The Legion of Honor recently celebrated 100 years starting in November 2024, hosting a series of exciting events to honor the significant milestone. One such event was a wildly popular cake picnic, where white-clothed tables were covered in colorful cakes. The sold-out event was a major hit, and now the Legion of Honor is hosting a second event this March.
The Cake Picnic, scheduled for March 29, will celebrate the opening of the Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art! exhibition. Thiebaud is known for his colorful, rich paintings of food (and cake of course) and the event will bring his most iconic works to life. Guests are invited to bring their own cake to the picnic and share it with the community in this sweet, decadent event.
The picnic starts at 10 am on the Legion of Honor’s front lawn, running until 1 pm. Whether you’re a master baker or just trying your hand in the cake-baking game, the event is open to everyone. Plus, you get to sample a generous supply of sweet treats while enjoying the Legion of Honor’s incredible views. If you’re not a fan of baking, store-bought cakes are totally welcome, and organizers require cakes to be at least 6 inches wide and 3 inches tall.
Tickets for the picnic have unfortunately already sold out, but you can still see the new Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art! exhibit at the Legion of Honor. Plus, the museum is free on Saturdays for residents. If you did happen to score a ticket in time, we recommend either taking public transit or arriving early if you plan on driving as parking will be limited. Picnic blankets, other snacks, and beverages are welcome at the event.
Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art! opens on March 22 and runs through August 17, 2025 at the Legion of Honor. The exhibition explores the artist’s reinterpretations of historical artists that inspired him. The exhibit will explore Thiebaud’s fascination with art history, which is shown through his works.
Thiebaud famously described himself as an art thief, stating, “It’s hard for me to think of artists who weren’t influential on me because I’m such an obsessive thief. One thing I’m cranky about is that people don’t realize painting is one tradition. I hated dividing it. It’s like saying there’s something called California mathematics. The conventions of painting have always been the same, and they’re the same with abstract and realist painting.”
The Wayne Thiebaud exhibit is set to open in just three weeks on March 22 at the Legion of Honor.