UPCOMING EVENTS
AAPI HERITAGE AWARDS & RECEPTION
Celebration Theme – Moving Forward Together
Celebrating 20 Years of Connecting and Uplifting Communities
Be Part of the 20th Anniversary Celebration! The AAPI Heritage Awards is a signature program of San Francisco’s celebration of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Every year the AAPI Heritage Celebration Committee honors civic organizations that have achieved significant milestones in serving the community. Reception immediately following at City Hall. This festive event is open to the public and please stay tuned for registration information in April.
First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk
The First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk is a community-led monthly event hosted by gallery owners, artists’ studios, and other businesses and event spaces in the Tenderloin & Lower Polk neighborhoods of San Francisco. The Art Walk takes place every first Thursday of the month from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm (times at each participating venue may differ). The event is currently managed by Moth Belly Gallery and sponsored by the Tenderloin Community Benefit District via the 2024 TL Cultural Events & Activations Mini Grant. The website hosting is currently sponsored by the Lower Polk Community Benefit District.
Our Heritage 5k 2024
" You can't really know where you are going until you know where you have been"
Help us kick off the 2024 AAPI Heritage Month with a 5k fun run that honors and celebrates the rich Asian and Pacific Islander history in San Francisco. This is a FREE, family-friendly, fun walk/run through the heart of the city, where we will pass by over 14 historic AAPI landmarks. Each landmark will have goodies, resources, and information about each location.
We will start the 5k with an opening ceremony performance and end it with an amazing Finisher's Festival, which will include more performances, activities, goodies, and vendors.
There will be cheer stations, photo ops, candy, and entertainment on the route for runners to enjoy!
Fealofani: Samoan and Pacific Islander dances and song that bring community together!
We would like to extend to you all an invitation for this event on Saturday, May 4, 2024 located at Philip & Sala Burton High School from 1:00 - 3:00pm.
Come out to celebrate our youth, fellowship, and enjoy this free, community event!
Please swipe and scan the QR code or use the link below to register now and secure your spot at this year’s Fealofani Event.
LINK TO REGISTER:
https://docs.google.com/.../1g2j8ODP5Y7K63PlJ.../viewform... (https://docs.google.com/.../1g2j8ODP5Y7K63PlJ.../viewform...)
One City One Book: Author Kathryn Ma Headline Event, Library
As part of our celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander heritage month, San Francisco Public Library is honored to present our 18th One City One Book selection, The Chinese Groove by Kathryn Ma.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Chinese Groove follows the journey of 18-year-old Shelley, who leaves his home in China’s Yunnan Province to seek a brighter future in the United States. Encountering familial fractures and unmet expectations upon his arrival, Shelley navigates the complexities of immigrant life in present-day San Francisco.
Initially sent to live with his supposed rich uncle, Shelley discovers that reality diverges sharply from his hopes. Instead, he finds himself in a crowded rooming house, juggling school, work and relationships while always reaching for his aspirations of becoming a poet and rekindling a romance with his English ex-girlfriend.
As Shelley traverses the challenges of his new surroundings, he leans on the concept of the “Chinese groove,” an unspoken connection among fellow immigrants, to navigate his new reality. Through humorous yet poignant encounters and unexpected twists, Shelley confronts themes of family, housing, grief and the pursuit of success in a foreign land.
Amidst the episodic plot and diverse cast of characters, including his not-so-rich second cousin Ted and Ted’s Jewish wife Aviva, Shelley’s journey unfolds with both resilience and introspection.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathryn Ma is the author of the widely praised novel The Year She Left Us, which was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice and an NPR “Great Read” of the year. Her short story collection, All That Work and Still No Boys, won the Iowa Short Fiction Award and was named a San Francisco Chronicle Notable Book and a Los Angeles Times Discoveries Book. She is also a recipient of the David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Fiction and has twice been named a San Francisco Public Library Laureate.
CAAMFest Opening Night: “Admissions Granted”
In the run-up to the landmark Supreme Court case pitting Asian American plaintiffs against Harvard University, controversial legal strategist Edward Blum took direct aim at dismantling affirmative action, energizing activists on both sides. Admissions Granted tracks the case’s emotional, high-stakes journey to the Supreme Court. Directors Hao Wu (76 Days and 2022 CAAM Mentor) and Miao Wang (CAAM-Funded Beijing Taxi) weave interviews, news archive, and verité footage to produce an honest and hard look at the complexity of the affirmative action debate, revealing the divisions within the Asian American community and our nation’s increasing polarization on matters of race and inclusion.
