eNews from SF Recreation and Parks- September 4, 2024

[SF Recreation and Parks]

Updates, news and events in San Francisco parks   Highlights, News & Announcements U.S. Open Watch Party & Community Tennis Day on September 7 Join the Tennis Coalition of San Francisco, Lifetime Activities, San Francisco Parks Alliance and Rec and Park for the 6th Annual U.S. Open Watch Party and Community Tennis Day. It will take place on Saturday, September 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Goldman Tennis Center (50 Bowling Green Drive) in Golden Gate Park. There will be many free and fun activities including a livestream of the women’s championship match, tennis for all ages including mini-tennis for kids, face painting, balloon animals and more. For more information and to register, click the link below. US Open Watch Party   SF Live: Rock Shows in San Francisco on September 7 San Francisco will be rocking this Saturday, September 7 with two SF Live shows in our parks! The first show is presented by Noise Pop, the San Francisco Parks Alliance, and Kilowatt featuring the Eagles of Death Metal at Potrero del Sol Park (2827 Cesar Chavez Street) from 1 to 6 p.m. The second show is presented by RNRG, Neck of the Woods and Illuminate and features Scowl and its aggressive blend of hardcore punk, as well as Slumped, Natural Human Instinct, and Opposing Force at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive) from 2 to 6 p.m. SF Live is a six-month series of free, outdoor music concerts put on as a joint, citywide initiative by esteemed San Francisco arts and music producers Illuminate, San Francisco Parks Alliance, Noise Pop Productions, and Union Square Alliance. Created as a love letter to San Francisco music, SF Live concerts are a coming together of San Francisco’s storied musical history and the city’s promising and developing local talent. For more information, click the link below. SF Live   Free Shakespeare in the Park at McLaren Park September 7 & 8 The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival is at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater (40 John F. Shelley Drive) in McLaren Park with its free production of "The Tempest" on September 7 and 8 with shows beginning at 2 p.m. After this weekend, the show will move to Sue Bierman Park for the first time starting on Saturday, September 14. The production is directed by Rotimi Agbabiaka and has been acclaimed for its joyfulness. Actor Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe plays the role of Prospero. Thought to be Shakespeare’s last solo written play, "The Tempest" tells the tale of a father (Prospero) and daughter (Miranda) set adrift to sea by the jealous machinations of Prospero’s brother. Admission is free. For more information, call the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival at (415) 558-0888 or click the link below. Shakespeare in the Park: The Tempest   Flower Piano Returns to the SF Botanical Garden September 13 to 22 Flower Piano is set to return to the San Francisco Botanical Garden (1199 9th Avenue) from September 13 to 22, with a special opening night event on September 12. Presented by Sunset Piano and the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, Flower Piano will transform the garden into the city’s own al fresco concert hall where everyone is invited to play and listen. Wander through the Garden and catch scheduled performances, experience a private concert in the Flower Piano Lounge, or take a turn on the keys yourself. Flower Piano is free to attend for San Francisco residents. Veterans, SNAP, WIC, and CalFresh recipients (via the Museums for All program) receive free entry with accepted forms of ID. For more information and to purchase tickets, click the link below. Flower Piano   A New Way to Learn Tennis and Pickleball in San Francisco Convenient, safe, and professional: the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and Rec Technologies recently announced an innovative pilot program matching tennis and pickleball players of all levels to professional instructors on select courts across the city.  Via the Rec Instructor Network, residents can now book professional 1:1 and small group lessons from licensed instructors conveniently at their local park. Whether you want to improve your serve, perfect your backhand, or master the art of the dink, you’ll be able to find a coach to teach you, all without leaving your neighborhood! All teaching pros are insured and undergo a thorough background check, allowing for a safe and secure experience.   Ready to Up Your Game? Here’s How to Book a Lesson Discover Players will be able to see instructor profiles at rec.us/sfrecpark/coaching with details on teaching background, availability, and certifications Sign Up Players will be able to instantly book instructors who post confirmed availability, or they can contact instructors to request a lesson for a time and place that works for both sides Play! Every lesson will come with a reserved court so residents spend less time figuring out a place to learn and more time focusing on improving their game! Additional information on the coaching pilot can be found at the link below. Book a Lesson Today!   