By Dana Flynn
Save
This Sunday, San Francisco’s newest park was filled with thousands of cakes as part of a viral cake picnic. The waterfront on Treasure Island was lined with rows of colorful cakes, with the blue San Francisco skyline as the backdrop, as San Franciscans eagerly waited to dive into the sugary desserts. This isn’t the first time San Franciscans have gathered to show their love for cake. In March, the Legion of Honor hosted a massive cake picnic to celebrate the opening of the Wayne Theibaud exhibition, with over 1300 cakes (and people) in attendance.
By Dana Flynn
Now, the event is back, with more cake than ever. Cityside Park on Treasure Island hosted the event, with 2,068 cakes in attendance. The highly anticipated picnic sold out in just a few seconds last month, and thousands flocked to the small island for the picnic. The white cloth tables stretched on endlessly, filled with every type of cake imaginable. Many were Halloween-themed, with ghosts, while others were carefully decorated with flowers or fresh berries.
The event’s motto is simple: No cake, no entry. Each participant brought a cake of their choosing (organizers assured participants that store-bought cakes were welcome for non-bakers), and the unique desserts lined the waterfront walkway on Sunday afternoon.
By Dana Flynn
The event was started by Elisa Sunga, who loves cake, and wanted to share it with her friends. “In my earliest daydreams of this event, it was a small and intimate picnic of maybe 15 new friends forming a circle at the park. Once we’ve formed our circle, we would take turns introducing ourselves and what cake we brought to the picnic. I had no idea this would draw such a crowd and that everyone would share my dream so passionately.”
The picnics quickly went viral and have now been touring around the United States. So far in 2025, picnics have happened in Los Angeles, San Diego, Minneapolis, and even London. In November, the tour will move to New York, which has already sold out. Organizers have numerous other cities in mind for future tour dates, including Seattle, Washington, DC, Chicago, and many more.
You can learn more about future Cake Picnics here.