Expected Guests in Attendance: Directors Hao Wu and Miao Wang
API Council's 10th Anniversary Celebration
“Rising Together: Celebrating a Decade of Building Power”
First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk
The First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk is a community-led monthly event hosted by gallery owners, artists’ studios, and other businesses and event spaces in the Tenderloin & Lower Polk neighborhoods of San Francisco. The Art Walk takes place every first Thursday of the month from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm (times at each participating venue may differ). The event is currently managed by Moth Belly Gallery and sponsored by the Tenderloin Community Benefit District via the 2024 TL Cultural Events & Activations Mini Grant. The website hosting is currently sponsored by the Lower Polk Community Benefit District.
2024 Juneteenth Parade
Come out to the 2nd Annual San Francisco Juneteenth Parade on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
The Juneteenth San Francisco Parade & Celebration will recognize the importance of the outstanding, engaged non-profits, businesses, organizations, volunteers, and individuals that fuel the community spirit.
This event will showcase the beauty of the community in this year’s parade and celebration. The Parade will start on Market and Spear Street and will end at Fulton Place (Fulton and Hyde Street and Larkin Street)
The parade begins at 11am.
First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk
The First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk is a community-led monthly event hosted by gallery owners, artists’ studios, and other businesses and event spaces in the Tenderloin & Lower Polk neighborhoods of San Francisco. The Art Walk takes place every first Thursday of the month from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm (times at each participating venue may differ). The event is currently managed by Moth Belly Gallery and sponsored by the Tenderloin Community Benefit District via the 2024 TL Cultural Events & Activations Mini Grant. The website hosting is currently sponsored by the Lower Polk Community Benefit District.
Back to School Celebration & Backpack Give Away
Back to School Celebration and backpack give away at Mo Magic, Ella Hill Hutch Community Center. Contact info@magic.sf.org for details.
Back to School Celebration & Backpack Give Away
Back to School Celebration and backpack give away at Now Hunters Point, 155 Jennings St. Contact info@magic.sf.org for details.
44th Annual Black Cuisine "Back in Stride"
Enjoy great food, great comunity vendors, Kiddie Land, and a cooking contest. This is the 44th Annual Black Cuisine celebration. Come join us this year!
Booker T. Washington Community Clinic Day
Booker T. Washington Community Service Center is partnering with the University of California, San Francisco, Black Health Initiative to provide health services and health education to the Booker T. Washington community and residents in the Fillmore/Western Addition.
We invite you to stop by for FREE health services, meet doctors and health professional students from the UCSF Black community, and come and enjoy a fun event!
For The Love Of The Tenderloin - Clothing Drive
On April 26 at 12pm, Turk & Taylor St. will transform with "For The Love Of The Tenderloin,” hosted by @CodeTenderloin. All those who need will have access to resources, food, and clothing, and where those who participate can help showcase the community’s heart and resilience.
Dodge Alley Socials: Music Night in the Alley with Silk Road
Thursday, April 25th Shovels Bar will host Dodge Alley Social: Music Night in the Alley w/ Silk Road for an electrifying performance by Silk Road showcasing an eclectic mix of pop, funk, and rock. Be among the first 75 guests to enjoy complimentary cuisine courtesy of @Shovels!
SF Film Festival Opening Night: Dìdi (弟弟)
Sean Wang‘s auspicious, semi-autobiographical feature debut centers on a universally recognizable phase of adolescence — that moment we begin the lifelong process of self-determination. Set in 2008 Fremont, this Sundance audience award winner follows 13-year-old Taiwanese American Chris (Izaac Wang) in the fleeting months prior to freshman year as he clumsily pursues his first crush, nurtures his passions for filming and skating, and experiments with the dawning intensity of online relationships via AIM chat and MySpace. At home, Chris’s college-bound sister Vivian (Shirley Chen) and weary mother Chunsing (an illuminating Joan Chen) annoy him, while his acerbic grandma Nai Nai (Chang Li Hua, the director’s real-life grandmother) frets over his diet. All three women draw his ire as Chris stumbles through a series of hilarious coming-of-age situations. Nuanced and tender, Wang‘s film is a layered exploration of learning to love oneself against the Darwinian backdrop of teenage cliques, cultural conformity, and the maddening frustrations of growing up.
