Amazing (and sometimes little-known) Festivals in the San Francisco Bay Area!
[UPDATED APR. 2025] A lot of my friends express amazement at the various festivals I take
them to. How do I know about them? Some are obscure and yet absolutely
incredible! Well, it has been a process of exploration over the
years... All the photos here are casual snapshots or video stills taken by me.
BEST FESTIVAL AWARD - The Greek Festival in the Oakland hills
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| This festival brings out happiness, as evidenced by my friend Andrea |
The event takes place on a plaza surrounding a Greek Orthodox church; some of it is outdoors, and some indoors. The admission fee is very modest ($6 , or $5 in advance.)
The food tends to be a tad better on Saturday; if you go on Sunday, don't wait too late, because many food items run out. Quality varies, but some offerings are very yummy; a friend of mine abandoned her vegetarian diet from the temptations there!
The inside of the church is open to the public, though not part of the festival itself. Impressive architecture! Having seen lots of Catholic churches growing up in Italy, I find that Greek Orthodox style looks so familiar - and yet so totally different. Sort of like listening to the soundtrack of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" in Norwegian (NOT a hypothetical analogy: I actually have that music, lol!)
Something else that makes the Greek festival so special, above and beyond all of the above elements, are simply its Good Vibes (diametrically opposite to the "trapped-in-a-weird-sci-fi-Disneyland vibes of the Mormon temple next-door! The contrast is quite amusing.)
2 handy Greek words to know: "Kalimera" (Good day) and "Efharisto" , pronounced 'effekaristo' (Thank you.)
http://www.oaklandgreekfestival.com/
Other Amazing Festivals
MAY. Russian Festival in San Francisco.
You're probably not surprised to hear that there is a Russian community in SF... But did you know that they have a large 3-storey building on Sutter St.?Lots of food, crafts, art, dance/music/singing performances, and vodka in a bazillion different flavors... on each floor!
The only thing conspicuously missing is the slightest reference to anything communist - it's like it never existed! So, don't expect red flags or Karl Marx's images! Clearly founded by people who escaped the 1917 revolution. Time stops in the era of the czars, in the small museum at the top floor. So, this festival is really about traveling in space and in time...
On a side note, if you have Ukrainian friends that you're thinking of inviting, be aware of a long-standing enmity between the two groups! Learn from my mistake, :cough:
Spasibo! (pronounced 'spah - see - bah'): "thank you" in Russian.
2024 UPDATE: the festival used to be in Feb./Mar., but appears to have been moved to May, and renamed "Slavic Festival". Unclear if the format is now different.
https://www.russiancentersf.org/community-events
Floats galore and, of course, lots of dancing and music. Vastly more central American than Brazilian, though. So, don't cancel that trip to Rio de Janeiro yet!
Don't do my same mistake and forget sun lotion: various store keepers where I tried to buy it, seemed unaware of the existence of such a thing!
After the parade, there's a festival, with food, music and drink, a few blocks away. Don't even think about driving! (BART takes right there.)
http://www.carnavalsanfrancisco.org/
In brief, a mini "Renaissance Faire" with a (surprise, surprise!) emphasis on the pirate theme... as well as a charming mermaid sub-theme. Every pirate needs a mermaid, and vice versa, after all!
A highlight is its waterfront location.
Check their website about the schedule of the mermaid shows and other events.
2017 update: the food is good, but avoid the falafel stand. The large chocolate-covered strawberries are a must-have, just like in past years!
http://www.norcalpiratefestival.com/
If you expect a few dozen people, you'll be - ahem - blown away by the THOUSANDS of people with 100's and 100's of kites, including some the size of buses!! This is a regional festival; kite lovers converge here from all over. Learn something new every day, eh? ;)
It takes place at the Berkeley Marina, where the summer wind is always plentiful (except on the day I took a "Rough Weather Sailing" class and the bay was as flat as a bathtub!) http://www.highlinekites.com/pages.php?pageid=21
Smallish but lovely and definitely exotic. Don't expect anything Muslim though: this festival was founded by Egyptian Christians! Just like there's no trace of anything communist in the SF Russian festival, there's not a shred of anything Muslim in this Egyptian festival. Don't you love the Bay Area? ;)
Great costumes and great food, among other things.
And, yes, you can buy outfits like the one my friend tried in this photo!
http://kingtutfestival.com
Not as close to the San Francisco area as the other festivals, but a fascinating time travel on a fairly large scale!
