Where else can you come face-to-face with a one-eyed weasel, make art, watch model trains and then head outside to explore nature—all for free? Celebrate 75 years of the Randall Museum (199 Museum Way) on Sunday, September 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. Enjoy live animals, rock climbing, archery, art and science activities, live music, guided nature activities and more. The celebration will also unveil a new exhibit on museum founder Josephine D. Randall, which explores her life and career, the creation of the museum and its place in San Francisco recreation history. Learn more at the link below.

The Recreation and Park Commission last week approved names for the future five-acre park unifying Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park. The destination will be known as Embarcadero Park, with the current Embarcadero Plaza named Art Agnos Plaza in recognition of the former mayor’s role in reconnecting downtown to the waterfront.

The Commission also recommended renaming the park’s northern portion Sue Bierman Commons, pending Board of Supervisors approval. The redesigned waterfront park will feature lawns and gardens, picnic and dining areas, recreation and performance spaces, an enclosed dog play area and improved pedestrian connections.

Construction is expected to begin in late 2026 and be completed in early 2028. Learn more 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 Tenderloin Recreation Center (570 Ellis Street) on Thursday, September 24 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and at Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center (650 Capitol Avenue) on Saturday, September 26 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Free food, childcare and interpretation will be available at both. Learn more, take the survey and find a Family Summit near you at the link below.

Celebrate Dolly Parton’s music and legacy at Dolly Day in Union Square (333 Post Street) on Friday, September 25 from noon to 3 p.m. This free gathering will be a joyful day of music, rhinestones and remembrance honoring Dolly Parton, with live performances, tributes and community programming. Come together to remember the joy and positivity she brought to the world. Learn more at the link below.

Celebrate San Francisco’s biodiversity at the Golden Gate Park Nature Festival outside the California Academy of Sciences (55 Music Concourse Drive) on Sunday, September 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free event will feature educational programs, interactive activities, hands-on experiences and displays from organizations working to protect and restore nature throughout the city. Learn more and register at the link below.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the free annual music festival, returns to Golden Gate Park on Friday, October 2 and runs through Sunday, October 4 at Hellman Hollow, Lindley Meadow and Marx Meadow. This year’s lineup includes Robert Plant with Saving Grace and Suzi Dian, My Morning Jacket, Emmylou Harris, Mavis Staples, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and Los Lobos.

Note that road closures in Golden Gate Park are currently in effect through Thursday, October 8.

For more information, including the full lineup and schedule, click the link below.

Community members gathered at Alta Plaza Park last weekend to celebrate the resurfacing of its two eastern tennis courts. The event featured tennis activities, foam-tip archery and the unveiling of a plaque honoring tennis legend Helen Wills Moody. The court resurfacing was funded by the Friends of Alta Plaza Park and San Franciscans for Sports and Recreation. Thank you to these organizations for their advocacy and support! 

Next up is an improvement to the children’s play area, where a partnership between Rec and Park and the Friends of Alta Plaza Park will install a new play structure for ages 2 to 5 and replace the safety surfacing. Construction is scheduled to begin September 28. Stay up to date at the link below.

Check out the San Francisco Chronicle’s recent piece on Alioto Mini Park (20th and Capp streets), where community gardeners credit recent improvements and multi-agency cooperation with changing the vibe of the park. The story highlights a refreshed playground and new fencing, as well as the Neighborhood Safety Pod Initiative, which brought City departments together to address concerns at the park. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle at the link below.

Photo Credit: Benjamin Fanjoy/S.F. Chronicle

In fall 2025, Rec and Park partnered with Urban Field Studio to examine how people use Sunset Dunes. The study has now been published, and its findings will help inform planning for the park’s future. Read the study at the link below.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) wants to hear your ideas on its new school safety effort called Safe School Connections. The agency is working to connect all schools in San Francisco to the city’s biking and rolling network, including through parks. This network serves all ages and abilities and aims to provide more options for families to get around. Complete the survey by Wednesday, September 30 to provide feedback and click the link below for more information. 

Swing by the Goldman Tennis Center (50 Bowling Green Drive) in Golden Gate Park for the Kunal Patel San Francisco (KPSF) Open, which is underway through Sunday, September 27. Watch top tennis players compete for a share of $50,000 in prize money, with all matches free and open to the public.

On Sunday, September 27, bring the kids for a free Family Day beginning at 10 a.m., featuring on-court games for ages 4 and older, followed by the women’s and men’s finals beginning at noon. Learn more and register for the Family Day at the link below.

Join the OMI Family Resource Center for dinner and a movie at Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center (650 Capitol Avenue) on Friday, September 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. Enjoy free food and a screening of Disney's "Chicken Little." Learn more by contacting the recreation center at (415) 337-4710.

