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Culture

20 events in SF this week, from a Blair Witch rave to the classic Castro Street Fair

What’s worth checking out? We’ll help you choose.

A group of cheerleaders in red "Cheer San Francisco" shirts perform energetically with pom-poms on a sunny street, while spectators watch in the background.
Performances, food, and art take over the Castro on Sunday. | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard

Outgoers is a weekly column published in partnership with the event newsletter of the same name founded by Josh Constine. Outgoers texts readers a list of San Francisco events and activities worthy of their time. The Standard features those, plus a few extra, every week. Sign up for Outgoers by clicking this link (opens in new tab) on your phone (a third-party service).

Performances at SFMOMA (opens in new tab)

Oakland collective Smartbomb — more than 20 creatives in fields of visual arts, film, music, and poetry — curates a takeover of SFMOMA. Museum entry is free for Bay Area residents from 4 to 8 p.m.

Date and time
Thursday, Oct. 2, 2:30 to 9 p.m.

Downtown First Thursdays and Front Street hoedown (opens in new tab)

A massive block party on 2nd Street, with disco, drag, and open-air bars, is just blocks from the hoedown, with line dancing, bluegrass, and a mechanical bull.

Source: Alexa Treviño for SF Standard
Date and time
Thursday, Oct. 2, 5 to 10 p.m.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (opens in new tab)

The legendary free festival in GG Park returns with more than 80 artists across six stages, including Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Nathaniel Rateliff, Lucinda Williams, String Cheese Incident, and Emmylou Harris.

Source: Special to The Standard
Date and time
Friday, Oct. 3 to Sunday, Oct. 5

Aerial dance tribute (opens in new tab)

Flyaway Productions presents a free aerial dance recital honoring the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot of 1966, with performers suspended from cables on the side of buildings.

A person in a bright green jacket and patterned black-and-white pants appears to float mid-air in a white corner, holding a small blue radio.
Source: Flyaway Productions
A person in a flowing yellow outfit is suspended horizontally against a white wall by ropes and harnesses, with shadows cast below.
Source: Flyaway productions
Date and time
Friday, Oct. 3, and Saturday, Oct. 4; Thursday, Oct. 9, to Saturday, Oct. 11; performances at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.

North Beach First Fridays (opens in new tab)

Celebrate Italian Heritage Month with music on Grant, poetry in Kerouac Alley, a Club Fugazi circus teaser, and special exhibits across dozens of North Beach galleries and bars.

Date and time
Friday, Oct. 3, 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Klangphonics (opens in new tab)

This Berlin trio blurs the lines between live band and DJs to produce kinetic electronic music with real instruments.

Date and time
Friday, Oct. 3, 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Circus on the square (opens in new tab)

Step right up to St. Mark’s Square for Circus Bella’s free outdoor show, with acrobats, clowns, cotton candy, face painting, and family games.

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Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Glow Up daytime dance party (opens in new tab)

Dance under the sun at Rincon’s Aura Cafe, with Golden Canopy spinning progressive house over seasonal drinks and free coffee cocktails for early arrivers.

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 12 p.m.

One Family block party (opens in new tab)

Celebrate Bruce Lee’s legacy in Chinatown with rappers, DJ sets, and a martial arts lecture and demos.

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 1 to 4 p.m.

Women of Rodeo (opens in new tab)

Women of Rodeo” is a competition for today’s cowgirls, who strive for excellence in the arena, and also serve as timekeepers, registration admins, pick up women, and promoters of the sport. Each year the Cow Palace honors women who have been significant contributors to the Cow Palace and rodeo in art, production, photography, equity, and promotion.

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 6 to 9 p.m.

‘Coco’ in Duboce Park (opens in new tab)

Bring a blanket and enjoy some Día de los Muertos magic under the stars with a free outdoor screening of Pixar’s “Coco.”

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 7 p.m.

Blair Witch-Hop rave (opens in new tab)

Dress spooky and dance to dubstep, trap, and drum and bass, with performers, a costume contest, and a haunted craft market.

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Garage Access dance party (opens in new tab)

SF’s U.K.-style dance music crew Garage Access brings Brighton’s Bushbaby to Monarch, with high-energy support from Dan Frandisco and others.

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Mira (opens in new tab)

Berlin phenom Mira brings her hypnotic deep house and sultry techno set to Great Northern, with Rooz opening.

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Zerb (opens in new tab)

Brazilian chart-topping dance music star Zerb, one of Spotify’s most-streamed artists of 2025, headlines, with opener Karisma in an SF debut.

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 p.m.

Art Span open studios (opens in new tab)

Meet the makers and see their work at open studios across North Beach, Downtown, Duboce, Marina, Hayes Valley, and other neighborhoods.

Date and time
Saturday, Oct. 4, and Sunday, Oct. 5

Castro Street Fair (opens in new tab)

The Castro Street Fair is still going strong 51 years after Harvey Milk started the event to fill the neighborhood with music, local vendors, and community stages.

A man performs an acrobatic pole move, gripping it upside down, while a woman in a swimsuit applauds nearby. Tents and people fill the sunny street scene.
Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
Date and time
Sunday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday Streets SoMa (opens in new tab)

The city turns SoMa into a giant car-free walking street full of concerts, crafts, and uniquely SF culture, for those who find Folsom Street Fair a bit too spicy.

Public Works 15-year anniversary party (opens in new tab)

The Mission club celebrates with a new Sunday monthly event, “The Attic,” featuring SF house and soul legend David Harness.

Date and time
Sunday, Oct. 5, 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.

A conversation with Kamala Harris (opens in new tab)

Harris recounts the wild 2024 presidential race with stories from her new book, “107 Days” (copy included with ticket), and an audience Q&A.

Tech week drone show (opens in new tab)

Combining drones over the bay and projections on the Ferry Building, this will be one of the nation’s largest light art shows.

Date and time
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m.