San Francisco Bargains

Free Theater Tix: Starting Wed. 9/30 at 6:00pm

2009-09-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

Its the return of Tix Bay Area's Free Night of Theater! Over 100 companies are participating, and together they've offered up over 6,000 free tickets to tons of performances (including Beach Blanket Babylon, ACT, Berk Rep). The public ticket giveaways are on Wednesday, September 30 and Wednesday, October 14 -- both days starting at 6pm at tixbayarea.com

Cardboard Tube Fighting Competition! Sunday, 4pm

2009-09-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

This Sunday at 4pm, the San Francisco Cardboard Tube Fighting League (I know, there really is one!) will be holding a FREE event at Corona Heights Park (this is the park near Randall Museum.) Tubes will be provided and there will be prizes for the winner(s) as well as a best cardboard costume contest. Costumes are strongly encouraged. Very cool.

My kids are going to LOVE this. Even though they recommend the event for the 5 and older crowd, there is nothing that will stop my almost 4 year old twin boys from tearing this up!

When: Sunday, Sept. 27, 4pm

Where: Corona Heights Park Roosevelt Way and Museum Way

FREE Outdoor Grease Sing-A-Long! Sat. 9/26 in the Presidio

2009-09-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

Why it's GREASE LIGHTNING!!!
This Saturday the Presidio will be hosting a FREE outdoor screening of the 1978 musical GREASE. This is the sing-a-long version, which means they will have the words up on the screen during songs...sweet!

The movie starts at 7pm, but get there early to not only score a great spot, but also to enjoy a performance at 5:30 of Pi Clowns, a physical comedy troupe.

Location: On the lawn at the Main Post Theater - 99 Moraga Ave, near the Officer's Club.

Buy 1 Jamba Juice, Get 2nd for $1! through 9/27

2009-09-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Now through September 27, Jamba Juice is offering a sweet deal. Buy 1 Jamba Juice and get the second for just $1!

You do, however, need to print out and bring the coupon with you which you can get RIGHT HERE or by clicking on the image of the coupon to the left.

This is valid for all San Francisco locations.

FREE CPR Classes - Sports Basement. English & Spanish

2009-09-21T14:17:00.001-07:00

Taking a CPR course is one of those things that you just need to to, especially if you've got kids at home. The other night at the table my daughter wanted to "gargle her dinner"....

Anyway, Sports Basement offers FREE CPR classes in both English and Spanish. (plus a bunch of other free classes you can check out here.)

Bryant Street Location: Classes in English are on the first & third Monday of the month from 5pm-7pm. Classes in Spanish will start up Nov. 6 and be on the first & third Friday of every month from 5-7pm. To register, contact sb.cpr.bryant@sportsbasement.com.

Presidio Location: Classes in English are on the first & third Wednesday of the month from 5pm-8pm. To register, contact sb.cpr.pre@sportsbasement.com.

Movie In the Park presents THE DARK KNIGHT Sat. 8/19 - 8pm FREE!

2009-09-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 8pm THE DARK KNIGHT will be shown on the outdoor big screen in Dolores Park.
It's rare that we in SF get to enjoy an outdoor evening event without freezing our tails off. Tonight's weather should be different - enjoy the show!

FREE Opera at AT&T Park. Tonight! Saturday Sept 19 8pm

2009-09-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

There will be another live Opera simulcast in AT&T Park tonight. Tonight's performance will be Guiseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore. The show starts at 8pm, but I recommend you get there a bit earlier, bring a picnic and enjoy the crowd. The weather should be great for this tonight.

Nicola Luisotti makes his debut as San Francisco Opera's music director with this audience favorite, in which fast-paced action is propelled by an irresistible stream of melody. Verdi's favorite themes of destiny and desire are threaded through this suspenseful story of a corrupt count, a dashing warrior and a Gypsy who plots to avenge her mother's wrongful death. David McVicar's visually striking new production is inspired by the haunting imagery of Francisco de Goya. Tenor Marco Berti and baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, whose beautiful tone and emotional intensity thrilled audiences in last season's Simon Boccanegra, head a charismatic cast featuring mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe and soprano Sondra Radvanovsky.

$5 Cheeseburger & Fries at Burger Joint until 9/30

2009-09-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Burger Joint is celebrating 15 years in business. Now through the end of September they are offering a $5 Cheeseburger & Fries combo at the Valencia Street location. This combo usually is $8.45 so for my family of 5, that will save us almost $20.