Expect a lot of heat at that location. You can rent costumes there.
Pictured in the photo is something like a human-driven merry-go-round: the seats gets wound up around the central pole (by people pushing), and then it spins when let go.
MAY. Carnaval parade in San Francisco.
Floats galore and, of course, lots of dancing and music. Vastly more central American than Brazilian, though. So, don't cancel that trip to Rio de Janeiro yet!Don't do my same mistake and forget sun lotion: various store keepers where I tried to buy it, seemed unaware of the existence of such a thing!
After the parade, there's a festival, with food, music and drink, a few blocks away. Don't even think about driving! (BART takes right there.)
http://www.carnavalsanfrancisco.org/
JUNE. Pirate Festival in Vallejo -> [2025 UPDATE: sadly, no longer in existence - but with talk to bring it back]
In brief, a mini "Renaissance Faire" with a (surprise, surprise!) emphasis on the pirate theme... as well as a charming mermaid sub-theme. Every pirate needs a mermaid, and vice versa, after all!A highlight is its waterfront location.
Check their website about the schedule of the mermaid shows and other events.
2017 update: the food is good, but avoid the falafel stand. The large chocolate-covered strawberries are a must-have, just like in past years!
http://www.norcalpiratefestival.com/
JULY. Berkeley Kite Festival -> [2025 UPDATE: sadly, no longer in existence]
If you expect a few dozen people, you'll be - ahem - blown away by the THOUSANDS of people with 100's and 100's of kites, including some the size of buses!! This is a regional festival; kite lovers converge here from all over. Learn something new every day, eh? ;)It takes place at the Berkeley Marina, where the summer wind is always plentiful (except on the day I took a "Rough Weather Sailing" class and the bay was as flat as a bathtub!) http://www.highlinekites.com/pages.php?pageid=21
AUGUST. King Tut Egyptian Festival, Hayward.
Smallish but lovely and definitely exotic. Don't expect anything Muslim though: this festival was founded by Egyptian Christians! Just like there's no trace of anything communist in the SF Russian festival, there's not a shred of anything Muslim in this Egyptian festival. Don't you love the Bay Area? ;)Great costumes and great food, among other things.
And, yes, you can buy outfits like the one my friend tried in this photo!
http://kingtutfestival.com
SEP.-OCT. Renaissance Faire Northern California, Hollister (near Monterrey.)
Expect a lot of heat at that location. You can rent costumes there.
Pictured in the photo is something like a human-driven merry-go-round: the seats gets wound up around the central pole (by people pushing), and then it spins when let go.
https://norcalrenfaire.com/
At the St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church, near Lake Merritt. I went last year, and the food was superb!
A large number of short dance pieces by a quite a few groups. The odds are that at least some will be good. And it's a very intimate audience experience, in close proximity to the dancers.
The hair in the foreground is from audience members: everyone is really close to the dancers!
OCTOBER. Armenian Food Festival in Oakland.
At the St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church, near Lake Merritt. I went last year, and the food was superb!
NOVEMBER. Works in the Works, Berkeley. -> [2025 UPDATE: Status Uncertain]
A large number of short dance pieces by a quite a few groups. The odds are that at least some will be good. And it's a very intimate audience experience, in close proximity to the dancers.The hair in the foreground is from audience members: everyone is really close to the dancers!
UPDATE: Their website isn't working as of Apr. 2025
(http://www.worksintheworks.org/). Status uncertain!
General info
Though technically not a "festival", being at the elegant and surreal St. Mary's College feels like being at a festival! And they have a good dance department. Don't forget to check out the dining hall, which looks straight out of Hogwarts!
VARIOUS DATES, in particular NOVEMBER. Dance Shows at St. Mary's College in Moraga.
Though technically not a "festival", being at the elegant and surreal St. Mary's College feels like being at a festival! And they have a good dance department. Don't forget to check out the dining hall, which looks straight out of Hogwarts!https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/events?keywords=dance
I'm leaving out, at least for now, other festivals that are well-known in San Francisco, such as the Folsom St. Festival, the Pride Parade, Burning Man, etc.
Anything that you think I ought to add to the above list??
I'm leaving out, at least for now, other festivals that are well-known in San Francisco, such as the Folsom St. Festival, the Pride Parade, Burning Man, etc.
Anything that you think I ought to add to the above list??
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