SF Weekend Events

TGIF! Another week has come and is almost gone! If you're looking for some fun and different events to check out this weekend, 7x7 has some suggestions! Probably the biggest event of this weekend is the Rock N Roll Half Marathon! Even if you don't know someone participating in the run, you can still stand along the route and cheer! Here are more weekend details from 7x7:

Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon
Don your Bay to Breakers gear and rock out at this lighthearted half marathon, which runs from Ocean Beach across the Golden Gate Bridge and ending at the Civic Center, where you can party like a rock star at the post-run festival. If you haven't registered yet, make sure to do so at the health & fitness expo, since you're out of luck if you try to register on race day. Not much of a runner? Come support those more athletic than you, and take in costume that rival those seen at Bay to Breakers. Sunday, March 29: 6:30am. Race begins at Great Highway & Fulton (subject to change)

Go Dark for Earth Hour at Ghirardelli Square
Every year on the last Saturday of March, people across the globe turn acknowledge Earth Hour by turning off lights in their homes and businesses. This year, Ghirardelli will be hosting a dark chocolate party in the dark, complete with candlelit yoga, activities, and dark chocolate tastings (naturally).  Saturday, March 28: 6pm - 9:30pm. Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point (Fisherman's Wharf)

Tiny House Movement BBQ in the Mission
One things SF residents can all appreciate is getting a lot out of a little space. The team behind Tiny House, Giant Journey and Yerdle joined forces to host a Q&A, complete with tasty BBQ, in an al fresco event in the Mission. Come by to learn about how to make a 125 square foot house work for you (seriously). Suddenly, those micro units aren't quite as terrifying. Sunday, March 29: 12pm - 3pm. In front of 501 York (Mission).

Weekend Arts Events

Happy first day of spring and happy Friday! If you're looking to get out of the apartment and escape the March Madness for the weekend, you're in luck! While it's normal to have weekend events going on in Berkeley, there are quite a few arts events in particular this weekend. See below for some artsy activities, courtesy of Your Berkeley:

Beth Custer Ensemble
Presented by Jazz in the Neighborhood, The Beth Custer Ensemble will be performing this Friday, March 20, at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists (1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley). Comprised of “the crème de la crème of Bay Area musicians” the Beth Custer Ensemble has been delighting audiences for years with their repertoire ranging from silent film scores to country waltzes, funky political songs to Afro-fusion instrumentals.

The band features Jan Jackson on drums, (Will Bernard, Curtis Bumpy), guitarist/vocalist David James (Afro Funk Experience, The Coup, Spearhead), Chris Grady on trumpet (Tom Waits, Grassy Knoll, Jewel), Vicky Grossi on bass (Mitch Marcus, Bitches Brew), vocalist Diana Mangano (Jefferson Airplane) and Beth Custer, clarinets/vocal (Club Foot Orchestra, Trance Mission, Eighty Mile Beach, Clarinet Thing).

Tickets can be purchased online: $20 for general admission, $5 for students.

The Great War: Mario Monicelli: Satires, Capers, and Sendups
From event website: There’s nothing funny about war. But leave it to Italian genius Mario Monicelli to create a film a genuinely funny satire that accurately illustrates human behavior in the ravages of war. Written with Age and Scarpelli, and Luciano Vincenzoni, this Italian comedy follows 2 reluctant soldiers surviving the horror and madness of World War I through wit and sheer luck. Funny, dark, biting, and brave, The Great War looks at the anti-heroes, cowards, and con-men finding humor in tragedy.

Screening will be at the PFA Theater on March 20 at 7:30 pm. General admission is $9.50 with special rates for students, seniors, and persons with disability. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive at 510-642-5249.

Antigonick
Shotgun Players (1901 Ashby, Berkeley) presents Antigonick, a new adaptation of Antigone written by renowned author and recipient of the Guggenheim and MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship Anne Carson. Antigonick is an exploration into the “epic struggle between the forces of law and the ties that bind”, expressed through movement with choreography by Hope Mohr and directed by long time long time Shotgun Players artist Mark Jackson.

Pay-what-you-can previews (ranging from $5-$20 for tickets) are available from March 19th to March 25th at 8pm with opening night on March 26th. The show runs through April 19th. Tickets can be purchased online.

Junior Bach Festival
The Junior Bach Festival is a concert series that celebrates the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the young prodigies studying and performing the works of this great man. Founded in Berkeley in 1953, the Junior Bach Festival has produced features some of the best young musicians in the Bay Area, with most of the becoming professional musicians and musical directors in a wide variety of genres.

