SF Bay Area Events, Fairs, and Festivals for March 2020

Noise Pop Music & Arts Festival

Various Bay Area Locations

Noise Pop Music & Arts Festival takes the best venues in the Bay and collectively turns them into your personal festival ground. Throughout the week there are different films, art shows, happy hours, and concerts all over SF and the East Bay. There are two ways to attend the fest: buy a badge and get into everything or pick and choose by purchasing tickets to individual shows and films.

Flower Bulb Day

Union Square

Pick your own bunch of tulips for free! Tulip Day is coming to America! On March 7, 2020 a colorful display of more than 100,000 tulips will cover Union Square in San Francisco. And you are being invited to visit this site and to pick your own bunch of tulips.

Sunday Streets Block Party Kicks Off at Mission

Mission from Duboce Ave to 26th Street

On March 8, Sunday Streets kicks off a season of open streets – from Duboce Ave to 26th St, Valencia Street transforms into a car-free community space for all to enjoy. Join the international open streets movement to reclaim open space for public use!

Check out two Activity Hubs at 24th and 16th Streets and over a mile of live music, interactive art projects and open space for recreation and social connection. In partnership with Mission Housing (MHDC), a Pop-up Play Streets block in front of Valencia Gardens brings sports games, bubbles, fun activities and more for residents and neighbors to come together.

Roll, walk or pedal to institutions, local businesses and treasured landmarks on the Valencia corridor. Get your weekly exercise and enjoy live music, cultural performances, art activities and more.

Beyond Borders

906 Broadway, San Francisco

Beyond Borders is an International Women’s Day celebration featuring bay area women to raise funds for immigrants and refugees.

Celebrate International Women’s Day with a multi-genre showcase of bay area women DJs, musicians, and artists at a beautifully restored church, turned exquisite event space, 906 World Cultural Center. Event goes from 1pm to 7pm and ticket proceeds for Beyond Borders will be donated to RAICES who provides legal and other support to immigrant and refugee families impacted by the current US/Mexico border crisis.

The Great San Francisco Corn Dog Festival

Union Square

Come get your fix of this beloved hot dog on a stick. Vendors will be dipping, frying, saucing, and serving specialty corn dogs all day long — try yours cheesy, wrapped in bacon, or smothered in saucy goodness. Or, switch up your protein with a juicy Louisiana hot link, a gourmet spicy Polish sausage, or a tasty longanisa dog — the corn(dog)-binations are innumerable! Paired with all you can drink craft beer, and it’s a match made in corn doggy heaven.

Don’t forget to dress up in your favorite corn(dog)-y get-up! Prizes will be awarded to the best corn dog costume and corn dog decorators!

169th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in San Francisco

Market Street

The 169th annual San Francisco St. Patrick’s Day Parade will start at the corner of Market and Second Streets where over a hundred colorful floats, Irish dance troupes and marching bands will wind their way to Civic Center Plaza. The free parade goes from 10am to 5pm; at starts at 2nd & Market & ends at Civic Center Plaza. Starts at 11am at SoMa StrEat Food Park (428 11th St SF 94103) and ticket prices vary.

11th Annual 2020 So-Hemi World Naked Bike Ride

Northwest of the Ferry Building, San Francisco

It’s that time to tune up those bikes and toss those riding duds in the wash, you won’t need them for the 11th Annual 2020 So-Hemi World Naked Bike Ride – San Francisco. It’s the second of five WNBRs for the 2020 bike naking season and typically one of the two larger WNBRs of the year. Each year, our turnout is getting larger and larger, riding bare through the streets of the city. So on Saturday, March 14, 2020 bring your bikes to Ferry Building near Market Street & the Embarcadero Blvd.

We meet northwest of the Ferry Building, between the Farmer’s Market and the Starbucks west of the Ferry Building. We begin gathering at 11:00 AM in the open area along the pier. Please gather as close to the railing and avoid blocking pedestrian traffic on the Embarcadero and also those exiting the Ferry Building. We will have time to do body/face paint and reacquaint ourselves. Bring body paints, watercolors and markers to apply slogans and designs to each other and adorn your bikes with signs. Meet with old and new friends.