Opening Night Film + Party
Join us for our Opening Night Film + Party as we kick off the 67th San Francisco International Film Festival with Dìdi (弟弟) from SFFILM-supported filmmaker Sean Wang. Tickets to the 7 pm PT screening at the Premier Theater include admission to both the film and 9 pm Party at 308 Gallery. Tickets to the 8 pm PT screening at the Marina Theatre, which do not include admission to the Opening Night Party, are also available.
La Cocina Open House
Discover @LaCocina’s Open House to see their vibrant community space on April 24, 4pm-6pm, at 332 Golden Gate Ave. Experience their commissary kitchen, workspace, and event rental offerings firsthand. La Cocina is where culinary creativity thrives!
Creative Expressions of Wellness
Explore wellness through creativity on April 24, 1:15-4:15pm at 374 Ellis St. with @HealingWellSF. Begin with a flower-arranging workshop, hear powerful resilience stories from leadership program graduates, and enjoy food and mingling.
Tenderloin Small Business Boogie
Step into the Tenderloin Small Business Boogie on April 23, 5-8:30pm. Meet at 826 Valencia in the TL, 180 Golden Gate Ave. Tour retail gems with @SFPublicLibrary by checking out exclusives, meeting owners, enjoying a shopping spree while ending the night with a raffle & a drink on us
Hospitality Love
Find the warmth of community with @HospitalityHouseSF's 'Hospitality Love' event on April 23, 11am-2pm, in the Turk/Leavenworth/Jones Corridor. Head over for a day of games, connection, and celebration, with a chance to win gift cards for the chess and checkers champions!
TL Cooking Competition
Discover local talent with @ChinatownCDC's TL Artisan & Small Business Showcase + Cooking Competition on April 22. Visit 201 Turk St., 3-7pm for the showcase, and 5-7pm for a vibrant cooking battle. Celebrate community creativity and flavors at one dynamic event!
TFH 2024 Cooking Competition Event Flyer.pdf
TL Artisan & Small Business Showcase
Discover local talent with @ChinatownCDC's TL Artisan & Small Business Showcase + Cooking Competition on April 22. Visit 201 Turk St., 3-7pm for the showcase, and 5-7pm for a vibrant cooking battle. Celebrate community creativity and flavors at one dynamic event!
Tenderloin Beautification Day
Embrace your community spirit by joining us at the Tenderloin Beautification Day on April 21, 9am-2pm. The @TLCBD is hosting this celebration through a neighborhood wide clean-up, planting, graffiti removal, and mural work, all closing with a community celebration. See you there!
Northern California Cherry Blosom Festival Grand Parade and List of Week’s Events
The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Grand Parade brings color and cheer to the streets of San Francisco and Japantown! At a future in-person festival, the Grand Parade will occur on the final Sunday of the Festival. A lively procession of taiko drummers, dancers, and decorative floats will celebrate the Festival and the Japanese traditions that thrive here in Northern California.
Cosplay
Interested in joining the Cosplay section of the Grand Parade?! Cosplayers can sign up in person at Japan Video and Media (1737 Post Street #305), by calling the store at (415)563-5220, or by emailing contact.mari771@yahoo.com.
Parade Route
The Grand Parade will depart the Civic Center Plaza at 1:00 P.M., proceeding up Polk Street to Post Street, and ending in Japantown at Post and Fillmore Streets.
Jazz and Justice Sunday
Join @GLIDESF’s Jazz & Justice Sunday on April 21st at 330 Ellis St! Hear inspirational messages by Minister Marvin K. White and the soulful jazz of Maurice Shelby at 9 AM & 11 AM services. Enjoy a community luncheon and special updates on social justice initiatives.
I Love Tenderloin Week
I Love Tenderloin Week is April 21-27, where you can experience our neighborhood's vibrant dining, unique businesses, and cultural gems. This is more than just a series of exciting events, but a testament to the community's spirit and the hidden treasures found only in the TL!
Dinner and a Movie at Hamilton Park and Rec - "Wish"
Dinner and a Movie presnted by Western Addition Family Resource Center. Bring the family and enjoy an meal ad a movie (Wish) with your neighbors.
Own Your Success - Join us for Author Talk with Lauren Wesley Wilson| April 11 at Fillmore Heritage Center
Please join an evening author talk featuring Lauren Wesley Wilson, as she discusses her new book, What Do You Need?, an exploration of ways women of color can take ownership of their careers and pathways to success – Thursday, April 11, 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Fillmore Heritage Center (1330 Fillmore Street in San Francisco).
