The Scene
Welcome to The Scene — your insider guide to what’s happening across San Francisco and Marin. From beloved local traditions to fresh finds worth exploring, these are the events shaping local life this month.
Welcome to The Scene — your insider guide to what’s happening across San Francisco and Marin. From beloved local traditions to fresh finds worth exploring, these are the events shaping local life this month.
In the final days of summer Flower Piano will fill the San Francisco Botanical Garden with music for everybody. Participants are invited to explore and enjoy the Botanical Garden’s plant collections as they seek out 12 pianos spread out across the 55-acres. At each of the pianos, there will be scheduled professional and community partner performances as well as open play time for anyone to sit down and play, reflecting a range of genres, ages, and cultures.
September 10 - 20, 2026
This two-day event offers a rare opportunity to explore Muni’s past, present, and future through historic streetcars, buses, and cable cars—vehicles that have connected San Franciscans for over a century. Visitors of all ages can enjoy free rides departing from the event, interactive exhibits, family-friendly activities, and hands-on experiences that highlight the transformative role of transit in shaping our city.
Step aboard unique vintage transit vehicles rarely seen on the modern streets of San Francisco. The festivities will unfold near the San Francisco Railway Museum, conveniently located near the Ferry Building and Embarcadero Plaza. All vintage buses and special excursion streetcars depart for round trip rides from the plaza directly across from the museum.
September 19 & 20, 2026
Through our annual sponsorship of tradition-based events like the Annual Autumn Moon Festival, the SFCMA seeks to help visitors and locals alike appreciate the rich cultural heritage of Chinatown and all those who live and work in the neighborhood. Features multicultural entertainment, traditional lion and dragon dances, arts and crafts, lantern village, moon cakes and children's activities.
The Autumn Moon Festival is located along historic Grant Ave. between California and Broadway Streets. Pacific Avenue between Stockton and Kearny will also be pedestrian-only. Due to the large anticipated crowd, visitors are strongly encouraged to take public transit.
September 19 & 20, 2026
There’s nothing like a chili cook-off to bring out fiercely competitive spirits, and Sausalito’s 47th Annual Chili Cook-Off comes to Dunphy Park on September 19. Event goers can sample the goods and watch a few extra brave souls participate in a hot pepper eating contest. There’s live music, and by the end of the day, awards will be disbursed to the best chilis of the year.
September 19, 2026
Art, music and community come together beneath the redwoods at this beloved annual festival. Browse works by more than 130 artists, enjoy live music and local food, and experience one of Marin’s longest-running arts traditions.
For nearly 70 years, the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival has been the soul of our town. From the earliest days (1957) when a small group of artists exhibited their works in downtown store windows, through the years that the Festival was held in Lytton Square until we moved to our glorious redwood grove in Old Mill Park, the Festival has always been an annual moment we share - it marks the years in our lives, it brings us together.
September 19 & 20, 2026
San Rafael PorchFest takes place in the Gerstle Park neighborhood of San Rafael and is an all-volunteer, family-friendly, free event that brings our community together to celebrate music.
At high noon on September 20th, the streets will close and fill with people and 70+ bands will be playing throughout the day across 20+ performance areas. Bands play on porches, front yards, steps, driveways, in the park, on the school playground, and sometimes in the street. We do our best to space things out so there is a minimal amount of sound bleed.
We care about the music and we care about the vibe, and that is why San Rafael Porchfest is one of the Bay Area’s most beloved music events!
September 20, 2026
Founded in 1973, the Nihonmachi Street Fair was hatched as an idea to provide leadership and mentorship opportunities for the youth of J-Town and to honor the cultural heritage that was, at the time, at risk of being displaced. Since then the annual event has grown from a four-booth affair in its first year, to a two-day event expected to draw over 30,000 attendees.
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.
August 1 - 2, 2026
2026 marks 18 years of Outside Lands, a place where world-class music meets next-level food, boundary-pushing art, the most epic festival atmosphere in Golden Gate Park, and the kind of moments you swear you’ll never forget. Relive the chaos, the classics, and the once-in-a-lifetime collabs from 2008 to today, through photos, videos, posters, lineups, and more.
August 7–9, 2026
Award-winning pizzaiolo and legendary restaurateur, Tony Gemignani, in collaboration with the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club Foundation, host San Francisco’s fourth annual Pizza, Bagel & Beer Festival in the heart of historic North Beach. The event covers two blocks of North Beach on Stockton and Filbert Sts. For the first time, Washington Square will feature live music and space to picnic and enjoy your pizza, bagel and beer in the North Beach sun.
Over the last three years, the event raised over $225,000 with proceeds benefiting local causes; this year’s beneficiaries are John Arena Foundation, the Salesian Boys & Girls Club, San Francisco Italian Athletic Club Foundation, Saints Peter & Paul School, SF Italian Heritage Parade, North Beach Business Association, Friends of Washington Square Park and Next Village.
August 15, 2026
For 63 years, the Marin Cyclists Club has strived to make the Marin Century the gold standard, setting the bar for cycling events. We offer you an incredible bike ride on amazing roads, starting and finishing at beautiful Stafford Lake Park in Novato, followed by a party extravaganza.
Choose one of FIVE scenic routes ranging from 37 to 127 miles. We prioritize your safety, provide premium support, supply specialty foods, and showcase live musicians. Prepare to be impressed by the service, perks, and freebies. It's not just a ride, it's a party!
The Marin Cyclists Club, an all volunteer, non-profit organization, donates the proceeds to local community and bicycle related charities, totalling over $625,000 in the last 20 years.
August 1, 2026
This beloved Friday night tradition in Sausalito started in 1996! Our summer concert series is free and family friendly. Enjoy an evening on our beautiful waterfront with lively bands from your picnic blanket, reserve a nightly table for 6, or upgrade to a season table so you can groove with your friends all summer long.
August 7 – September 25, 2026
Join us for the West End Friday Block Party in Downtown San Rafael! Fridays from August through mid-October, the vibrant stretch from F to G Streets transforms into a lively celebration from 6 pm to 9 pm. Enjoy eight unforgettable Fridays filled with music and community spirit, all generously sponsored by Pint Size Lounge. Don’t miss out on the fun, bring your friends and family to experience the best of San Rafael’s West End!
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