Marina Harbor Master Scott Grindy & Staff Receive Partner Award Last month, the Blue Water Sailing Partner Award was presented by the Blue Water Foundation to San Francisco Marina Harbor Master Scott Grindy and his staff. This award was acknowledged by Scott as an award for all the Marina staff who ensure a safe environment for these great volunteers and young people to enjoy and learn about sailing on the San Francisco Bay. The Blue Water Foundation was formed in 1992 when several sailors wanted to introduce Bay Area young people to the freedom, discipline, teamwork, and natural wonder of sailing. Using boats from volunteers, these sailors began to take middle and high school students sailing on the Bay along with teachers and police officers. The goal was to have students interact with police in a non-adversarial setting. The response from students and police was so enthusiastic that soon their informal excursions became regularly scheduled trips. Now, through their programs, more than 25,000 young people from all over the Bay Area have discovered the art of sailing, experienced success through teamwork, and have had fun while exploring a maritime alternative to drugs, alcohol, and gangs. Blue Water Foundation works with every public school in San Francisco, the San Francisco Police Department, the Alameda County Probation Department, numerous charter schools and community groups, and of course, Rec and Park.   Open for Play! Nature Exploration Area at Rolph Nicol Jr. Playground Created by repurposing downed natural materials, the pop-up space at Rolph-Nicol (Eucalyptus Drive and 24th Avenue) offers opportunities for unstructured play and discovery in nature. A combination of natural challenges and loose parts helps to promote physical activity, stimulate creativity, inspire discovery, negotiate risk, and encourage teamwork, all while cultivating an appreciation and respect for nature. Improvements to the site were made through a nature play installation workshop where participants collaborated on the construction of key elements including stump clusters, hoop skip and jump features, branch work, and borders. This project was made possible in partnership with the Low Income Investment Fund and San Francisco Children and Nature with funding support from the Department of Early Childhood. Students from the Sterne School completed the final touches by installing mulch, weeding, and planting. Visit Rolph Nicol Jr. Playground and other nature exploration areas around San Francisco soon! Details at the link below. Nature Exploration Areas   Apply for the Greenager Program by September 6 The Greenager Program is now recruiting motivated rising 9th to 12th graders who live in or attend school in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, southeast, or northeast neighborhoods. This youth leadership and stewardship program, run by Rec and Park in partnership with The Port of San Francisco, takes place from February to August 2025. Participants will have the opportunity to lead and inspire their community by enhancing the city’s green spaces, developing place-based projects, and enjoying exciting team-building adventures. This is a paid program that primarily takes place on Saturdays, with additional weekday events and overnight trips sprinkled throughout. Applications, including the supplemental questionnaire, are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, September 6. For more details and to apply, click the link below. Greenager Program   Tenderloin Playground Survey Open Through September 8 The Tenderloin Recreation Center Children's Playground is set to undergo improvements, thanks to a collaboration between Rec and Park, KABOOM!, Wu Yee Children’s Services, and Low Income Investment Fund. The project will focus on creating a nature-inspired play area for children, seating, picnic tables, ADA enhancements, reduced hardscape, tree planting, expanded green spaces, and an upgraded irrigation system. Last month, we held our first community outreach event at the playground to gather ideas and feedback. If you missed the meeting, there's still time to share your thoughts by completing the design survey before September 8. For more information and to take the survey, click the link below. Tenderloin Playground Project    Balboa Park Community Meeting on September 9 Join the Friends of Balboa Park, Rec and Park and the San Francisco Parks Alliance for a community meeting to discuss proposed improvements to Balboa Park, including for the skate park and outdoor exercise equipment. It will take place virtually on Monday, September 9 beginning at 7 p.m. Swing by and help shape the future of this park! RSVP for the meeting at the link below. Balboa Park Meeting RSVP    Koshland Park Community Meeting on September 14 Join Rec and Park, Trust for Public Land and TS Studio for the second community meeting to discuss improvements to Koshland Park on Saturday, September 14 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the park's community garden (Page and Buchanan streets). Come by to meet your neighbors and discuss possible improvements regarding accessibility, safety and the park's community garden.   