Lauren is founder and president of ColorComm, a platform dedicated to advancing women of color in the fields of communication, marketing, and advertising. Michelle Lee, founder of Monologue and former Editor-in-Chief of Allure, will join Lauren in conversation. A copy of What Do You Need? will be available for all event attendees.
Please register for this no-cost event via this link. The event will feature author Q&A and a light reception to follow. We look forward to seeing you April 11!
Tenderloin Walking Tour
Step back in time with Tenderloin Walking Tours on a journey through the neighborhood on April 25th, 3:30-5:00pm, from 55 Taylor to 601 Eddy St. First 30 guests get a free tour led by guides with lived experiences for a deep dive into the TL’s rich history! tinyurl.com/nmnhp54s
Free Citizenship Workshop
Come get free assistance with:
• Step-by-step review of the naturalization process
• Assessment of your eligibility to naturalize
• Application preparation & documentation packaging, if eligible to naturalize
• Application review by an immigration attorney or qualified legal representative
• Accessing financial assistance and community resources
First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk
The First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk is a community-led monthly event hosted by gallery owners, artists’ studios, and other businesses and event spaces in the Tenderloin & Lower Polk neighborhoods of San Francisco. The Art Walk takes place every first Thursday of the month from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm (times at each participating venue may differ). The event is currently managed by Moth Belly Gallery and sponsored by the Tenderloin Community Benefit District via the 2024 TL Cultural Events & Activations Mini Grant. The website hosting is currently sponsored by the Lower Polk Community Benefit District.
JAZZ NIGHT IN THE ALLEY – NOCHE DE JAZZ EN EL CALLEJON
Jazz Night in the Alley, which will bring the sultry sounds of jazz to the heart of the Tenderloin.
First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk
The First Thursday Tenderloin & Lower Polk Art Walk is a community-led monthly event hosted by gallery owners, artists’ studios, and other businesses and event spaces in the Tenderloin & Lower Polk neighborhoods of San Francisco. The Art Walk takes place every first Thursday of the month from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm (times at each participating venue may differ). The event is currently managed by Moth Belly Gallery and sponsored by the Tenderloin Community Benefit District via the 2024 TL Cultural Events & Activations Mini Grant. The website hosting is currently sponsored by the Lower Polk Community Benefit District.
Chinese New Year Parade
Chinese New Year Parade
Named one of the top ten Parades in the world by International Festivals & Events Association, the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco is one of the few remaining night illuminated Parades in North America and the biggest parade celebrating the lunar new year outside of Asia.
MLK Day March
Thousands honor the Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama marches and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by experiencing the MLK2023 commemorative march/parade from San Francisco's Caltrain Station to Yerba Buena Gardens.
Freedom, Justice, and Beloved Community: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Don’t miss the second annual MLK Celebration Concert on Friday, January 13, 2023, featuring performances by Emily King, Goapele, Tongo Eisen-Martin, Minister Marvin White, the Glide Ensemble, and Sangin’ Sara & James P. Smith. FREEDOM, JUSTICE, AND BELOVED COMMUNITY: A CELEBRATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. will be held live at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre and promises an inspirational evening to kick off a week of MLK ‘23 celebration events in San Francisco.
This free event is sponsored by the Northern California MLK Community Foundation and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, with support from the NAACP San Francisco Chapter, the San Francisco Interfaith Council, Black Women Organized for Political Action, and the Warriors Community Foundation.
Link here for tickets: https://www.cityboxoffice.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=2875
Year of the Rabbit on Parade
Five Rabbit Sculptures culturally painted are displayed around San Francisco from January 7 – February 5 for everyone to explore. Enter the photo contest by taking a photo with the Rabbit for a chance to win a prize. Official rules on chineseparade.com website.
Dodge Alley Block Party
DODGE ALLEY BLOCK PARTY
Dodge Alley is located on Turk St between Larkin and Hyde
THURSDAY NIGHTS| 5-8 PM
ENVISION THE FUTURE OF DODGE ALLEY
Jazz in the Gardens
Join us for outdoor smooth jazz, light Sunday brunch, and family-friendly activities
in the parks, plazas and gardens of the Lakeview/OMI neighborhood.
Great music, stunning views, and a perfect atmosphere for family & friends!
Dodge Alley Block Party
DODGE ALLEY BLOCK PARTY
Dodge Alley is located on Turk St between Larkin and Hyde
THURSDAY NIGHTS| 5-8 PM
ENVISION THE FUTURE OF DODGE ALLEY
