Featured Events in San Francisco in April, 2025 (May Updated)

Nearly 12 years after her death, SFMOMA is presenting the first major national and international retrospective of Ruth Asawa’s work, a groundbreaking artist whose work is fully explored in her work. Born in California in 1926, Asawa was forcibly sent to an internment camp during World War II because of her Japanese descent. After her release, she attended Black Mountain College in North Carolina and began a prolific career that spanned six decades, spanning a variety of media from painting to sculpture, often drawing on organic forms and reflecting her deep affection for nature. The exhibition will feature 300 of Asawa’s works in chronological order, with her signature hanging, looping wire sculptures—known for their “form within a form” constructions—taking a prominent place. The exhibition will also highlight her contributions to art education and public sculpture. In particular, a specially curated gallery will recreate Asawa’s home and studio in San Francisco’s Noe Valley, offering a glimpse into her family life and creative inspirations. The exhibition will feature her sketchbooks and experiments with materials such as copper, ceramic, electroplating and bronze, as well as the original hand-carved mahogany door of her former home and works by artists she admired, such as Josef Albers, Ray Johnson, Peggy Tolk-Watkins and Marguerite Wildenhain.

Ragnar Kjartansson’s beloved video installation The Visitors (2012) is back at SFMOMA. In this mesmerizing hour-long work projected across nine screens, viewers are transported once again to the serene setting of Rokeby in upstate New York as the Icelandic artist and his musician friends perform together in various rooms of this historic mansion.

Table Manners brings together tableware, flatware, and drinkware from the SFMOMA Architecture + Design collection spanning nearly 100 years. The exhibition celebrates the ways design has shaped our relationship to food, our bodies, and communities, and how dining can be a profound communal and cultural experience. From self-filling wine glasses and teapots made of tea, to crisp modernist spoons and flatware made from discarded CDs, Table Manners explores the performance of dining. The exhibition includes works by Virgil Abloh, Joe Colombo, Zaha Hadid, Roberto Lugo, and many more, accompanied by illustrations and textiles by Lucy Stark.

Every two years, SFMOMA celebrates Bay Area artists and our creative community with the SECA Art Award. Established in 1967, the award has honored nearly one hundred local recipients with an exhibition and platform for expanding their practices and sharing their work with new audiences. The 2024 SECA Art Award exhibition celebrates Rose D’Amato, Angela Hennessy, and Rupy C. Tut. Each artist has conceived a gallery with new works that bring distinct perspectives, processes, and materials into the museum.

Widely recognized for his singular approach towards sound and new technologies, Samson Young (born 1979, Hong Kong; based in Hong Kong) utilizes performance, video, and installation to rigorously examine the cultural, political, and historical contexts of sound. Samson Young’s first West Coast solo exhibition debuts Intentness and songs, a multimedia installation that poetically traces the idiosyncratic rhythms of love, memory, and experiences of time. In this interconnected audiovisual landscape, Young draws on the duration and rhythm of human and generative AI memory recall processes as the basis for polychromatic sculptures, videos, and a mesmerizing soundscape. Visitors are invited to wander through pathways of wooden boards with markings created through a mix of techniques and 3D-printed boards etched and embedded with objects and memories excerpted from the lives of the artist and his husband.

Looking to get away from it all? This selection of idyllic landscapes by famed Chinese ink painters, past and present, offers a perfect opportunity to escape the hectic pace of city life in the digital age. The selection on view offers a rare opportunity to enjoy a masterpiece by Ni Zan (1301-1374), a cultural icon in Chinese history, whose dry, spare brushwork evokes lyrical tranquility and a world cleansed of turmoil during the chaotic period of dynastic transition. Following the ancient Chinese tradition of mountain worship, many of these landscapes use the contours of sacred mountains and the movements of waters and clouds to embody Daoist philosophy, beckoning the viewer to engage in a personal, cultural, and spiritual communion. As mountains are personified as venerable deities, rivers become their veins; mists are their breath; foliage is their hair; and rocks are their bones.

