Somehow, we’re already at the beginning of a new month, which means plenty of new things to do in and around San Francisco. June will bring us some exciting new museum exhibitions, festivals, Pride events, and activities that you don’t want to miss.
Whether you’re a foodie looking to try out a new spot or an outdoorsy type with a hankering for fresh air, these ideas will definitely get the ball rolling as you plan your month.
1. Magical upcoming Candlelight concerts include Queen, ABBA, Hans Zimmer and more
The extremely popular concert series known simply as Candlelight is turning heads right now in San Francisco! You’ll enjoy both contemporary and classical works played by a talented string quartet, in an intimate environment surrounded by hundreds of luminous candles. Venues include St. Ignatius Church and Grace Cathedral.
- June 20: Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons
- June 27: Candlelight: Queen Meets ABBA
- June 27: Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer
- June 28: Candlelight: A Tribute to Beyoncé
- June 28: Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele
2. Free Stern Grove Festival concerts kick off this June
Who’s ready to see some live music?! Stern Grove Festival, a FREE outdoor concert series featuring a wide variety of genres, has just released its summer lineup. The first concert starts this June, so you’re going to want to mark your calendar. Here’s what’s on for June:
- June 23: Tegan and Sara
- June 30: Chicano Batman
3. Don’t miss free outdoor movie screenings from Sundown Cinema
San Francisco Parks Alliance has brought back the popular Sundown Cinema series, which presents awesome FREE movies on a giant screen in various parks around the city. Here’s the lineup for June:
- Friday, June 14 @ Presidio – Bullitt
- Friday, July 12 @ Glen Park – Labyrinth
4. Battle aliens, bust ghosts, & take the Squid Game challenges at the Immersive Gamebox
Get ready for the ultimate interactive experience at Immersive Gamebox, where cutting-edge technology transforms gatherings into thrilling adventures. It’s like the fun of VR without the clunky VR goggles! The family-friendly digital games include:
- Black Mirror (16+)
- Tetris 1991 (8+)
- Squid Game (16+)
- Ghostbusters: The Cursed Collection (8+)
- Alien Aptitude Test (8+)
- Psychedelic Mansion (12+)
- Ticket to Mars (8+)
- James Bunny: Casino Tropicale (12+)
5. Gear up for SF Pride’s epic return
June 30
San Francisco Pride is back for another fantastic year. There will be events all month long celebrating Pride, but the famous parade is scheduled for the last weekend of June. The parade is on Sunday, June 30, with thousands of participants every year.
6. The annual Pink Triangle will shine down from Twin Peaks this June
June 8-30
One of the most iconic parts of Pride in San Francisco is the famous glowing Pink Triangle, which rests high above the City at Twin Peaks as a symbol of pride for many in the LGBTQIA+ community. The Pink Triangle opens on June 8 and will remain up for the rest of the month.
7. Celebrate Juneteenth around the city
Juneteenth SF Freedom Celebration
June 15
This enormous celebration will take over 8 blocks in the Fillmore District. The celebration will include live music, carnival rides, a car show, and even a beer and wine garden. It’s a free event that is open to the public and is perfect for a family-friendly celebration.
Frameline Juneteenth Block Party
June 19
Frameline is hosting a screening of Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero on Juneteenth complete with a drag show before the screening. The block party starts at 7:00 pm at the 400 block on Castro Street. Make sure you wear layers and bring a blanket to stay warm during the notoriously chilly SF night while you enjoy the film.
8. Start the month with a Skrillex and Fred again… concert
June 1
Skrillex and Fred again… announced a surprise rave in San Francisco set for June 1. The concert is Saturday, June 1, starting at 6:30 pm. The concert will take place in Civic Center Plaza downtown, with doors opening at 5:00 pm.
9. Watch Italian street painting at the North Beach Festival
June 15-16
One of the nation’s longest-running street festivals is coming back for its 70th rendition! The historic North Beach Festival will take over the North Beach neighborhood from June 15-16. It’s an opportunity to enjoy live music at multiple stages, dozens of vendors selling gourmet food and arts and crafts, and gorgeous Italian street paintings called Madonnari.
10. Enjoy free concerts at Noise Pop’s new Summer of Music series
Every Saturday
Get ready for a summer of free music in SF because legendary music promoter Noise Pop is partnering with a nonprofit organization Civic Joy Fund to bring back the the free concert series, Summer of Music. The live music series will take place from 2-5pm, every Saturday this summer between starting in June.
