7/4/06 in SFO

May 6, 2006 1:27 PM

What's happening in San Francisco on July 4th this year?

My wife, 12 year old child, and I are going to be in San Francisco and Santa Cruz over the July 4th weekend. We'll probably spend the night of the 4th in San Francisco. What fun, interesting, and possibly quirky (can't be too quirky with a 12 year old) things are going on for the fourth that probably only locals would know of?

posted by Xurando to travel & transportation (3 comments total)

When you say "quirky", do you mean you're totally disinterested in seeing fireworks? Because if you ARE interested, you should definitely find a spot near the bay; they're launched from a boat north of the Bay bridge and East of the golden gate. Apparently the locals congregate in the Presidio. Not sure what "quirky" is going on tho.
posted by rkent at 2:01 PM on May 6, 2006

Nothing special happens on the 4th of July around here. Just the fireworks show, best viewed from Crissy Field. And sometimes the fog makes for a very poor show.

In all my years here, I've never really seen much aside from the fireworks show happen on the 4th.
posted by drstein at 6:39 PM on May 6, 2006

Actaully, this might fit "quirky" simply because very few people know about it. :) The Golden Gate Park Band will be playing during the day over in the Park. They play in the Botantical Gardens, so you can get there quick and easy on the N-Judah by getting off and 9th and Judah and walking a block to 9th and Lincoln.

They will be playing what you'd expect for the Fourth. :)

If you go over to SF Arts site you can search for what's happening on that specific day, and that's how I found out about the Golden Gate Park Band.

If you're 12 year old is mature enough to enjoy controversial sketch comedy, there's always the San Francisco Mime Troup (not THOSE kind of mimes, btw).

If you wanted to do something non-typical for the typical fireworks watching down at the pier, you could get tickets for a ferry that will go out in the Bay and sit there while fireworks go off. Or maybe see if the Alcatraz Tours are happening that night and watch the fireworks from there. Celebrate your freedom from the isolated safety of a former prison rock!
posted by smallerdemon at 8:50 AM on May 7, 2006