St. Patrick’s Day Parade With
its large Irish population, not to mention the 25 or so Irish pubs
scattered around town, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the revelry that
follows deep into the night is one of the city’s largest celebrations.
The parade journeys from 5th and Market streets to the Embarcadero. Cherry Blossom Festival
Japantown comes spectacularly to life when the cherry trees blossom. Traditional arts and crafts, taiko
drumming, martial arts demonstrations, and dancing, as well as
delicious Japanese food make this one of the city’s favorite
celebrations. There’s also a colorful and impressive parade. Cinco de Mayo Commemorating
the defeat of the French army at Puebla, Mexico, in 1862, by General
Ignacio Zaragoza, this is one of the Latino community’s biggest annual
festivals, featuring parades, fireworks, music, and dancing. In addition
to the Civic Center, much of the fun happens in the Mission District. Carnaval Having
nothing at all to do with Lent or any other traditional date, San
Francisco’s Carnaval is staged at the time of year when the weather will
most likely be at its best for the glittery event. Groups work all year
long, with the help of municipal grants, to create their dazzling
costumes and put together their infectiously rhythmic routines, all to a
samba, rumba, or salsa beat. Mission District Last weekend in May
Pride Celebration Parade More
than 300,000 people attend this amazing gay event, the largest of its
kind in the US, that takes over Market Street, from the Embarcadero to
the Civic Center. It’s up to four hours of Dykes on Bikes, drag queens
in nuns’ habits, leather-clad clones, gay parents, gay marching bands,
muscle men, and much more. The floats – as well as the cheering throngs –
are likely to be the most over-the-top, outlandish things you’ve ever
witnessed.
Performer, Pride Celebration Parade
Independence Day This
waterfront festival, held from Aquatic Park to Pier 39, involves live
entertainment, food stalls, and state-of-the-art fireworks launched from
several points along the Bayfront. If it’s foggy, the bursts of light
seem that much more romantic. Stern Grove Festival A much loved San Franciscan tradition, this festival showcases every kind of music you can name . Exotic Erotic Ball Just as outrageous as the title suggests, this indoor masquerade ball is reputedly the world’s largest. Cow PalaceHallowe’en This
Castro party is a time for dress-up, dress-down, or undress, as the
case may be; let your imagination run away with you as you join the gay
fray. Chinese New Year This
is the biggest Chinese New Year celebration outside Asia. It
incorporates traditional displays and the parade of dragons and
performers that winds through Chinatown.
Chinese New Year
Top 10 Fairs and Gatherings
Haight Street Fair You’ll know hippiedom is alive and well after attending this Gathering of the Tribe. North Beach Festival The city’s oldest street fair features arts and crafts and some great Italian food. Fillmore Street Jazz Festival Playing up the jazz heritage of this neighborhood, with crafts and live music. Renaissance Pleasure Faire This delightful event recreates Elizabethan England, with all its ribaldry and rowdiness. Burning Man One event that defies description. It is group performance art on a behemoth scale. Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival A chocaholic’s dream, with the chance to sample various nibbles. Folsom Street Fair One of the biggest events for the gay community is SoMa’s leather-and-body-hair carousal. Castro Street Fair A build-up to Hallowe’en, it focuses attention on everyday gay life. Tet Festival A multicultural party, but mainly Vietnamese-American. Tribal, Folk, & Textile Arts Show An arts and crafts fair at the Fort Mason Center, offering pottery, jewelry, textiles, and more.
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