Hawks, pheasants, ducks, quail, egrets, and other birds appear frequently in Japanese paintings. With roots in the Chinese “bird and flower” genre, some are traditionally associated with a particular season or sentiment; others were chosen by artists and patrons simply for their beauty. The paintings currently on view in the Tateuchi Japanese Galleries use birds as both decorations and symbols, representing the seasons, strength, longevity, fidelity, or good fortune. They include decorative rimpa-style paintings; large, Kano-style screen paintings; and intimate hanging scrolls decorated in ink and faint colors.

Conversations at a party in Oakland in 1932 changed the history of photography. At that gathering, several now-iconic Bay Area figures — including Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, and Edward Weston — banded together to form Group f.64, a collective dedicated to “true” photography and the rejection of the prevailing style of Pictorialism, which mimicked painting. The group’s name was technical, referring to the camera lens setting that permits the greatest depth of field, but their mission was creative: to make photographs of startling clarity and beauty that rivaled art made in other mediums. Although Group f.64 lasted for less than a year, its legacy endured, marking the Bay Area as an epicenter for modernist photography.

The personal becomes universal in recent work by pioneering Taiwanese artist Yuan Goang-Ming (b. Taipei, 1965), whose starkly poetic videos and installations examine the fragmented and surreal nature of contemporary life.Yuan’s work trains an unblinking, glacially cool digital gaze on poignant scenes of global and domestic unease. From the eerie stillness of empty streets during Taiwan’s annual air raid drills to the chaotic aftermath of an explosion detonated in his own living room, the artist captures moments that resonate with current living conditions worldwide.

Join us on Sunday, April 27, for the La Vendimia celebration! Enjoy live music in the patio featuring a talented Latin artisan as we honor Peru's rich wine and pisco-making traditions. A special bar will be available with a pisco-focused menu to enhance the festivities! Tickets for adults are priced at $99, which includes unlimited food and drinks. We can't wait to see you there! Advance online tickets are $99 per person, not including handling fees. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door for $99 each, plus tax. You must be 21 or older to purchase tickets, but all ages are welcome. Please note that all sales are final. Information Source: La Mar Cocina Peruana | eventbrite

Experience the magic of Kylie Minogue's Tension Tour at Chase Center in San Francisco on April 22, 2025. The iconic pop star will mesmerize the audience with her electrifying performance, promising an unforgettable night filled with hit songs and dazzling choreography. Don't miss this opportunity to witness Kylie Minogue's talent live on stage at 300 16th Street, CA, 94158.

Experience the comedic genius of Mo Amer on his "El Oso Palestino Tour" as he takes the stage at The Masonic in San Francisco on April 10, 2025. Known for his sharp wit and unique perspective, Mo Amer is sure to entertain audiences with his hilarious observations on life, culture, and politics. Don't miss this chance to see one of the most exciting comedians of our time live in action. Get your tickets now for a night full of laughter and unforgettable moments at this must-see event.

The San Francisco International Film Festival, presented by SFFILM, is the premier event for emerging storytellers and established filmmakers. The 2025 Festival will take place April 17-27 at venues throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. The San Francisco International Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the Americas, bringing films from around the world to the Bay Area's passionate and discerning audiences since 1957. SFFILM is rooted in the culture of film appreciation by exploring film as an evolving art form and as a transformative force for social change.