Apply for the Chinatown Artist Registry; Deadline Extended to October 7 The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for the Chinatown Artist Registry to be considered for upcoming public art opportunities in the neighborhood. The deadline has been extended to Monday, October 7. Artists with a meaningful connection to Chinatown––including current or former residents, those with relationships to the area, those who share its culture and values, or those with other significant ties––are encouraged to apply. The Chinatown Artist Registry will be used to select artists to be commissioned for a range of public art projects associated with current and upcoming construction in the neighborhood, including improvements to Portsmouth Square. For more information and to apply, click the link below. Chinatown Artist Registry   Upcoming Events Civic Center Soundtrack Concert Series on September 5, 6 & 10 Civic Center Soundtrack, a free concert series by Illuminate Live, is at Fulton Plaza between San Francisco Main Library and the Asian Art Museum. These diverse musical performances will be held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. September 5 | 2-5 p.m. Joyce Lee, Lost Coast, and Zla Vila September 6 | 12-3 p.m. Featuring Alex Sanders, Commoner, and No Country September 10 | 12-3 p.m. Featuring Don Shearer, Echo Beach Jazz Band, and Joe Burke Illuminate Live   Dance, Dine & Unwind in Embarcadero Plaza September 5, 6, 7 & 11 Rec and Park, along with the Office of Economic Workforce Development, SF New Deal, and Into the Streets, recently launched Bricks at Embarcadero Plaza. Bricks will bring an array of exciting weekly activations to the plaza from Wednesday to Sunday, including happy hours, dance parties, trivia, family days, networking events, and more. This week we have Trivia by the Bay on Thursday, September 5 from 3 to 7 p.m.; Groove on the Bricks dance party on Friday, September 6 from 3 to 7 p.m.; and Family Day on Saturday, September 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring free drop-in educational and play activities curated and hosted by Children's Creativity Museum. We kick off next week at the plaza on Wednesday, September 11 with Salsa and Tacos from 3 to 7 p.m. All happy hour events feature food and drink specials from Osha Thai.   For more information about Bricks, including events, click the link below. Bricks at Embarcadero Plaza   Unstaged at Mid-Market on September 5 Come out to Mid-Market (Market Street between 5th and 6th streets) this fall for Unstaged, a first-Thursday celebration happening from September to November with the initial on September 5. These take place from 4 to 7 p.m. and feature live bands and DJs, buskers and makers, immersive soundscapes, cooking classes, interactive art carts, drag lip sync, programming from All the Way Live Foundation and more. For more information, click the link below. Unstaged   Beach Jazz Jams Happy Hour at Great Highway on September 6 Join the Friends of Great Highway Park for Friday happy hour featuring beachside jazz jams on September 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. on the Great Highway at Judah Street. The event will feature sunset locals DrClock and the Jazz Jammers. For more information, click the link below. Beach Jazz Jams   Hip Hop on the Plaza at UN Plaza on September 6 Check out All the Way Live Foundation's Hip Hop on the Plaza at UN Plaza (Market and Hyde streets). The next will be held on Friday, September 6 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and will feature a breaking workshop, followed by a dance session with B-boy Powerserge. For more information, click the link below. All the Way Live Foundation   Illuminate Live at the Bandshell on September 6, 8 & 11 Join us for a free concert with Illuminate Live at the Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive) in Golden Gate Park. September 6 | 4:30-7 p.m. Friday Happy Hour featuring the David Rocha Quintet September 8 | 4:30-7:30 p.m. Reggae Sunday featuring DJ Guid8nce, Epicenter Sound, Irie Dole, O-Matic, Zelus, and Zorro September 11 | 4-7 p.m. Singer/Songwriter Wednesday featuring Butter Duo, Creative Arts All-Stars, Erik Yates, and Nat Keefe Illuminate Live   The Whale's Tail Music Lineup for September 7 & 8 The Whale’s Tail, Golden Gate Park's seasonal watering hole, is open from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and select holidays all summer and will feature a revolving schedule of live music, as well as food trucks, street art and games. It is located at the 14th Avenue East Meadow just west of the Rose Garden on the JFK Promenade.   