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What's Up This Weekend with Fonseca 08/21/26

Friday, August 21

Vivid: Immerse Your Senses ~ San FranciscoDescend from a verdant rainforest canopy to the pitch darkness of a bat cave, journey from golden prairie grasses to an invisible underground realm teeming with life, and sink from creaking ice floes to the ocean depths sperm whales call home—all without leaving Golden Gate Park. New exhibit Vivid: Immerse Your Senses is a multisensory experience at the California Academy of Sciences that transports visitors to six of Earth’s most awe-inspiring ecosystems.

Sunset Fridays at the Zoo – San Francisco

Sundown Cinema: The Parent Trap (Free) – San Francisco

Pastimes of the Past (Free) – Livermore

Boswick the Clown (Free) – San Jose


Saturday, August 22

Dinos Alive Immersive Experience ~ OaklandTravel back millions of years for an epic adventure through the age of dinosaurs! Encounter life-size animatronic giants, from swift Velociraptors to the mighty T-Rex, and explore immersive prehistoric environments that bring the Jurassic era roaring to life. Perfect for families, kids, and dinosaur fans of all ages, this unforgettable experience combines thrills, discovery, and hands-on fun in one larger-than-life adventure.

The Nature Play Grove at CuriOdyssey ~ San MateoThe Nature Play Grove is now open at CuriOdyssey! Nestled in Bay View Grove with breathtaking Bay views, this brand new outdoor space is designed to do something simple but powerful: inspire awe. Explore interactive exhibits that awaken the senses and invite open-ended play for the whole family. Whether you’re 5 or 55, wonder is waiting outside. Come find yours. Plan your visit today!

Cereal Cinema – Oakland

Wild Explorations (Free) – Berkeley

Fun on the Farm (Free) – San Ramon

Little Explorers Petting Zoo (Free) – San Jose


Sunday, August 23

Marine Science Sunday ~ SausalitoMarine Mammals of San Francisco Bay: join us as we explore the marine mammals just under our Golden Gate Bridge. We will learn about California sea lions at PIER 39, harbor seals, dolphins and even whales that come into the Bay. At 10:30am, 12:00pm or 2:00pm. A local artist will join this event, bringing art education to Marine Science Sunday.

Sunday Streets – San Francisco

Tea Party at the Zoo – San Francisco

My Neighbor Totoro – Berkeley

Build a Bee House (Free)  – Fremont

Math Festival (Free) – San Jose

Saturday, August 22

  • Oakland Ballers vs. Modesto Roadsters — 4:35 PM — Raimondi Park, Oakland

  • San Jose Earthquakes vs. Minnesota United FC — 7:30 PM — PayPal Park, San Jose

  • Cal Women’s Volleyball Blue & Gold Scrimmage — Berkeley

Sunday, August 23

  • Stanford Women’s Soccer vs. UC Irvine — 1:00 PM — Stanford

  • Oakland Ballers vs. Modesto Roadsters — 1:05 PM — Raimondi Park, Oakland

  • Bay FC vs. Houston Dash — 3:00 PM — PayPal Park, San Jose

  • Stanford Men’s Soccer vs. Denver — 7:00 PM — Stanford

No Bay Area home games this weekend

  • San Francisco Giants — away

  • San Francisco 49ers — no home game

  • Oakland Roots — away

  • San Jose Giants — away

  • Golden State Valkyries — no Saturday/Sunday home game

🎬 New Movies — Friday, August 21

  • Mutiny — Action/thriller starring Jason Statham; he’s framed for his boss’s murder and uncovers a larger conspiracy.

  • Insidious: Out of the Further — The sixth Insidious movie, bringing audiences back into The Further.

  • Spa Weekend — Comedy starring Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris as four longtime friends whose luxury getaway goes off the rails.

  • Tony — Anthony Bourdain biopic starring Dominic Sessa, focusing on Bourdain at 19 and the summer that helped shape his culinary life. It expands wide this weekend.

  • Hot Spot — Sci-fi thriller starring Noomi Rapace, set in a future controlled by sentient AI.

  • It Ends — Indie horror about friends who become trapped on a seemingly endless road. NEON releases it theatrically Friday.

Smaller/Limited Releases

  • The Magic Faraway Tree — Family fantasy starring Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy and Rebecca Ferguson — limited release.

  • Blood Shine — Horror — limited release.

  • The Marching Band — Limited release.

  • Never Stop Chasing — Limited release.

  • Nine Black Cats — Limited release.

  • Paper Flowers — Limited release.

  • To Use a Mountain — Limited release

Friday–Sunday

  • Santa Clara County Fair — San Jose

    • Friday 1–11 PM

    • Saturday 1–11 PM

    • Sunday 1–10 PM

    • Carnival rides and midway games, fair food, livestock, exhibits, performances and concerts.

    • This is the best choice if you specifically want a real carnival with rides.

  • King Tut Egyptian Festival — Hayward

    • Friday 6–10 PM

    • Saturday 11 AM–10 PM

    • Sunday 11 AM–6 PM

    • Egyptian food, bazaar, music, cultural exhibits and kids area.

