City Life

June 27 - June 28, San Francisco Pride 2009

Civic Center Plaza.  San Francisco’s annual celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community culminates with a festive parade that runs from the Embarcadero to the Civic Center.

July 1 - July 31, Harvey Milk Tour

In memory of the 30th anniversary of the death of Supervisor Harvey Milk, this tour begins with Harvey's immense presence in the Castro community moving on to his political progress at City Hall by becoming the first openly gay politician in the state of California in November 1977.  The tour explores both the Castro neighborhood and the beautiful City Hall, where Harvey served and met his untimely death on November 27, 1978.

July 1 - July 31, New Sun Hong Kong Happy Hours

New Sun Hong Kong Restaurant, 606 Broadway Street.  When weather permits, New Sun Hong Kong will set up a few tables outside to showcase different traditional cuisine arts, such as Shangtong hand-pulled noodles, hands-on dumpling (jiozi) making, and organic tea tasting. At the Flying Books Plaza, various performing arts will provide light entertainment, including live music, shuttlecock, folk dancing and more.  Time: Friday 5:00pm-7:00pm

July 4, Fourth of July Waterfront Festival

PIER 39.  Bring the whole family and experience the Fourth of July at Fisherman’s Wharf. Aquatic Park stage will showcase an afternoon of family entertainment.  Great food, live music, kids’ activities and family fun leading up to an amazing fireworks display will also be featured.  Fireworks start around 9PM.

July 4 - July 5, Fillmore Jazz Festival

2009 Fillmore St.  Every summer, the largest, free Jazz Festival on the West Coast welcomes more than 90,000 enthusiastic guests, who gather to celebrate a tradition of jazz, culture and cuisine.  Sat and Sun 10:00am – 6:00pm.

July 10 - July 12, 14th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival

Castro Theatre.  The San Francisco Silent Film Festival presents silent films accompanied by live music.  This festival promotes silent film as art and historical record.

July 16 - 26, Midsummer Mozart Festival

Herbst Theater and various Bay Area venues.  A Mozart musical festival featuring world-renowned artists and a first-class local orchestra.

July 20 - July 26, 2009 North Beach Jazz Festival

North Beach.  One of San Francisco’s favorite neighborhood-wide celebrations features a variety of the Bay Area’s best local jazz talent performing in bars, cafes, restaurants and other venues throughout the North Beach district.

July 23 - August 10, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Castro Theatre.  Founded in 1980, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival is the first, oldest and most prestigious film festival of its kind in the world.  It attempts to foster cultural understanding through dramatic, documentary, experimental, and animated features and shorts, as well as vigorous panels about Jewish history, culture, and identity.  The programming is rooted in the universality of Jewish themes, while always exploring and expanding the boundaries of what makes a film Jewish.

July 24 - July 26, Super Summer Sidewalk Sale

Union Street.  Restaurants, retail stores, and other businesses clear out inventory and offer amazing sales along Union and Fillmore Streets.  Friday-Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm.

July 24, Summer and the Symphony Grand Finale with James Earl Jones

Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue.  The 2009 summer symphony series comes to a dramatic and festive close when James Gaffigan leads the San Francisco Symphony and narrator James Earl Jones in Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait and Walt Whitman's Oh Captain My Captain.  8:00pm

July 26, 2009 Up Your Alley Fair

Folsom and Howard St.  Similar to September’s Folsom Street Fair, which is the climax of Leather Pride Week, this event has a more local appeal for leather folk and draws some 12,000 + attendees.  11:00am – 6:00pm.