Venue Spotlight American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Strand Theater The Strand Theater has become one of Market Street’s key homes for contemporary theater in San Francisco. Operated by A.C.T., the venue regularly presents new plays, experimental staging, and emerging artists alongside […]

Venue Spotlight Presidio Theater Presidio Theatre has moved through multiple eras of San Francisco life, from a military movie house to a restored home for live performance. Reopened in 2019 after decades of vacancy, the theater now hosts music, dance,

Curator Spotlight D’Arcy Drollinger on El Rio For D’Arcy Drollinger, San Francisco’s first Drag Laureate, El Rio remains one of the city’s great intimate music venues. A longtime Mission District staple, it’s the kind of place where favorite bands, local

Festival Spotlight Parameter 2026 An independent electronic music festival running May 14–17, Parameter 2026 brings live sets, immersive visuals, and late-night performances. This year’s programming includes Gray Area and Public Works, two spaces that anchor the city’s independent scene.

Venue Spotlight August Hall August Hall in Union Square carries a layered history, from a 19th-century playhouse to a film house that premiered Vertigo. Now a live music venue with multiple rooms, full bars, and food from Fifth Arrow, it

Curator Spotlight P-Lo on DNA Lounge For P-Lo, DNA Lounge is where things first started to click, with HBK Gang’s Blue Flame parties building a following from the ground up. In SoMa, it still runs late with all-ages shows, dance

Festival Spotlight San Francisco Silent Film Festival San Francisco Silent Film Festival brings early cinema back into focus with screenings presented alongside live musical accompaniment. Running May 6–10, the festival centers the shared experience of film and performance, offering a

Festival Spotlight SFFILM Festival San Francisco International Film Festival is the longest-running film festival in the Americas, known for bringing international premieres, documentaries, and new voices into theaters across San Francisco. The 69th edition runs April 24–May 4, 2026, with

Curator Spotlight Jasmine Jimison on Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club For Jasmine Jimison, Principal Dancer with San Francisco Ballet, Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club in Hayes Valley is a San Francisco go-to when she wants to slow things down. Tucked just off