You can snag this great deal every day between 3-5pm. Remember, Valencia St. only.

In case you haven't been before, the burgers are the grass fed Niman Ranch hormone free kind and the fries are tasty. The Valencia St. location is Cash Only, so make sure to bring the green stuff.

807 Valencia St, between 19th and 20th St. Map

FREE Family Kite Day: Sat. 9/19 & Sun. 9/20: Marina Green

2009-09-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend there is a FREE Family Day Kite Festival that includes contests, performers, food, fun and (hopefully) sun!.

Spectacular kites can be seen flying high above the Marina Green—from the acrobatic kites of world champions to the hand-made entries of amateurs. Also, kite-flying, kite-boarding, kite-boating and lots of information and exhibits from renewable energy advocates and sustainability enthusiasts from all over the world.

Some of the contests include: Funniest, Biggest, Smallest, Longest Tail, Most Innovative, Best Ground Display, Most Beautiful & Best of Show.

When: Saturday & Sunday, September 19 and 20, 2009
Time: 11 am - 6 pm
Where: Marina Green (between Scott & Webster Sts along Marina Blvd.)

Transportation: San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) services the Marina Green. To plan your trip on public transit, visit Transit.511.org: Trip Planner or call 415.673.6864.

Parking: More than 600 free parking spaces are immediately adjacent to the Marina Green. Another 500 spaces are available at Crissy Field, 0.5 miles west of the Marina Green.

3 Day Sample Sale for Charity: Sept 24-26

2009-09-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

You need new clothes, but your wallet tells you "No!". Well, there is a huge sample sale coming up that will go easy on your wallet and help feed your soul as well!

A Miner Miracle Shop (I've blogged about them before - see end of post for more info) will be hosting San Francisco's biggest three-day sample sale fundraiser in September. With over 5,000 square feet of space to shop and merchandise restocked every hour, this is likely going to be the sample sale of the season. I've been told to expect over 5,000 new items from designers such as Calvin Klein , Paper Denim & Cloth, DKNY, Joan Vass and Ann Taylor all marked down 80% below retail priced.

Location: 441 Sutter Street (btw Stockton & Powell) 415-398-2155

When: 10am-6pm; Thurs. Sept. 24 – Sat. Sept.26

100% of the proceeds benefit A Miner Miracle a San Francisco-based non-profit that provides professional clothing and image counseling to low-income men, women and young adults seeking employment.

Free Stand Up Comedy: GG Park, Sunday Sept. 20th; 12-5

2009-09-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

Only a few more weeks of summer for us here in san francisco, so get out and enjoy the free outdoor activities while you can! This Sunday, from 12-5, there is a FREE comedy show at Sharon Medow in Golden Gate Park. 5 hours of stand up.

Comedy Day is an all-day free outdoor comedy concert featuring nearly 30 of today’s top bay area comics(last year featured Brent Weinbach, Will Durst and Brian Copeland - and often there are special surprise guests like Robin Williams). This comedy festival is free and open to the public and is a PG-13 rated event. Click here to see the lineup.

Opera at Giant's Stadium: FREE; Friday, June 5 8pm!

2009-06-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Opera and the San Francisco Giants invite you to “Opera at the Ballpark” on Friday, June 5, 2009 for a free, live simulcast of Puccini’s Tosca. Join more than 20,000 fans picnicking on the baseball field and in the stands to watch Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka and the entire cast up on the huge 103-foot-wide HDTV screen at AT&T Park.
This event is FREE and open to the public.

Free Circus: Sat. May 30: 12pm & 2:15; Yerba Buena Gardens

2009-05-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, May 30, the Circus is coming to town! Circus Bella that is.
This FREE performance is part of the Yerba Buena Garden Festival.
There will be 2 shows: 12pm & 2:15. You can meet the performers after the 2:15 show.
Circus Bella is an outdoor, one-ring circus featuring high-level acts set to the sounds of the Bella All-Stars. The show combines contemporary performance with the rich tradition of the American Circus and features acrobatics, juggling, slackwire, beatboxing, eccentric performance, aerial artistry, and musical mastery.