This year, the Berkeley leg of this concert tour will be held at the Freight & Salvage (2020 Addison Street, Berkeley) on March 21st at 2pm. Purchase tickets for $17 online in advance or at the door for $19.

Additional Junior Bach Festival concerts will be held through the weekend at various Berkeley and East Bay locations including: Sunday, March 22, 2:00 pm at Berkeley Piano Club (2724 Haste Street, Berkeley)

Jewish Musical Festival Finale
Celebrate life and be inspired through music at the Jewish Musical Festival Finale this Sunday, March 22nd at Jewish Community Center of the East Bay (1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley).

From event website: The final day of the festival is all about being part of the music. Watch performances from internationally renewed Jewish artists Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orchestra and Nigunim Community Chorus. Sing along with a pop-up community chorus of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah led by Conspiracy of Beards artistic director Daryl Henline. And experience the joy of Yiddish dancing at a dance party with Steve Weintraub and Veretski Pass.

Tickets are available for purchase online. General admission is $15 with discounted rates for students, seniors and JCCED members.

Saint Patty's Day in Berkeley and the Bay

While Saint Patrick's Day isn't actually until Tuesday, this weekend is when most of the festivities are taking place! So put on your green, pretend to be Irish and give us your best Erin go Bragh because there is plenty to do to celebrate the holiday! Have a safe and fun weekend, and enjoy some of these city events, courtesy of SF Gate:

The 164th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival: This annual takes to the streets on Saturday, March 14. The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. at Market and Second streets and ends up in the Civic Center for a big old party.

Funcheap's 2015 Shamrock St. Patrick's Day party takes over SoMa StrEat Food on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. with live music, a St. Patrick’s Day toast with complimentary Jameson tasting at 6 p.m., Jameson giveaways, beer and food specials and more. All ages until 4 p.m., 21 and over after.

The Irish Bank Block Parties: There's not one but two block parties at this bar and its famed alley. The first one, on Saturday, March 14, starts at noon and goes strong with three bands until midnight. The whole thing repeats on Tuesday, March 17.

Royal Exchange in the FiDI gets the party started with its annual block party — its 30th! — at 3 p.m. on March 17. There will be live music from Wonderbread 5, lots of beer and plenty of people packing in.

Berkeley's Starry Plough opens its doors at noon on March 17, with live music starting at 4 p.m. There will also be corned beef and cabbage until it runs out. $10-$15 cover for the evening entertainment.

Taverna Aventine is throwing an indoor/outdoor alley party on March 17, with live music, drink specials, DJs and more.

If pub crawls are your speed, you're in luck. There's one on Polk Street on March 14, the Marina and Union Street on March 14 and 17 and the Mission on March 14.

Irish bars are always a good spot to have a pint of Guinness on St. Patrick's Day, even if they aren't taking over the streets or having live bands. Here's a handful of quality spots (shamrock art on your beer definitely not guaranteed).

Kennedy's Irish Pub, 1040 Columbus Ave., S.F. (Bonus: Indian food.)
Durty Nelly's Pub, 2328 Irving St., S.F.
McNally's Irish Pub, 5352 College Ave., Oakland.
Phoenix Irish Bar, 811 Valencia St., S.F.
Harrington's Bar & Grill, is an Irish bar that has been around since 1935.

San Francisco Happy Hours

TGIF! If you're more than ready to kick off the weekend, why not begin with one of our area's many happy hours? Even if you have a go-to place after work, try something new! Where will we see you this weekend? SFist recommends these happy hours, which also include food:

ICHI Sushi + Ni Bar
It's been almost exactly a year since this subtle sushi operation moved to its larger Mission Street location, but don't worry, it's remained a Bernal happy hour favorite. From 5:30 to 7 p.m. pop in for $1 oysters, half off appetizers, $4 Fort Point beers, and cold sake and white wine for $6. That all goes down in the Ni Bar subsection, so sidle up to that back bar. — Caleb Pershan
3282 Mission Street at 29th Street

Pesce
In Italy, they've got this awesome thing called aperitivo hour, where you get FREE FOOD with your drinks. How civilized is that? You can take advantage of this brilliant concept at Pesce in the Castro, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. every night of the week. There are drink specials, of course, but also free cicheti (snacks, to you) including bruschetta with smoked salmon, goat cheese-stuffed peppers, and meatballs in marinara. Also, on Tuesdays, they do $1 oysters and $5 martinis. — Lauren Sloss
2223 Market Street near Sanchez