Shack 15 event is back! Please join us for our staple monthly Happy Hour! We will be hosting our premier networking event on Thursday, April 17th at SHACK15 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. Gather your friends and coworkers and come meet our diverse group of young professionals in a relaxed and fun environment! The event kicks off at 5:30pm. YPOSF is San Francisco's premier networking organization for young professionals, and our events regularly attract 200+ guests from a broad span of industries and backgrounds. Please register via Eventbrite, below. Please note: RSVP will be closed 24 hours before the event. The last day to purchase your tickets is April 16th. No same-day tickets available. Collect your wristbands for the YPOSF event at the check-in with your Eventbrite link confirmation. Information Source: Young Professionals of San Francisco (YPOSF) | eventbrite

Choose your Stepper is an event you don't want to miss. We welcome all D9 organizations, families, friends and members of the community to witness Bay Area greatness. With an additional special guest performance. Information Source: San Francisco State University NPHC | eventbrite

Kirk is a small-town guy with a dream: to move to the big city and sell mid-priced consumer goods in a high square footage, semi-industrial warehouse location. But when the love of his life moves to college (to study optometry and hearing aids!) and his landlord jacks up the rent on his warehouse, that dream starts to feel out of reach.  Will Kirk survive the cut-throat world of 1980s capitalism? Will he open a store with the girl of his dreams? And can he ever outrun the haunting memories of that dancing hotdog? Join a star-studded cast of San Francisco performers and deli meat impersonators for a staged reading of "Kirkland: A Signature Parody Musical" – the brand new musical about your favorite big box store.  Starring:  Roeen Nooran as Kirk Simpleton Ruby Day as Sandy Lisa Frankenstein as Joan Smart Ryan Patrick Welsh as Brandon Claire Reilly as Mrs Mitnickis Mudd the Two Spirit as the Narrator James Darling as the Deli Meat Delivery Man Tin Word as Mr Lee Helena Levin as Mysterious Woman Cheetah Biscotti as Thrusting Hotdog Em Dwyer as Singing Rotisserie Chicken Written by Claire Reilly Director: Leslie Waggoner Musical Director: Steven Bolinger Producers: Ryan Patrick Welsh and Claire Reilly Oasis is 21+ for all events. Please bring a valid ID. Information Source: OASIS | eventbrite

Please join SARA California in celebrating this year's recipients of the 2025 SARA CA Design Awards to be held on April 26th in San Francisco, California at the Minnesota Street project. Reserve your seat today. Event Agenda : 5:00 pm - Cocktails / 6:00 pm - Dinner and Awards Tickets: $250 / SARA Members $300 / Non-SARA Members * $200/ Students * Join SARA today Sponsorship: Opportunities are available. Promote your firm, brand, or celebrate a winning project! To learn more please contact: awards@saranational.org Venue: Minnesota Street Project Come celebrate and enjoy all that San Francisco has to offer. Thank you to our generous sponors! Information Source: SARA | eventbrite

Hyphy Theology is an experiential and empowering expression of faith and culture, inspired by the Bay Area’s hyphy movement and the deep exploration of Creator through theology. It celebrates the beauty of divine creation as seen through the unique lens of Bay Area geography, music, art, poetry, and illustration. Rooted in inspiration and authenticity, Hyphy Theology is inspired by the sacred in the creative, the spiritual in the everyday, and the presence of Creator in the pulse of the people. Information Source: Lyrical Opposition | eventbrite

THEME? WEAR GREEN ! Come down to San Francisco to celebrate the honorary holiday of 420! Our rave will start at 8pm, Saturday night, April 19th and will roll into 420 and end around 4am. There will be alcohol available for purchase & public parking, but this event IS outdoors so bring layers! Keep PLURR in mind & be wary/ mindful of what you're doing, always test your stuff. Ticket holders will receive something from the host herself, so not only do you have a good smoke & time to look forward to, but a little surprise as well. Genres that will be played throughout the night include hardcore/ hardstyle, house, dubstep & techno. We look forward to having you celebrate another 420 with us! Information Source: Ang3lKandiii | eventbrite

