If you need some beauty in your life, stay local: Arts abound this week.
Start with an epic art battle, then carve out some calendar space for multi-artist exhibitions from ArtSpan, West Marin and SF artists, Recology artists-in-residence, and more. There’s also much to celebrate: Jack London’s birthday, Nisei and Bar Iris’ anniversaries, and 30 million meals from Project Open Hand.
Jump ahead to this week's top events:
Watch artists throw down in an epic art battle in the Mission.
Get ready for Open Studios season at the ArtSpan kickoff exhibition at SOMArts.
Get inspired under the redwoods at the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival.
Celebrate lowrider culture with a parade and hydraulic hopping competition in the Mission.
Have a good one.
Treat a friend to some ice cream. Salt and Straw’s “after school happy hour” is offering buy-one-get-one deals for afternoon scoops; Mondays through Sundays, 3pm to 5pm, through September 30th. // Salt & Straw, 586 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley) and 2201 Fillmore St. (Pacific Heights); saltandstraw.com
Pick up some Seattle-fresh Piroshky Piroshky. The award-winning Eastern European-inspired bakery is popping up in San Francisco for a day, but you have to order your cinnamon cardamon braids and smoked salmon pâté piroshky before the big day; pick-up Tuesday, 4pm to 6pm. // Standard Deviant Brewing, 280 14th St. (Mission); order at piroshkybakery.com
Watch artists throw down in an epic art battle where 12 artists compete in three, 20-minute rounds to claim the title of champion; Wednesday at 7pm. // Public Works, 161 Erie St. (Mission); tickets at artbattle.com
Discover the painting that shocked Paris, challenged convention, and helped change the course of modern art in the extended run of Matisse: A Modern Scandal; through September 27th. // SFMOMA, 151 Third St. (SoMa); details at sfmoma.org
Thank you to our partners at SFMOMA.
Root for your favorite suitor during Love Isn’t Blind, an elimination-style dating show where four silent suitors compete for one bachelorette (with a little help from the audience); Thursday, 6:30pm. // The Foundry SF, 1425 Folsom St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Dish across San Ramon during City Center’s 10-day restaurant week, where you can explore prix fixe menus and limited-time dishes at more than a dozen restaurants; Friday through Sept. 27th, 11am to 7pm. // City Center Bishop Ranch, 6000 Bollinger Canyon Rd. (San Ramon); details at citycenterbishopranch.com
Feast on spanakopita, moussaka, and gyros at the Greek Food Festival. In between bites, catch traditional Greek folk dance troupes and cathedral tours; Friday and Saturday, 11am to 10pm, and Sunday, 11am to 7pm. // Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 245 Valencia St. (Mission); details at sfgreekfestival.org
Have pizza night, but make it grown-up with pours of pinot, live music, and specialty foods, gourmet products, and handcrafted goods from local vendors; Friday, 4pm to 7pm. // Cornerstone Sonoma, 23570 Arnold Dr. (Sonoma); RSVP at eventbrite.com
Check out new works from Recology’s artists-in-residence at an opening night where they’ll debut trash-turned-art; Friday, 5pm to 8pm and Saturday, 12pm to 3pm. // Recology Art Studios, 503 and 401 Tunnel Ave. (Visitacion Valley); details at recology.com
Save the date for the Autumn Moon Festival. The Sunset’s next night market is open to all and full of food, music, games, activities, shopping, and community spirit; Friday, September 25th, 5pm to 10pm. // Irving St. between 20th Ave. and 25th Ave. (Inner Sunset); details at sunsetmercantilesf.com
Thank you to our partners at Sunset Mercantile.
