28 Fun Things to Do This Week (10.25.21)
After a Covid hiatus, Outside Lands returns in all its glory to Golden Gate Park this weekend. (Paige K Parsons Photography)

28 Fun Things to Do This Week (10.25.21)

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This week we've got plenty of events for Halloween fans and un-fans alike.

Get ready for grownup pumpkin carving at Zeitgeist, an all out '80s party at Cat Club, a great big book sale, and a Castro block party. And for those of you looking to escape Outside Lands crowds and sounds, a few fun things outside of the 7x7.


Have a good one!

Carve your way to the top at Zeitgeist's adults-only pumpkin carving contest. The Mission's favorite beer garden will supply you with everything you need to craft your winning pumpkin, plus prizes for the crowd favorite and staff pick; Monday from 7pm to 9pm. // Zeitgeist, 199 Valencia St. (Mission); tickets on eventbrite.com


Keep moving with Jungle at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Grab dinner and a martini at Palmetto before the show; Tuesday and Wednesday at 8pm. // Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland); tickets at thefoxoakland.com


Word nerds gather for a party of epic proportions—it's the Friends of the Library Book Sale Block Party! As cozier, candle-lit nights approach, you'll want to stock up on books for your winter reading. This block party is the perfect opportunity with more than 30 tables of discounted books, author readings, drag queen story time, and more; Wednesday 4pm to 8pm. // 1630 17th St. (Potrero Hill); details on eventbrite.com


Embrace five new exhibits at MoAD—one of the country's largest contemporary art museums that celebrate Black cultures. The museum reopened this past week after an 18-month hiatus. Wednesdays through Sundays. // 685 Mission St. (SoMa); tickets at moadsf.org


Get down to the R&B- and hip-hop-inflected live jazz from two-time Grammy Award–winner Casey Benjamin (of Robert Glasper Experiment) as he collaborates with female powerhouse Stout at the Jazz@TheEdge Festival; shows Wednesday through Saturday. // Black Cat Jazz Supper Club, 400 Eddy St. (Tenderloin); tickets ($25-$45) are available at blackcatsf.com.

Thank you to our partners at Black Cat.

Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love makes its debut at the de Young Museum. Celebrating the remarkable career and legacy of the Black fashion designer, 80 fully accessorized ensembles are presented alongside footage from his groundbreaking fashion shows and personal ephemera; through April 24, 2022. // de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. (Golden Gate Park); tickets at famsf.org


Gather with a women-identifying social club on a gorgeous rooftop in Jackson Square. Grab a drink, hors d'oeuvres, and mix and mingle with the Gather and Canopy communities—all genders welcome; Thursday from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. // Canopy, 595 Pacific Ave. (Jackson Square); details on eventbrite.com


Face your fears at Exploratorium's After Dark: Fright Night. Grab a specialty spooky cocktail, learn about what triggers our fear response, and explore familiar superstitions that leave us with an eerie feeling. Enjoy a DJ set and keep your eyes peeled for special tricks and treats; 18 and up, Thursday at 6pm. // The Exploratorium, Pier 15 (Embarcadero); tickets at exploratorium.edu


Believe in things that go bump in the night with ghost stories of California's haunted past. As Halloween approaches, KQED will host a company of journalists and community storytellers to recount macabre and murderous lore, detail the supposed visitations of local specters at sites of historic injustices, and reframe familiar legends and unsolved crimes; Thursday at 7pm. // KQED Headquarters, 2601 Mariposa St. (Mission); tickets on eventbrite.com


Bring your boo and crew for The Guardsmen's 17th Annual Halloween party. As always, proceeds from The Guardsmen's events support programs for at-risk Bay Area youth; Thursday at 8pm. // The Phoenix Hotel, 601 Eddy St. (Tenderloin); tickets at eventbrite.com

Don't miss your last chance for Boo at the Zoo! This beloved family-friendly Halloween event at the Oakland Zoo includes an animal-themed scavenger hunt. Costumes are encouraged (please just leave the inflatable ones at home since they scare the animals); Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 10am to 4pm. // Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Rd. (Oakland); advanced reservations are required and can be made at oaklandzoo.org.


Join the likes of Plath, Poe, and Pushkin by mastering the art of poetry. This all-level poetry writing workshop will help you channel your inner poet. Snaps all around; Friday, 5pm to 6:45pm. // The Center SF, 548 Fillmore St. (Hayes Valley); tickets on eventbrite.com


Better late than never! The Alameda County Fair is back for a few days, at least. Get your funnel cake and farm animal fix now through October 31st.// 501 Pleasanton Ave (Pleasanton); details on annual.alamedacountyfair.com

Stuff your face (and listen to some major musicians, too)—Outside Lands is back! Headliners Tame Impala, The Strokes, and Lizzo will usher back SF's largest music fest. Plus, Grass Lands, Wine Lands, Beer Lands, Cheese Lands, GastroMagic, and Cocktail Magic will make their grand return. Out of 85 restaurants slinging food to the crowds, 38 are brand new to the festival. Don't miss Mamahuhu serving reinvented Chinese-American classics; Mensho Tokyo from Japanese ramen master Tomoharu Shono; Nyum Bai, a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in the 2019 James Beard Foundation Awards; and El Garage, known for its sinfully good quesabirria tacos; Friday, Saturday and Sunday. // Golden Gate Park; details on sfoutsidelands.com


Whine less and wine more at Livermore Valley's Third Annual Wine & Wags event. Livermore Valley's dog-friendly wineries will host a day of fun. Your ticket includes entry to more than 15 wineries, complete with tastings and special activities. When you're a few glasses of wine in, check out the adorable and adoptable rescue dogs and possibly leave with a new best friend; Saturday noon to 4:30pm. // Multiple venues (Livermore); tickets at lvwine.org.


