SAN FRANCISCO and OAKLAND EVENTS

Events held in San Francisco or Oakland, unless indicated otherwise.

JANUARY

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration 
San Francisco honors the great civil rights leader; rally, march, and candle light vigil; Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and Yerba Buena Gardens; http://www.king-raleigh.org/natlevent/body.cfm

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
Oakland honors the great civil rights leader; http://www.oaklandcvb.com

FEBRUARY

Black History Month
Various events celebrating Black history and culture held throughout the city; San Francisco; http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com or http://www.sfnoir.org

San Francisco Independent Film Festival
San Francisco; http://www.sfindie.com

Chinese New Year Festival 
Annual event attracting thousands of spectators; huge parade down Market Street is the event highlight; Chinatown; San Francisco; http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com

San Francisco Tribal, Folk & Textiles Art Show 
Over 80 folk and ethnic art dealers sell pottery, basketry, textiles and jewelry; Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco; http://www.caskeylees.com/shows/8/tribal/sf

MARCH

San Francisco Jazz Spring Season 
Series of concerts, films and family matinees featuring jazz legends and the rising stars they have influenced; performers include Branford Marsalis Quartet, Shirley Horn, and Ahmad Jamal; various San Francisco locations; http://www.sfjazz.org

APRIL

San Francisco International Film Festival
More than 100 films and videos from 30 countries will be showcased during this annual festival; Spike Lee makes frequent appearances; San Francisco; http://www.sffs.org

MAY

Cinco de Mayo Festival and Parade
Featuring Gala Parade  and live entertainment on two stages;  International Boulvard (between 47th and 33rd avenues); Oakland; http://www.oaklandcvb.com

San Francisco Youth Arts Festival
Annual celebration showcasing visual and performing Arts by San Francisco students; Zeum and Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco; http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com

Carnaval 
San Francisco's version of Mardi Gras; featuring exotic carnival dancers with a mixture of Latino, jazz, samba, Caribbean, and more; Harrison Street between 16th and 22nd Streets, San Francisco; http://www.carnavalsf.com

JUNE

San Francisco Black Film Festival 
Celebration of African American cinema and the African Cultural Diaspora; films include features, shorts, narratives, and documentaries; San Francisco; http://www.sfbff.org

Ethnic Dance Festival
Three weekends of performances showcasing the best of world dance and music representing cultures from around the world; Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco; http://www.worldartswest.org

Juneteenth Celebration
Outdoor event celebrating African American history and culture with jazz, art exhibits, vendor booths, carnival rides; San Francisco; http://www.juneteenth.com or http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com

Russian River Blues Festival
Enjoy great jazz music, food and wine tasting on the beach; past performers include Al Green, Ike Turner, Shemekia Coleman and Rawls Revue; Johnson's Beach; Guerneville (2 hours drive from San Francisco); http://www.russianriverbluesfest.com

Monterey Bay Blues Festival 
One of the largest blues festivals on the West Coast; past performers include Little Richard, Ashford & Simpson, Etta James, Neville Brothers, James Brown, Keb Mo; Monterey Fairgrounds, Monterey (2 hours drive from San Francisco); http://www.montereyblues.com

Stern Grove Music Festival
Free series of concerts featuring R&B, jazz and world music; Stern Grove, San Francisco; http://www.sterngrove.org

JULY

Fillmore Street Festival 
Featuring three stages of jazz performances, over 300 artists booths, and international food courts; Fillmore Street between Jackson and Eddy Streets; San  Francisco; http://www.fillmorejazzfestival.com

 
North Beach Jazz Festival
Annual festival featuring local and national artists with an emphasis on Latin Jazz and New Orleans Jazz; North Beach, San Francisco; http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com

AUGUST

Afro Solo Festival
Celebrate the African American experience through solo performances ranging theater, dance, music, poetry and spoken word; San Francisco; http://www.afrosolo.org

SEPTEMBER

Art & Soul Festival
Annual festival featuring art, dance, music, food and more; past performers include Angie Stone, Wayman Tisdale, Rickie Lee Jones, Goapele, Klymaxx; Downtown Oakland; http://www.oaklandcvb.com

Annual Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival 
Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco; http://www.ghirardellisq.com

Jazz on the River
Enjoy great jazz music, food and wine tasting on the beach; past performers include George Benson, Al Jarreau, Stanley Clarke, Norman Brown, and Ledisi; Johnson's Beach; Guerneville (2 hours drive from San Francisco); http://www.russianriverbluesfest.com

Oakland International Film Festival
Annual festival featuring a collections of films that support Oakland Talent; various Oakland locations; http://www.oaklandcvb.com

Monterey Jazz Festival 
World's longest running jazz festival; Featuring over 500 artists on 7 stages; past performers include Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Regina Carter, Branford Marsalis; Monterey Fairgrounds, Monterey (2 hours drive from San Francisco); http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org

San Francisco Blues Festival
One of the oldest blues festivals in America, Fort Mason, San Francisco; http://www.sfblues.com

OCTOBER

Black Cowboy Parade
Celebrate the cowboys who helped settle the West with a parade of cowboys and cowgirls in traditional attire; West Oakland and Downtown Oakland; http://www.oaklandcvb.com

San Francisco Jazz Festival
One of San Francisco's largest musical festivals featuring local, national and international jazz artists performing in various locations; San Francisco; http://www.sfjazz.org

NOVEMBER

Holiday Harmony Celebration and Tree Lighting Ceremony
Pier 39, San Francisco; http://www.pier39.com

Jack London Square Tree Lighting Ceremony
Featuring 70-foot holiday tree, entertainment, arts and crafts; Jack London Square, Oakland; http://www.oaklandcvb.com

Ghirardelli Square Tree Lighting Ceremony 
Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco; http://www.ghirardellisq.com

DECEMBER

Oakland Holiday Parade
Annual parade featuring giant helium balloons, popular cartoon/storybook characters, marching bands, creative floats, and performance groups; Broadway(between 11th Street and 20th Street), Oakland;  http://www.oaklandcvb.com

Black Nativity
Annual production of Langston Hughes musical; Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, San Francisco; http://www.lorrainehansberrytheatre.com

Cinderella
Annual holiday production; African American Shakespeare Company, San Francisco; http://www.african-americanshakes.org

Kwanzaa Celebration
Begins 12/26; annual 7-day celebration of this African American culture at various venues around the San Francisco Bay; http://www.soulofamerica.com/kwanzaa-celebrations.phtml