It’s not even summer yet, and San Francisco is filled with exciting festivals, markets and outdoor events. May not only holds Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day, but it’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In San Francisco — where Asian communities have contributed so much to the city’s culture — that means there’s plenty to celebrate.
Suffice it to say, we’ve done the deep research for you on the best things to do in San Francisco, including museums, cultural events, food tours and more. Speaking of food, we also have an extensive list of our best restaurants in San Francisco, and if you’re planning a weekend, the best places to stay.
Featured photo by Andres Acosta.
April 26–May 26
Walk through the halls of a magnificent Pacific Heights mansion while experiencing the cutting edge of Californian interior design. Designers and decorators from all over the state bring their expertise to San Francisco every year for this event. Firms get one room to decorate and show off their style, providing an eclectic and immersive experience in every corner — even down to the walk-in closets and laundry room.
May 2
Looking for a unique gift for Mother’s Day? The Asian Art Museum’s annual Spring Artisan Market presents beautiful gifts and goods from skilled craft makers. Pick up hand-carved earrings from a local jeweler. Or, spruce up your pantry with specialty food items.
After browsing the museum’s best wares, you could even check out its poetic new exhibit, Yuan Goang-Ming: Everyday War. The large-scale video art piece presents eerie scenes of empty streets, disordered rooms and surreal visuals that reflect global and domestic unease.
May 8–11
The Center for Asian American Media supports the advancement of Asian American media, and every year its film festival highlights dozens of films about these communities’ diverse experiences. With shorts, documentaries and feature-length narratives, viewers can dive into all kinds of stories — from hanging out with nightclub dancers in Chinatown 60 years after their heyday (Chinatown Cha Cha), to getting a look into the Hmong community in Missoula, Montana (Bitterroot). Theaters across the city screen films and hold events throughout the four-day festival.
May 9
An event that started during the 2023 Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference, the Chinatown Night Market is a monthly street party inspired by the night markets of Asian cities like Taipei, Hong Kong and Beijing. Every second Friday of the month, crowds gather at 5:30 p.m. to enjoy music, shopping and food stalls which dole out piping hot noodles, egg tarts and dumplings — right in the middle of one of San Francisco’s most iconic neighborhoods.
May 10
Join the largest celebration of Taiwanese American heritage on the West Coast by digging into food, shopping and performances in the heart of the city at Union Square. This event is completely free, family friendly and welcoming of people from all backgrounds.
May 16
Perhaps the most anticipated game in Bay Area sports this year, the Golden State Valkyries’ debut match against the LA Sparks is sure to draw basketball fans and celebrities alike to the Chase Center. The Valkyries are the newest WNBA team in the league and currently the only women’s professional basketball team in the Bay Area. If you can’t make the season opener, they also play pre-season games May 6 and 11, another regular game on May 21 and even more matches from June through September.
May 18
Pink gorillas, naked people, groups of 13+ runners tied by a bungee cord — it must be Bay to Breakers! San Francisco’s favorite footrace attracts both serious runners and serious partiers. The half-marathon treds from downtown San Francisco to the Great Highway on Ocean Beach (hence the route’s name: “from the Bay to the Breakers”). Bay to Breakers began in 1906 after the Great Earthquake and fire decimated the budding city. Now rebuilt several times over, San Francisco still holds onto the tradition, and tens of thousands participate every year.
May 24–25
Five performance stages, dozens of musicians, hundreds of vendors, 17 blocks worth of street party and one grand parade: San Francisco’s Carnaval festival is BIG. And feathered! This year’s parade theme is “AfroMundo,” highlighting the African diaspora and their contributions to culture, art and tradition across the continents. Moreover, the festival celebrates the Mission in all its glory and the diverse Latin American, Caribbean and African cultures within it.
May 31 & June 1
Another cultural festival happening in SF this month, the Festa Italiana draws visitors to the North Beach neighborhood for a fun-filled Italian street fair. Naturally, the food is a highlight of this gathering, with stalls for pasta, wine, gelato and more. Also on the agenda, there’s live Italian music, traditional dancing and even a dramatic pizza toss performance by one of San Francisco’s preeminent pizzaiolos, Tony Gemignani of Tony’s Pizza.
Thirteen home games bring fans to the stadium this month when the Giants go up against the Colorado Rockies, Arizona D-Backs, Kansas City Royals and the Giants’ once cross-bay rivals, the Athletics.
Various Dates
There are more than a dozen performance dates throughout the month of May. Performances include chamber music, solo recitals from musicians like pianist Jon Batiste and live accompaniments to Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. May at the Symphony also promises some of the last shows conducted by Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, who is departing the symphony at the end of June.
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 San Francisco page!
