Best Summer Festivals and Street Fairs in San Francisco

Northern California's hilly San Francisco is well known for its iconic bridge, foggy weather and barking Pier 39 sea lions. But did you know that each year, from May to October, it's also home to dozens of festivals and street fairs? These events celebrate everything from steampunk art to Zimbabwean dance styles. So, if you're looking for San Francisco events to enjoy throughout the summer, plan your trip around one or two of these rollicking seasonal street parties.

Events in May

Steampunk Masquerade

This day-long, steampunk-themed festival kicks off with celebrations of music and art, including huge interactive installations with ample wow factor. You get to enjoy music on several stages, circus acts like aerialists and fire performers, art cars and mutant vehicles fashioned in a steampunk aesthetic. Kids are welcome as long as they’re with adults.

Downtown Alameda Spring Festival

Alameda's Park Street shuts down annually for this Bay Area Mother's Day tradition. The Spring Festival offers plenty of family fun, including arts and crafts, face painting, bounce houses, designated areas just for kids, live music, food vendors and lots of other kid-friendly entertainment.

San Francisco Carnaval

Head to San Fran's Mission neighborhood for a two-day celebration of the city's diversity. Carnaval features celebratory dance and music traditions from cultures across the world, with skilled performances showcasing Brazilian-style samba, Mexican Aztec dance, Caribbean dance, Polynesian dance, African drummers, Japanese drummers and more.

Events in June

Frameline

Coinciding with Pride month, this highly lauded international film festival is the biggest and most recognized LGBTQ film exhibition event around the globe. Founded in 1977, this 11-day feast of cinema takes place each year at the Castro Theatre and other venues across the city, gathering over 63,000 attendees per year.

SF Pride

The LGBTQ+ community and allies gather for a weekend in June each year for one of the country's biggest pride celebrations: SF Pride. The event includes music, dance, exhibitors, food, community-run stages and a huge parade and march. The event annually draws around 50,000 participants and more than 200 contingents from Northern California and beyond.

Stern Grove Festival

A San Fran favorite, this summer-long festival has been a city tradition for over 80 years. Every Sunday from June through the end of August, you can visit the serene Sigmund Stern Grove to enjoy a brilliant lineup of free live music in a natural setting.

Events in July

Fillmore Jazz Festival

Jazz lovers make their way to San Francisco every year to attend Fillmore Jazz Fest. Here you can enjoy excellent musical performances across multiple stages, as well as purchase goods from the many craft and food vendors. This weekend event is completely free, offering you an invaluable celebration of art and soul. With over 100,000 attendees each year, this festival is not one to be missed. For resident Wardell Walters, "The street's musical history is reinvigorated, and jazz reverberates throughout the city."

Ethnic Dance Festival

If you missed Carnaval in June, head to the War Memorial Opera House in July for the Ethnic Dance Festival. Performances feature accomplished dancers from all over the world, including Brazil, China, Cuba, Hawaii, India, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, as well as many other countries and cultures.

Events in August

Outside Lands

This Golden Gate Park music festival draws huge crowds each year as an all-ages celebration of music, food, art and comedy, with a big-name line up including artists such as Jack Harlow and Disclosure. Between acts, head to the Market Place to browse handmade goods and merchandise from local vendors.

Eat Drink SF

A premier Bay Area food and drink festival, this annual event is every foodie's dream come true. Dining guide and food newsletter Eater calls it, "a summer weekend full of dining and education from some of the city's top talent." Arrive hungry and ready to enjoy grand tastings, dinners, seminars and smaller tasting activities.

Events in September

Shakespeare in the Park

Over the past 40 years, each summer, the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival has presented theater-loving crowds with free productions of Shakespeare in the Park at venues across four California cities. The tour ends in San Fran with five weekends of performances that always bring down the house.

Eat Real Fest

Head over to nearby Oakland for a food fest that was created with a focus on sustainable and affordable eats. A Food Craft Institute educational program, the free, three-day festival features vendors, artisan food and drinks and demos for all to enjoy.

Events in October

Fleet Week

Keep your eye on the skies at this three-day event that attracts more than a million people to the city's Marina Green waterfront each year. Fleet Week's air show features the Blue Angels and Canadian Snowbirds, plus community events, educational programs and a breathtaking parade of military and civilian ships.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is an annual, free, non-commercial music festival held in Golden Gate Park. The event typically takes place on the first weekend of October and features dozens of music acts performing across six stages. Genres of music include soul, country, folk and more.

Castro Street Fair 

Another event held on the first weekend of October, the Castro Street Fair brings you mouth-watering food, live music performances and street dancing for all to take part in. Celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and all of their supporters, this street fair seeks to bring people of all genders, sex and ages together for a full day of enjoyment.

If you're looking for fun San Francisco events featuring delicious food, awesome music and splendid communities, then add one or all of the city's summer festivals and street fairs to your travel list this year. Additionally, what better way to travel to the different festivals than hiring a rental vehicle and taking a road trip? Rent a car in San Francisco with Hertz today.

Which San Francisco festival are you most looking forward to? Be sure to tag us in your best SF summer fun photos on Instagram.