5 Great San Francisco Spring Festivals & Events
ArtPad SF
Phoenix Hotel
601 Eddy St.
San Francisco, California 94109
www.artpadsf.com
Dates: May 16 to May 19
The third annual ArtPad SF benefit is a diamond in the rough and an almost underground hidden treasure. The Phoenix Hotel turns 44 rooms for the creative and traveling into an art benefit for SF MOMA. This uber cool event in the oasis lasts four days, where the hotel closes to the public and opens to ArtPad guests who will chat with dealers, visit the 44 rooms with different emerging artists from the Bay Area and beyond and attend panel discussions. On opening night, ArtPad SF partners with SF MOMA and BAM/PFA, plus you can enjoy synchronized swimmers in the pool from San Francisco's Tsunami Synchro. That's the straight-friendly gay, lesbian and transgender aquatic group. Meanwhile, sip drinks and sample hors d'oeuvres from the rock and roll in-house restaurant Chambers. Over the course of the weekend, art patrons will be given the run of the hotel including the tropical courtyard.
Bouquets to Art
De Young Museum
Golden Gate Park
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 750-3600
www.deyoung.famsf.org
Dates: March 19 to March 23
If you love spring flowers and art, the Bouquets to Art event celebrates it's 29th year and raises five million dollars for conservation programs, education and special exhibits at the De Young and the Palace of Fine Arts. Over 100 innovative floral designers take inspiration and pay tribute to the art exhibited with arrangements placed with the paintings. "Girl with the Pearl Earring" along with a display called "Rembrandt's Century" will be open.
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22nd Annual Union Street Spring Celebration & Easter Parade
Union Street, Gough to Fillmore
San Francisco, CA
(800) 310-6563
www.sresproductions.com
Date: March 31
Rain or shine, some of the best restaurants on Union Street create an outdoor bistro setting enjoyed with some of the Bay Area's best musicians. Experience the live music on the main stage and get a special visit from the Radio Disney Road Crew. It's a big wacky family event with self-propelled mini-floats and lots of things for children to ride, climb, bounce on, play with and pet. Save room after your Easter eggs for funnel cakes, gyros, corn dogs, kettle corn and other traditional festival treats. Over 50 contingents will parade in all things elegant and wacky.
35th Carnaval SF Parade
San Francisco Cultural Arts Traditions
The Mission District
San Francisco, CA 94107
www.sfcarnaval.org
Date: May 26
The link above may have 2012 winners from the highly successful Carnaval Parade, but the San Francisco Cultural Arts Traditions is ready for a new year and is eagerly anticipating the chaos this year will surely bring. The festivities will begin in the Mission District of San Francisco, and participants are urged to arrive early to catch all of the action. Carnaval SF dances through the Mission in the 35th annual parade, bridging cultures while creating a vibrant celebration for the whole family. Costumed revelers create a spectacle that's become an annual tradition, so if you love feathers, flock to this. The theme this spring will be "Fathom the Winds of Change".
102nd Bay To Breakers 12K Race
600 Townsend Street, Suite 410
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 864-3432
www.baytobreakers.com
Date: May 19
The 102nd Zazzle Bay to Breakers gives all the proceeds to charity and it's the biggest rolling party in San Francisco with runners, walkers, seeded competitors and centipedes. Join 100,000 spectators or sign up as one of the 50,000 registered spring revelers. Registrants party in Golden Gate Park at the festival Footstock after, with live music and festival food. Some costumes come from the headlines, some are destined for them and some get competitive at the contest.
Cindy Warner is a freelance writer and a San Francisco Bay Area native. Cindy has covered SF theater and opera for Examiner.com via her bicycle since January 2009. Check out her work on Examiner.com.