Taking a Break

2009-05-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry that I've been remiss in posting much this past week. School is winding down, which means dance performances, graduations, gymnastic performances, etc, etc, etc......
Until I am able to come back up for air, I recommend you check out the following site to keep up with low cost things going on the Bay Area. Not SF specific, but it's a pretty good resource!

http://sf.funcheap.com/

Free* Showing of Slumdog Millionaire at The Independent: Mon. May 18 8pm

2009-05-16T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Independent (628 Divis @ Hayes) is a music venue (amazing sound system) that also has Cinema nights. While they say the movie is FREE, there is a 2 drink minimum, so.... still likely cheaper than a regular cost of movie, popcorn, soda!

This Monday at 8pm (doors open at 7:30), they are showing the Academy Award Winning Slumdog Millionaire.

Set and filmed in India, Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of a young man from the slums of Mumbai who appears on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and exceeds people’s expectations, thereby arousing the suspicions of the game show host and of law enforcement officials.

Free Food and Small Business Advice: Mon. May 18 6-8pm

2009-05-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

Flavors of San Francisco is the kick-off event for SF Small Business Week 2009. The evening will provide networking opportunities as well as tastings from some great San Francisco's local restaurants. There will be a Resource Fair to help small business owners connect with a wealth of assistance and resources available to help your businesses.

This takes place at City Hall.

FREE food generously provided by: Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, B’s BBQ, Bi-Rite Market & Catering, Chaya Brasserie, Chez Papa Resto, Chilayo, Chill, Debbie Does Dinner, Destino Restaurant, Pisco Latin Lounge, Emporio Rulli Gran Caffe, Kika’s Treats, La Mediterranee, MAYA Resturant, Medjool, Mexico DF, Meze’s Taste of Greece, Nectar Wine Lounge, Pralines by Yvonne, Prana Resturant, Regalito, Ryan Scott 2 Go, Samovar Tea, Seltzer Sisters, Spice it Up Catering, Taco Shop @ Underdogs, and X Roads.

Steve Earle: FREE Thursday at 6pm: Amoeba in the Haight.

2009-05-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

Get yourselves over to Amoeba in the Haight this Thursday at 6pm for an exclusive engagement with singer-songwriter Steve Earle! I love Steve Earle and have heard him play lots of times in all types of venues. This will be by far the most intimate and I am kicking myself hard that I will be unable to make it (my oldest has a dance recital at the exact same time....grrrrr). Between this and the showing of Amelie in Dolores Park at 8:15, you've got an entire FREE evening.

Steve Earle’s new album Townes gets released the day before and the 15-song set is comprised of songs written by Earle’s friend and mentor, the late singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt.

When speaking about Townes, Earle stated, "This may be one of the best records I've ever made." The album features such guests as Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine/The Nightwatchman, Steve's wife and acclaimed singer-songwriter Allison Moorer, Dennis Crouch, Tim O'Brien, Darrel Scott, Shad Cobb and Steve's son, Justin Townes Earle. The songs selected for Townes were the ones that meant the most to Earle and the ones he personally connected to. Some of the selections chosen were songs that Earle has played his entire career (“Pancho and Lefty,” “Lungs,” “White Freightliner Blues”).

Go see this, you will not be disappointed.

Dolores Park Outdoor Movie Thurs. May 14: AMELIE

2009-05-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

The weather should be warm all week and this month's FREE OUTDOOR MOVIE being shown in Dolores Park is Amélie and it starts at 8:15. I love this movie!

Amelie is a 2001 French/German film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Audrey Tautou. The film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story of a shy waitress who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better, while struggling with her own isolation. Amélie was nominated for five Academy Awards.

Click below to watch the trailer.

Dolores Park
8:15pm
Thurs. May 14

Free Admission on Mother's Day to 17 Bay Area Museums

2009-05-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

17 museums around the Bay Area are offering FREE admissions all day this Sunday, May 10 (Mother's Day) courtesy of the Koret Foundation.

It's a perfect activity for Dads to take the kids to so Mom can have some quiet time to do what she wants!

Participating museums include:

Asian Art Museum

Bay Area Discovery Museum

Chabot Space & Science Center

Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose

Contemporary Jewish Museum

Exploratorium

Judah L. Magnes Museum

Lawrence Hall of Science

Legion of Honor

M. H. de Young Museum

Museum of the African Diaspora

Oakland Museum of California

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

San Francisco Zoo

San Jose Museum of Art

Tech Museum of Innovation IMAX Movie

Zeum

Free Bluegrass Music & Picnic: Saturday May 9 GG Park

2009-05-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

You might be familiar with the large Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival that comes to GG Park in the fall (if not, its a great line up of music and its free), and this weekend there is a much smaller sort of DYI version.

