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Japantown film festival and more events in San Francisco this weekend

The Peace Pagoda stands at the Japantown Peace Plaza in San Francisco. | Source: Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard

This weekend in the city offers a little bit of everything, leaving no room for a down or dull moment. Activity seekers can play bingo and watch wrestling with the Bay Area’s resident queer wrestling league Full Queer, celebrate El Rio’s 45th birthday with free drinks, food and Dolly Parton-themed entertainment or head to Fort Mason for a craft fair overflowing with handmade art, clothing, jewelry and trinkets galore.

1. Koho Film Festival in Japantown

🗓️ Saturday | noon-5 p.m.
📍 Japantown Peace Plaza
🔗 kohosf.org

Koho Film Festival highlights three short films produced by stakeholders in San Francisco’s Japantown community that examine the modern-day experiences of Japanese Americans. The pieces, like one focusing on the closure of the 115-year-old Benkyodo manju shop, tackle themes like generational resilience and the search for cultural identity in purpose and community. The films start at 2 p.m., followed by related discussions. Before and afterward, enjoy a live DJ set and shop the Koho vendor marketplace, featuring works from Japanese, Japanese American and other AAPI artists. 

2. Bimbo Bingo in the Mission

🗓️ Saturday | 2:30-4 p.m.
📍 Sour Cherry Comics
🔗 eventbrite.com
🎟️ Free-$15

Full Queer Wrestling—you may have caught the troupe in action at the Bearrison Street Fair—is teaming up with Sour Cherry Comics in the Mission to host “Bimbo Bingo” this Saturday. Join members of the team at the queer-centric comics and art store for lively games of bingo with prizes. The event is also part-wrestling watch party, so be sure to bring some popcorn along for when the bodies start flying and the raucous energy ramps up. For clarity, nobody will be body-slammed on-site at Sour Cherry—the wrestling will be happening on a screen.

3. El Rio Birthday Celebration in the Mission 

🗓️ Saturday | 3 p.m.
📍 El Rio
🔗 elrio.com

El Rio, one of the Mission’s most beloved queer dive bars, is throwing itself a birthday party to ring in 45 years of dance parties, karaoke and live music. Show up early for an open bar during the first two hours—and free food while supplies last—to kick off the celebration properly. If free booze isn’t enough to lure you out, the “Dolly Parton Hoot” starts the festive afternoon of entertainment off strong with live performances and danceable tunes dedicated to the rhinestone-studded queen. The evening promises a little bit of everything that encapsulates El Rio, including performances by beloved local drag queens like Per Sia and Dulce De Leche and DJ sets both inside and on the bar’s famed patio space. 

4. Renegade Craft Fair at Fort Mason

🗓️ Saturday-Sunday | 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
📍 Fort Mason Center
🔗 renegadecraft.com

Though we’ve only just said goodbye to Halloween and pumpkin spice latte season, Renegade Craft Fair’s winter market is making an appearance at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center—because it’s never too early to start poking around for holiday gift ideas. The Renegade team curates a myriad of over 250 artists and makers for the event. Find everything from carefully crafted pieces of decor to statement jewelry and clothing. Local favorites like Indian street food restaurant Curry Up Now and the Mayan fusion Cochinita food truck will also be doling out deliciousness during the fair. 

5. The Good Fun Fall Fest in SoMa

🗓️ Sunday | 2-9 p.m.
📍 Monarch Gardens
🔗 eventbrite.com

Add the Good Fun Fall Fest to your to-do list this weekend for an afternoon of art, music, food and more. There’s a full schedule of live DJs and drag performances, so be ready to be on your feet. Halloween may be over, but there will be pumpkin decorating if you happen to have any of the gourds lying around. Blankets are encouraged for when you want to take a break from dancing to sprawl out on the lawn. There will be plenty of games, vendors and other activities to keep you busy.