Shuck oysters with the pros of Hog Island Oyster Co. in a master class where you’ll learn to prep their signature bivalves to enjoy with sparkling wines from Schramsberg Vineyards; Friday, 5:30pm to 6:30pm. // Beacon Grand, 450 Powell St. (Union Square); register at beacongrand.com
Toast Project Open Hand's milestone of 30 million meals at the Hand to Hand Gala with a plated dinner, live and silent auctions, and an honor for Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi; Friday at 6:30pm. // San Francisco Design Center Galleria, 101 Henry Adams St. (SoMa); tickets at gofundme.com
Get ready for Open Studios season at the ArtSpan kickoff exhibition featuring the work of more than 300 participating artists across mediums; Friday, 7pm to 10pm. // SOMArts, 934 Brannan St. (SoMa); tickets at thethirdplace.is
Enjoy late-night bites, cocktails, and immaculate vibes during Bourbon Steak's new weekend DJ residency; Fridays and Saturdays, 8:30pm to 11:30pm. // The Westin St. Francis, 335 Powell St. (TenderNob); reservations at sevenrooms.com
Get inspired under the redwoods at the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival, featuring original work from 135 artists along with live music, a community mural, and wine tastings; Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 5pm. // Old Mill Park: 64 Cascade Dr. (Mill Valley); tickets at mvfaf.org
Dive deep into the art of neon during the Neon Speaks Festival, where you can tour rare archives and get a glimpse of iconic city sights across mediums; Saturday at 10am, 11:30am, and 4pm. // Details and tickets at neonspeaks.org
Celebrate lowrider culture with a parade and hydraulic hopping competition in the Mission during the SF Lowrider Council’s 45th anniversary annual celebration; Saturday, 11am to 6pm. // Schedule and location details at sanfranciscolowridercouncil.org
Eat your way around the world at The Edible Atlas, a street food festival featuring vendors slinging everything from Jamaican patties to Panamanian comfort food, as well as demos from local chefs; Saturday, 12pm to 5pm. // Bloc15, 252 2nd St. (Oakland); tickets at tixr.com
Wish Jack London a happy 150th birthday at a gala honoring the renowned author, adventurer, journalist, and visionary farmer with live jazz, local wines, and Sonoma cuisine; Saturday, 5pm to 9pm. // Jack London State Historic Park, 2400 London Ranch Rd. (Glen Ellen); tickets at jacklondonpark.com
See Little Shop of Horrors through a queer lens at the New Conservatory Theatre Center’s opening run of the classic show with an original twist; opens Saturday at 8pm. // New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center); tickets at nctcsf.org
Say happy birthday to Nisei and Bar Iris at their fifth annual block party complete with festival games, a small vendor market, and plenty of yakitori, onigiri, and Japanese sandos on repeat; Sunday, 11am to 8pm. // Polk St. between Green St. and Union St. (Russian Hill); details on Instagram
Be part of the fun at Blues, Brews, and BBQ, the Alameda tradition featuring national blues acts, craft beer, and tasty barbecue; Sunday, 12pm to 6pm. // Washington Park, 740 Central Ave. (Alameda); details at westendartsdistrict.org
Explore what it means to be well at the One Mind Music Festival, which brings together mental health advocates and supporters for an inspiring afternoon supporting mental health research headlined by The Fray; Sunday at 12pm. // Staglin Family Vineyard, 1570 Bella Oaks Ln. (Rutherford); tickets at onemind.org
Dance to a free set from Poolside at the return of Daytime Disco, the electronic project's chill, sun-soaked Union Square takeover; Sunday, 1pm to 5pm. // Union Square, 333 Post St. (Union Square); RSVP at apeconcerts.com
Take your shot at The East Cut’s Fall Pickleball Festival. Drop in for games all afternoon with the SF Social Club and Volo; Sunday, 1pm to 5pm. // The Crossing at East Cut, 200 Folsom St. (Embarcadero); register at volosports.com
Elevate your Sunday with live jazz, local bites, and wines by the glass, all under the palm trees at Caymus-Suisun Winery; Sunday, 2pm to 8:30pm. // Caymus-Suisun Winery, 4991 Suisun Valley Rd. (Fairfield); tickets at caymus-suisun.com
Feel the heat at Whiskey and Fire, an all-inclusive afternoon combining live-fire cooking from acclaimed local chefs and pitmasters with premium whiskey tastings from around the world; Sunday at 3:30pm. // Hayes Mansion, 200 Edenvale Ave. (San Jose); tickets at toursbya21.com
Get inspired by West Marin artists at a showcase of more than 40 paintings, sculptures, and photographs from notable and legacy local artists whose work captures the region’s coastline, agricultural valleys, and independent spirit; opens Sunday, 4pm to 6pm. // Sausalito Center for the Arts, 750 Bridgeway (Sausalito); details at eventbrite.com
Honor Yom Kippur with a three-course fixed price menu from Delfina that gets you fed before sundown; Sunday at 5pm and 5:15pm. // Delfina, 3621 18th St. (Mission); reservations at opentable.com
Look ahead to the Cole Valley Fair. Back for its 23rd year, the neighborhood tradition brings together an eclectic mix of arts, crafts, and community with local products, food booths, live music, family-friendly activities, and vintage cars; Sunday, September 27th, 10am to 5pm. // Cole St. between Frederick St. and Grattan St. and Parnassus Ave. between Shrader St. & Belvedere St. (Cole Valley); details at sunsetmercantilesf.com
Thank you to our partners at Sunset Mercantile.