Easter Egg Hunting and Dumpling Making Join us for a fun-filled EASTER EGG HUNTING & DUMPLING MAKING experience at Blue Whale Restaurant & Lounge ! This family-friendly event combines the joy of Easter egg hunting with a hands-on dumpling-making class. Enjoy delicious food, interactive activities, and exclusive Easter-themed treats. Ticket Information: General Admission: $68 per person (includes all activities and meals, with gratuity included) Event Capacity:Limited to 40 parent-child groups (Total: 100 participants). Book your spot early! What’s Included in Your Ticket: Easter Egg Hunt Fun-filled egg hunt with hidden toys, chocolates, and a $20 restaurant voucher. Dumpling Making Workshop Introduction to the history of dumplings by Jonny. Live dumpling-making demonstration by our Dim Sum Chef (60 mins). Personalized steaming baskets with your child's name. Enjoy freshly made dumplings or take them home! Signature Drinks Adults: One $17 cocktail. Kids: One $12 whale's tail. Tasty Bites Beijing dumplings (2 pieces) Chicken wings (small portion) Fried cauliflower (small portion) Bunnie Dessert A special Easter bunny-themed dessert! Kids can decorate their bunny's ears with pink food dye and eyes with black sesame seeds under the guidance of our chef. Face Painting for Kids Let your little ones transform into Easter bunnies, butterflies, or their favorite characters with our professional face painting station ! All paints used are non-toxic and skin-safe—perfect for adding a bit more fun and color to the day! Exclusive Goody Bag Each child will receive a pink hat, a dumpling-themed gift to celebrate Easter and Chinese culture. How to Join:Reserve your spot now through our official website or Instagram bio link: https://bluewhalerestaurant-lounge.com Limited seats available! Please contact us at: +1 (415) 592-6009 Email: reservation@bluewhalerestaurant-lounge.com Come and make unforgettable Easter memories with us at Blue Whale Restaurant & Lounge! Information Source: Blue Whale Restaurant & Lounge | eventbrite

Experience the magic of Phish with a 2-day ticket to their upcoming event in San Francisco at the iconic Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Immerse yourself in the legendary music of Phish on April 22, 2025, at 99 Grove Street, CA, 94102. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to witness one of the most renowned bands in the music industry live in concert.

Date & Time: Friday, April 25, 2025 | 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM Location: Press Club 20 Yerba Buena Ln, San Francisco, CA The Wine List returns for a spring edition—bringing together music, wine, and an elevated experience inside one of San Francisco’s most stunning wine lounges. This isn’t your typical club night. It’s a grown and soulful evening curated for those who appreciate R&B, Neo-Soul, good wine, and good company. What to Expect: • Live R&B & Neo-Soul covers from a live band • DJs spinning smooth R&B throughout the night • Wine tastings led by sommeliers • Non-alcoholic options available • Light bites available for purchase • Beautiful setting, elevated crowd, and good energy Whether you’re coming for a date night, a night out with friends, or just to treat yourself—The Wine List is your new favorite Friday night tradition. Dress Code: Grown & Classy – Dress like it’s date night. Stylish, tasteful, elevated. Tickets: This is a limited entry event. Presale tickets only – no tickets will be available at the door. Hosted by: RNB Social Club & Anthony Presents www.RNBSocialClub.com Information Source: AP GROUP | eventbrite

