San Francisco is teeming with fun things to get residents through the end of April and the start of a new month.
Here are some of the top events to check out this week in The City.
A conversation with Sara Hall (Monday)
The American professional distance runner and former Stanford University athlete will come to the Book Passage’s Ferry Building outpost to chat about “For the Love of the Grind: A Memoir.” Released last week, the book chronicles Hall’s record-breaking career and her journey to motherhood through adoption, as well as obstacles she overcame along the way.
‘A Fabulous Animal: A Staged Reading’ (Monday)
Writer Samantha Schweblin will visit the Mechanics’ Institute for a live reading of “A Fabulous Animal,” her short story about two estranged friends who reconnect years after a tragic accident. Schweblin’s reading will be followed by “The Girl in the Flammable Skirt,” writer Aimee Bender’s story about a young girl looking after her wheelchair-bound father.
Guests can join an online waitlist to get admission to the sold-out event, which runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at 57 Post St.
Quinn Slobodian in conversation with Ben Tarnoff (Tuesday)
City Lights in North Beach will host a chat between Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff, the authors of “Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed.” Released last month, the book chronicles Elon Musk’s rise to prominence in a postliberal age. Their chat will be moderated by writer Anna Wiener.
Pedestrians walk by City Lights in San Francisco on Friday, May 2, 2025.
‘Mere Mortals’ (Tuesday-Sunday)
San Francisco Ballet will present a reimaginined version of Pandora’s Jar, a tale from Greek mythology, that deals with philosophical questions in the face of an artificial-intelligence boom. The production, originally commissioned as a world premiere in artistic director Tamara Rojo’s inaugural season, will combine contemporary ballet with electronic music and festival culture.
Tickets are available online, ranging from $35 to $465. Performances take place Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Friday at 8 p.m. Saturday will have two performances at 2 and 8 p.m., while Sunday’s lone show takes place at 2 p.m.
Free art workshop (Wednesday)
The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts will host a drop-in workshop during which participants will make paper cut-outs honoring influential figures in their lives. The lesson will source inspiration from Serge Gay Jr., an artist in YBCA’s exhibit “Conjuring Power: Roots & Futures of Queer & Trans Movements.”
Guests can sign up online for the workshop and will be able to take their creations home. The event runs from 2 to 4 p.m. at 701 Mission St.
Well-Crafted: Not Your Average Paint and Sip (Wednesday)
Workshop San Francisco and artist Bea Bryne will invite participants to Saluhall in the Mid-Market area, where prospective artists will learn how to make scented, hanging air freshners. As part of the event, guests can shop from Saluhall’s numerous food and drink vendors while making their masterpieces.
Those interested in attending the workshop can RSVP online. The event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Turnbull Winemaker’s Dinner (Wednesday)
John’s Grill will host a four-course dinner during which vintner Peter Heitz will pair steakhouse dishes with wines from his Napa Valley vineyard. Guests will be able to enjoy Heitz’s creations from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Attendees crowd Ellis Street for the now-traditional Election Day lunch event at John’s Grill in San Francisco on Nov. 5, 2024.
Craig Lee/The Examiner
Tickets are avaialble online for $250. John’s Grill is located at 63 Ellis St.
San Francisco congressional candidate forum (Wednesday)
State Sen. Scott Wiener, District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan and tech tycoon Saikat Chakrabarti will stop by the Mission Bay Conference Center to speak to voters about their respective quests to fill the seat in California’s 11th Congressional District being vacated by Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
Guests can RSVP online to attend the event in person or receive a link to watch a digital broadcast. The forum runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at 1675 Owens St.
‘Sante!’ (Wednesday-Friday)
As part of the San Francisco International Arts Festival, Cirque Kikasse is coming to Cesar Chavez Elementary School’s playground to stage a show in which death-defying acrobatics are performed on and around a food truck. Guests can expect to see performers bouncing off trampolines and balancing a 35-foot furniture tower, among other feats.
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Nightlife Live (Thursday)
The California Academy of Sciences will celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ second season tipping off in May with a basketball-themed celebration featuring team mascot Violet, DJ Lady Ryan and The Flock dance team. Guests will be able to participate in a slam-dunk challenge, customize their sneakers at a do-it-yourself painting station, have caricatures drawn and shop from a pop-up marketplace, among other offerings.
School children watch a presentation at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
Craig Lee/The Examiner
Tickets are available online for $25. Guests must be ages 21 and up to attend and are encouraged to come dressed in team gear. The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m., with last entry at 7:30 p.m.
An evening with Connie Han (Thursday-Friday)
The pianist will visit the SFJAZZ Center and perform original compositions and arrangements from the Great American Songbook. Han will also play pieces from her personal catalogue highlight a combination of traditional and contemporary jazz stylings.
Tickets are available online for $35. Han will perform twice each night at 7 and 8:30 p.m. inside the center’s Joe Henderson Lab.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (Thursday-Saturday)
Davies Symphony Hall will host a screening of the conclusion to 11-time Oscar-winner Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy. The San Francisco Symphony and Chorus will perform Howard Shore’s Academy-winning score.
Tickets are available online and range from $399 to $499. Performances take place Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. Saturday’s show starts at 2 p.m.
‘Shades and Shadows’ (Thursday-Sunday)
Bay Area playwright William Brasse will present audiences with a story about the Greek mythological figure Pythia, who is told different versions of Orpheus and Eurydice’s love story by three travelers. Directed by CC Miller, the 90-minute show combines live music and dance.
Tickets are available online for $20. The play takes place Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture’s Magic Theatre.
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (Friday)
The British musical ensemble will swing by Herbst Theatre in celebration of its 40th anniversary. The group is known for playing renditions of classical and pop music, among other genres.
Tickets are available online and range from $85 to $115. The 7:30 p.m. performance takes place at 401 Van Ness Ave.
‘The Unfinished Work of Camille Claudel’ (Friday-Saturday)
As part of the San Francisco International Art Festival, the People’s Circus Theatre is staging a world premiere honoring Camille Claudel, the French impressionist sculptor who worked in marble. The San Francisco art organization’s performance combines physical theater, dance and circus elements.
Tickets are available online and range from $40.37 to $53.75. Friday’s show takes place at 8 p.m., while Saturday’s performance will be at 8:30 p.m. Doors to the venue, located at 3316 24th St., open one hour prior to the start time.
San Francisco International Tea Festival (Saturday-Sunday)
Over 30 makers and producers will take over the Ferry Building as part of the San Francisco International Tea Festival. In addition to tastings, guests will get to enjoy presentations featuring local tea-makers and receive a complimentary porcelain tasting cup to take home.
People take a stroll in San Francisco on a rainy afternoon by the “R-Evolution” statue near the Ferry Building.
Craig Lee/The Examiner
Tickets are available online and range from $13.65 to $48.47. The festival runs both days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bay Beats annual showcase (Saturday)
Bay Beats, San Francisco Public Library’s free digital music-streaming service, will present its second annual showcase of performers featured on the platform with an afternoon of live music at the Golden Gate Bandshell. In addition to musical performances, guests can enjoy local artists, food truck vendors and games.
The admission-free event runs from 2 to 5 p.m. along Music Concourse Drive.
Head West Marketplace (Sunday)
Over 50 vendors are taking over the Ferry Building as part of Head West, a pop-up marketplace held along the waterfront every first Sunday from March through December. Guests will be able to shop from artists, treat vendors, jewelry makers, fashion designers and more.
The pop-up event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.