Enjoy the next several days with Diwali and De los Muertos celebrations, music, food and beverage festivals, art, film, theatre, opera, ballet, and more — there are plenty of choices for out and abouting .
Thursday, Nov. 5
Indian Restaurant Week celebrating Diwali is underway with six participating restaurants: Rooh, Tiya, Bombay Brasserie, Amber India, New Delhi, and Copra, all offering special multi-course menus. Through Nov. 14.
A 50-year retrospective of the iconic artist and theatrical costume designer, Beaver Bauer opens today. Beaver Bauer: From Street to Stage includes original renderings, video clips, and costume elements from her expansive work. Bauer has designed for ACT, the Berkeley Rep, Teatro ZinZanni, and others. Opening reception 5 to 7:30 p.m. with light snacks and beverages in the Jewett Gallery at the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch. Exhibition runs through April 11, 2027. Free admission.
The 30th Arab Film Festival opens tonight with Marwan Hamed’s biographical drama, El Sett, which chronicles the legendary Arab singer Umm Kulthum. 6 p.m. at the AMC Kabuki. Tickets: $45. The festival runs through Nov. 14.
Friday, Nov. 6
Ars Minerva reconstructs lost Baroque operas and will present Andromeda, which premiered at the Hapsburg Court on Nov. 4, 1714. Composed by Marc’Antonio Ziani, the one-act chamber opera is set in ancient Egypt and dramatizes the myth of Perseus and Andromeda. 7 p.m. through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Creativity Theater. Tickets from $25.
Enjoy music, local vendors, games, food and cocktails, interactive fun, D.J. sets and more, like tarot readings and face painting at the Dirty Bird Night Market. 5 p.m. at Thrive City. RSVP here.
The 2026 San Francisco Dance Film Festival is underway, with a screening tonight of In Other Words, which consists of five story-driven films where “feeling takes physical form,” from a weary coat maker confronted by the ghosts of the family he left behind to children training at a ballet school near the Arctic Circle, all proving that “some of the most powerful stories are carried by the body.” 6 p.m. at the Brava Theater. Tickets: $22 and change.
Saturday, Nov. 7
Coffee lovers can unite at the 10th annual San Francisco Coffee Festival and enjoy specialty roasters, exhibitors, tastings, and entertainment. Three time options from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Sunday at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion. Tickets from $38
For an alternative to that pumpkin spice latte, celebrate the season at the San Francisco Fall Cider Festival, where you can taste your way through unlimited pours of over 30 cider varieties. (Maybe there’s a pumpkin spice flavor?) Enjoy food from over 15 vendors, games, live music, and more, like fire pits. Noon to 4 p.m. at Spark Social SF. Tickets $30 and $60.
Enjoy two cultural fall observances at the family-friendly Dia de los Muertos and Diwali Festival to honor Latinx and South Asian traditions with arts and crafts, storytelling, cultural dance and song, a fire ceremony, and more. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Presidio Tunnel Tops. Free admission.
Giant Arc, inspired by the Bay Area’s landscape, is comprised of over 75,000 handcrafted kites of different shapes and materials in a floating assemblage. Make a Kite with Jacob Hashimoto, the artist, and learn how to make your own kite while immersed in the installation. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at SFMOMA. Free admission.
Tiny Dances is the San Francisco Ballet’s new family series for young children, performed by pre-professional trainees, and offering shorter performances and a welcoming atmosphere for children’s first ballet experience. Its inaugural production of Swan Lake features an on-stage narrator who will guide the kiddos through “the beauty, music, and choreography of the beloved classic.” 3 p.m. (sensory friendly) today, with two additional performances on Sunday at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Tickets from $65.
Sunday, Nov. 8
Enjoy live performances, a curated selection of local makers, artisan vendors, great food, live performances, and more at the outdoor all-ages San Francisco Diwali Festival. 1–5 p.m. at Yerba Buena Gardens.
Notable next week
Monday, Nov. 9
With their French café music of swing jazz, waltzes, and musette, Bistro Moustache will transport you to a Parisian cafe, always a nice image to escape to. 5–8 p.m. at Scopo Divino. No cover.
Tuesday, Nov. 10
This image of a polar bear peering through a seal’s breathing hole from the seal’s point of view, is the Grand Prize-winner in California Academy of Science’s 13th annual BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition. See the 42 winning images in seven categories. See all the incredible images at the museum through an interactive kiosk. The museum is open daily. Tickets from $39
Wednesday, Nov. 11
The Interfaith Center will host a Veterans Day service with a keynote address by Michael Blecker, executive director emeritus of Swords to Plowshares, a nonprofit that supports veterans. 11 a.m. to noon at the historic Presidio Chapel. Free admission, RSVP here.
Enjoy, be safe and be kind, whatever you choose to do.
