SF This Week
May 22 -- June 8, 2026 | Curated by Amika
Weekend Picks
The six events worth rearranging your schedule for.
Carnaval San Francisco Weekend Pick
Mission District
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May 23-24
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Outdoor
The biggest free street party in San Francisco, bar none. 17 blocks of samba, salsa, and soul food with 400+ vendors, 50 performers, and 3,000+ dancers in the Grand Parade on Sunday. This year's theme is "La Copa del Pueblo" -- celebrating community through futbol culture ahead of the World Cup. You will eat too much. You will dance. You will not regret it.
Alabama Shakes at Greek Theatre Weekend Pick
Greek Theatre, Berkeley
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May 29-30, 8:00 PM
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Concert
Brittany Howard's voice is a force of nature and Alabama Shakes live is one of the best rock experiences you can have in 2026. They've been on hiatus and this tour is their triumphant return -- expect "Hold On" to give you chills and "Don't Wanna Fight" to make you lose your mind. Two nights at the Greek means you might need to go to both.
SFMOMA Free Community Day: Matisse Weekend Pick
SFMOMA
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Sunday, May 24, 10 AM - 5 PM
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Culture
Free admission to one of the best modern art museums in the country, celebrating the opening of "Matisse's Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal." The programming includes drag performances, collector talks, and a family studio. Seven floors of world-class art, zero dollars. The only catch is the crowds -- get there early.
Margaret Cho: Choligarchy Weekend Pick
Palace of Fine Arts
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Friday, May 29, 7:00 PM
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Comedy
Margaret Cho returning to San Francisco is a homecoming. The "Patron Saint of Outsiders" is doing her new show "Choligarchy" -- expect razor-sharp political comedy with the big-hearted filth that makes her one of the most important comedians working today. Two shows (7 PM and 9:30 PM) at the stunning Palace of Fine Arts.
Giants vs White Sox (Weekend Series) Weekend Pick
Oracle Park
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May 22-24
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Sports
The White Sox are still historically bad, which means cheap tickets and a near-guarantee of watching the Giants win. Saturday and Sunday afternoon games at Oracle Park with the bay shimmering behind the bleachers are among the best casual sports experiences in America. Grab garlic fries and a beer and don't overthink it.
The Adicts at The Fillmore Weekend Pick
The Fillmore
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Saturday, May 23, 8:00 PM
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Concert
British punk royalty since 1975, The Adicts are the Clockwork Orange-inspired chaos merchants who never stopped touring and never stopped being fun. With Dog Party opening, this is a Fillmore show that'll have the floor bouncing by the second song. If you've never seen them live, you're in for a genuinely unhinged night.
Concerts & Live Music
Mt. Joy at The Fillmore
The Fillmore
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Friday, May 22, 8:00 PM
Mt. Joy is celebrating 10 years with their new album "Hope We Have Fun" and this is the kind of band that was built for rooms like The Fillmore -- warm, anthemic indie rock that fills every corner. Tonight's show is your last shot at catching them in an intimate venue before they graduate to amphitheaters permanently.
Yellowcard + New Found Glory + Plain White T's
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
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Tuesday, May 27, 7:00 PM
If you were alive and had feelings between 2003 and 2008, this triple bill is going to hit you right in the chest. Yellowcard's "Up Up Down Down" tour with New Found Glory and Plain White T's is the pop-punk nostalgia event of the year. "Ocean Avenue" in a room full of people who know every word? Emotional damage guaranteed.
Elmiene at The UC Theatre
The UC Theatre, Berkeley
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Wednesday, May 27, 8:00 PM
The British-Sudanese singer with the falsetto that stops rooms. Elmiene is one of the most compelling new voices in contemporary soul -- tracks like "Mad At Fire" mix classical soul with fresh R&B in a way that feels genuinely new. This is the show you'll brag about having seen before he's selling out arenas.
Comedy
Craig Conant at Cobb's Comedy Club
Cobb's Comedy Club
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June 5-6, 7:30 PM & 9:45 PM
Craig Conant is the kind of comedian who's about to blow up -- his crowd-work specials have millions of views and his standup is sharp, personal, and genuinely funny. Cobb's in North Beach is the perfect 400-seat room for his energy. Four shows over two nights; the late Friday show will be the loosest.