11. Explore creators’ work at West Coast Craft
June 8 and 9
West Coast Craft is back with another fantastic market this June. The massive craft market brings together over 250 artists who create ceramics, paintings, jewelry, clothing, and much more. The market takes place on June 8 and 9 at Fort Mason Center. It’s free to enter, and the perfect chance to support local artists.
12. See “America’s best rose garden” in bloom in San Jose
Did you know that ‘America’s Best Rose Garden’ is here in the Bay Area? Every summer thousands of visitors flock to the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, which explodes into a vibrant spectrum of pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows. The expansive 5.5-acre garden has over 3,500 plantings in 189 different varieties, and it’s completely free to visit.
13. Cheer on our home teams at these June major league sports events
Bay Area sports fans are lucky to enjoy a year-round rotation of top-tier sporting events with 6 local major league teams in the realms of baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and soccer.
We’re already well into baseball season this June, meaning you can catch numerous SF Giants home games at Oracle Park or Oakland A’s home games at the Coliseum. Soccer season is also in full swing for the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park.
14. Don’t miss out on SF’s best temporary museum exhibitions
As we enter a new season in San Francisco, many local museums are refreshing and replacing their temporary exhibitions. Now’s a great time to take stock and plan ahead to see some of these wonderful displays before they’re gone. Check out the list of temporary exhibitions here.
- Bouquets to Art 2024 at the de Young
- Rituals of Care at the de Young
- Fashioning San Francisco: A Century of Style at the de Young
- Art of Noise at SFMOMA
- !!!!! at MoAD
- and more wonderful exhibitions
15. Check out these wonderful museums and gardens offering free admission days
at the Legion of Honor. Courtesy of FAMSF.
We love San Francisco for its vibrant culture, history, and resources, but it’s no secret that living here costs a pretty penny. This list shows SF museums and gardens currently offering free admission days to the general public. Check out the full list of free museum days here.
- June 2 – Asian Art Museum
- June 4 – Conservatory of Flowers*
- June 4 – Legion of Honor**
- June 5 – GLBT Historical Society Museum
- June 6 – SFMOMA***
- June 7 – Contemporary Jewish Museum
- June 8 – Museum of the African Diaspora
- June 11 – SF Botanical Garden*
- and more…
16. Groove to smooth beats at the trackLink link_url=”https://secretsanfrancisco.com/sf-jazz-festival/”]SF Jazz Festival[/trackLink]
June 5-16
SFJAZZ is gearing up for an epic summer season. Make sure you mark your calendar for the annual SF Jazz Festival, showcasing 90 concerts across different Bay Area venues. The SF Jazz Festival started in 1983 as a small “Jazz in the City” event, and now over 40 years later has grown into what the Chicago Tribune once called “The crown jewel among American jazz festivals.”
17. The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will make a stop in Norcal this June 
Courtesy of Hello Kitty Cafe Truck
June 22
The massively popular Hello Kitty Cafe Pop-Up Truck will soon return to the Bay Area! Hello Kitty fans flock to this adorable cafe truck selling mini cakes, cookies, and macarons, plus limited-edition Hello Kitty merch. It will make a stop in Walnut Creek in Broadway Plaza on June 22, 2024.
18. Attend a Star Wars inspired burlesque show
The steamy burlesque show Empire Strips Back has returned to SF. Perfect for a unique date night or a night out, the show features detailed costumes and props. The show is at the Great Star Theater in SF for a limited time, and tickets are on sale now.
19. Explore a floral art exhibition at the de Young
June 4 to 9
Bouquets to Art is back for another year of decorating the de Young’s iconic galleries with beautiful floral bouquets. The exhibition runs from June 4 to 9, with a special opening night party on June 3. You can also attend various art talks throughout the week, trunk shows with different artists, and even a raffle.
20. Check out these free activities at Salesforce Park this summer
San Francisco’s Salesforce Park is an amazing modern marvel in the Financial District. The verdant oasis rests 70 feet above the street atop the Salesforce Transit Center, and it’s completely free and open for the public to visit at any time. It also hosts a collection of free events every week, including yoga classes, bootcamps, live music, bird walks, garden tours, drum circles, and much more.