Co-presented with Heyday Books Join Litquake and Heyday Books at the San Francisco Public Library as we kick off Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a very special conversation that celebrates AAPI history while also offering hope and healing for our current moment. Authors Karen Fang and Satsuki Ina have brought to life remarkable true stories from twentieth-century Asian American history. In her memoir The Poet and the Silk Girl, Ina pieces together secret letters, diary entries, photographs, and haiku to craft the love story of her parents, who were newlyweds when incarcerated at Tule Lake and other prison camps during WWII. In Background Artist , Fang reclaims the overlooked story of Tyrus Wong, a Chinese immigrant who became an accomplished muralist, Hallmark card designer, and artist for Warner Brothers and Disney studios—despite frequent hostilities and restrictions and without receiving proper credit. The echoes of historical injustices still reverberate today, so this conversation will also give contemporary Asian Americans and their allies powerful tools to encourage recovery, resilience, and hope for the future. In Louder than the Lies, artist and educator Ellie Yang Camp offers context, compassion, and concrete tactics for building understanding and creating coalitions to combat continued racism. And in The Healing Trauma Workbook for Asian Americans, clinical psychologist Helen H. Hsu presents culturally informed treatment methods to contend with trauma, build resilience, and forge strength in Asian American identities. Moderator Dora Wang , a psychiatrist and memoirist (author of The Kitchen Shrink ) will guide this empowering and illuminating discussion. FREE Book sales coordinated by Eastwind Books. _______________________________________________________________________ About the Speakers Ellie Yang Camp is an artist and educator from the Bay Area. The proud daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, she has been a high-school history teacher, a full-time parent, a calligrapher, an anti-racist educator, and now an author. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in education from Stanford. Karen Fang is a film scholar and visual culture critic who writes and speaks for museums and film festivals around the world. Known for previous books about Hong Kong cinema and nineteenth-century British interest in exotic objects, Fang often writes about the intersection of eastern and western aesthetics. Her work has appeared in Smithsonian Magazine , Hyperallergic , Nikkei Asia , and the Los Angeles Review of Books . She is also a prominent contributor to The Engines of Our Ingenuity , a long-running, widely distributed public radio series about science and innovation, where her episodes always focus on the visual arts. Committed to amplifying the contributions of underrepresented creatives, her newest book is a biography of Chinese immigrant artist, centenarian, and Disney legend Tyrus Wong. Helen H. Hsu is a clinical psychologist and the director of outreach at Stanford University Counseling and Psychological Services. Hsu spent twenty years in community-based clinics throughout the Bay Area. Her Healing Trauma Workbook for Asian Americans is published by New Harbinger. She is the past president of the American Psychological Association Div. 45 (Society for the Study of Race, Culture, and Ethnicity) and a past president and fellow of the Asian American Psychological Association. Satsuki Ina is a psychotherapist specializing in community trauma. She helps victims of oppression to claim not only their voice but also their power to transform the systems that have oppressed them. Her activism has included co-founding Tsuru for Solidarity, a nonviolent, direct-action project of Japanese American social justice advocates working to end detention sites. Ina has produced two documentaries about the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans, Children of the Camps and From a Silk Cocoon . She has been featured in the New York Times , the Los Angeles Times , TIME , Democracy Now! and the documentary And Then They Came for Us . A professor emeritus at California State University, Sacramento, she lives in the Bay Area. Dora Calott Wang (moderator) is the author of The Kitchen Shrink: A Psychiatrist’s Reflections on Healing in a Changing World (Riverhead Penguin Random House), a heartfelt literary memoir, and eulogy to her noble profession of medicine, as it becomes a for-profit industry. Wang has won a Lannan Foundation Writers Residency, the Pfeiffer Visiting Scholar Award from Stanford University, and a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award. She earned a MA in English literature at UC Berkeley, and is a notable alumnus of the Community of Writers. She is a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine, and a member of the Executive Committee of Yale Alumni in Medicine. Wang was elected to two terms as president of the American Psychiatric Association Caucus of Asian American Psychiatrists. In 2006, she led a political campaign that changed the New Mexico state constitution, removing a section aimed at forbidding Asians and persons of color from owning land. Information Source: Litquake, San Francisco's Literary Festival | eventbrite

Skateboarding has always been about more than tricks and competitions. It is a culture rooted in rebellion, creativity, style, and the pursuit of freedom. This exhibition, curated by Jeffrey Cheung and Gabriel Ramirez, founders of the skate collective Unity, celebrates the dreams and realities of queer, trans, BIPOC, and women skaters as well as the diverse communities that have shaped the sport, despite histories of hypermasculinity and exclusionary attitudes. Meet the pioneers who broke barriers, from the first women and queer skaters to go pro, to the underground movements that encouraged inclusivity and change in skateboarding. Through skateboards that represent queer and women skaters and artists, skate publications and zines, artworks, photographs, videos, and more, the works featured here explore how communities have fostered unity through a shared ethos of passion and determination. Just as skaters who, despite injuries and setbacks, persistently attempt a trick until they land it, Unity through Skateboarding encourages us to keep pushing for a more inclusive world, both on and off the board.