The seasonal destination is a collaboration between Rec and Park, Non Plus Ultra, Illuminate, and SF Live. For more information, including the music lineup for Saturday, September 7 and Sunday, September 8, click the link below The Whale's Tail   Suicide Awareness Block Party at Civic Center Plaza on September 7 Join Mackey's Korner for its suicide awareness block party at Civic Center Plaza (335 McCallister Street) on Saturday, September 7 from 1 to 5 p.m. There will be live music, free food rides, vendors and more. The special guest host will be DJ Don P. For more information, email mackeyskorner at gmail.com or call (415) 613-5890.   Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema at Precita Park on September 7 Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema comes to Precita Park (Precita Avenue and Folsom Street) on Saturday, September 7 for an evening of films, dancing and more from 5:30 to 9:15 p.m. There will be community tables as well as an introduction to Salsa lesson at 6:30 p.m., with films starting at 7 p.m. For more information, click the link below. Bernal Outdoor Cinema   Golden Gate Park Band: Viva Mexico Show on September 8 Join the Golden Gate Park Band for its Viva Mexico show at the Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive) on Sunday, September 8 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. with exciting guests Ballet Folklorico de Carlos Moreno. For more information, click the link below. Additionally, check out the recent piece from San Francisco Senior Beat that highlights the band's Music Director and Principal Conductor German Gonzalez, which details his lengthy musical career and journey to his position with the Golden Gate Park Band. Golden Gate Park Band   Opera in the Park at Robin Williams Meadow on September 8 Join us for a free Opera in the Park at Robin Williams Meadow in Golden Gate Park on Sunday, September 8, starting at 1:30 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of beautiful arias and ensembles performed by stars from the San Francisco Opera’s 2024–25 season, led by Music Director Eun Sun Kim. For more information, click the link below. Opera in the Park   Mid Autumn Harvest Festival at Minnie & Love Ward on September 14 Join Friends of the OMI (Oceanview-Merced Heights-Ingleside) Mini Parks for its 3rd Annual Mid-Autumn Festival at Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center (650 Capitol Avenue) on Saturday, September 14 from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be performances by SF Guzheng Music Society, craft activities, tea, mooncakes and more! For more information and to RSVP, click the link below. Mid Autumn Harvest Festival   Ledyard Alley Community Paint Day on September 14 Join the San Francisco Parks Alliance, Paint the Void and Rec and Park for a community paint day for a mural in Ledyard Alley on Saturday, September 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join Silver Terrace neighbors in painting the yellow/orange background before artist ORLUarts adds the floral and butterfly elements. For more information and to RSVP, click the link below. Ledyard Alley Community Paint Day   Friends of Lafayette Park Movie Night on September 14 Join the Friends of Lafayette Park (Gough and Washington streets) for a movie night on Saturday, September 14 at 7 p.m. The iconic San Francisco film "Mrs. Doubtfire" will be screened at the amphitheater behind the tennis courts with free popcorn provided. For more information, click the link below. Friends of Lafayette Park   Programming and Regular Series Activity and Class Schedule for Civic Center Plazas Check out all of the amazing drop-in activities and scheduled classes available at the reimagined UN Plaza and surrounding Civic Center area. From the Heart of the City Farmers' Market and live music at Fulton Plaza to free drop-in yoga classes at UN Plaza, we have something for everyone to get out and play in San Francisco's core. See the workout class schedule from Rae Studios at UN Plaza, as well as the full amenity list and schedule at the link below. Civic Center Plazas   McLaren Park Ropes Course Adventures Starting September 15 Check out the McLaren Park Ropes Course for ages 10 and up on Wednesdays and Sundays starting on September 15. Located among the trees on the corner of Mansell Street and Visitation Avenue, experience a unique outdoor activity that encourages teamwork and trust among friends and family. The course consists of low and high elements, with helmets and harnesses provided. For more information and to sign up for a session, click the link below. Questions? Email ronald.oliva at sfgov.org. McLaren Park Ropes Course   Rock Climbing Passes Available for Glen Park Recreation Center Grab your rock climbing passes for Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center's (70 Elk Street) climbing wall. Save money and time by getting these passes ahead of your climbing workouts through our free Play Pass system. For more information and to purchase passes, click the link below. Questions? Email ronald.oliva at sfgov.org. Rock Climbing Passes   Chess Club Thursdays in Glen Park Join the San Francisco Public Library and Rec and Park for chess club Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Sessions take place at the Glen Park Branch Library (2835 Diamond Street) on the first, third and fifth Thursdays of the month, while sessions on the second and fourth Thursdays take place at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street). These sessions are for players of all skill levels including kids (6 and older), teens and adults. Improve your memory, concentration and logical thinking skills through this time-honored game! For more information, contact Glen Park Recreation Center at (415) 239-4007.     