Citywide
Tuesday, August 6, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Free
Imagine how much fun it could be to go cha-cha slide with your neighborhood police captain or play hopscotch with McGruff the Crime Dog. That’s the vibe this week for National Night Out, an event focused on building and promoting friendlier relationships between residents, small businesses and law enforcement.
“National Night Out is about our relationship with the community,” said San Francisco Police Sgt. Adam Lobsinger. “We understand that we have a job to do. We need to prevent crime, make arrests and investigate. But our work doesn’t stop there, and we believe there’s a whole other side to policing, which is having officers engaged in the community.
During National Night Out, which traditionally takes place on the first Tuesday of every August, neighborhoods hold block parties, parades, barbecues and various events.
San Francisco goes all out to party with some of the festivities. For example, the first 350 visitors to Herz Playground in Ingleside will enjoy a free barbecue and a chance to win tickets to the Golden State Warriors. Across the city, the Bayview Opera House will host a talent show, kids’ zone, resource fair and offer free food. At the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center in the Fillmore District, there will also be a BBQ, backpacking and motorcycle show.
According to Lobsinger, all police stations in the SF District will participate. So if you feel like getting out there and connecting with your neighborhood, check out the complete list National Night Out event locations.
“When we connect with the community when it’s not in distress, we quickly realize that while we may have differences at times, we’re all working together to build a better San Francisco,” Lobsinger added.
—Meaghan Mitchell
Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way
Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Free
We’ve all heard the mantra “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. Today, nearly 30 local artists are taken to the next level, in the Randall Museum exhibition, ReImagine: the art of sustainable thinking. The museum collaborated with SCRAP, a local reuse center and arts education nonprofit, to exhibit more than 60 pieces featuring recycled materials. The exhibition runs from Tuesday to Saturday until August 31 and is designed for all ages. It’s a great way to show your kids that recycling can be cool. (THIS)
750 Howard Street, Yerba Buena Gardens
Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Free
Green space can be hard to find in downtown San Francisco, so why not take a walking tour of the outdoor art collection housed on the sprawling lawns of Yerba Buena Gardens? Nestled at the base of towering skyscrapers one block south of Market Street, the gardens are a significant artistic and cultural presence in the city. These public works of art have deep ties to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Indigenous peoples, and San Francisco’s maritime past. The visit promises to be both educational and impactful. (BF)
Cafe Atlas, 3049 20th St.
Thursday, August 4, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Free
As crypto becomes more popular, especially in the Bay Area, being able to talk about it properly is more important than ever. Chainlink, a San Francisco-based technology company, wants to help you become fluent. The free workshop is designed for beginners and will explain, in simple terms, buzzwords like smart contracts and blockchain. Once you’ve added new skills to your professional repertoire, you have the opportunity to join the Chainlink Network and other like-minded learners, along with exclusive food, drink and freebies. (THIS)
Lighthouse for the Blind, 1115 Market St.
Friday August 5, 11am-4pm | Free
The American Red Cross and LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired are teaming up to host a blood drive this Friday. Centrally located on Market Street, a few blocks north of the Civic Center, this drive is an opportunity to do good in the world. Maintaining a strong blood supply is a matter of life and death for medical patients in need, so take some time out on your Friday to give. If you have questions about your eligibility, you can contact the American Red Cross Blood. (BF)
Virtual
Friday, August 5, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. | Free
The San Francisco Public Library invites you to a conversation with Suzanne Cope about his new book, “Power Hungry: Women of the Black Panther Party and Freedom Summer, and Their Struggle to Fuel a Movement.” Joining is also Cleo Silvers the main subject of Cope’s book detailing the Black Panther Party’s efforts to feed their community in times of need. The program was said to have fed more children than the state of California at the time. Absent from the event, but present in the book, the story of Aylene Quin, who used her restaurant in McComb, Mississippi, to feed the hungry and hold meetings for leaders and civil rights activists, becoming a full leader. Separated by thousands of miles and a handful of years, Silvers and Quin share a story: how food, when harnessed by women, can be a powerful and essential tool for lasting social and political change. (XL)
Taube Family Auditorium, 110 L’Embarcadero
Friday, August 5, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | $10-$20
The specter of climate change looms ominously, especially when record temperatures aren’t even special anymore. COOL: Women leaders are reversing global warming was written by Paola Gianturco and her 12-year-old granddaughter Avery Sangster as the first book to document the work that women climate leaders have done all over the world, from Sweden to Hong Kong. And on August 5, they will conduct a conversation with the Commonwealth Club of Californiain the same way Sheila Watt-Cloutier, an Inuit climate activist based in the Arctic. This cross-generational event will harness the stories and experiences of these women climate leaders to inspire people of all ages. (XL)
Muriel Leff Mini-Park, 420 7th Ave.
Saturday, August 6, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Free
It seems that construction projects in San Francisco never end. A neighborhood-wide head start could be the answer. Bring friends, neighbors and pets to Muriel Leff Mini Park and help the San Francisco Parks Alliance launch its next landscaping project. They will provide snacks, drinks and shovels; you provide the hands. All they ask is that you bring some gardening gloves and get dirty – you can walk away knowing you did some good this weekend. (THIS)
San Francisco Public Library, 3223 Ortega St.
Saturday, August 6, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Free
You don’t have to have a green thumb to attend the bi-monthly Plant Swap located at the Ortega Library branch in the Outer Sunset. Bring an indoor or outdoor plant to the library’s outdoor oceanfront patio and take another home! And if you just have a budding interest in plants, bring yourself in and learn more about what you can grow to suit your lifestyle, the neighborhood you live in, and your own aesthetic. (GL)
Maker Studio Kids, 1334 Haight St.
Saturday, August 6, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. | $45
Fashion is one of the most environmentally unsustainable industries around the world, which is why recycling old clothes and accessories is more important than ever. This creative and hands-on sewing workshop will introduce you to the basic skills you need to make a small handbag from recycled materials. Resources will be provided by SilkRoll, a high-end designer fashion exchange program, and the tools you acquire will help you transform old, found clothing into something stylish and eco-friendly. (BF)
2041 Larkin Street
Saturday, August 6, 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Free
This year marks the 77th anniversary of the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Join writers, activists, and technology and international relations professionals for an evening conference on applied technology in the military, the ethics behind it, and how Big Tech companies can bring change to the world. world. The event is organized by InTech Ethics, an activist group aimed at raising awareness about the ethical use of technology, sustainable environmental practices, and labor rights in the tech industry. (JT)
Japantown Peace Plaza, 1581 Webster St.
August 6 and 7, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Free
For neighborhoods like Japantown, the pandemic has dampened the lively energy of storefronts, street vendors and restaurants. But, for the 48th consecutive year, the Nihonmachi Street Fair will light up the city more than ever, making a comeback with its Summer of Love theme. There’s a space for everyone: Doggie World, Asian Artisans and even a special Sounds of Thunder car show, all accompanied by hours of live music with new DJs every hour. (THIS)
Contributors: Blue Fay, Charlotte Ehrlich, Garrett Leahy, Jiyun Tsai, Meaghan Mitchell, Ximena Loeza.