This Saturday, from 12pm-6pm, the California Bluegrass Association is hosting a FREE bluegrass picking party in Golden Gate Park with Jeanie & Chuck's Roundup. This event is open to all who play or like to listen to bluegrass music.

Bring a side dish or something to throw on the grill along with something to drink (they'll provide plates, condiments, utensils) and bring your instruments.

The Event takes place at the Dahlias Picnic Area which is just east of the Conservatory of Flowers in the northeastern corner of the park. It can be a little tricky to locate, but this map shows it pretty well.

SFMOMA Artist Gallery Warehouse Sale: 5/6 - 5/10

2009-05-06T06:22:00.000-07:00

Since 1993, art lovers in the know have looked forward to this annual event, when artworks are on sale for up to 50-percent off regular retail prices. Proceeds benefit the programs of the SFMOMA Artists Gallery, which in turn supports the museum and regional artists. The Artists Warehouse Sale offers original art by more than 300 emerging and established Bay Area artists at affordable prices (from $50 to $5,000), making it an excellent way to acquire paintings, sculpture, drawings, and unframed works on paper without breaking the bank.

Thursday-Sunday 11:30am-5:30pm
SFMOMA Artists Galeery
Fort Mason Building A
Admission is FREE
More Info

FREE Cab Rides on Cinco de Mayo!

2009-05-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

For the 5th year in a row Alameda-based law firm Berg Injury Lawyers will team up with Luxor Cab in San Francisco to provide free transportation to those who can’t drive or feel they don’t have a safe way home on Cinco de Mayo.

The Safe & Sober Free Cab Ride Home program is available from 3pm Tuesday, May 5 through 3am Wednesday, May 6. They will take you home from a bar or club within the city limits. The operative word here is home, they will not take you to another drinking establishment for bar hopping

Luxor Cab: (415) 282-4141. When they pick up, make sure to tell them that Berg Injury Lawyers is picking up the tab.

Lines are bound to be busy, so be patient. Remember, rides are provided to an individual’s residence—not to other drinking locations. Due to the high number of ride requests, rides cannot be guaranteed for everyone who calls; however, every attempt will be made to accommodate everyone who requests a ride home.

The Picklewater Free Circus Festival: Sundays at Union Square

2009-05-01T13:52:00.001-07:00

The Picklewater Free Circus Festival returns for its second year at Union Square. A FREE festival of circus arts featuring some of the best in Circus Arts from around the Bay Area, the festival will offer a mix of professional and student performers, free circus lessons and a wide variety of circus styles.

2 different acts will take the stage each Sunday starting at 2pm.

Neighborhood Free Days: Cal. Academy of Sciences. First up, 94110

2009-04-30T10:35:00.000-07:00

Throughout the Spring, the California Academy of Sciences is offering FREE admissions for SF residents by zip code.

So, if you live in the 94110 zip code, you can get in for FREE May 1, 2, & 3, 2009. All you need to do is bring in a copy of your driver's license or a utility bill.

So what if you are not a Mission Hipster or a Bernal Babe? CLICK HERE to get a full listing of dates for all other neighborhoods.

Free: Yerba Buena Garden Festival: Sat. May 2, 1:00-2:30

2009-04-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, May 2, the first of the 2009 Yerba Buena Garden Festival events takes place. Between May and October, the Festival presents nearly 100 programs in Yerba Buena Gardens, all FREE. These events are a great place to bring a blanket, a picnic lunch, the kids, meet up with friends and enjoy some really wonderful art programs right downtown. (Think Stern Grove without the crazy crowds and the need to get there at the crack of dawn to secure a spot!)

The first weekend event is Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, a dynamic Hawaiian dance company, who will present an authentic hula program. This event will be its only full-length San Francisco performance this year and the company will feature a rich blend of traditional and contemporary forms of hula, showcasing a combination of signature pieces and audience favorites in the hula kahiko, hula 'auana, and hula mua styles. Performances are given in a “talk-story” format, incorporating narration and dance to provide a rich cultural context.

Visit the calendar (you can view events by type or month) - there is such a variety of events - music, dance, poetry, a circus act, etc.. Weekends, thursday lunch programs, kids programs, etc.

Yerba Buena Garden Festival
Saturday, May 2
1:00-2:30
Yerba Buena Gardens Esplanade: On Mission St. (btw 3rd & 4th)