Join the 42nd Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 19 and help keep San Francisco’s coastal parks clean. Most cleanups run from 9 a.m. to noon, including events at Sunset Dunes, India Basin Waterfront Park, Heron’s Head Park and the Marina Yacht Harbor. Times and registration requirements vary by site. Learn more and sign up at the link below.

San Francisco families are invited to help shape the future of the city through the new "This Is Your City: 2026 Family Listening Series." The citywide effort includes an online survey and 14 Family Summits where children, youth, parents, caregivers and families can share their experiences and priorities to help inform future City planning and services.

Several summits will take place at Rec and Park facilities, including at the new Gene Friend Recreation Center (270 6th Street) on Saturday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with free food, childcare and interpretation available. Learn more, take the survey and find a Family Summit near you at the link below.

Join the Friends of Alta Plaza Park, San Franciscans for Sports and Recreation and Rec and Park to celebrate Alta Plaza Park's (Jackson and Steiner streets) newly resurfaced tennis courts on Sunday, September 20 from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will feature tennis activities, foam-tip archery, refreshments and a ceremonial unveiling of a plaque honoring tennis legend Helen Wills Moody. Learn more at the link below.

There’s still time to experience Flower Piano at the San Francisco Botanical Garden (1199 9th Avenue) through Sunday, September 20. Twelve pianos are placed throughout the Garden, inviting visitors to enjoy scheduled performances or take a turn at the keys between sets. The pianos are open for public use from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. when not hosting a performance. From tango and jazz to swing and blues, there’s something for everyone. Flower Piano is included with Garden admission. Learn more at the link below.

Laugh the afternoon away at the 45th Annual Comedy Day at Robin Williams Meadow (320 Bowling Green Drive) in Golden Gate Park on Sunday, September 20 from noon to 5 p.m. This free outdoor comedy concert will feature dozens of performers, including Paula Poundstone, Chris Titus, Will Durst, Diane Amos and more. Learn more at the link below.

Dance the afternoon away at Daytime Disco in Union Square (333 Post Street) on Sunday, September 20 from 1 to 5 p.m. A part of Another Planet Entertainment's free downtown concert series, the show will feature Poolside, the recording project of producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Paradise, along with Washed Out (DJ Set) and DJ Dials. Learn more and RSVP for the free show at the link below.

Rec and Park is seeking proposals to reimagine the approximately 9.5-acre Lake Merced West site (520 John Muir Drive) for public recreation. Potential uses could include a boathouse and dock, sports courts, walking paths, a playground, community building, restaurant and more. The second scheduled site visit will take place on Tuesday, September 22 from 10 to 11 a.m. Community letters of interest from nonprofit organizations are due Thursday, September 24 by 3 p.m. Learn more at the link below.

The Randall Museum (199 Museum Way) will celebrate its 75th anniversary on the slopes of Corona Heights Park on Sunday, September 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. This free, family-friendly celebration will feature the opening of a new history exhibit, live music, crafts, climbing, skateboarding, archery and more.

For decades, the museum has offered hands-on art, science and nature programming rooted in the area’s distinctive hillside ecology. Ahead of the milestone, San Franciscans are invited to share their stories and memories of how the Randall has brought joy, inspiration, learning and community to their lives. 

Has visiting or taking classes at the Randall Museum ignited a new passion or even influenced your career path? Has it been part of your family across multiple generations? Click the link below if you'd like to share your Randall story. 

Grammy Award-winning artist T-Pain will headline an all-ages outdoor concert at Robin Williams Meadow (320 Bowling Green Drive) in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, October 17. R&B singer-songwriter Ari Lennox will open, with DJs Lady Ryan, Shellheart and BBCAROLZ rounding out the lineup. The concert is a partnership between R&B and Ribs, NPU Live and Rec and Park. Presale registration begins Thursday, September 17 at 10 a.m., followed by the public ticket sale at noon. Learn more at the link below.

Congratulations to Naga, the sea serpent sculpture at Rainbow Falls in Golden Gate Park, which received two 2026 CODAawards for Most Inspirational and People’s Choice. Created by Cjay Roughgarden, Jacquelyn Scott and Stephanie Shipman, the 25-foot-tall, 100-foot-long artwork was recognized for its playful presence, community engagement and memorable integration into the park landscape. Learn more about the awards at the link below.

Photo Credit: Marcus Aureliuz

Grace and her husband, Henry, have been coming to the South Sunset Clubhouse for 12 years, taking part in the lively senior programming that has made this space a neighborhood gathering place for decades.

From dance and fitness classes to daily meals, games, and social activities, the Clubhouse has become an important part of their lives—and the lives of more than 200 neighborhood seniors.

Last month, Grace and Henry returned to celebrate the Clubhouse’s reopening following a major renovation project. They were amazed by the transformation, which includes a new kitchen and indoor restroom, new sliding glass doors, a revamped back patio, and other important upgrades.

“It feels bigger,” Grace said. “And it’s a lot brighter. It’s more contemporary.”

But for Grace, what matters most about the Clubhouse isn’t the building itself. It’s the community inside. Many of the seniors who gather here speak Cantonese, giving them a place where they can truly be themselves.

“We’re all mostly immigrants, and without any language barriers, we’re all able to express ourselves,” Grace said. “Here, we’ve found our community … we make each other happy.”

For more than 30 years, Self-Help for the Elderly has led programming at the South Sunset Clubhouse, providing seniors with meals and activities—but just as important: friendship, belonging, and connection.

People of the Parks is a series of short stories based on conversations with people we meet in San Francisco parks. For more information about the newly renovated Clubhouse, click the link below.

