Now through 3/6 Thursday (select dates)
History: Alcatraz Buy One Get One Free Tickets
Alcatraz City Cruises is offering a buy one, get one free ticket promotion available only to state residents on select 2025 dates. Tour includes roundtrip ferry ride to Alcatraz Island; the award-winning cellhouse tour audio presentation; daily optional programs and exhibits; admission to a new permanent exhibit “The Big Lockup: Mass Incarceration in the United States.” For more information: https://bit.ly/3ZySKyT
Now through 4/20 Sunday
Design: “RugLife”
Rugs and carpets have defined the character of spaces since animal skins began to warm and adorn cave dwellings. The earliest known Persian rugs are nearly 2,500 years old. RugLife features the work of 14 contemporary creators from around the world who use carpet as a medium to address cultural issues such as religion, technology, social justice, housing, and the environment. Admission: $8 to $10; free for children under 12. Museum of Craft and Design, 2569 Third Street. For more information: https://bit.ly/3VD7jAq
1/1 Wednesday
Botany: San Francisco Botanical Gardens Free Admission Day
The San Francisco Botanical Garden is a living museum within Golden Gate Park, offering 55 acres of landscaped grounds and open spaces, showcasing more than 9,000 plants from around the world. Access is free for San Franciscans; visitors can enjoy this treasure at no cost on the second Tuesday of every month; it’s without charge on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day for everyone. San Francisco Botanical Garden, 1199 Ninth Avenue. For more information: https://bit.ly/3ZSRNTD
1/12 Sunday
Environment: Dogpatch Beautification Day
Join Refuse Refuse San Francisco, Shine On, San Francisco Public Works, and TogetherSF for a neighborhood cleanup. Stay afterwards for a free lunch sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. 12 to 1:30 p.m. Meet at Progress Park, 1300 Indiana Street. For more information and to reserve your spot: https://bit.ly/3WkHYt8
1/12 Sunday
Art: Renaissance Tapestries
Art and War in the Renaissance: The Battle of Pavia Tapestries features seven woven artworks that depict, in exquisite detail, the Battle of Pavia, a turning point in the European pecking order. The tapestries offer insights into a time in which history and propaganda were messaged through thread, color, and composition. In the present period of war in Europe and the Middle East, the pieces offer a compelling reminder of the cycle of violence that has relentlessly beset the world. de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, Golden Gate Park. For more information: https://bit.ly/4iNHpE1
1/15 Wednesday
Education: “The Wizard of Oz and the 1896 Presidential Election”
Frank Baum’s 1898 classic The Wizard of Oz is an allegory about the 1896 Presidential election, which pitted William McKinley against William Jennings Bryan. This class will shatter your childhood love for Oz, as the tin man, scarecrow, lion, wizard and even the flying monkeys are identified as real characters from that election. History teacher Terry McAteer will highlight one of the most consequential elections in American history. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. $29. Presented online, via Zoom, by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Non-members welcome; student registration with OLLI is required. For more information about the course: https://bit.ly/3VCpjLn
1/18 Saturday
Food: Lumpia Fest
Find exclusive merch, photo ops with your favorite characters, live karaoke, and plenty of lumpia! The first 500 attendees get a free Lumpia Fest tote; the initial 150 are gifted a Lumpia Fest T-shirt plus goodie bag; simply show your Eventbrite ticket. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry from $5.58. Cow Palace Arena & Event Center, 2600 Geneva Avenue, Daly City. For more information: https://bit.ly/4fki0ia
1/25 Saturday & 1/26 Sunday
Lunar New Year: Flower Market Fair
The Flower Market Fair is held on the weekend before Chinese New Year Day. Purchase fresh flowers, fruits, candies and supplies for the home to begin the new lunar year. Performances by traditional Chinese magicians, acrobats, folk dancers, and opera singers. More than 120 booths and concessions. Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Chinatown, Washington and Grant streets. For more information: https://bit.ly/3OSJjW5
1/26 Sunday
Music: San Francisco Civic Symphony Free Concert
In 1931, Mrs. Sigmund Stern created the San Francisco Civic Symphony, with the support of Dr. Josephine Randall, San Francisco Recreation Department’s first director. The symphony is the West Coast’s oldest community orchestra. Since 2002, it’s been all-volunteer. The program will include works by Franz Liszt, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. 3 to 5 p.m. Free. Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness Avenue. For more information: https://bit.ly/48cVO81
1/29 Wednesday through 3/5 Wednesday
Craft: Introduction to Clay Workshop
This six-week course introduces ceramics to students interested in throwing on the wheel, trimming work, surface design techniques, glazing, and hand-building which can be incorporated into wheelwork or explored independently. The class is designed for beginners with little to no ceramics experience looking to gain an overview of the art form. Participants are provided with up to 25 pounds of clay; unlimited studio access during open hours; free firing and glazes. 6 to 8:30 p.m. $370. Clayroom Potrero, 1431 17th Street. For more information: https://bit.ly/4gQiNZF