21. Take a look at Fort Mason Center‘s June events and exhibitions
When’s the last time you paid a visit to San Francisco’s amazing Fort Mason Center? The popular art center hosts numerous exhibitions and events throughout the year, and there are some special ones coming up.
- West Coast Craft: June 8 and 9
- Fort Mason Historic Walking Tour: all month
- Farmers Market: Sunday mornings
22. Have a cocktail at JFK Promenade’s new pop-up bar
Every Saturday and Sunday
JFK Promenade is known for it’s lively activations, and now an outdoor bar serving beer, wine, and cocktails has opened for the summer. The Whale’s Tail is open on the weekends this summer on the car free road. You can look forward to musical performances and food trucks at the new watering hole as well.
23. Enjoy fun new seasonal events at the Ferry Building
San Francisco’s 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.
- Juneteenth on the Waterfront: June 1
- June Summer Sundays: Every Sunday
- HEAD WEST market place: June 2
- Live music on the Plaza: Thursdays
24. Check out the June lineup of free concerts at the Bandshell
The Golden Gate Park Bandshell has announced its 2024 season of Illuminate Live, which runs all the way through mid-November. These weekly free and family-friendly concerts are some of the most beloved events in the park. Catch over 100 performances in a variety of genres including R&B, soul, jazz, funk, big band, strings, indie, rock, reggae, salsa, electronic, and EDM.
25. Enjoy June After Dark events at the Exploratorium
Every Thursday
These 18+ After Dark events are a must for some epic kid-free fun at the Exploratorium. After Dark happens each Thursday from 6-10pm with a different theme every week, featuring guest speakers, films, great music, and more.
26. The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is the place to be this summer
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is now hosting fantastic free programming multiple days a week, and their upcoming schedule is worth putting on your radar. Highlights include the ever-popular weekend session flagship series, which presents unique multicultural concerts on Saturdays at lunchtime. Bay Area bands headline a Thursday lunchtime concert series, and Poetic Tuesdays bring the best local poets and spoken word artists to the stage.
27. Look for wildflowers and superblooms around the Bay Area
California superblooms come highly-anticipated every year, and 2024 is another great year to see the blooms. There are plenty of beautiful places to look at wildflowers around the Bay Area, and it’s the perfect way to spend a sunny day.
28. Take a road trip to see the X Games
June 28, 29, and 30
Sometimes it’s nice to get out of the city, and the X Games are a great opportunity to head to warmer weather and attend a cool event. You can watch world class Skateboard, BMX, and Moto X atheltes compete at the exciting competition. The Ventura X games are scheduled for June 28, 29, and 30 this year with single-day and three-day passes available.
29. Pay a visit to one of these queer-owned businesses recommended by San Franciscans, for San Franciscans
We asked our Instagram followers for recommendations about queer-owned businesses that they love supporting in the Bay Area. Y’all didn’t disappoint, and here you’ll find a variety of businesses that proudly represent the Bay Area’s LGBTQ+ community, all while providing stellar service and products.
30. Sip on a drink and enjoy the views from a marvelous rooftop bar
Everyone knows that rooftops in San Francisco are few and far between, but we managed to round up some stellar spots to try out when you’re looking to grab dinner or drinks with a view. Whether you prefer a swanky environment with craft cocktails, or a laid-back terrace to enjoy a cold beer, you’ll find something on this list for every sensibility.
31. Here’s the scoop on SF’s must-try ice cream shops
The weather is warming up, summer is just around the corner, and we’re stoked to round up our favorite ice cream shops around the City! Listen, for a true ice cream fan, it doesn’t matter what season it is. But summertime sure gives us a good excuse to try out a new spot. Did your favorite ice cream shop make the list?
32. Enjoy a meal at one of these charming picnic spots recommended by locals
San Francisco is home to some of the best parks and gardens in the world, so there’s no shortage of awesome picnic spots for you to enjoy a meal with friends.
- Old Speedway Meadow
- Palace of Fine Arts lawn
- Francisco Park
- And more!
33. Check out a waterfront market that has free activities
June 29
Park Market at Crane Cove opened last year and was an instant hit. Now, its back for the summer for another fantastic year. The market includes a variety of vendors, food, and free activities including paddleboarding lessons. The June market will take place on June 29 11 am until 5 pm.
By Jamie Ferrell and Dana Flynn
Featured Image: @anetfotos via Instagram]