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20 Top Summer Events in San Francisco in 2026: The Best Street Fairs, Concerts, & Other Activities
By: Jill Loeffler • Updated: January 21, 2026
Discover the 20 top summer events in San Francisco 2026. Every year, you will find an amazing lineup of events all season long.
They range from Outside Lands, a large music festival in Golden Gate Park, to SF Giants baseball at Oracle Park.
Other highlights this year include free live music at Stern Grove Park, free entertainment & fireworks for the Fourth of July, and several award-winning theater productions.
My most recent updates include new photos, different events, and more finalized dates for this summer!
Watching the fireworks at Fisherman's Wharf each Fourth of July is one of my favorite summer events in San Francisco.SFTourismTips is made possible by readers like you! If you book through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Learn more.
1. Concerts & Live Music
This summer, you will find a number of concerts and live music events in San Francisco and all around the SF Bay Area.
Major performances take place at top venues including the Chase Center, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, and The Warfield.
You can also catch live performances at several festivals this summer. Outside Lands, for example, offers an incredible lineup of popular artists for three packed days in Golden Gate Park.
Here are a few big concerts on the schedule for this summer in SF:
- 5/11: Demi Lovato at the Chase Center
- 5/14: Romeo Santos & Prince Royce at the Chase Center
- 5/15: Florence + The Machine at the Chase Center
- 6/6: Louis Tomlinson at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
- 6/10 - 6/11: Belle & Sebastian at The Masonic
- 6/25: A$AP Rocky at the Chase Center
- 7/10 - 7/11: Olivia Dean at the Chase Center
- 8/7 - 8/9: Outside Lands 3-day music festival at Golden Gate Park
- 8/8: Meghan Trainor at the Chase Center
>> Find additional concerts for June, July and August
2. Fillmore Jazz Festival
One of the stages at the annual Fillmore Jazz Festival in San Francisco. This is one of two stages with live music at this event.Dates: 7/4 - 7/5
The largest free jazz festival on the west coast is in San Francisco either the weekend before or after Fourth of July weekend.
The Fillmore Jazz Festival is all day on Saturday and Sunday and covers twelve blocks in the Pacific Heights District.
In addition to free, live jazz music, you can enjoy gourmet food, cold beverages, and arts and crafts from vendors from around the US.
Learn More: Summer Fillmore Jazz Festival
More: Additional summer festivals every year
3. Fourth of July Fireworks & Celebration
Fireworks over the San Francisco Bay during the annual Fourth of July show in Fisherman's Wharf. I love how the fireworks reflect on the water!Date: 7/4
The largest of the summer events in San Francisco is on July 4th. The annual waterfront celebration includes live music in Fisherman's Wharf, fun activities all day long, and a colorful fireworks display at dark.
Most activities are free, and I recommend getting there early to grab your place for the show.
If I'm only coming for the fireworks, I typically try to arrive around 7 pm. That gives me time to find a spot among the crowds of others waiting for the show to begin.
Learn More: Fourth of July Fireworks & Celebration in San Francisco
4. Giants Baseball
A view from the upper deck at Oracle Park during a Giants baseball game. This was on a cool August night, but the weather was perfect!Dates: Several
Head over to Oracle Park to catch our Major League Baseball team in action. The San Francisco Giants play at home more than a dozen times in June, July, and August.
This summer they will take on teams such as the LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
If you plan to attend a night game, make sure you bring along a jacket.
In my experience of going to dozens of night games over the years, the temperature in the stadium cools down quickly once the sun goes down.
There are just a few of the top series at home this summer:
- 5/25 - 5/27: Arizona Diamondbacks
- 6/12 - 6/14: Chicago Cubs
- 7/9 - 7/12: Colorado Rockies
- 8/24 - 8/26: Cincinnati Reds
Learn More: Full calendar of SF sports events
Tickets: Find tickets for all games
5. SF Doc Fest
Dates: 5/28 - 6/7
One of my favorite film festivals every summer is SF Doc Fest. For eleven days every summer, this festival offers some of the best new documentaries.
These aren't your standard documentaries. This festival features odd and unusual stories that may not get screen time elsewhere.
They are often very timely and relevant, including human interest pieces, films about the environment, activism, and other themes.
This summer film festival includes short, mid-length, and feature films.
6. Summer Cruises
I took this picture from the indoor seating area of one of the Red and White cruises. All cruises have both indoor and outdoor seating, but you don't have to sit outside to soak in the amazing views on these cruises.Special cruises are among the top summer events in San Francisco. You will find several of them around the holidays and throughout the season.
They include popular picks such as sunset cruise, as well as the Memorial Day weekend and Fourth of July cruises.
I go on these cruises a lot and enjoy the experience of being on the water.
These are just a few of my favorites.
7. Hayes Valley Carnival
Date: 7/18
2026 marks the 115th year for the legendary Hayes Valley Carnival. This free community gathering offers carnival games, prizes, and entertainment.
It's a wonderful family-friendly event that starts at noon and runs until 5 pm. Circus performances are at 1 pm and 3 pm.
All activities are around the Hayes and Octavia area.
>> Visit the Hayes Valley calendar for more details
8. North Beach Festival
This is one of the stages at the North Beach Festival every year on Father's Day Weekend in San Francisco.Dates: 6/20 - 6/21
Each June, one of our largest street fairs is the North Beach Festival, which lasts two days.
This annual event features several stages of live music, activities for the kids, and more than 20 gourmet food stands.
You can also enjoy Italian Street Painting, a kid's chalk art area, and the blessing of the animals celebration both afternoons in North Beach.
Head over to Columbus and Grant Avenues to get in on the action.
Learn More: North Beach Festival Details
9. SF Opera
Dates: Several
Every summer, the SF Opera performs several shows at the War Memorial Opera House.