Reaching new heights with both its influential style and its staggering auction prices, the work of Qi Baishi (Chinese, 1864–1957) remains an inspiration to audiences worldwide. Blending expertly minimal brushwork with passages of abstraction, Qi changed the course of traditional Chinese painting. His ink paintings capture everyday scenes and familiar moments, evoking the essential beauty of nature and the joy of life’s simple pleasures.In 1960, the de Young Museum presented a solo exhibition of Qi Baishi’s art in San Francisco, a recognition no other Chinese artist had previously achieved in the U.S. More recently, his paintings have set multimillion-dollar records as the most expensive Chinese artworks ever sold at auction. But throughout his lifetime, Qi maintained a down-to-earth sensibility rooted in his humble origins as a peasant carpenter — even as he rose to international prominence.

Reaching new heights with both its influential style and its staggering auction prices, the work of Qi Baishi (Chinese, 1864–1957) remains an inspiration to audiences worldwide. Blending expertly minimal brushwork with passages of abstraction, Qi changed the course of traditional Chinese painting. His ink paintings capture everyday scenes and familiar moments, evoking the essential beauty of nature and the joy of life’s simple pleasures.In 1960, the de Young Museum presented a solo exhibition of Qi Baishi’s art in San Francisco, a recognition no other Chinese artist had previously achieved in the U.S. More recently, his paintings have set multimillion-dollar records as the most expensive Chinese artworks ever sold at auction. But throughout his lifetime, Qi maintained a down-to-earth sensibility rooted in his humble origins as a peasant carpenter — even as he rose to international prominence.

Experience the ultimate movie podcast live at "How Did This Get Made?" in San Francisco at The Masonic on April 1, 2025. Join film buffs and hosts Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas as they dissect and discuss the most hilariously bad movies ever made. Dive into the depths of cinematic absurdity with this interactive and entertaining event. Don't miss your chance to be a part of the laughter and fun at 1111 California St, CA, 94108.

Experience the thrilling world of "Chainsaw Man" at the Manga Book Club event featuring volume 1 in San Francisco. Join fellow manga enthusiasts at Sour Cherry Comics on April 1, 2025, located at 3187 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Dive into the first volume of this captivating series for free and immerse yourself in a unique literary journey. Don't miss this opportunity to engage with like-minded fans and discover the excitement of "Chainsaw Man" in a vibrant community setting.

All Star Art Club Mon, March 35 :00pm - 10:00pmJoin us for a communal art work party. Bring a creative project you've been meaning to work on. Writing: essay, poem, short story, blogZineDrawing, watercolorDocumentary, short videoPodcastThe idea you can't get out of your headWe’ll have treats from All Star Donuts, desk space, wifi, outlets and artists to work alongside with. Free event. A suggested $10 donation helps support our creative gathering space. Things to bring Food and snacks to share. Drinks will be available for sale.Projects that can be quietly worked onArt supplies / equipment: laptop, charger, headphones, drawing paper/supplies etc.Please note: Friends & Neighbors is a phone-free space. We kindly ask that you refrain from taking photos and videos during the event. In the case that you need to use your phone, please do so in the hallway.Donations help a lot! Donations go towards our overhead costs, such as rent and printing and putting up flyers. We love analog marketing to bring in new friends and neighbors.Half of life is showing up. Due to our limited capacity, please RSVP only if you can attend. In the case your plans change, please cancel your ticket so we can accommodate more guests. Thank you!H osted by Friends & Neighbors, a creative gathering space in the Inner Richmond Instagram @friendsandneighborssf Information Source: Friends & Neighbors | eventbrite