Festival Of Colors HOLI 2020 in Fremont

Fremont

It’s time to celebrate at the biggest color party in the Bay Area. Holi is a grand and unique festival of colors, friendship and harmony. Holi is a spring festival, also known as the festival of colors. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia. Holi is a very exuberant Indian cultural festival, complete with music, dance, food, and throwing of organic colored powders. The purpose of this event is to promote love, friendship and unity in the community.

Be sure to dress in Holi attire (white colors are ideal for great photos).

Other Holi events are happening in March as well:

• March 21: San Jose Mission San Jose Park
• March 27: San Ramon
• March 28: San Francisco
• April 4: San Jose Santa Clara County Fair Grounds
• April 4-5: Stanford University

St. Patrick’s Day Dog Parade & Costume Contest at Fort Mason

Patrick’s Park at Fort Mason

You’re invited to Patrick’s Pawade – the largest annual event at Patrick’s Park! Picnic at the park and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these party animals. This event gives 100% of the proceeds to Rocket Dog Rescue, an all volunteer-run organization based in SF that saves dogs – including the one that started this pawade #PatrickJameson. The mission of this event is to celebrate and support the lives of all dogs.

Persian New Year & Fire Jumping Festival

2029 Durant Avenue, Berkeley

Jump over a bonfire for “Chaharshanbeh Souri: Festival of Fire” to shake off the darkness of winter and welcome the brightness of spring, a Persian ritual passed down since ancient Zoroastrian times. Inside the Persian Center, a traditional altar holds green grass, live goldfish, food and other items representative of spring called the “haftseen” or seven ‘s’s as each item on the table begins with the letter ‘s’. Persian music, food, and craft vendors, cultural organizations, and children’s activities add to the nighttime experience. This is a free, family-friendly, non-alcoholic event held outdoors at night, rain or shine.

GLAS Animation Festival

Various venues in Downtown, Berkeley

GLAS Animation Festival takes place March 19-22, 2020 in the historic city of Berkeley, California, just a quick ride away from San Francisco. GLAS exhibits films from local and international artists and filmmakers across the animation spectrum, creating a community and space for industry veterans, historians, animation enthusiasts, and emerging talent from diverse backgrounds to come together, share, learn, and appreciate the animated art form in a critical context. We started GLAS to showcase the most exciting animation being made around the world and expand the scope of how animation is understood as an artistic medium in the United States.

Oakland Running Festival

Snow Park in Oakland

This year marks the 11th Oakland Running Festival and it is on the map to stay. It has been nationally recognized as the Bay Area race to run. Corrigan Sports makes the process easy from registration to race day, and the people of Oakland make you feel welcome from start to finish. Experience Oakland’s diversity and beauty with a race that touches all aspects of Oaktown, and finishes with one hella awesome party. The festival has something for everyone – offering a marathon, half marathon, 4-person relay, 5K, and kids’ fun run. Please register on their website for more information.

Magic in San Jose

San Jose Center for the Performing Arts

The Illusionists: Live from Broadway features master magicians performing acts of grand illusion, levitation, mind-reading, and full-view water torture escape at San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

Direct from Broadway, the world’s best selling magic show is coming to San Jose. This mind blowing spectacular showcases the jaw dropping talents of the most incredible Illusionists on earth. This show has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.

Whiskey Expo

San Jose & San Francisco

Sample whiskies from different countries with food pairings and seminars at Whiskies of the World. The event takes place in San Jose on March 27th and in San Francisco on March 28th. The tour gathers more than 200 of the most fascinating craft and established brands from around the globe along with the leading whisky professionals, influencers, makers and ambassadors, to ensure our guests have the most unforgettable and enjoyable whisky tasting experience. Tickets aren’t cheap but you’re sure to get your money’s worth with some amazing whiskies!

Windup Watch Fair

459 Geary Street, San Francisco

Windup Watch Fair is a three-day long watch culture event featuring a range of curated watch brands, accessories and ephemera. It’s the first and only watch fair of its kind, and the largest in the United States; designed to bring watches, brands and fans together in a fun, approachable and engaging environment. Windup is free and open to the public, encouraging everyone from seasoned fans, to people considering their first timepiece, to curious passersby to come in, take a look and talk watches.