After tuition, books, rent and all the other countless academic expenses, students can be left feeling a little strapped for cash by the time summer rolls around. Don’t worry! Here’s a list of ten affordable things to do in San Francisco this summer.
1. Grow-Your-Own Festival | Embarcadero
Saturday, May 21, 2011 – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Cost: FREE
Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture/Teaching Kitchen | One Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA
CUESA provides information on gardening in the Bay Area, sales on plant starts and cooking demonstrations by Sunset Magazine Recipe Editor Amy Machnak and Ani Phyo, author and cook.
2. 7th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration | Civic Center
Saturday, May 21, 2011 – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Cost: FREE
Civic Center Plaza/Little Saigon District | 200 Larkin St., San Francisco, CA
The largest gathering of Asian Pacific Americans in the nation includes a jazz and wine area as well as disc jockeys, martial arts experts and a variety of handmade artwork vendors.
3. San Francisco Carnaval Festival 2011 | Mission
Saturday, May 28-29, 2011 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Cost: FREE
Harrison Street between 16th and 22nd streets | Harrison and 16th St., San Francisco, CA
“Live Your Fantasy” is one of California’s largest multi-cultural celebrations. San Francisco Carnaval 2011 will showcase Latin American and Caribbean cultures with a multitude of food, music and dancing.
4. LIVE 105′s “Battle of the Bands” Show | Hayes Valley
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 – 8 p.m. | Cost: $5
Rickshaw Stop | 115 Fell St., San Francisco, CA
A fun and lively battle of the bands held by LIVE 105 with the audience favorite progressing to a LIVE 105 BFD concert at the Shoreline Amphitheater later this summer.
5. Flogging Molly Play Punk-Irish | Haight
Monday, June 2, 2011 – 6 p.m. | Cost: FREE
Amoeba Haight | 1855 Haight St., San Francisco, CA
The raucous powerhouse Flogging Molly brings its iconic and entertaining traditional Irish and punk energy to Amoeba Records for a free in-store performance and signing to advertise their new album.
6. SF Civic Symphony Concert | Union Square
Sunday, June 5, 2011 – 1 p.m. | Cost: FREE
Empire Ballroom, Sir Francis Drake Hotel | 450 Powell St., San Francisco, CA
The oldest community orchestra, the San Francisco Civic Symphony will be hosting a free concert in Union Square. The SFCS provides the community with accessible and free classical music.
7. 34th Annual Haight Ashbury Street Fair | Haight
Sunday, June 12, 2011 – 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | Cost: FREE
In Haight-Ashbury over 100 vendors will grace the streets with food, green businesses, crafts, artists, clothing, nonprofits and three stages of music with two dedicated for a battle of the bands.
8. 61st Annual Juneteenth Festival | Downtown
Saturday/Sunday, June 18-19, 2011 – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Cost: FREE
Civic Center | Civic Center, San Francisco, CA
San Francisco’s 61st Juneteenth festival is one of the oldest celebrations of the abolition of slavery in the city. Entertainment will include jazz, hip-hop, R&B, gospel and spoken word performances.
9. 35th Annual San Francisco Free Folk Festival | Sunset
Saturday/Sunday, June 25-26, 2011 – All Day | Cost: FREE
Presidio Middle School | 450 30th Ave., San Francisco, CA
This folk festival includes over 60 musical acts, multitudes of free dance parties, workshops on how to build your own washtub bass, sing like a barbershop quartet and make music with found objects.
10. OminoDay: All Day DJ & World Music Festival | Portola
Saturday, June 4, 2011 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Cost: FREE
Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre (McClaren Park) | 50 John F Shelley Drive, San Francisco, CA
Ominoday is a day-long free music festival in memory and commemoration of Andrew “DJ Domino” Ele, youth and community activist who lost his life to a random act of violence
