Things to Do in San Francisco: The August 2026 Guide

August in San Francisco runs on outdoor sound and long evenings. Golden Gate Park fills for Outside Lands, Stern Grove keeps its free Sunday concerts going, and the night markets take over Grant Avenue and the Castro. Here is the month laid out in one place: where to be, where to eat, what is opening, and where the market stands heading into fall.

August Events in San Francisco

Stern Grove Festival August 2, 9, 15, and 16, 2 pm. Stern Grove. The free Sunday concert series among the eucalyptus.

Outside Lands Festival August 7 to 9, 12 pm to 10 pm. Golden Gate Park. Three days of music, food, and wine in the Polo Fields.

Pistahan Parade & Festival August 8 to 9, 11 am to 5 pm. Yerba Buena Gardens. A celebration of Filipino food and culture in the heart of SoMa.

Chinatown Night Market August 14, 5 pm to 9 pm. Grant Avenue, Chinatown. Food stalls and vendors after dark on the city's oldest commercial street.

Castro Night Market August 21, 5 pm to 10 pm. 18th and Castro Streets. An evening market in the neighborhood's core.

Pokémon Worlds & PokémonXP August 28 to 30, 9 am to 5 pm. Moscone Center. The championship weekend brings players and fans to SoMa.

Restaurants to Try in San Francisco

Wolfsbane Hyper-seasonal fine dining from the former Lord Stanley team, built around a vegetable-forward tasting menu.

Jules Pizza A Lower Haight sourdough pizza spot. Order the Spicy Ronny or the Drunken Sailor, and book ahead.

Dalida Eastern Mediterranean plates in the Presidio. Order the pita, the dips, and the lamb.

Maria Isabel Moles and aguachiles from Dalida's owners. Order the octopus for date night.

New & Upcoming in San Francisco

Esme A French neighborhood bistro from Pearl 6101's Susan Dunn, opening on Divisadero.

SAAM Michelin-starred Bangkok chef Ton Tassanakajohn makes his U.S. debut in SoMa.

The Mess Hall, Presidio Three restaurants, a café, a bar, and a market coming to the Presidio Tunnel Tops.

Jollibee The long-awaited Market Street flagship opens July 31 after a six-year wait.

Back to School in San Francisco

Small Frys A Noe Valley boutique for designer kids' shoes, clothes, and gifts.

Sprout San Francisco Organic, non-toxic baby and kids' clothing basics.

Daiso Japanese household goods, with colorful notebooks, pens, pencil cases, and affordable school-day extras.

Fiddlesticks A Hayes Valley shop for kids' books, shoes, and first-day gifts.

Erin Thompson is ranked #7 among individual San Francisco agents by transactions and #23 by volume in the 2026 RealTrends Verified rankings, and has been named to the Wall Street Journal Top 1,000 agents nationally for over a decade. If you want to know what a specific number means for your block or your building, that is the conversation to have.

Thinking about a move this fall? Reach out to the Erin Thompson Team to talk through what the August market means for your home or your search.