Stop by SFGATE's newsroom pop-up at Golden Gate Park (8th Avenue and JFK Drive) on Friday, September 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Meet SFGATE journalists, share what's happening in your neighborhood, add your voice to the community wall and learn how public perspectives help shape their stories. Learn more at the link below.

Join Ikebana International for its Early Autumn Harmony program at the County Fair Building (1199 9th Avenue) in Golden Gate Park on Friday, September 18 at noon. Enjoy demonstrations from four artists representing the Wafu, Ohara, Ikenobo and Sogetsu schools of Japanese floral arrangement. Learn more at the link below.

Stop by Kimbell Playground (1901 Geary Boulevard) for a free seed and plant start giveaway on Saturday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. San Francisco residents can pick up seasonal vegetable and herb seeds and plant starts, receive expert gardening advice from UC Master Gardeners and learn about tool care. Compost and mulch will not be available. Learn more at the link below.

Join Support for Families for Access to Adventure at the Crissy Field Center (603 Mason Street) on Saturday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature family activities, entertainment and more. Learn about inclusive recreation opportunities in and around San Francisco while connecting with other families and staff from partner organizations, including Rec and Park’s Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services team. Learn more and register at the link below.

Celebrate India Basin Waterfront Park and the Bayview-Hunters Point community at the Family Day Block Party along Hunters Point Boulevard between Innes and Hudson avenues on Saturday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy live music and DJs, dance performances, live painting, a free photo booth, community art, local vendors and nonprofits, and BBQ from Surfside Liquor. The celebration is part of a weekend-long test of a slower, safer Innes Avenue and Hunters Point Boulevard, with temporary street changes in place Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 20. Learn more at the link below.

The 15th Annual Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival returns to Tenderloin Recreation Center (570 Ellis Street) on Saturday, September 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This annual event celebrates Southeast Asian art and culture with live traditional music and dance, arts and crafts, cultural exhibitions and workshops, food demonstrations, mooncakes, a soccer tournament and more. Learn more at the link below.

Celebrate European culture at Peacock Meadow (240 John F. Kennedy Drive) in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, September 19 from 1 to 6 p.m. This free, family-friendly event features live music, European food, cultural performances, activities, a European Village, a beer garden and more. Learn more at the link below.

The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival's “Antony and Cleopatra” moves to Sue Bierman Park (Washington and Drumm streets) for performances on September 19, 20, 26 and 27. Shakespeare’s tragedy follows the passionate and politically charged romance between Roman leader Mark Antony and Egyptian queen Cleopatra as love, loyalty and power collide. Performances begin at 2 p.m. and run approximately 90 minutes. Admission is free and no tickets are required. Learn more at the link below.

Visit the Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott Street) for its 2026 Member, Staff and Volunteer Show, highlighting photography created by the center’s artistic community and on view through Saturday, October 3. Meet the artists during a free, casual drop-in conversation on Saturday, September 19 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Learn more at the link below.

Join Friends of Alemany Farm for a Summer Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop at the farm (700 Alemany Boulevard) on Sunday, September 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of how and when to prune apple and plum trees. Learn more and register at the link below.

Enjoy free weekly concerts, including Illuminate Live performances at the Golden Gate Bandshell, Fulton Plaza and the Whale’s Tail, plus the Golden Gate Park Band’s Sunday concert at the Bandshell. See upcoming shows below:  

 

Fulton Plaza (Fulton Street between Larkin & Hyde streets)

September 17 | noon-3 p.m. - JoJo, Stevie Coupons, Tomfoolery, & Victor Lin

September 22 | noon-3 p.m. - Alvie and The Breakfast Pigs, Karaj Lost Coast, & Lisa Graciano

 

Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive)

September 18 | 4:30-7:30 p.m. - Friday Happy Hour featuring Bill Ortiz, Gary Brown, Howard Wiley, John Santos, Ken Cook, Leon Joyce, & Zoe Ellis

September 19 | noon-4 p.m. - 4th Annual Tribute to John Coltrane | A Love Supreme Saxophone Summit

September 20 | 1-2:30 p.m. - Golden Gate Park Band Concert: Celebrating Robert Emmet and the Irish Isle

September 20 | 4:30-7:30 p.m. - Reggae Sunday featuring Kava Jah and the Remedy & resident DJs Guid8nce, Sep, & Irie Dole

September 23 | 4-7 p.m. - Midweek Melodies featuring BTU: Buffum-Tuttle Unit, Joe Burke, & Nick Tasker & the Hash-Slinging Slasher

 

The Whale's Tail (14th Avenue East Meadow & the JFK Promenade)

September 19 | noon-6 p.m. - Gaby, Kevin North, Maya Bennett, & Steve Egelman

September 20 | noon-6 p.m. - Anna Seitz, Erston Pearcy, Marlina Teich, & Rebecca Chapa

 

Join the Francisco Park Conservancy for a volunteer garden day at Francisco Park (Bay and Larkin streets) on Saturday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet your neighbors, enjoy the outdoors and help care for the park. Learn more and sign up at the link below.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, we remember Bay Area hero Mark Bingham, who joined fellow passengers in fighting back against the hijackers of United Flight 93, preventing the plane from reaching its intended target in Washington, D.C. A champion rugby player, LGBTQ+ advocate and original member of the San Francisco Fog, Bingham showed how recreation can foster courage, inclusion and community. His legacy lives on through the Bingham Cup and the Mark Bingham Gymnasium at Eureka Valley Recreation Center, named in his honor in 2002. Our Video of the Week comes from NBC Bay Area and highlights his life and legacy.