Celebrate San Francisco Good Neighbor Week at Upper Noe Recreation Center (295 Day Street) on Saturday, September 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free event features live music, dance, archery, volleyball, games, arts and crafts, refreshments and more. Learn more at the link below. 

Join Kids and Art Foundation for Chalk2Heal at Sunset Dunes and Judah Street on Saturday, September 26 from noon to 3 p.m. Create sidewalk art in support of children navigating pediatric cancer at this free event and enjoy bubbles, face painting, live entertainment and more. Learn more at the link below. 

Join Friends of Kimbell Community Garden for a community picnic and design gallery at Kimbell Playground (1901 Geary Boulevard) on Saturday, September 26 from noon to 3 p.m. Explore the garden plans and enjoy refreshments with neighbors. Learn more and RSVP at the link below. 

Kick off San Francisco Good Neighbor Week at Civic Center Plaza (355 McAllister Street) on Saturday, September 26 from noon to 2 p.m. Enjoy live music, dancing, food trucks, neighborhood art, circus performers and activities for all ages. Learn more and RSVP at the link below.

Check out the closing weekend for San Francisco Shakespeare Festival's “Antony and Cleopatra” at Sue Bierman Park (Washington and Drumm streets) for performances on September 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.

Help close the season for this production on September 26 with a New Orleans-style procession down the Embarcadero with the Jazz Mafia after the show. Learn more at the link below.

Join Friends of Sunset Dunes for the opening of Shipwreck Cove at Sunset Dunes and Kirkham Street on Saturday, September 26 at 3 p.m. The new pilot play area features ship-inspired play elements, sand play and opportunities to learn about the surrounding dune habitat. Come aboard and explore this new beachside play area!

Close out this year’s Cinema on the Square series with a free screening of "The Conversation" at Union Square (333 Post Street) on Saturday, September 26. Pre-show activities begin at 5 p.m. with movie trivia, prizes, entertainment and popcorn while supplies last, followed by the film at 7:15 p.m. Bring a low chair or blanket and warm layers to watch the Francis Ford Coppola classic, which opens with a scene filmed in Union Square. Learn more at the link below.

Join Friends of Duboce Park for a free outdoor screening of "How to Train Your Dragon" at Duboce Park (Duboce Avenue and Steiner Street) on Saturday, September 26 at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket or chair and enjoy an autumn evening with your neighbors. Learn more at the link below. 

Join the Nob Hill Association for a free outdoor screening of "The Sound of Music" at Huntington Park (California and Taylor streets) on Saturday, September 26 at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket or chair and enjoy complimentary popcorn. Learn more at the link below.  

Join the Friends of Alemany Farm (700 Alemany Boulevard) for two workshops on Sunday, September 27. Intro to Urban Beekeeping will cover bee biology, colony health, honey production and safe beekeeping practices from 10 a.m. to noon. Cooking at the Farm will explore seasonal eating and feature Lebanese-inspired dishes prepared with produce harvested at the farm from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, click the link below.

Celebrate German culture at the Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive) on Sunday, September 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy live music, dance, food, beer, cultural exhibits and family activities at this free community celebration.

The event will feature the Golden Gate Park Band, which closes out the summer with a joyful celebration of hearty marches, elegant waltzes and lively polkas that capture the warmth and Gemütlichkeit of German musical tradition. Learn more and RSVP 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 24 | noon-3 p.m. - Caroline Wolfson, JimBo Trout, & Rebecca Chapa

September 29 | noon-3 p.m. - Gaby, JW Blunt, & Kevin North

 

Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive)

September 25 | 4-7 p.m. - Friday Happy Hour featuring Implied Jazz & Luke Westbrook Trio

September 27 | 1-2:30 p.m. - Golden Gate Park Band Concert: Celebrating German Culture

September 30 | 4-7 p.m. - Midweek Melodies featuring Jesse Brewster, Joe Brennan, & The Alleylots

 

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

September 26 | noon-6 p.m. - Alie Halla, Christian Sendaydiego, MAV, & Scott Ray Laws

September 27 | noon-6 p.m. - CarnyMusic, Joe Andrews, Larisa Roberts, & Michael Annotti

 

Join the Francisco Park Conservancy for a storytime at the park’s playground (Hyde and Francisco streets) on Friday, September 25 from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Bring your little ones along with a blanket and a snack.

There will also be a community yoga class on Sunday, September 27 from 10 to 11 a.m. Bring a yoga mat, blanket or towel and meet on the lawn for some morning movement. Details at the link below.

Our Video of the Week comes from SFGovTV as part of its Get Out and Play! series, hosted by Michael Baltazar. In it, he visits the San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club (320 Bowling Green Drive), which has been a Golden Gate Park institution since 1901. It is the nation’s oldest municipal lawn bowling club and continues to welcome newcomers with free lessons. Learn more about the club and how to take a lesson at the link below.