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Haight Street Fair San Francisco 2024
by Jill Loeffler •
The annual Haight Street Fair is a time to celebrate the diversity and history of the colorful Haight-Ashbury District.
This is a great local, community festival. In my experience, this one-day event draws in a huge crowd.
It's less busy in the first hour or two of the festival, but by early afternoon, the streets tend to be packed.
This year marks the festival's 45th anniversary and is on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
From 11 am to 5:30 pm that day, you can listen to a variety of live music performers on two stages.
All activities for the Haight Street Fair take place on Haight Street between Masonic and Stanyan Streets.
More Haight Street Fair Details
Arts and Crafts Booths Along Haight Street
This fair also features more than 200 booths with food, merchandise, and information on community outreach programs.
This is one of my favorite parts of this festival, as there are so many exciting items for sale and many wonderful, unique art pieces to enjoy.
Kid and Teen Activities
There are also several activities for kids of all ages.
They often have a jump house and a handful of other activities for kids.
Most years, they also have a block-long area for skateboarders.
It has small jumps and other obstacles they could use to test and improve their skills. The area has a fence around it to try to keep the skateboarders inside and out of the crowded streets.
Bar at the Haight Street Fair
I took this photo when they were still just getting set up, but you can see this is the area dedicated to those 21+. They offer a variety of beverages and places to sit to enjoy your drinks.There is also a bar area at the festival. It's a section that offers beer, wine, and other beverages.
As you can see from my photos above, it's a small area but offers space for both standing and sitting.
You will need to show your ID to pick up a 21+ wrist band before you can enter or buy any alcohol.
Live Music
The two stages for this event are set up on opposite ends of the Haight Street Festival.
You will find one at Stanyan and Haight Streets and the other at Masonic and Haight Streets.
Both feature live music and entertainment from 11 am to 5 pm. Each stage offers around five to six performers each year.
Some of the performers scheduled for 2024 include:
- MOONALICE
- Frightwig
- Veil's
- Milk for the Angry
- Jethro Jeremiah
- The Voodoo Cabaret
>> Visit their site for a full list of this year's performers
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Places to Stay Nearby
You have a few options if you want to stay near the festival. There are a handful of small, boutique hotels right in the Haight. Click here to read more about them and what else to see and do in this lively district.
Alamo Square is another district that is just a few blocks away. It also features smaller, locally owned hotels and B&Bs. Click here to learn more about Alamo Square and some of the best places to stay.
The most popular place to stay in San Francisco is Union Square. There are more than a hundred hotels in this district. They range from expensive, five-star mega hotels to smaller B&Bs. Click here for details on my favorite places to sleep in Union Square.
Other Festivals & Events
SF Giants Baseball: Head to Oracle Park in September to catch a Giants baseball game. This month, they have about a dozen home games against teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, NY Mets, and Colorado Rockies. Find the full schedule and tips to see a game here.
Sunday Streets: Sunday Streets is a monthly event that closes off several blocks of city streets to car traffic so you can run, walk, and dance around without having to worry about waiting around for the cars to pass. Click here to learn more about the June date for Sunday Streets.
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: You can also see free, live performances all month long at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. This annual event features a number of music, theater, dance, and circus shows from May to October. Click here for more details.
How to Get to the Haight-Ashbury District
From San Francisco
Bus: Several buses that run through or near the Haight Street Fair. Your best bets are the #7, 37, 43, and 66.
Muni: You can also take the N-Judah light rail to the Haight Street Fair. Take it to the stop at Cole and Carl Streets. From there, walk north on Cole four blocks to Haight Street.
From the East Bay
From the East Bay, take BART to the Civic Center station.
At this stop, transfer to the SF Muni N-Judah line. Stay on this train until it reaches Cole and Carl. From here, walk four blocks north to the festival.
From the North Bay
The best public transit option from the North Bay is the 101 bus to the stop at Market & Hyde Streets.
From here, transfer to the 7. It will take you right to the festival.
From the South Bay
The fastest way to get here from the South Bay is to take BART to the Civic Center Station.
At this stop, transfer to the SF Muni and take the N-Judah outbound to Cole and Carl.
From here, walk four blocks north to the Haight Street Fair.
Driving & Parking
As with most SF districts, parking in this neighborhood for the Haight Street Fair will be tricky. I highly recommend taking one of the public transit options listed above.
There are no large parking garages or lots in this neighborhood.
If you do decide to drive, look for parking on the streets on the southern side of Haight Street.
You might find a spot on Parnassus.
You can also find a few spots up the streets as the hills get steeper. However, parallel parking on those streets can be somewhat difficult.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
I would love for you to join me in my private Facebook group!
It's a great place to interact with me and others who know the area well.
You can ask questions, get advice for your upcoming stay, and then share your photos and advice with others when you return home. It's a great community and the fastest way to get answers to those nagging questions about your visit!
