Free San Francisco

Any time is a great time to be in San Francisco, but Summer time is the best time to be in San Francisco. There are so many fun events during the summer as well as free activities that are available all year round, including many free or low cost art / music festivals, tours, concerts and movies. Free activities coming up are the following:

SF Folk Music Club

The SF Folk Music Club sponsors Friday Night Jams every other Friday at 885 Clayton Street. It is free of charge and features song swaps and instrumental presentations. The SF Folk Music Club is a non-profit organization of singers, songwriters, instrumentalist and those interested in the presentation of folk music.

Stern Grove Festival

Enjoy admission free concerts June 19 – August 21 (Sundays at 2:00 PM) at the beautiful outdoor Stern Grove Festival. It opened its 74th Season with the Dap Kings with their R/B and Soul sounds. For a sample of their music click on the following: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oThcfKtRjcQ

The concerts are at Stern Grove located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Blvd. For additional information, go to http://www.sterngrove.org/season2011.html . Parking is very difficult during these concerts. It is much better to take public transportation or bicycle. The bike valet service will open at 10:00 AM and close one hour after the concert ends. No bikes are allowed on the concert meadow. There will be handicap permit parking and a designated drop off area. Reserved picnic table seating is available by lottery for Friends of Stern Grove members. Otherwise, come prepared with blankets and food to sit picnic style on the grass. It is a good idea to come early, dress in layers and that it is a good idea to come prepared to make a small voluntary donation (if you can) to keep the free concerts coming.

Note: Stern Grove was a gift from Rosalie M. Stern in 1931 in memory of her husband. She requested that the park be preserved as a space in which the public could enjoy free music, theatre and dance performances. Her descendants are actively involved in the Festival.

Golden Gate Park Band

April 10 – October 9, 2011 (1:00 PM – 2:45 PM), the Golden Gate Park Band will perform free concerts at the completely restored Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park. The Music Concourse was originally built for the California Midwinter Exhibit of 1894. The Golden Gate Park Band was founded in 1882 with twelve members. This is their 129th season of performing opera, Broadway tunes, marches, folk music, big band swing, featured soloist and more. Michael L. Wirgler is the music director and conductor.Go to http://www.goldengateparkband.org/Upcoming_Concerts.html

The SF Salsa Festival

The San Francisco Salsa Festival will take place on Fillmore between Eddy / Geary streets. There will be free live concerts on the street with salsa lessons and featured concerts at cost. Go to http://salsaonfillmore.com/ for tickets and additional information.

Free Shakespeare in the Park will grace the stage in the beautiful SF Presidio September 3, 2011 – September 25, 2011. Go to http://www.sfshakes.org/park/index.html for more information.

San Francisco City Guides

San Francisco City Guides offers free walking tours throughout San Francisco. View their website at http://www.sfcityguides.org/ for additional information of their extensive June – September 2011 tour schedule and meeting places. The Telegraph Hill Hike is given every Saturday at 1:00 PM and the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month at 5:30 PM. The Golden Gate Bridge walk is every Sunday and Thursday at 11:00 AM. Bring a jacket and dress in layers as the weather is unpredictable. There are so many other walking tours like the Mt. Davidson Hike and Japanese Tea Garden tour and walk.

*Groups of eight or more are not allowed and should be pre-scheduled in advance as a private group tour. Otherwise, no reservation is needed.* Watch Doug McConnell on the Open Road television program interview a tour guide from San Francisco City Guides to give you more about this remarkable program. http://openroad.tv/video.php?vid=313

San Francisco Museums

Most of the museums in the city have free admission days. See my hubpage “San Francisco Museums” for more information.

FREE MOVIE CORNUCOPIA

San Francisco Maritime National Park Association features Floating Film Cinema at Hyde Street Pier (Hyde / Jefferson Streets). For a $5.00 suggested donation, you can watch maritime films on the water aboard a historic ship. June 16th they showed Across the Pacific with Humphrey Bogart. On July 14th they will show “It Came From Beneath the Sea”(a giant octopus attacks San Francisco). Open seating begins at 7:30 PM and the film begins at 8:00 PM. http://www.maritime.org/calendar.htm

Film Night in the Park 2011will highlight many free movies (donations accepted) in the Bay Area including, When Harry Met Sally on July 16th outdoors on Union Square and Jaws at Dolores Park on August 18th. All movies begin at dusk (about 8:00 PM). You can obtain the movie schedule at http://www.filmnight.org/ .

CineArts at the Empire at 85 West Portal, SF, CA 94127 is hosting theSummer Movie Clubhouse featuring $1.00 movies at 10:00 AM throughout the summer. They can be reached at (415) 661-2539.

Stonestown Galleria (shopping mall) at 3251 20th Avenue, SF, CA 94132 is offeringfree movies for children every Tuesday at 7:00 PM until August 16th. There is also family entertainment that begins the same night at 6:00 PM. Wonderful YMCA volunteers serve free popcorn during this event.

Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema offers a selection offree independent films, documentaries, fiction, narratives, animation, art/experimental and music videosby Bernal Height residents and other local talent. Films are appropriate for general audiences including children and families. See website for additional information on the outdoor cinema as well as movie submission dates. http://www.bhoutdoorcine.org/OutdoorCinema.html

The Presidio Theatre, located at 2340 Chestnut Street, SF, CA 94123 offersmonthly free movies for mothers and babies on the second Thursday of each month. Movies begin at 12:45 PM. Call (415) 776-2388 for more information.

***Also, check out the San Francisco Main Library for free documentaries and lectures.