There are plenty of street fairs and outdoor parties this week, some indoor movies, theater, music, and more, like a Broadway tea party and a Sistine Chapel experience. If you’re looking for something to do, read on.
Thursday, Aug. 21
View Michelango’s masterpiece up close without getting a neckache at the internationally acclaimed Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Using high-definition photographs and an innovative printing technique, the life-sized images are displayed at eye level allowing a closer view of the color of the original frescos and the artist’s technique. Through Sept. 14. Tickets here.
Enjoy a Fogust Merch Drop and Party at Sunset Dunes park (at Noriega St.) with live music, games, and other foggy fun. Be in the first 25 and you’ll receive a vintage gift; in the first 100, a free Sunset Dunes poster. 5–7 p.m. Free.
The description of The Return at ACT is compelling: A Palestinian and an Israeli meet in a body shop in Israel. Do they know each other? But their lives will be changed by their surrounding realities. It’s had great reviews. Through Sunday. Tickets from $40.
Friday, Aug. 22
If you missed Mrs. Doubtfire last week in Union Square, Grace Cathedral will screen the film tonight in its indoor labyrinth as part of its Movies on the Labyrinth series (this is the last). BYO seating. 6:30 p.m. Free, registration appreciated, but not required. Free.
The San Francisco International Piano Festival kicks off tonight as part of the Old First Concerts series, featuring a historic recreation of Maurice Ravel’s San Francisco stop at the Curran Theatre in his acclaimed 1928 tour of the United States. The concert will be celebrated in period style, and audience members are encouraged to dress the same. Through Aug. 31. Tickets from $20.
Saturday, Aug. 23
Enjoy a whimsical, elegant, and fun afternoon at the Broadway-themed Tipsy Tea pop-up at the Orpheum. Sip premium teas and cocktails along with typical tea fare of finger sandwiches and other gourmet bites; have fun with tea trivia, “name that tune,” and other interactive games; snap your memories in a photo booth with themed props, and more. 1 p.m. Tickets: $99
A Ghost King parade fittingly kicks off the The Hungry Ghost Festival, an evening of art, performances, and a marketplace in Chinatown. Ghost festivals are when the hangriest ghosts come to seek solace in the living realm, and these traditional festivals aim to distract and calm those restless spirits. So do your part and have fun because there’s a lot to be had. 4–9 p.m. Free.
Head to Fisherman’s Wharf for the Pier Party, featuring craft cocktails, bistro-style seating, dancing to music, like hip hop, jazz, R&B, folk rock, and more. 3–7 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday through September. Free.
Sunday, Aug. 24
It’s a busy weekend in Chinatown, with festivities continuing with a Family Street Fair. As a celebration of APA Family Support Service’s 38th anniversary, the block party will feature lion dancing, drumming, singing, face painting, games, and more. 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Grant Avenue. Free.
Sunday Streets is headed to the Bayview today for a four-block festival and party to foster community connection, movement, recreation, culture, and engagement. The event will feature cultural performances, exercise classes, and more, including the sixth annual Butchertown Jazz Festival and the fifth annual Seafood Boil by Gumbo Social. Free (excluding seafood boil).
Monday, Aug. 25
For your Museum Monday, find out how AI really works at Adventures in AI at the Exploratorium. Interact with art, make music, see how AI works in real-world science and research, explore its ethics and impact, and more in over 700 exhibits. Through Sept. 14. Tickets from $30.
Tuesday, Aug. 26
I’m hearing libraries are the places to be these days, and I’ve always been a big fan of our libraries and their free public programs throughout the city. The S.F. Main Library hosts a monthly Writers Grotto, writers sharing their work with the community. Tonight features writers and filmmakers Amy Shea, David Munro, and Ariel Gore, who will speak on the theme: To Live and Die in the United States: A Struggle for Agency, Dignity, and Grace. The event will include the screening of a short film, Stitch & Time, about a prison club that crochets comfort items for fellow inmates in hospice. Free.
Today is International Dog Day, and for all of you doggo parents, this is for you. The Roxie is showing two silent films hosted by the San Francisco Film Preserve: Black Lightning starring Clara Bow and featuring Thunder the Marvel Dog, about a young woman raising her brother while fending off unwanted attention from her male neighbors, and a young man who lives nearby with his trusty companion, Thunder. The film will be preceded by the short, The Love Fighter, featuring a four-legged hero. Tickets: $22
Wednesday, Aug. 27
Carrington Swing is one of the house bands at Scopo Divino, an award-winning cozy neighborhood wine bar and bistro. Tonight hear the trio of violin, bass, and guitars, which plays homage to Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, “but pushes the sonic boundaries of Gypsy Jazz by mixing in the sounds of Latin, Eastern European folk, and Cassical music in their original compositions and soloing.” 6–9 p.m. Free.
Have a great week whatever you decide to do, just enjoy and be safe.
