Every story we’ve published — browse by section, by month, or page straight through.
Your Weekend Doesn't Need a $200 Cover: SF Comedy's Free and Cheap Scene Is Thriving
PublishedHere's something San Francisco does surprisingly well for a city that charges $18 for avocado toast: comedy that…
Free Puzzle Night in SoMa: Solve a Murder Without Spending a Dime
PublishedHere's something San Francisco gets right: a local bar offering a completely free event that doesn't require a grant, a…
Your Midweek Reminder That Free Things in SF Do Actually Exist: Thrive City's Live Music Lunch Series
PublishedLook, we spend a lot of time around here talking about the ways San Francisco nickels and dimes its residents — parking…
Memorial Day Weekend Is Here — Go Outside and Enjoy the City You're Paying a Fortune to Live In
PublishedMemorial Day weekend is upon us, San Francisco, and for once the forecast isn't conspiring against your plans.
Carnaval Is Back — SF's Biggest Street Party Returns to the Mission
PublishedThe 2026 San Francisco Carnaval Grand Parade is set to take over the Mission District once again, bringing with it the…
Golden Gate Park's Free Concert Series Is the Best Deal in a City That Loves Taking Your Money
PublishedHere's a radical concept for San Francisco: the government providing something people actually enjoy, at a price point…
Stern Grove Is Back for 2026 — The Best Free Thing SF Government Didn't Ruin
PublishedEvery summer, San Francisco does something almost unbelievable: it hosts a world-class concert series in a stunning…
May Is Here, SF — Time to Actually Go Outside
PublishedMay in San Francisco is that magical sweet spot where Karl the Fog hasn't fully committed to ruining your weekends yet…
Festa Italiana Returns to SF This June — Your Weekend Plans Just Got Better
PublishedMark your calendars, San Francisco. Festa Italiana is back June 6-7, and if you've never gone, this is your year to fix…
Free National Parks Day Is Back for Memorial Day — Here's How to Actually Enjoy It
PublishedMemorial Day weekend is shaping up nicely for Bay Area residents who like their nature free and their wallets closed.
Third Thursdays on Treat: A Night Market That Actually Lets the Community Do Its Thing
PublishedHere's something San Francisco gets right every now and then: get out of the way and let people gather, sell stuff, eat…
SF's Coolest Nonprofit Is Shooting Lasers Across the Night Sky and We're Here For It
PublishedThere are a lot of ways nonprofits spend money in San Francisco.
Chaka Khan Is Coming to SF, and Yes, Every Woman Should Be Excited
PublishedIf you needed a reason to feel good about San Francisco this week — beyond the usual cycle of budget deficits and BART…
The Presidio Keeps Proving Free Doesn't Have to Mean Bad
PublishedHere's something you don't hear often enough in a city that charges $18 for avocado toast: some of the best stuff in…
Free Comedy Nights Are Back in Downtown SF — Your Wallet Can Finally Laugh Too
PublishedLook, we get it. Between rent that eats half your paycheck and $7 lattes that eat the other half, "going out" in San…
Free Innovation Expo Hits Fort Mason This Weekend — No Government Grant Required
PublishedIf you're tired of hearing about San Francisco's decline and want a reminder of what this city does best, clear your…
100+ Free Shows in SoMa This Summer: Yerba Buena Gardens Festival Returns
PublishedHere's something San Francisco actually gets right: the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is back for 2026, running from May…
Your June Calendar Is About to Get Crowded: SF's Street Fair Season Is Here
PublishedSummer in San Francisco doesn't mean beach weather — it means street fairs.
Summer's Here, SF — Here's What's Actually Worth Your Time
PublishedMemorial Day weekend is basically the starter pistol for San Francisco's summer season — which, as any local knows…
Bay to Breakers Is Still SF's Weirdest, Best Day — Stop Trying to Kill It
PublishedSay what you will about San Francisco — and people say plenty — but there's exactly one day a year when this city…
Bay Area's Own Alysa Liu Hits the Ice at SAP Center — And We're Here For It
PublishedAlysa Liu, the Richmond-born figure skating phenom who became the youngest U.S.
A Free Innovation Expo at Fort Mason? We'll Take It
PublishedIn a city that loves to talk about innovation while simultaneously regulating it into oblivion, here's something…
Free Tai Chi on the Great Highway: The One Government Program We Won't Complain About
PublishedHere's something you don't hear us say often: a city-adjacent program that's free, doesn't require a permit the size of…
Free Micro Soccer Fun Day: Because Even SF Kids Deserve to Touch Grass
PublishedHere's something refreshing: a free community event that doesn't require a tax increase, a new bureaucratic agency, or…