    • FREE admission and free parking/shuttle.

  • Goodguys West Coast Nationals — Pleasanton

    • Friday–Sunday at Alameda County Fairgrounds

    • Huge hot-rod/classic-car festival with thousands of cars, vendors, autocross, swap meet and kids activities.

    • Friday/Saturday activities begin around 8 AM; Sunday also starts at 8 AM.

Friday, August 21

  • Fillmore After Dark: Hot August Nights — San Francisco

    • 4–9 PM

    • Fillmore Plaza

    • Night market with local vendors, food, live music, kids zone, games and neighborhood activities.

  • Fort Mason Night Market — San Francisco

    • 5–10 PM

    • Fort Mason

    • Food trucks, craft vendors and live music.

    • Free to attend.

Saturday & Sunday, August 22–23

  • 37th Oakland Chinatown StreetFest — Oakland

    • 10 AM–5 PM both days

    • Food, vendors, three entertainment stages, cultural performances and family activities.

    • FREE.

  • Palo Alto Festival of the Arts — Downtown Palo Alto

    • 10 AM–6 PM both days

    • Nine blocks of University Avenue

    • About 250 artists, live music, Italian street painting, kids' Chalk-a-Lot and food.

    • FREE. This is one of the biggest street fairs of the weekend.

Saturday, August 22

  • Rockridge Rock-N-Stroll — Oakland

    • 11 AM–4 PM

    • College Avenue

    • 50+ artists/makers, 20+ live performances, pop-ups, tastings and kids activities.

    • FREE.

  • Sausalito Art & Harbor Days — Sausalito

    • 10 AM–5 PM

    • Ferry Landing / Tracy Way / Gabrielson Park

    • Artists, makers, food, waterfront activities and live music.

    • FREE.

  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Festival — Palo Alto

    • 1–4 PM

    • Museum of American Heritage

    • Cookies, milk, LEGO building, games, face painting and live music.

    • FREE.

Sunday, August 23

  • 60th Annual Festival of Chariots — Golden Gate Park

    • About 10:15 AM–4 PM

    • Robin Williams Meadow

    • Giant chariot procession, cultural performances, exhibits and a free feast.

    • FREE.

  • Sunday Streets Bayview — San Francisco

    • 12–5 PM

    • Lane Street / Bayview

    • Streets closed to cars with live music, local food, kids activities, exercise, biking and community booths.

    • FREE.

Friday, August 21

  • ⭐ Karol G + Becky G — 7 PM — Levi's Stadium — Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour.

  • ⭐ Noah Kahan + Gigi Perez + Annabelle Dinda — 6:30 PM — Oracle Park — The Great Divide Tour.

  • ⭐ Daniel Caesar + 070 Shake — 7:30 PM — Chase Center.

  • ⭐ Mount Westmore — Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40, Too $hort & more — 8 PM — SAP Center.

  • Wobbleland 2026 — starts 6 PM — San Jose McEnery Convention Center — Excision, DJ Diesel, Ray Volpe, Alison Wonderland, NGHTMRE, Adventure Club and more; festival continues Saturday.

  • Dimmu Borgir — 7 PM — The Warfield.

  • Nine Vicious — 8 PM — The Fillmore.

  • Zola Jesus — Solo Voice + Piano — 8 PM — Freight & Salvage.

  • Tucker Wetmore + William Beckmann — 6:30 PM — The Mountain Winery.

  • Hanson — 8 PM — Graton Resort & Casino.

  • Foreverland — 6–8 PM — FREE — Redwood City's Music on the Square.

Saturday, August 22

  • ⭐ Karol G + Becky G — 7 PM — Levi's Stadium — second Bay Area stadium show.

  • Wobbleland 2026 — Day 2 — starts 6 PM — San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

  • The Breeders — 8 PM — The Castro Theatre.

  • Little Stranger — 7:30 PM — The Fillmore.

  • Jeff Parker ETA IVtet — 8 PM — Freight & Salvage.

  • Pearl & The Oysters — 9 PM — The Independent.

  • San Francisco Electronic Music Festival — 8 PM — Gray Area.

  • Starman SF — David Bowie Tribute — 8 PM — Sweetwater Music Hall.

  • Norman Brown — evening shows — Yoshi's Oakland. Ticketmaster lists a 9:30 PM performance.

Sunday, August 23

  • ⭐ Raja 50 — Ilaiyaraaja Live in Concert — 6:30 PM — Oakland Arena.

  • The Breeders — 7 PM — The Castro Theatre — second SF show.

  • Built to Spill — 8 PM — The Chapel.

  • Allen Stone & The Dip — 7:30 PM — The Mountain Winery.

  • Undertale: The Determination Symphony — 8 PM — San Jose Civic.

  • Crucial Reggae Sundays — 4:20–7:30 PM — FREE — Golden Gate Park Bandshell.

  • Golden Gate Park Band — 1–2:30 PM — FREE — Golden Gate Park.

Important cancellations

A few listings elsewhere are outdated, so don't promote these as active shows:

  • Oliver Tree — Saturday in Oakland: CANCELED.