This summer 2026, you can see the following performances.
- The Barber of Seville: May 28; June 3, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13, 20, 21
- Elektra: June 7, 11, 14, 19, 23, 27
Buy Tickets: SF summer Opera tickets
10. Outside Lands Music Festival
Dates: 8/7 - 8/9
The biggest music festival in San Francisco is every August at Golden Gate Park.
The Outside Lands Music Festival features three days of live music from more than 70 bands on multiple stages.
Performers in previous years have included Elton John, the Black Keys, and Mumford & Sons.
Get your tickets early, as this festival sells out every year!
Learn More: Full schedule of performers
11. Wine Tasting Events
Dates: Throughout the summer
If you love wine, then head to one of our popular wine tasting summer events in San Francisco.
You will find large indoor and outdoor festivals all season long.
Many offer wines produced locally in Sonoma, Napa, and Livermore Valley. Others offer tastings of a specific varietal or region.
It's a fun way to learn about wine and find something new to bring home to your friends!
Learn More: Discover a calendar of upcoming wine tastings
More Events by Month
Find additional events each month by clicking the links below.
12. Pride Parade & Festival
Dykes on Bikes at the Pride Parade in San Francisco - this colorful event is always the last full weekend in June.Dates: 6/27 - 6/28
The annual Pride Parade and Festival is always the last full weekend in June.
This large event in the Civic Center district celebrates the LGBT community with live music, entertainment, and dozens of vendor booths.
Get there early for the large parade on Sunday morning. It starts at Market and 2nd, and ends near Market and 8th Streets.
This event is free, but they do ask for donations at the entrances to the festival.
Learn More: More details on this year's events
13. San Francisco Marathon
Date: 7/26
The streets of San Francisco come to life every July during the popular SF Marathon.
This road race takes you through the streets of the city as well as popular destinations, including the waterfront, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Golden Gate Park.
You can choose to run the full marathon, the half marathon, the 10k or the 5k.
This year, they will also once again offer the Ultramarathon. Register early to secure your spot.
Registration: Visit their website for details
14. Free Days at SF Museums
The Conservatory of Flowers offers a free day once a month throughout the year. You will see their green sign outside on free days.Dates: Several
All summer long you can save by visiting our popular SF museums during their free admission days.
This way, you can see the Asian Art Museum, the de Young, the Conservatory of Flowers, and others at no cost.
Find a full schedule of days by clicking the link below.
More: Find a full schedule of free museum admissions days in San Francisco
15. Stern Grove Festival
Dates: Sundays 6/14 - 8/16
From mid-June to mid-August each year, there is a free, outdoor, live concert in Stern Grove Park every Sunday afternoon at 2 pm.
This wildly popular summer music festival attracts internationally recognized stars as well as local favorites.
Artists who have graced this stage in recent years include Diana Ross, the Isley Brothers, Ziggy Marley, The Flaming Lips, and LeAnn Rimes.
While the performances are free, you must register well in advance as every show is packed.
Learn More: Full schedule of performers
16. Juneteenth
This is part of the Juneteenth Parade every summer. The parade is right as the festival starts, and it runs down Market Street. It usually lasts for about an hour.Date: TBD
Every year, various organizations around the city celebrate African American heritage in honor of Juneteenth, the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the US. Usually the festivities kick off with a parade.
If you head to the Fillmore District along Fillmore Street between Post an Turk, you'll not only find great music, tasty food, and artwork, but also a job fair and other community-oriented activities.
The actual Juneteenth holiday is June 19, but the celebration takes place on the Saturday before or after.
17. Sunday Streets
Dates: TBD
Enjoy dozens of outdoor activities at this summer's Sunday Streets events, designed to gather neighbors and visitors for music, play, and community building.
Once a month, a different historic neighborhood closes off a mile or more of its streets to offer a car-free area of festivities, such as free dance lessons, free bike rentals, health screenings, and more.
The event lasts from April through October. Stay tuned for more details about the 2026 dates and featured neighborhoods.
18. Theater Performances
This is a look at the stage inside the Orpheum Theatre. I took this as we were waiting for the show to start. This magnificent historic theater is a wonderful place to catch a Broadway show.Dates: Throughout the summer
Every summer, you will find dozens of theater performances all around San Francisco.
Top shows include traveling Broadway companies performing award-winning productions. This summer, you will find some of the following top shows.
- 5/28 - 6/21: The Phantom of the Opera (Orpheum Theatre)
- 5/14 - 6/27: Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy (SF Playhouse)
- 7/14 - 8/9: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Orpheum Theatre)
- 7/10 - 9/12: Hairspray (SF Playhouse)
- Ongoing: Dear San Francisco (Club Fugazi)
You can also catch smaller performances by local and up-and-coming writers.
Learn More: Full summer theater schedule
19. Union Street Festival
Dates: TBD
Head over to our trendy waterfront Marina District for this year's Union Street Festival.
This annual event offers several stages of live music, food from some of the best local restaurants, and more than 250 arts & crafts booths.
It's a fun way to spend the day or weekend in San Francisco!
20. Yerba Buena Festival
The Yerba Buena Festival offers a variety of shows during their summer festival. This was one of their popular daytime kids shows.Dates: Throughout the summer
Another place to enjoy free, live entertainment outdoors this summer in San Francisco is at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. This event takes place in SF's downtown SOMA District.
Several times a week, they offer music and entertainment from local bands and performers.
Hi, I’m Jill!
I’ve been sharing San Francisco travel advice since 2009 and have helped millions of people explore the city like a local. Whether you’re dreaming of sea lions, cable cars, or a great sourdough bread bowl, I’m here to help you plan an unforgettable trip with real tips from someone who actually lives here.
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