Bar Agricole
Tuesday to Saturday from 5 to 6 p.m., and all day Sunday, Bar Agricole offers up $2.50 oysters as well as some delicious $2.50 sausages with house-made mustard and sauerkraut. Also, there's $6 glass of Riesling and $3 beers to wash that down, as well as their sophisticated cocktail list, at full price, should you want to head that direction. — Jay Barmann
355 11th Street at Harrison

Park Chalet
On a sunny afternoon there's no more suitable post than at Park Chalet, where you'll find $3.50 pints house-brewed beers every Wednesday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Taco Tuesdays ($2.40 each) also feature two-for-one margaritas, free live music and a happy hour that runs until midnight.
— Caleb Pershan
1000 Great Highway between Upper Great Highway and Lincoln Way

Gaspar Brasserie
One of the newer happy hour deals around town is at this stylish French spot. Monday to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. they're offering $1 oysters and deviled eggs, as well as $3 pomme frites, $5 glasses of wine, and a couple of $6 cocktails, including one called the Ma Cherie (vodka, lemon, honey-ginger, hibiscus tea).
185 Sutter Street at Kearny

El Techo de Lolinda
This rooftop spot in the Mission has some tasty bites, and their happy hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. on weeknights. On offer: $5 guacamole, beef empanadas, fried green plantains (with black beans and queso fresco), and fried chicken thighs with habanero salsa. Also, $7 margaritas and $18 sangria pitchers. — Lauren Sloss
2518 Mission Street at 22nd

UVA Enoteca
UVA is on our list for the second year in a row for good reason, as it's still one of the best deals around. From 5 to 6:30 Monday to Thursday, and 3 to 6:30 Saturday and Sunday, cans of beer (but they pour it into a glass, so you still feel all grown up) are $2, petite carafes of wine are $5, and there's a limited (and cheap!) selection of pizza, pasta and nibbly things to soak it all up. Get their early—UVA's prime seats at their lovely marble bar fill up fast. — Eve Batey
568 Haight at Steiner

Boxing Room
Blessed with a new full liquor license to complement their solid beer offerings from the local to the New Orleanian (Abita, anybody?), the Absinthe Group's Boxing Room also cuts you a break with half off oysters from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cajun boiled peanuts and $4 Turbodog beers or $5 Cava should go with that nicely. — Caleb Pershan
399 Grove Street at Gough Street

Bar Crudo
Crudo's oyster, chowder, and fish taco happy hour always makes our lists, and it's still one of the best deals in town for a cheap date or after-work treat. Happy hour is 5 to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, and weekend evenings tend to have folks outside waiting for the doors to open right at 5. In addition to $1 oysters, there are $1 jalapeño marinated mussels, 2-for-$10 local rock cod tacos, and a few other seafoody delicacies. Wash it all down with a $3 pint of beer or $5 glass of wine See the full happy hour menu here. — Jay Barmann
655 Divisadero Street at Grove

Mission Rock Resort
On sunny days, especially, you want to be sitting out on a deck, sipping cold beer and slurping oysters, and this is the place for that. At happy hour (3 to 7 p.m.), Mission Rock Resort has four hours worth of 99-cent oysters, as well as $5 draft beers, and $6 cocktails and wine. You won't find a more sun-drenched and relaxing spot, assuming you score one of the tables on the deck, and it makes for a perfect pit stop before a Giants game. - Jay Barmann
817 Terry A Francois Blvd (between Mariposa and 16th Street)

Two Sisters Bar & Books
It's pretty tiny, and quite popular, so swinging in on the early side for happy hour is probably one of your best bets for getting a seat at this Hayes Valley spot, or even ample standing room. Tuesday to Friday they do it from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the deal is $3 draft beers, and $5 cocktails, which means their delicious concoctions are half price. And that deal runs all afternoon, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., on weekends.
579 Hayes Street at Laguna

Hi Tops
This popular Castro sports bar has, $3 well drinks like the rest of the neighborhood before 8 p.m. But, there's the added bonus of 25-cent Buffalo wings on Mondays, which tend to draw serious crowds of sports fans who are also spicy wing fans, given that you can order yourself a dozen for three bucks, and then get drunk, all for less than $15. — Jay Barmann
2247 Market Street, between Noe and Sanchez