October 31st shouldn’t be the only date to look forward to this month. San Francisco is the place to be for fun and exciting events. Whether you’re a festival fiend or a Halloween lover, there are plenty of things for everyone to check out this month.
We’ve done the deep research for you on the best things to do in San Francisco in October 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. Take a peek below and join in on all the fun!
Featured photo: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass by Anthony Pidgeon.
2025 Dates TBD
Join the crowd and attend a festival like no other. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass draws nearly the entire population of SF over the course of three days. Don’t fret about VIP and weekend tickets — this FREE annual event features some of the biggest names in bluegrass as well as indie, folk and alternative rock. So, bring your six-pack, a couple of buddies, and enjoy twangy sounds in Golden Gate Park.
2025 Dates TBD
Dive into the “Terror Vault” at the SF Mint and save the world from alien invaders at this immersive, campy theater-meets-haunted house experience. This troupe of fanged curiosities and fun-havers puts on a few spooky shows per year, and their extraterrestrial-themed Halloween show is put on in partnership with the vampire bar around the corner called Fang Bang. To give you an idea for the vibe: the group was co-founded by SF drag queen Peaches Christ.
2025 Dates TBD
Check out all the fun and bring the whole community together at the annual Castro Street Fair. Founded by Harvey Milk, SF’s first openly gay elected official, this fair is an important annual event celebrating diversity and LGBTQ+ folks in the Castro neighborhood. Whether you’re part of the community or an ally, you can enjoy various live entertainment, vendors, and meet local artists and non-profit organizations.
2025 Dates TBD
Ride into the danger zone and witness something right out of Top Gun at Fleet Week. This yearly waterfront event is one of the city’s most popular, and features the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and other military/commercial airplanes zooming right past the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Bring the entire family out because you don’t want to miss this spectacular series of choreographed performances in the sky.
2025 Dates TBD
North Beach will be even more red, white and green than usual for this annual celebration of Italian American culture — the oldest parade of its kind in America. Try to plan ahead and reserve the best seats, from outdoor tables set up by restaurants along the parade route.
2025 Dates TBD
Have a heart-thumping and brain-tingling good time while exploring the California Academy of Sciences at night. Don your costumes for an evening of larger-than-life, family-friendly Halloween fun with creepy, crawly animal demos, a silent disco, a magic show and trick-or-treating throughout the entire museum.
2025 Dates TBD
San Francisco’s Ocean Beach is once again taken over by architecture, design, technology, engineering and construction companies, who partner with students from local schools to build dazzling sand sculptures. This events raises funds for arts and architecture education at Bay Area public schools, while putting on a great show by the ocean.
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!
