm – Victorian San Francisco
- 2:00 pm – Nob Hill
- 2:00 pm – Gold Rush City
FEBRUARY 7 (FIRST TUESDAY)
FREE ADMISSION DAY
Conservatory of Flowers, Contemporary Jewish Museum, DeYoung Museum, Legion of Honor Museum, Museum of Craft and Design, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (please confirm with the museum calendar, as free days may vary).
FEBRUARY 9
[PRE-] VALENTINE WINE WALK
This annual tasting event includes restaurants and merchants offering wine samples, finger foods, and special treats. Union Street from Gough to Steiner, and Fillmore Street from Union to Lombard. www.sresproductions.com
FEBRUARY 9-12
SF TRIBAL & TEXTILES ARTS SHOW: FINE ARTS OF ASIA, OCEANIA, AFRICA, & THE AMERICAS
Featuring an assortment of museum-quality masks, textiles, sculptures, and jewelry from more than 100 galleries from around the world. Fort Mason Center, Festival Pavilion, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street. 310-455-2886. www.caskeylees.com
FEBRUARY 10-19
SAN FRANCISCO BEER WEEK
OK, earlier in the month there was a wine walk, so here we have a beer walk just to keep things balanced. Local craft beer and culture are celebrated with as many as 150 events–including beer dinners, cheese and beer pairing events, meet-the-brewer evenings, demonstrations, music, and films from Monterey to Sacramento and beyond. www.sfbeerweek.org
FEBRUARY 11
KNBR/GIANTS WINTER FANFEST
Fans can participate in an array of interactive games and displays on the Promenade and Club levels. Members of the Giants team will be on hand to sign autographs, pose for photos, and participate in Q&A sessions. AT&T Park. 415-995-6800. www.sfgiants.com or www.knbr.com
FEBRUARY 11
CHINESE NEW YEAR PARADE
Celebrating the Year of the Rooster, the 2-1/2 hour parade this year will step off at 5:15 pm from Second and Market Streets. Tickets for bleacher seats are available online or at the Parade Office (415) 889-8823. Cost is $30.00 per ticket. www.chineseparade.com/faqs.asp
FEBRUARY 11-12
CHINESE NEW YEAR STREET FAIR
This fair takes place on the weekend of the Chinese New Year Parade and is an opportunity to experience Chinese cultural arts such as lantern and kite making, calligraphy, fine arts demonstrations, folk dance, puppet shows, acrobats, lion dancing, and demonstrations of magic. Traditional and modern entertainment perform on the main stage both days. Centers on Portsmouth Square, 733 Kearny Street. www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/events/communityfair.html
- Saturday, February 11, 2017 | 10 am to 4:30 pm
- Sunday, February 12, 2017 | 9 am to 5 pm
Grant Avenue from Clay to Broadway
Pacific Avenue from Kearny to Stockton
Jackson Street from Kearny to Stockton
FEBRUARY 11-19
TULIPMANIA FESTIVAL
Thousands of brilliantly colored tulips from all over the world plus free guided tours. Pier 39. 415-705-5500. www.pier39.com
FEBRUARY 16–APRIL 8
ANNUAL YOUTH SPEAKS TEEN POETRY SLAM
Youth Speaks, one of the leaders in Spoken Word performances, works with 45,000 teens annually and presents local and national youth poetry slams, festivals, reading series, and more. Preliminaries take place in March followed by the semi-finals and finals, climaxing with the Grand Slam Finals at the Nourse Theatre on April 8. Various locations throughout the Bay Area. 415-255-9035. www.youthspeaks.org
FEBRUARY 17-27
NOISE POP
San Francisco’s premier independent music, film, and art festival is a full-scale cultural happening, which also includes gallery art shows, a music-themed film festival, an indie-designer trunk sale and educational panels. Various locations. 415-375-3370. www.noisepop.com
FEBRUARY 18
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE WINE COMPETITION
More than 5,000 wine lovers will converge to enjoy sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, outstanding food, conversations, and a bit of education as they imbibe samples from more than 800 wineries. Fort Mason Center. www.winejudging.com
FEBRUARY 23-25
THE ZINFANDEL EXPERIENCE
Another opportunity to imbibe—this time the focus is on Zinfandel. Savor this American varietal’s nuance and experience its distinctly classic profile at several events. More than 250 wineries participate in this food-and-wine tasting that draws as many as 10,000 wine lovers. Bentley Reserve, Pier 27 and One Market. www.zinfandelexperience.org
FEBRUARY 24-26
PACIFIC ORCHID AND GARDEN EXPOSITION
The annual edition of the San Francisco Orchid Society’s show explodes with 150,000 flowers, including hundreds of award-winners selected by the American Orchid Society. San Francisco County Fair Building (Hall of Flowers), Golden Gate Park. 650-548-6700. www.orchidsanfrancisco.org
FEBRUARY 25-26
THE GREAT SAN FRANCISCO CRYSTAL FAIR
Exhibitors will have on display a staggering variety of gems and minerals (quartz, amethyst, tourmaline, etc.), jewelry, metaphysics, healing tools, and the mystical arts. Fort Mason Center. 415-383-7837. www.crystalfair.com
FEBRUARY 26
ACADEMY OF FRIENDS ACADEMY AWARDS NIGHT GALA
A gala event to raise funds, award donations, and encourage volunteerism to benefit a diverse group of HIV/AIDS agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area offering direct care and prevention education. 100% of ticket sales will be distributed to their six HIV/AIDS beneficiaries: AIDS Legal Referral Panel, Aguilas, Maitri Compassionate Care, Openhouse, HIV Nightline, and the Spahr Center. The Midway exhibition center, 900 Marin St. (Dogpatch), SF. 415-995-9890. Tickets $300-750. www.academyoffriends.org