Sports
Giants vs Diamondbacks (Memorial Day)
Oracle Park
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Monday, May 25, 2:05 PM
Memorial Day afternoon baseball is an American tradition for a reason. The D-backs are actually competitive this year, so the baseball should be good, and a holiday Monday 2 PM start means you can tailgate, watch the game, and still have your evening free. Tickets start at just $33.
Food & Drink
SF AAPI Cocktail Week
Various bars across SF
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May 24-25
A two-day celebration of the Asian American and Pacific Islander bartenders shaping SF's cocktail scene. Now in its fourth year, this is a curated bar-hop through some of the most creative drink programs in the city. If you care about cocktails beyond the usual old fashioned, this is your weekend.
Outdoor & Festivals
Union Street Festival
Union Street, Cow Hollow
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June 6-7, 10 AM - 6 PM
SF's biggest free street fair kicks off summer in Cow Hollow with live music, craft cocktails, food trucks, local artists, and the annual Waiters Race (exactly what it sounds like -- waiters sprinting with loaded trays). The vibe is relaxed and neighborhood-y, the kind of Sunday where you wander with a beer and stumble into something good.
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
Yerba Buena Gardens
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May through November
Nearly 100 free outdoor performances running May through November in the gardens right next to SFMOMA. Music, dance, theater, cultural festivals -- it's the city's best-kept secret for a free lunchtime outing or weekend afternoon. Check the schedule because the programming is genuinely eclectic and high-quality.
Tech
WWDC 2026 Keynote
Apple Park, Cupertino (livestream worldwide)
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Monday, June 8, 10:00 AM PT
Apple's annual developer conference keynote where they unveil iOS 20, macOS 27, and whatever new AI features they've been cooking. Even if you're not a developer, the keynote is a cultural event -- watch parties will pop up across SF. Expect the usual mix of genuine innovation and "we invented this thing that Android had three years ago."
Art & Culture
Candlelight: The Best of Joe Hisaishi
Brava Theater Center
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Saturday, May 23
If you've ever cried during Spirited Away or felt your chest expand watching My Neighbor Totoro, this is the concert for you. A string quartet performs Hisaishi's Studio Ghibli scores by candlelight in an intimate theater setting. It's the kind of evening that makes you remember why live music exists.
The Phantom of the Opera
Orpheum Theatre
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May 28 - June 21
Broadway's longest-running show comes to SF for a limited engagement. Love it or find it overwrought, the chandelier crash and the underground lake are experiences that don't translate to a screen. The Orpheum is a gorgeous venue for it, and this touring production has been getting strong reviews.
The Barber of Seville (SF Opera)
War Memorial Opera House
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May 28 - June 21, 7:30 PM
Rossini's most purely fun opera in a flamenco-inspired production with two alternating casts. If you think opera is stuffy, this is the one that'll change your mind -- it's basically a screwball comedy with incredible music. Hearing "Largo al factotum" live in one of SF's most beautiful buildings is worth the ticket alone.
SF DocFest (25th Annual)
Roxie Theater
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May 28 - June 7
The 25th annual San Francisco Documentary Film Festival at the Roxie is the kind of under-the-radar festival where you stumble into a film that rewires your brain. Ten days of nonfiction storytelling at one of the last great independent movie theaters in America. Individual tickets are cheap; the all-access pass is a commitment worth making.
Best of PlayGround
Potrero Stage
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May 30-31, 8:00 PM
SF's incubator for emerging playwrights picks the best ten-minute plays from their 2025-26 season and stages them over two nights. It's raw, surprising theater from writers across four cities -- the kind of thing that makes you remember SF's arts scene is still alive and thriving. Intimate venue, low ticket prices, high reward.
The Lunchbox (World Premiere Musical)
Berkeley Rep (Roda Theatre)
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Through June 28
Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown) directs the world premiere musical adaptation of the beloved Bollywood film about two strangers connected by a mistaken lunch delivery. Original writer Ritesh Batra wrote the book, and early buzz says it's gorgeous and intimate. Berkeley Rep world premieres have a habit of ending up on Broadway -- catch it here first.
Dear San Francisco
Club Fugazi
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Ongoing
The 7 Fingers circus collective's love letter to SF is the best show most locals haven't seen yet. Acrobatics, storytelling, shadow art, and visual projections in the legendary Club Fugazi -- it's like Cirque du Soleil if Cirque du Soleil actually had a soul. Perfect date night, perfect out-of-town-visitor show, perfect random Tuesday decision.