Editor’s note: This article originally posted on the San Francisco Examiner. Click here for more culture reporting at sfexaminer.com
The beginning of November has brought San Francisco residents more than just an extra hour of sleep.
Here are 18 events to check out this week in The City.
The Terapixel Panorama at Pier 17 (Monday)
Switzerland’s Laboratory for Experimental Museology has created a 360-degree, 1.6-trillion pixel digital twin of “The Battle of Murten,” a 19th century painting by the German painter Louis Braun. Sarah Kenderdine of the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne will be joined by Sara Velas of Velaslavasay Panorama, with the duo discussing the history and future of panoramas as a tool for storytelling.
The opening night event runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Guests can RSVP online.
‘L.A L.A End’ film screening with Chantal Stoman (Tuesday)
The Alliance Française de San Francisco, a cultural center on Bush Street, hosts a special screening of filmmaker Stoman’s award-winning 2024 documentary that captures tales of Hollywood through the eyes of a Marilyn Monroe lookalike. The showing will be followed by a conversation with Stoman during which she will discuss the project and her creative process.
Tickets cost $17.85 and can be purchased online. The event, which will be held at 1345 Bush St., runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Holiday ice skating at Union Square (Wednesday)
The 18th season of Union Square’s holiday rink will commence with an opening celebration that features on-ice performances and festivities. The first 100 guests will get to skate for free during sessions held at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The first 100 guests at the opening night celebration for Union Square’s holiday ice skating rink will get free admission during two sessions.
Courtesy Julie Richter
The opening ceremony runs from 5 to 7 p.m. General-admission tickets can be purchased online for $22, with children ages 8 and under getting to skate for $17.
‘Big Art Loop — Portside’ parade and launch celebration (Thursday)
The Port of San Francisco celebrates the installation of 10 large-scale sculptures along San Francisco’s waterfront with a walking tour that begins at Pier 14. There will be performances by the Fishwives Sea Shanty Band, roller skaters and dancers, and opportunities to meet the artists behind the selected pieces.
Attendees who RSVP online will be entered into raffles for tickets to the Exploratorium’s After Dark event that night and a hot tub boat ride for six people along San Francisco Bay. The celebration will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Downtown First Thursdays (Thursday)
This free monthly block party fills 2nd Street between Market and Howard streets with live DJ sets, dancing, drag performances and games. November’s edition will be headlined by India, a Turkish-born dance-pop artist based in New York City.
Guests can RSVP online. The party runs from 5 to 10 p.m.
Tina D’Elia at Theatre Rhinoceros (Thursday)
With performances running through Nov. 23, “The Break-Up! A Latina queer torch song” tells the story of Trina Maria, a Latina lesbian who journeys up a hill to find support from others following a relationship’s end. The one-person production is written and performed by Bay Area actress Trina D’Elia.
Tickets can be purchased online. General admission costs $25, with a discounted $17.50 option available for artists, students, senior citizens and veterans. The show begins at 8 p.m. Theatre Rhinoceros is located at 4229 18th St.
North Beach First Fridays Art Crawl (Friday)
Once a month, neighborhood bars, galleries, museums and restaurants extend their hours of operation for a self-guided art crawl in which attendees can experience an evening of art, music and poetry. This month’s edition features 20 participating venues.
The art crawl runs from 5 to 10 p.m.
‘We Love You’ closing reception and drag show (Friday)
The SOMArts cultural center celebrates the closing of this year’s Día de los Muertos exhibition with an evening of drag performances, as well as an artist market featuring local creatives. General-admission tickets cost $15, with attendees ages 16 and under getting in for free. Organizers say nobody will be turned away for lack of funds at the door.
SOMArts will celebrate the closing of this year’s Dia de los Muertos exhibition with live performances and an artist market featuring local creatives.
Courtesy Graham Holoch
The reception will be held 6-9 p.m. SOMArts is located at 934 Brannan St.
An Afternoon of Chamber Music presented by the San Francisco Civic Music Association (Saturday)
This nonprofit dedicated to bringing free music performances to San Francisco residents is taking the stage at the Noe Valley Church and Ministry, where four classical pieces will be performed by 11 musicians over two hours.
