Happy Earth Month! Celebrate by getting outside in San Francisco's parks with a number of activities and events in April, including free seeds and plant starts available for pickup at McLaren Park Community Garden (599 Leland Avenue) on Saturday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free event is open to all San Francisco residents and offers a chance to connect with the UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo and San Francisco counties, who will be on-site to answer questions and share expert gardening advice. Registration is not required. See additional Earth Month events in San Francisco’s parks below:

Rec and Park’s annual Spring Fling returns to Crocker Amazon Park (799 Moscow Street) on Saturday, April 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free community event will include live entertainment, carnival rides and games, an egg hunt, arts and crafts, and more. Food trucks will be available throughout the event.

There will be free bike valet parking and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided. For accommodations, contact rpdaccess@sfgov.org or (415) 831-6841. For more information, click the link below. 

Join the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for their Easter in the Park event at Dolores Park (Dolores and 19th streets) on Sunday, April 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be an egg hunt and other family-friendly activities from 10 a.m. to noon. Afterward, there will be performances and the famous Easter Bonnet, Foxy Mary and Hunky Jesus contests from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, click the link below.

Registration is now open for our Annual Kids' Games at Kezar Stadium (670 Kezar Drive) with San Francisco Police Activities League (SFPAL) on Sunday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This will be a free Olympic-style track meet for kids ages 5 to 14. The meet will feature the 50-meter dash, 100-meter dash and long jump. For details and to register, click the link below.

At the Recreation and Park Commission meeting last month, longtime park volunteer and trail advocate Bob Siegel was celebrated for his decades of service helping to shape San Francisco’s park system and outdoor community. A retired City College instructor and founder of the Cross Town Trail—a 17-mile route connecting parks, neighborhoods and public spaces across the city—Bob has also served on the boards of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council and Sutro Stewards and regularly leads community hikes. For more than 20 years, he has supported trail-building projects at Glen Canyon, Twin Peaks, McLaren Park and the Oak Woodlands in Golden Gate Park. Thank you, Bob, for inspiring generations to explore and enjoy San Francisco's parks.

Ahead of the Bay Area’s role in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the iconic World Cup Trophy made a special stop at San Francisco City Hall this week as part of the FIFA Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola.

As if that wasn’t memorable enough, San Francisco’s own youth soccer team, The Vikings—which plays at Beach Chalet Fields in Golden Gate Park—got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the trophy up close. For these young players, it wasn’t just about the trophy, it was about dreaming big and feeling part of something global.

As we gear up to welcome the world in the months ahead, moments like this remind us of soccer’s power to inspire, connect, and bring communities together across generations.

Check out The Frisc’s recent piece on the growing number of San Francisco girls playing on high school baseball teams. The article highlights how more female athletes are choosing baseball over softball, carving out space and thriving on traditionally male-dominated teams. It also spotlights programs like the San Francisco Bay Sox, which has been a catalyst for high school girls baseball players. Read the piece at the link below. 

As we kick off April, it means that we're entering coyote pupping season. While coyotes are generally wary of humans, parent coyotes may become territorial if you or your pet stumble close to their den area. 

To foster a safe coexistence between you and our natural neighbors, please take the following precautions:

If you encounter a coyote, slowly back away, carrying any small children or pets. Do not run. You may also scare the coyote away by appearing large and making loud noises.

If you encounter a coyote or see someone putting out food for a coyote, report it to Animal Care and Control (ACC) at (415) 554-9400, or by email at acc@sfgov.org.

For more information, visit ACC's coyote page at the link below.

Join the Francisco Park Conservancy for its Dads with Strollers Meetup on Saturday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to noon at Francisco Park's (Bay and Larkin streets) main lawn. This casual walk-and-talk gathering is designed for dads with young children to spend time outdoors, meet neighbors and build community while strolling the park. Coffee and Bob’s Donuts will be provided, and everyone is welcome. For more information, click the link below. 

Join the Friends of Alemany Farm (700 Alemany Boulevard) for a garden weed workshop on Saturday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to noon. What is a weed, and how can you identify and manage them in your garden? Learn why some plants thrive despite climate, competition, and control efforts, and explore safe, non-toxic ways to manage weeds in Bay Area gardens. For more information and to register, click the link below. 

Join Rec and Park for a second information session about the upcoming renovation of playground equipment and surfacing at Koshland Park's playground. It takes place at the playground (Page and Buchanan streets) on Wednesday, April 8 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. There will be no formal presentation; staff will be on hand to discuss the project and answer questions. Additionally, you can take the design survey, which is open through Sunday, April 12.  

For language services or accessibility requests, contact the project manager at sanjana.appachu@sfgov.org or (628) 652-6629 at least 48 hours before the meeting; late requests will be honored if possible. For more information, click the link below. 

Head to the Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive) in Golden Gate Park for free concerts with Illuminate LIVE. See the upcoming schedule below:

Join En2Action for its pop-up series at the India Basin Waterfront Park Food Pavilion (900 Innes Avenue), held on the weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Chef Fred returns this April, bringing his Curbside BBQ to the pavilion. Born and raised in Bayview-Hunters Point just up the hill from the park, he has been grilling for more than 35 years. A legend in the community, Fred has long barbecued in front of Surfside Liquors and will serve his signature ribs alongside chicken, hot links and more. For more information, click the link below. 

We’re excited to share that registration for Junior Giants is currently open. This free, non-competitive baseball and softball summer league is for ages 5 to 13 and features lessons on integrity, confidence, teamwork, leadership and more. It runs from Monday, June 8 to Saturday, August 1.

Interested in coaching? The league is also recruiting parent volunteers, including head coaches, assistant coaches and team parents. For more information on coaching in the league, as well as to register beginning April 1, click the link below.

The Giants Community Fund's Baseball and Softball Academy has entered a new chapter as the Orlando Cepeda Academy, honoring the legacy of Giants legend and Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda.

Established in 2022 in partnership with Rec and Park, the academy provides free, competitive baseball and softball to middle and high school-aged youth in San Francisco’s underserved communities. The program aims to strengthen diversity in the game by creating pathways both on the field and into front offices across professional sports.

Registration is now open with the season opening on Saturday, June 13 at the Balboa Park baseball fields (San Jose and Ocean avenues). For more information and to sign up, click the link below.

Our Video of the Week comes from the San Francisco Standard and highlights their free Humphry Slocombe ice cream giveaway at Dolores Park during the heat wave last month. In addition to free ice cream, Love Dolores ambassadors shared tips and guidance on how to best keep the park clean, encouraging visitors to properly use trash and recycling bins and avoid litter like cigarette butts and glass. Learn more about Love Dolores and its efforts at the link below.

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