When selling your home in San Francisco, it's helpful to highlight some of the top events taking place in your neighborhood. After all, this California city is known for its unique neighborhoods — all of which attract different types of buyers. If you’re buying a home in San Francisco, knowing which neighborhoods suit your lifestyle will help you find your dream home. This autumn season, take a look at some of the top San Francisco fall festivals before buying a new home to see what your new neighborhood has to offer.
The last weekend in September brings the annual Autumn Moon Festival to San Francisco. Located in the heart of Chinatown, the festival brings together people of all ages and backgrounds. You'll find a dragon parade and activities designed for kids as well as live entertainment around every corner. Nearly 40 MUNI routes provide visitors with an easy way to get to the festival, though you can also take the BART or park in one of the conveniently located parking garages. The Autumn Moon Festival runs from Saturday to Sunday and features bands and artists performing both days. You may want to take the time to check out some of the landmarks in Chinatown during the festival too, including Waverly Place, Old Saint Mary and Cameron House.
Established in 1848, Chinatown is one of the oldest neighborhoods in San Francisco. Early residents were Chinese immigrants coming from China to work on the railroads. Later immigrants came from Hong Kong and other places in the 1960s through the 1990s. The neighborhood now ranks as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city and puts on events each year like the San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade.
If you’re interested in Chinese culture, close proximity to North Beach and Downtown, and like vibrant, festive areas, then the Chinatown neighborhood might be for you.
Anyone in the mood for a walk on the wild side won't want to miss the Folsom Street Fair. Launched in 1984, the street fair now takes place every year near the end of September. The event founders wanted to create a festival that would bring attention to the leather community in San Francisco and bring awareness to the gay men and women living in the city during a time when people had cracked down on the gay lifestyle. This fair hosts its own art exhibits that allow local artists to display their works and live entertainment. For an “only in San Francisco” experience, you can come dressed in your favorite leather gear — or nothing at all.
The Folsom Street Fair is one of the top things to see in the South of Market district. Also called SoMa, this neighborhood offers some of the newest and best San Francisco real estate. It is extremely popular with the young tech crowd due to close access to downtown and commuter routes, but is also popular with families due to convenient amenities and access to parks and schools. Bars and restaurants line the streets, and the Academy of Art University uses some of the buildings downtown as classrooms.
If you like proximity to nightlife, parks, and museums or need easy access to commuter routes and downtown, SoMa might be the neighborhood for you.
Founded in 2001 by San Francisco venture capitalist Warren Hellman, this free and non-commercial event is a beautiful gift to the city and perhaps our favorite in this list of top San Francisco fall festivals. If you love the twang of bluegrass music, you'll love Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, which is one of the largest bluegrass festivals in the country. Dozens of acts and bands play every day during the three-day event, which runs from Friday through Sunday and usually takes place over the first weekend in October. You'll find parking spots available just outside the park and on neighboring streets. More than 50 vendors set up and sell cold drinks, food, snacks and souvenirs.
The festival borders the Richmond District. This neighborhood offers prime San Francisco real estate. There is convenient access to Golden Gate Park and neighborhood is also a stone’s throw away from Ocean Beach. The area is very popular among new and long-term residents who want a quiet and peaceful place to live or raise their families.
If you’re looking for a quiet but interesting neighborhood within the city and enjoy access to nature, then the Richmond District might be the neighborhood for you.
The annual Castro Street Fair is hosted on the first Sunday of October. Harvey Milk helped create and launch the festival, which started in 1974. Though just 5,000 people attended the first year, nearly 100,000 people come out for the street fair today. Some of the events that take place include live bands playing on stages and food vendors selling local dishes and seafood. The fair also sets aside a large alley that it uses to display the artwork created by artists living and working in Northern California. A portion of the money raised goes to support local charities and organizations.
Living in the Castro, which is where this street fair takes place, is a dream for many in the LGBTQ community. The Castro is home to the largest concentration of gay-friendly bars, restaurants and stores in the entire city. It is also home to the Castro Theatre, LGBT History Museum and the Hot Cookie Bakery. Visitors can even take a tour to learn more about the neighborhood's LGBTQ history. While still popular with LGBTQ residents, the Castro welcomes people of all backgrounds and ages. It's popular with many young couples and individuals moving to the city.
If you’re looking for the heart of LGBTQ friendliness in the city, enjoy vibrant culture and colorful Victorian homes, and want access to fun nightlife, then the Castro might be the neighborhood for you.
One of the top San Francisco fall festivals for those who love reading and finding out about new authors is Litquake, which is the main literary festival in Northern California. Founded in 1999 under a different name, it took a short break before coming back with the Litquake name. Dave Eggers and Amy Tan are just a few of the authors who spoke at the festival in past years. The festival usually runs from Thursday to Sunday in the first week of October, but you'll find more events schedule on weekend days than on Thursday or Friday. In addition to lectures from famous authors, Litquake hosts workshops for those who want to write their own books, articles and short stories, discussions based around popular books and walking tours of historic sites in the city.
This festival hosts different events at buildings all around the city but much of the event takes place near the Mission District. This neighborhood is one of the more affordable places to live in the city and is home to a vibrant latino culture. The neighborhood is also a popular location for families and young single professionals. As a relatively large neighborhood, the Mission offers everything from good public schools to nightlife and shopping.
If you’re looking for a diverse location that offers a variety of amenities, plus access to parks and public transportation, then the Mission District might be the neighborhood for you.
Another top San Francisco fall festival that takes place in the Mission District is Dia de los Muertos. In San Francisco, “Day of the Dead” has been celebrated in the Mission District since the early 70’s. This beautiful festival features altars in Garfield Park, serving as a community graveyard for the night. BY the end of the evening, the park is dripping in flowers, candlelight, and the heavy scent of incense. Everyone is invited to make an altar (see dayofthedeadsf.org for details) and there are public participation altars during the event. Art, music, live performances, and a walking procession are other highlights of the festival. Dia de los Muertos is a traditional Meso-American event dedicated to the ancestors and honors death, grieving, and the cycle of life.
The real estate market in San Francisco constantly changes and fluctuates as neighborhoods become more popular. Whether you want to sell your home in San Francisco or are interested in buying, Danielle Lazier + Associates, in collaboration with COMPASS San Francisco, can help. It’s our job as top San Francisco real estate agents to know the neighborhoods of San Francisco inside and out! Contact us today for a free consultation and see what we can do for you.