Admission is free, though attendees should RSVP, as seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Donations are encouraged. Noe Valley Ministry is located at 1021 Sanchez St., with the show running from 3 to 5 p.m.
The 26th Annual Potrero Hill & Dogpatch History Night (Saturday)
Building 12 at Pier 70 will host a collaboration between the Potrero Hill Archives Project and the Bethlehem Shipyard Museum. Philip DeAndrade will share 50 years of Goat Hill Pizza’s history, while designer Debra Beaver Bauer will share portraits of Muni passengers as part of her “Bus Queen’s Gazette” project. Edward Hatter will share the history of the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, which was designed by Julia Morgan.
The program runs 7-9:30 p.m. Prior to the free event, guests will be able to enjoy pizza, drinks and music inside Pier 70’s Makers Hall. Guests are encouraged to RSVP.
Patagonia’s eco-market at Sports Basement (Saturday)
Patagonia is hosting the Waste Not Fest, an event at Sports Basement’s Presidio location in which guests can bring in gear that needs to be fixed. Repair technicians will mend items free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. There will also be drinks, refreshments, opportunities to chat with other repair businesses, and a workshop on fixing garments.
Patagonia repair technicians at the Waste Not Fest — held at Sports Basement’s Presidio location — will mend items free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.
Courtesy Sports Basement
The event is free to attend, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests can RSVP online.
Tweed Ride dress-up bicycle party (Saturday)
Organizers are encouraging cyclists to come dressed in tweed, a rough, patterned wool fabric, for an afternoon bike ride that starts at Patricia’s Green in Hayes Valley. Participants will gather at noon before rolling out for an hourlong ride at 1 p.m. There will also be a picnic and a group photo, with the final stop having food and drinks for attendees.
Guests can RSVP online, with the event running from noon to 4 p.m.
Textile bazaar at St. Mary’s Cathedral (Saturday)
The Textile Arts Council, which provides outreach from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, hosts its annual showcase featuring handcrafted jewelry, home accessories, novelty gifts, vintage clothing and textiles. The bazaar features more than 30 vendors from throughout the Bay Area and around the world.
The event is admission-free, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The St. Mary’s Cathedral Event Center is located at 1111 Gough St.
San Francisco Coffee Festival (Saturday-Sunday)
Over 100 roasters and exhibitors will gather at the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture for this two-day event. The festival’s ninth edition will bring tastings, workshops, food and beverages, and live entertainment to San Francisco’s waterfront.
General-admission tickets can be purchased online, costing $31.61. The festival is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on both days.
San Francisco Street Food Festival (Saturday-Sunday)
La Cocina will celebrate 20 years of supporting local food businesses through its incubator program with a two-day festival at China Basin Park in Mission Rock. There will be live music, artisans, family-friendly activities and several bars serving cocktails and alcohol-free drinks. Two-day general-admission tickets cost $22.84 and one-day options cost $14.19. Children ages 12 and under get in free.
This year’s edition of La Cocina’s food festival will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the nonprofit incubator.
Courtesy Eric Wolfinger
Food and drinks are purchased separately from vendors. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Inner Sunset Flea Market (Sunday)
Every second Sunday of the month, a portion of Irving Street from 9th to 11th avenues teems with artisans, family-friendly games, food trucks, packaged-food stalls and live music. This month’s market features The Big Lunch, a community-style dining event in which participants can bring meals to share with others. There will also be a pie-baking contest, an annual event.
The market runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
‘Civil Liberties on Fire’ at the Main Library (Sunday)
Shizue Seigel, a Japanese American activist, visual artist and writer, hosts an afternoon of performances by other activists and creators whose works deal with themes of democracy. Presented by San Francisco Public Library, the event will be held at the Main Library’s Latino/Hispanic Meeting Rooms A and B.
Guests can RSVP online, with performances running from 2 to 4 p.m. The Main Library is located at 100 Larkin St.
‘Leap!’ screening presented by Brava Theater Center (Sunday)
As part of the San Francisco Dance Film Festival, the 24th Street performing arts theater will screen the 2016 animated film that follows Felicie, an orphan in 19th-century Paris determined to be a ballerina. The screening includes an introduction by Jennifer Stahl, a principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet.
The event is admission-free but donations are encouraged. Guests can RSVP online, with the screening starting at 2 p.m.