This weekend, get ready to explore a collection of uniquely San Francisco events.
Only in the City by the Bay could you spend a Saturday watching a queer wrestling match and a bare-buns deadlift contest before walking a couple of blocks to attend the West Coast’s longest-running electronic dance music festival.
Read on to see what else is in store for you in the city this weekend.
1. Bearrison Street Fair in SoMa
🗓️ Saturday | Noon-6 p.m.
📍11th and Harrison streets
🔗 bearrison.org
Prepare to see some skin at the Folsom Street Fair’s burlier counterpart, the Bearrison Street Fair, this Saturday. Hosted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and the Bears of San Francisco, the now 3-year-old party embraces all adult members of the LGBTQ+ community, promoting body positivity and fostering a diverse and welcoming “bear” scene in San Francisco. The theme this year is “Under the Big Tops,” promising carnival midway games, Full Queer wrestling, DJs and plenty of other live performances.
2. Solar Eclipse Viewing on the Embarcadero
🗓️ Saturday | 9-10:45 a.m.
📍 Pier 15
🔗 exploratorium.edu
On Saturday morning, an annular solar eclipse, where the moon covers the center of the Sun, will cross North, Central and South America and will be wholly viewable in parts of Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. In San Francisco, you may not be able to see the full “ring of fire” caused by this astronomical occurrence, but you can still see a partial solar eclipse in which the moon covers 76.5% of the sun. The Exploratorium hosts a free viewing party at Pier 15 where educators will hand out special glasses for eclipse-viewing and conduct hands-on activities. But if drizzly skies happen to cloud the view of this year’s ring of fire, you can always stay home and listen to Johnny Cash sing about it.
3. How Weird Street Faire in SoMa
🗓️ Saturday | Noon-8 p.m.
📍 Howard and Second streets
🔗 howweird.org
🎟️ $35-$40
San Francisco’s eclectic energy and affinity for electronic dance music come to life on Saturday at SoMa’s How Weird Street Faire. In this massive celebration of creativity and individuality, attendees are encouraged to dress in costumes as far-out and true to themselves as possible. How Weird is the West Coast’s longest-running electronic festival, boasting eight stages of electronic music, art, a cannabis experience and food and retail vendors.
4. Union Square in Bloom
🗓️ Saturday | 1-4 p.m. (free concert), 4-7 p.m. (wine, spirits and art walk)
📍 Union Square Plaza
🔗 visitunionsqauresf.com
“Union Square in Bloom” is an annual series of community events aimed at boosting foot traffic in the area and reimagining the days when free flowers were handed out to Union Square visitors perusing Maiden Lane—with a modern twist. This weekend, the series hosts back-to-back events on Saturday that symbolize the transition from summer into fall. Early in the afternoon, enjoy a free concert in the plaza by Bill Ortiz, renowned Bay Area trumpet player and former member of Santana—and it wouldn’t be a fall-themed event without something pumpkin, so you can also reserve a spot to pick up a free gourd from a mini pumpkin patch. The latter half of the afternoon features a wine, spirits and art walk where you can sip seasonal drink specials and see art from local bars, restaurants and galleries.
5. Empire Salutes 50 Years of Hip-Hop in SoMa
🗓️ Sunday | Noon-6 p.m.
📍SVN West
🔗 seetickets.us
🎟️ $25
San Francisco record label Empire honors the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with a celebration of the Bay Area’s remarkable impact on the genre and culture. Bay Area legend Too Short, whose influential career started in the early 1980s, hosts alongside notable radio personality Chuy Gomez. DJs Steady, Cream of Beat (Mindmotion and DJ Ivan), Big Von and others are set to spin, and the event also promises food trucks, local artists and break dancers.