Even once the New Year’s celebrations wane, San Francisco has so much to do in January. This month, sports, comedy shows, cultural events and exhibitions fill the calendar. And, on January 20, the city will commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a march on his birthday. If you’re planning a trip to San Francisco this January, here are our picks for the best events.
We’ve done the deep research for you on the best things to do in San Francisco. If you’re feeling hungry, we also have an extensive list of our best restaurants in San Francisco. Staying for a weekend? We also know the best places to stay. Take a peek below and join in on all the fun!
Featured photo by Joshua Sortino, courtesy of Unsplash.
All month
January is peak basketball season, and the Bay Area’s seven-time NBA champions are a sight to see, with superstar Steph Curry sinking three-pointers left and right. This year, January’s schedule pits the Warriors against heavy-hitters like the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and reigning champs the Boston Celtics. Seeing the state-of-the-art Chase Center is a reason to visit in itself, plus transit options make it easy to get back to downtown hotels. The T line stops right in front of the stadium (Muni fare is comped for ticket holders for any Chase Center event), and ferries can take attendees to the East Bay if needed.
Through January 20
Looking for a cute date idea? How about a nice holiday skate in Union Square’s annual Holiday Ice Rink? Put on your pair (or rental pair) of skates and glide across the fresh ice with your date. After that, you two can warm up with some hot cocoa at Union Square Coffee, then explore the rest of the downtown area.
January 16–February 2
A seriously star-studded lineup is hitting this year’s Sketch Fest, a two-week festival of comedy performances in its 21st year. Sketch comedy, improv and standup, along with series of live podcasts, music shows and kids events, will play back-to-back in venues across the city, plus one venue in Marin. Check out the lineup here — because I seriously can’t list them all!
January 20
Honor the civil rights leader with the Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation. Every year, there is a march from the SF Caltrain station to the Yerba Buena Gardens, where a music festival will follow. Register ahead to get free transit to and from the parade; Caltrain, Muni and Golden Gate Ferry are servicing the event. A week of celebration precedes the holiday, including spiritual services, a cosplay soirée and a panel on AI.
January 23–26
Fog is one of the biggest yearly events for San Francisco’s art and design community. The annual fair draws visitors from all over the Bay Area to the Fort Mason Center, a collection of warehouses perched right on the bay. Emerging and established artists alike jump at the chance to present at Fog. Visitors can browse visual and design work from 45 international galleries, or chat with one of the artists, who are often close at hand to discuss or make sales.
If you can’t get enough of San Francisco’s art scene, consider checking out SF Art Week, a newer arts event which unites galleries around the Bay Area for a week of events. Lots of galleries on the map are close to downtown, and still more are waiting in other neighborhoods or across the bay in Oakland and Marin.
January 25 & 26
Kicking off about three weeks of Lunar New Year festivities, the Flower Marker Fair is the first taste of SF’s blowout Chinese New Year Parade and Street Fair (which, given those events’ scale, “just a taste” is still a big event). Over 120 booths spring up in historic Chinatown, with vendors selling fresh flowers, oranges, candies and home supplies. Performances by lion dancers and cultural arts punctuate the day. Just a warning: If you get claustrophobic, this might not be the event for you — Chinatown’s narrow streets get crowded fast.
Lunar New Year Fireworks
January 29
Everybody knows about the massive annual Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco (on Feb. 15 this year), but not every person knows the mania that happens on the exact evening of Lunar New Year. Folks turn up with fireworks and crackers in the streets of Chinatown in a spontaneous celebration — completely unorganized and free of advertisements.
Even though the day falls on a Wednesday this year, I would still put good money on there being at least some hubbub around Grant Avenue between the Dragon Gate and North Beach (Columbus Avenue). If there is (or even if there isn’t), it’s an opportunity to get some Chinese food or visit spots like Li Po Lounge for a Tsingtao.
January 31 & February 1
Dress up in your best corset, or don a top hat for a decadent evening at San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom. Two evenings of cabaret, art, fashion and shopping, the Edwardian Ball honors the work of writer Edward Gorey with an immersive party borrowing some aesthetics of late-nineteenth century England. The weekend also promises pre-show vendor bazaars, plus an afternoon tea event to catch performances over a delightful cup of chamomile.
Event Venues
Looking to see what’s happening right now in SF? Our comprehensive list of venues across the city below will help you find what you need to know what’s going on.
Looking for more things to do in the area?
Visit our What to Do in Northern California page!
