August is a great month to be in San Francisco, it’s usually warm (most of the time), the weather’s just a tiny bit more predictable, and here in the Bay Area you just have to make the most of those opportunities to get OUT there. There are always a lot of events going on in SF and plenty of activities to keep most people entertained, but what we try to do here is break it all down into a bite sized list with a decent range of possibilities. So, in pursuit of helping YOU make the most of your time, here are the 10 best things to do in SF in August. Enjoy!

Events & Activities in San Francisco This Month

1. SUNDOWN CINEMA: MAMMA MIA! SING-ALONG (AUGUST 18)

Head over to Dolores Park for a free screening of this Meryl Streep classic (how she didn’t win an Oscar for this one I’ll never know). I jest of course, but I do enjoy this movie and, ahem, I am partial to a bit of Abba every now and then. Dolores Park is also a great location for this type of event, since it has one of the best micro climates in SF.

More information here.

2. NOTORIOUS SF: SCANDAL & CRIME TOUR (EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT)

San Francisco has a fascinating criminal history, that goes all the way back to the Gold Rush era, when Vigilance Committee’s took over the “policing” of the city (which is where the term ‘vigilante’ originates). There were several red light districts in the neighborhood during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, opium dens were tucked into the basements of all the alleys in Chinatown and sailors had to be wary, lest they woke up on a strange ship, having been shanghaied in the infamous Barbary Coast (which is where that term was invented too). And we haven’t even mentioned the Fatty Arbuckle Scandal yet…

Join us on Union Square as we go on a cold-case true crime investigation into San Francisco’s dark past – and get cocktails in a couple of historic bars. Every Saturday night, at 6pm.

More information here.

3. YOGA ON THE LABYRINTH (EVERY TUESDAY)

Join this weekly yoga class surrounded by the awe-inspiring architecture of Grace Cathedral. Set to live music from world-renowned musicians, this weekly yoga and meditation practice looks and feels like the amazing diversity of San Francisco itself. 

Grace Cathedral

Could there be a more awe-inspiring, and oddly appropriate place to practice yoga, than the venerable Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill? Not just one of the best things to do in SF in August, but any month, really.

More information here.

4. FREE MUSEUM DAYS (DATES THROUGH AUGUST)

For several days of the month (and for some special people on every day of the month) many SF museums are free. We have great museums – you should make the most of these opportunities.

Exploratorium: free admission for EBT cardholders and San Francisco Medi-Cal or CalFresh recipients. Also free for California public school teachers.

SF Botanical Gardens: free admission second Tuesday of every month.

Japanese Tea Gardens: free Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9-10 am.

De Young Museum: free first Tuesday of every month, also free every Saturday for Bay Area residents.

SFMOMA: free first Thursday of the month for Bay Area residents.

Legion of Honor: free Saturday’s for Bay Area residents and free Tuesday’s for all.

Cable Car Museum: free everyday and one of the most interesting museums in San Francisco.

5. OUTSIDE LANDS (AUGUST 12-13 AND 20-23)

Outside Lands is back in its usual timeslot this year and really rocking. The line-up for this three-day festival starts with Kendrick Lamar, Zedd and Janelle Monae, before the Foo Fighters, Lana Del Rey and Megan Thee Stallion get to do their sets.

The event (which has been running since 2008) is located in Golden Gate Park and has a designated marijuana-enjoyment zone, called – you guessed it – grasslands. Could this be one of the single best things to do in SF in August? Hard to argue against it.

More information here.

6. NIHONMACHI STREET FAIR (AUGUST 5-6)

What makes this street fair a uniquely San Francisco event is the broader cultural context participants can experience in addition to traditional Asian-Pacific influences. The Nihonmachi Street Fair organizers have a long history of including local entertainment that have spanned genres from Taiko to hip-hop to salsa, rock, and jazz. The street fair takes place in and around Japantown, near the Civic Centre.

More information here.

7. STERN GROVE FESTIVAL (AUGUST 6, 13 AND 20)

The Stern Grove is celebrating its 86th season of free Sunday concerts this summer. However, although it is free you do need to reserve tickets (and they sell out fast, so don’t wait). The line-up this year includes Buddy Guy, Patti Smith and the Flaming Lips. To make the most of it, pack a picnic and bottle of wine (alcohol is permitted) AND layer up, because the weather in Outer Sunset can be fickle.

More information here.

A lot of the best things to do in SF in August are outdoors and this month is a particularly popular one for street festivals and open air concerts. Yet another Bay Area music festival option in August is Due South, in McLaren Park.

More information here.

8. BATTLE OF THE BAY (JULY 31 AND AUGUST 1)

Experience the legendary rivalry between the Bay Area’s two Major League Baseball teams, first at the Oakland Coliseum (July 31) and then at Oracle Park on August 1. Whether you’re more of a green-and-gold or black-and-orange type of person, grab a hat and head to the these beautiful ballparks to get a real Bay Area baseball experience.

More information here.

9. ENJOY SOME LIVE COMEDY (AUGUST 8 AND 11)

We could all do with a good giggle right now, in fact many experts say that there’s nothing better for easing tension than a good belly laugh. Cobb’s, a legendary North Beach comedy club, has a series of show in August. Did I mention they’re free?

More information here.

10. SAN FRANCISCO FERRY BUILDING (ALL MONTH)

The Ferry Building is one of the city’s most iconic buildings, serving as a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. It’s a center for events, pop-ups, a farmers’ market, and countless excellent merchants who sell their wares daily in the building’s many stalls. During the course of the month there are a ton of events going on:

• A Journey in Tea with Roy Fong : 5.30-7.30 pm August 1
• Live Music on the Plaza: 4-6 pm August 3 and 10
• Gardeneur Plant Market: 10 am-4 pm August 13
• Summer Ferry Fest: 5-7.30 pm August 17
• Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market: 10 am-2 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 am-2 pm Saturdays

More information here.

If you have any feedback on 10 Best Things to Do in SF in August please email us or reach out on social media, we’d love to hear from you.

– By Damien Blackshaw (Twitter)