Downtown First Thursdays
A monthly block party that takes over downtown on the first Thursday, with local vendors, food, music, and bars staying open late. It’s the easiest post-work plan on this list. Show up whenever, leave whenever.
DetailsBrick & Timber
Around the Bay
September 2026
All of these events are free, and most of them happen outside. That’s September in SF for you. Here’s what we’re planning around this month.
Things to do
Opera in the Park
San Francisco Opera brings the whole company outdoors for a free concert the Sunday after opening night. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and low expectations about finding a good spot after 12:30. One of the best free things the city does all year.
DetailsOff the Grid Night Market
Food trucks, drinks, and live music on the waterfront with the Golden Gate in the background. It’s a Friday night, it’s outside, and the sunset does most of the work. Go early if you want to sit down.
DetailsChinatown Autumn Moon Festival
Two days of lion dancing, mooncakes, live performances, and traditional food along Grant. Saturday kicks off with a morning parade, and both days run 11 to 6. One of the city’s oldest street celebrations.
DetailsHaight Ashbury Street Fair
Six blocks of vendors, three stages of live music, and the Haight doing what the Haight does. Over 200 booths of crafts, food, and local shops, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Free, crowded, and worth it.
DetailsCinema Under the Stars: The Conversation
An outdoor screening of Coppola’s 1974 thriller, which opens with a surveillance scene shot in Union Square itself. Watching it in the exact place it was filmed is a specific kind of fun. Bring a jacket, it gets cold fast.
Details
Free Museum Days
Nine Bay Area museums are free this month.
Tue, Sept 1
Wed, Sept 2
Thu, Sept 3
Sun, Sept 6
If you live here
Saturdays
Any day
Bring a photo ID.
From Urban’s Nest
Someone stole our listing video
A scammer reposted one of our unit tours under a fake identity and used it to run a rental listing. It happens more than you’d think. Here’s how to tell a real listing from a copy.
How to spot rental scamsNew reels every week on Instagram — unit tours, neighborhood walkthroughs, and whatever else we run into.