Moonwalk your way to The Chapel for an electrifying, 14-piece band tribute to Michael Jackson. This larger-than-life tribute will take you all the way from the Jackson 5 era to the King of Pop's final albums. Say you'll be there? Saturday at 9pm. // The Chapel, 777 Valencia St. (Mission); tickets on eventbrite.com

Catch Big Brother & The Holding Company at Dream Inn Santa Cruz. The waterfront hotel is bringing you a concert that you can watch from your hotel room balcony overlooking the Monterey Bay. Oh, and room service; Saturday and Sunday. // Dream Inn Santa Cruz, 175 W Cliff Dr. (Santa Cruz); details on dreaminnsatancruz.com


Explore classic favorites and uncover hidden gems at the 10th Annual Taste of Atlas Peak, benefiting the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation. This walk-around wine tasting event at Silverado Resort & Spa offers the opportunity to mingle with winemakers and enjoy gourmet food pairings, live music, and an auction; Saturday from 1pm to 4pm. // Silverado Resort & Spa, 1600 Atlas Peak Rd (Napa); tickets on eventbrite.com


Don your best Bridgerton attire for a super sexy costume party at the Redwood Room. This Renaissance-themed Halloween party will feature signature cocktails, tapas from a Michelin star chef, and a DJ, of course; Saturday at 9pm. // Redwood Room, 495 Geary St. (Union Square); tickets on eventbrite.com


The Castro glitters a little brighter each year with a glow-in-the-dark Halloween block party. This Halloween weekend, Noe Street will light up with art, neon face and body painting, performances and more. Free with a $10 suggested donation; Saturday, 4pm to 9:30pm. // Noe Street between Market and Beaver (Castro); details on eventbrite.com

Take a break from city life and humble yourself with a day in the life of a rancher.Head to Slide Ranch—an organic farm on national park land parallel to the California coast—for a day of educational family fun. You'll get to milk a goat, hang with the chicks, garden, and more; Saturday, 9:30am to 12:30pm. // Slide Ranch, 2025 Shoreline Hwy (Marin); tickets on eventbrite.com


Celebrate Hallow's Eve with fiery punch bowls and a nitro espresso martini cart at The Dorian. The second annual Beastly Ball returns to the Marina's favored party spot, complete with eccentric performances and DJ sets; Saturday from 10pm to 2am. // The Dorian, 2001 Chestnut St. (The Marina); free RSVP on eventbrite.com


Discover a deeply unique, educational experience in the birthplace of the Black Panther Party. The official Panther Power City Tour features a walking tour with original Black Panther Party members giving you true stories of the Panthers in historical locations in Downtown Oakland; Sunday at 11am. // Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza (Oakland); tickets at eventbrite.com


Gather at Grace Cathedral for a Halloween family treasure hunt. The kiddos will follow a treasure hunting map performing fun tasks and collecting stickers and other items, before receiving their bag of "treasure" at the end; Sunday at 2:30pm. // Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St. (Nob Hill); details at eventbrite.com

Head to the San Francisco Ferry Building for a full day of curated Halloween family fun.For families, there will be a kid's activity station, scavenger hunt, crafts, circus performers, and pumpkin carving. No kids? No problem. Also happening: Boombox Bootcamp, a socially distanced HIIT workout class at 10am on the Back Plaza. Fog City Flea Halloween Edition will also be selling artisan products; Sunday, 10am to 5pm. // Ferry Building (Embarcadero); details at ferrybuildingmarketplace.com.


David Bowie, Prince, Jessica Rabbit, and The Breakfast Club...anything goes at this '80s-themed Halloween party at the Cat Club. Stick to the front room for dancing to pop hits or head to the back for all your favorite New Wave & Dark Wave; Sunday from 9pm to 2am. // Cat Club, 1190 Folsom St (SoMa); tickets on eventbrite.com


Channel your inner Sanderson Sister with tarot readings, occult book finding, witchy wears, and more at the Wicked Grounds Annex. Whether you live and breathe the witchy woo or are simply curious about finding real magic on Halloween, Wicked Grounds will be your guide to the curious and curiouser; Sunday from noon to 5pm. // Wicked Grounds Annex, 289 8th St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com


And because we don't do FOMO around here, be sure to grab tickets to Pop-Up Magazine's November 12th show before its sells out. If you've been to one before, you know. If you haven't, you need to. // Tickets on popupmagazine.com

Meet Poppy, Cruise's all-electric self-driving spokesvehicle. Five years of nonstop driving in San Francisco has made her a local's local. Like you, Poppy has been exploring every corner and celebrating all the city has to offer. From her very first drive to delivering thousands of meals during the pandemic, Poppy's journey is a love letter to San Francisco, one neighborhood at a time. Be sure to also follow her adventures and unique city knowledge on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

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