The Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco, will host “Echoes of the Alley—Golden Gate Handball,” a special handball exhibition on Saturday, November 15 at the public handball courts behind the Big Rec Ball Field in Golden Gate Park.

The event, supported by the Consulate General of Mexico, the Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA), the U.S. Handball Association (USHA), Rec and Park, and local clubs including South End Rowing Club, the Dolphin Club, the United Irish Cultural Center, the Olympic Club and the Golden Gate Handball Club, will celebrate the rich cultural and sporting traditions that have made San Francisco a hub for handball for over a century.

From noon to 5 p.m., spectators can enjoy a full afternoon of matches featuring juniors, novices and top-level players. Among those scheduled to play are Brooklyn native and 26-time national champion Tracy Davis; one of California’s most promising young women’s players, Nicole Eike; and the Bay Area’s own Coleman McGrath and Erik Torres.

That shared history is also reflected in Golden Gate Park itself, which has long served as a gathering place for generations of immigrants — from the Irish workers who helped shape its early landscapes to the Mexican and Latin American communities who have filled it with music, art, and celebration.

All are welcome to attend this free community event. For more information, click the link below.

Opening this month, Lightscape will bring an otherworldly after-dark experience to the San Francisco Botanical Garden, highlighting the beauty of plants and nature through color, light, art, and music. The 55-acre garden will be transformed from November 21, 2025, through January 4, 2026.

The enchanting illuminated light trail will span 1 mile and feature show-stopping displays from international artists plus water features and dazzling sculptures that come alive at night with color, imagination and sound. 

Since 2012, Lightscape has partnered with some of the world’s leading botanical gardens in the U.K., Europe, U.S., and Australia as well as UNESCO World Heritage Sites to deliver large-scale, high-quality events to more than 12 million people. For more information, click the link below.

We're excited to share that improvements to Transverse Drive between John F. Kennedy Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive have been completed! The improvements aim to enhance safety and connectivity in Golden Gate Park.

Improvements include fresh pavement, new road striping, and painted bulb-outs at Middle Drive. There is also now a dedicated northbound bike lane replacing the old shared lane, connecting the JFK Promenade to MLK Drive. We look forward to smoother rides and safer connections for everyone traveling through Golden Gate Park.

Stern Grove and Pine Lake will close today, November 12 at 10 p.m. due to wet and windy weather. These parks will remain closed until park staff inspect conditions, which we anticipate will take place by noon on Thursday, November 13.

If using your parks, please be alert as strong gusts can topple healthy trees and snap limbs. Stay up to date at sfrecpark.org.

Join us for free concerts with Illuminate Live in Golden Gate Park:

Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive)

For the full concert schedule, click the link 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 Maritza from Pimiento Catering will be at the Food Pavilion through November 30. Maritza is a lifelong cook who grew up beside her mother, Mama Gaby, learning to turn love and tradition into flavor. She brings the soulful, vibrant tastes of Colombia to the Bay Area, blending heritage with creativity in every dish. For more information, click the link below. 

High school students exploring future career goals are invited to the Green Careers Fair 2025, hosted by SF Environment and the Bay Area Youth Climate Summit (BAYCS). It takes place at 1455 Market Street on Saturday, November 15 from noon to 2:30 p.m. 

Meet professionals from government, nonprofits, and philanthropy, including Rec and Park, Brightline Defense and Women in Cleantech, to hear what their jobs are really like. Tyrone Jue, Director at SF Environment, will give the keynote address and share what inspired his path as a climate leader.

Discover green career pathways, learn from panelists about their journeys, and connect with other students who want to make a difference. For more information and to register, click the link below.

Join Rec and Park and Surfrider Foundation San Francisco to help revegetate the dunes at Ocean Beach. Last winter, volunteers planted the first round of native beach wildrye with partners from Reimagining SF, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Friends of Sunset Dunes. Healthy dunes protect communities from flooding, stabilize sand, and provide habitat for coastal wildlife.

The second round of revegetation is upcoming, with volunteer dates on Wednesdays, November 19, and December 3, from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Judah and Ocean Beach. Space is limited with the November 15 date full. For more information and to register, click the link below. 

It's not too early to think about the 2026 San Francisco Youth Baseball League (SFYBL) season!  New Rec and Park players and those who have aged up to Bronco and Pony can now sign up, as well as independent teams and individual registrations for those returning to their 2025 Mustang, Bronco, Pony or girls' softball teams. For more information and to register, click the link below. 

Enjoy free creative activities in Union Square (333 Post Street) this holiday season. Join local artists for hands-on workshops, including rubber-stamped wrapping paper on Thursday, winter-themed ceramic tiles on Friday, hand-sewn ornaments on Saturday, and do-it-yourself record art on Sunday. Each session runs from 3 to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends.

Free amenity zones are also open during craft days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with foosball, cornhole, and the Union Square Recess Cart stocked with art supplies and tabletop games.

Free programming is made possible by a grant from the Office of Mayor Daniel Lurie and the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development to Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, in cooperation with Rec and Park and support from the Union Square Alliance. For more information, click the link below. 

San Francisco Nature Education (SFNE) is hosting bird walks, with the next taking place at Blue Heron Lake in Golden Gate Park on November 15 from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at the Blue Heron Lake Boathouse (50 Blue Heron Lake Drive). SFNE volunteers will lead these walks, offering one program for children ages 5 to 12 (accompanied by a parent or guardian), and another for youth and adults ages 13 and up. For more information and to register for these field trips, click the link below.

Our Video of the Week comes from KTVU and highlights the lighting of the Macy’s Great Tree presented by Ripple in Union Square, marking the 36th year of this holiday tradition. The video not only highlights the start of the holiday season in San Francisco, but the positive vibes that are being felt in the park, neighborhood and downtown. Learn more about upcoming programming and events in and around Union Square at the link below. 

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