Adaptive Bike Program in Golden Gate Park on Saturdays Check out San Francisco's free Adaptive Bike Program in Golden Gate Park on Saturdays through October 26. In partnership with the BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, we're providing hand cycles, foot trikes and tandem bikes for use on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. These adaptive cycles will be available at the Music Concourse behind the Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive), next to the accessible parking lot. No reservations are needed; first come, first served. For more information, call (510) 848-2930 or email sfcycling at borp.org.   Drop-In Wheelchair Basketball at Glen Park Recreation Center Glen Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) is hosting a free drop-in wheelchair basketball session every Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. in partnership with BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation. All ages are welcome. You don't have to have a mobility disability to participate, but you must be able to maneuver a wheelchair. Wheelchairs are available (will fit people at least 5-feet tall). Let's get hooping! Additional questions? Contact Glen Park Recreation Center at (415) 239-4007.   Sundays at the Beach on the Great Highway: Live Music on September 8 Join the Friends of Great Highway Park for its Sundays at the Beach programming. These free activities, from Tai Chi to mat yoga, will be hosted four times a month. The next program will be the Community Music Project with Dan Dectis on Sunday, September 8 from noon to 2 p.m. on the Great Highway at Judah Street. For more information, click the link below. Live Music   Swing into Stories in San Francisco Parks The San Francisco Public Library's (SFPL) YouthMobile is coming to parks around the city. Movement and play are essential building blocks in fostering literacy and a love of reading and the SFPL is bringing stories and song to San Francisco's parks through its Swing into Stories program. It takes place at a different park each Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to noon (Storytime begins at 10:30 a.m.) with the next at Koret Playground (Kezar and MLK drives) in Golden Gate Park on September 10. See the monthly schedule here: 1st Tuesday of the month Garfield Playground (Treat and 26th streets) 2nd Tuesday of the month Koret Playground in Golden Gate Park (by the carousel) 3rd Tuesday of the month Hilltop Playground (Newcomb Avenue & Whitney Young Circle) 4th Tuesday of the month Redwood Grove Playground in McLaren Park (200 John F. Shelly Drive) Join us for a high-energy story time in our beautiful outdoors!  The YouthMobile offers a diverse selection of children’s library materials available for check-out with an SFPL library card. From the city’s only kid-focused bookmobile, staff circulates materials, creates library cards and provides the public with information about library services and programs. For more information and the Swing into Stories schedule, click the link below.  Swing into Stories   Movie Night at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center on September 24 Join our staff at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) for classic movie nights! The next will take place on Tuesday, September 24, beginning at 6 p.m. and will feature the 1943 film "The Outlaw." Come out to meet your neighbors and to enjoy these vintage films. For more information, contact Glen Park Recreation Center at (415) 239-4007.   Video of the Week Living with Coyotes Presentation Our Video of the Week comes from Humane Control and is a presentation from last month on how to live with coyotes. Local Bay Area coyote expert, Rebecca Dmytryk, CEO of Humane Wildlife Control Inc., and colleague Lesley Sampson with Coyote Watch Canada, present Living With Coyotes in the Bay Area, covering the biology and ecology of coyotes, best management practices, and key tips on how to keep property and pets safe. Learn more about living with coyotes in San Francisco from Animal Care and Control at the link below. Living with Urban Wildlife: Coyotes     SF Rec and Park Job Openings Get Your SF Rec and Park Swag Here Volunteer with SF Rec and Park   San Francisco Recreation and Parks | sfrecpark.org         SF Recreation and Parks | McLaren Lodge-Golden Gate Park 501 Stanyan Street | San Francisco , CA 94117 US Unsubscribe | Constant Contact Data Notice
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.digitalkingdom.org/pipermail/house/attachments/20240905/0faebf08/attachment-0001.htm>