  • Ammy Virk — Saturday at Oakland Arena: CANCELED.

  • Dru Hill / Ginuwine / Troop — Saturday at Mountain Winery: CANCELED.

For a radio-ready top five, I'd lead with Karol G, Noah Kahan, Mount Westmore, Daniel Caesar, and Wobbleland. Those are the strongest headline concerts this weekend.



The Randall Museum (always free) – San FranciscoThe Randall Museum is a museum of science, nature and the arts as well as a San Francisco Recreation and Park Department community learning center.

The San Francisco Zoo (select Wednesdays) – San FranciscoFree only for San Francisco residents on select Wednesdays.

Asian Art Museum (1st Sunday) – San FranciscoOn the first Sunday of each month, general admission is free and tickets to special exhibitions are offered at a discounted price of $15. Limited same-day, walk-up availability, so it’s highly recommended that you reserve your tickets in advance.

SFMOMA (select days) – San FranciscoSFMOMA offers regularly scheduled free days and guests 18 and younger always enjoy free admission to the museum. Visit sfmoma.org/free-days for upcoming dates and activities or sign up for their newsletter to be notified when new events, exhibitions, and activities are announced.

Museum of the African Diaspora (2nd Saturday) – San FranciscoContemporary art and artists of the African Diaspora.

Museum of Craft and Design (1st Thursday) – San FranciscoMCD showcases designers, makers and artists through an exciting and distinctive series of craft and design-focused exhibitions and public programs.

The de Young Museum (Tuesdays and Saturdays) – San FranciscoSaturdays free for Bay Area residents. Tuesdays free for all.

The Fine Arts Museum (Tuesdays and Saturdays) – San FranciscoSaturdays free for Bay Area residents. Tuesdays free for all.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (Wednesdays) – San FranciscoThe cultural anchor of San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens neighborhood with work that spans the realms of contemporary art, performance, film, civic engagement, and public life.

Conservatory of Flowers (1st Tuesday) – San FranciscoSet in a landmark building — the oldest public wood-and-glass conservatory in North America — the Conservatory of Flowers inspires awe and fascination with its rare and tropical plant collection.

San Francisco Botanical Garden (2nd Tuesday) – San FranciscoExplore 55 beautiful acres of landscaped gardens and open spaces that showcase more than 8,000 different kinds of plants from around the world.

Cable Car Museum (always free) – San FranciscoHouses a collection of historic cable cars, photographs, mechanical displays.

San Francisco Fire Department Museum (always free) – San FranciscoAs the museum is staffed by volunteers, it is best if you call 415-558-3546 after 1PM on the day of your visit to make sure it will be open.

The Marine Mammal Center (always free) – SausalitoTickets are free but must be reserved online in advance.

Bay Model Center (always free) – SausalitoThe model provides scientists, educators and visitors interested in San Francisco Bay and the Bay – Delta Model a unique opportunity to view the complete bay-delta system at a glance.

Oakland Museum of California (first Sunday) – OaklandEvery first Sunday of the month, admission to OMCA’s Galleries of California Art, History, Natural Sciences, and any Special Exhibitions in our Great Hall are free.

Telescope Viewing at Chabot (Fri & Sat evenings) – OaklandJoin Chabot astronomers on the Observatory Deck for a free telescope viewing! Weather permitting, this is a chance to explore stars, planets and more through Chabot’s historic telescopes.

Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (1st Thursday) – BerkeleyAs part of the University of California, Berkeley, BAMPFA is committed to artistic diversity through its robust slate of art exhibitions, film screenings, artist talks, live performances, and educational programs that shed new light on the art of the past and connect audiences with leading filmmakers and artists of our time.

Richmond Art Center (always free) – RichmondOpportunities for adults, teens and kids to create, see and learn about art.

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front Museum (always free) – RichmondEducational and interactive exhibits designed for visitors of all ages, offering insights into the significant impact of WWII on daily life.

San Mateo County History Museum (1st Friday) – Redwood CityFree admission to the History Museum 10AM – 4PM. Free Playing in the Past at 11AM. Free general tour at the History Museum at 2PM.

South Bay Historical Railroad Society Museum (always free) – Santa ClaraThe museum consists of three major areas: the historic buildings, railroad artifacts, and operating scale model displays. Open Tuesday evenings and Saturdays.

The Intel Museum (always free) – Santa ClaraGo behind the scenes in the high-tech world of California’s famed Silicon Valley. See what it’s like inside an ultra-clean, highly automated silicon chip factory, and connect with technologies that give us new ways to work, learn, play, and communicate. The Intel Museum is 10,000 square feet of fun, interactive learning for children and adults. Open Mondays through Friday, 9AM-5PM. Call 408-765-5050 to confirm the museum is open to the public, since they sometimes close for private events.

San Jose Museum of Art (First Friday after 6pm)Contemporary art in downtown San Jose. Occasional free community art days.

Home Depot Kids Workshop (1st Saturday) – all locationsJoin at 9AM on the First Saturday of every month.



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