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5 Things to do this Memorial Day weekend

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The Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary Festival
The Golden Gate Bridge opened on May 27, 1937, and this weekend marks 75 years of service with a celebration at the entire northern end of San Francisco, from Fort Point to Fisherman’s Wharf. Saturday is the warm-up act, with art exhibitions and guided tours. Sunday the party starts at 10am and the area will be pretty much shut down; even if streets are open, expect traffic to make it a parking lot. Live music (11am-11pm) and vintage cars from 1937 at Crissy Field and Marina Green, and a vintage boat parade along St. Francis Yacht Club (11am-3pm), highlight the day’s events. A fireworks display over the bridge 9:30-9:50 caps it all off. Continue reading 5 Things to do this Memorial Day weekend →

Bay Area, events, San Francisco, San Francisco Bay Area sites attractions activities, travel San Francisco Bay Area

In honor of the 20th anniversary of the ground breaking of SFMOMA…

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Check out this performance for the ground breaking ceremony of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, by Mark Pauline of Survival Research Labs, which took place 20 years ago this month in April, 1992. Pauline’s ‘lab’ is currently located in Sonoma County. His next performance is scheduled for May 19 at ArtPadSF at the Phoenix Hotel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjwWaUs_OmM

 

Bay Area, events, San Francisco

Christmas in Norway in San Francisco

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Hei og god jul. That would be Norwegian for ‘hello and Merry Christmas’, something you might hear if you stop by the Norwegian Holiday Fair at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church this Friday and Saturday (10-4). Can you say waffels! The annual fair is a kick-off of sorts to the holiday season, especially for the Bay Area’s large Norwegian population. It’s also a peek inside the world of one of the many ethnic groups in and around San Francisco.

Speaking of Christmas, wasn’t it invented in Norway? You’ll believe it when you see some of the white-haired Father Christmas look-a-likes in their hand-embroidered sweaters. There’s various Norwegian trinkets and food products to buy, as well as baked sweets and beverages from the cafe, and waffels!  And if Christmas isn’t your thing, Scrooge, it’s at least a chance to visit the church with the best view in the city. 2454 Hyde Street (between Francisco Street and Chestnut Street).

Bay Area, events

Bridge School Benefit an all-star affair

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The Bridge School Benefit concert is this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22 and 23, at Shoreline Amphitheater, and is one of the best music events around. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a better lineup at any of the Bay Area’s many festivals. Now in it’s 25th year, the annual concert was started and continues to be organized by Neil Young and his wife Pegi. She also helped found the school for children with severe physical and speech impairments.

The all acoustic concert this year features a lineup of:

  • Neil Young
  • Dave Matthews
  • Arcade Fire
  • Foo Fighters (Sunday only)
  • Eddie Vedder
  • Los Invisibles, featuring Carlos Santana, Cindy Blackman Santana & Guests
  • Beck
  • Mumford & Sons
  • Tony Bennett (Sunday only)
  • Devendra Banhart
  • Norah Jones with The Little Willies
  • Jimmy Fallon (MC Saturday only)

Good luck scoring tickets. For Saturday’s show, there were only a few single seat tickets left as of Tuesday.

 

Bay Area, events, San Francisco

Fleet Week followup: the Blue Angels flyover

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The Blue Angels came to town recently for Fleet Wek, October 8-9, and I was fortunate to spend the weekend at the Fisherman’s Wharf Hyatt for the big event. They say the best seats for viewing the two-hour air show are on a boat on San Francisco bay, but boats aren’t allowed in the bay during the performance. Instead I settled for second best, watching from the fifth floor rooftop of the Hyatt, about two blocks from the water, with minimal obstructions. Continue reading Fleet Week followup: the Blue Angels flyover →

Bay Area, events

Half Moon Bay’s great pumpkin fest

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Here’s a suggestion for this coming weekend to get you in the autumn and Halloween mood — the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival. The annual event now in its 41st year takes place Saturday and Sunday, Oct 15 and 16, and generally celebrates all things pumpkin, which grow in abundance around the area.

The centerpiece of the weekend is the display of world championship pumpkins, the winner this year weighing in at 1,704 lbs. There’s also an expert pumpkin carver at work on a giant pumpkin, as well as pie-eating contests, costume contest and pumpkin carving for all comers.

The Great Pumpkin parade starts at noon on Saturday, and the Pumpkin Run/Walk at 8am on Sunday. Besides that, Main Street is lined with booths as far as the eye can see, including an area with food, beer and wine, and live bands. It’s a fun time for all ages, and a great excuse to get out of the city and down the peninsula to the coast, and small town Bay Area. Oh, and admission is free.