Cultural Celebrations San Francisco

Mexico's Independence day Celebration

🇲🇽🎉 **¡Viva México! Celebrate Mexican Independence Day with Us!** 🎉🇲🇽 Get ready for an evening full of **Mexican culture, games, food, creativity, and good company!** Join us at **Doña in Oakland** as we celebrate Mexican Independence Day with a fun and welcoming meetup where you can meet new people, enjoy traditional games, and celebrate together. 🎲 **PLAY TRADITIONAL MEXICAN GAMES** Think you have what it takes to win? Bring your competitive spirit and join a game of **Lotería, Mexican Dominoes, or Pirinola**! Whether you grew up playing these games or have never tried them before, everyone is welcome. 🎨 **PAINT YOUR OWN MARACA** Get creative with a hands-on activity! We'll provide **maracas for you to decorate and paint**, so you can create your own colorful Mexican-inspired souvenir to take home. 🏆 **WIN FUN PRIZES** Play, compete, and you might walk away with a prize! We'll be giving away fun Mexican-themed prizes, including **maracas and other surprises** throughout the evening. 🌮 **FOOD, DRINKS & FESTIVE VIBES** Enjoy delicious Mexican food and drinks at **Doña**, surrounded by colorful decorations, music, and the festive atmosphere of Mexican Independence Day. 🤝 **MEET NEW PEOPLE** Whether you're Mexican, love Mexican culture, are learning Spanish, or simply want to have a fun night out in Oakland, this is a great opportunity to **make new friends, practice Spanish, play games, and celebrate together.** **Bring your friends, bring your competitive spirit, and come ready to say...** 🇲🇽 **¡VIVA MÉXICO!** 🇲🇽

Discover SF -- Road to Autumn Moon Festival, Chinatown

**"海上生明月，天涯共此时"** === **"As the bright moon rises above the ocean, we share this very moment from all corners."** === \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- There is a way to **marvel** at the beauty of the city, and that of life. There is a way to turn a group of strangers, into a group that have sweated and laughed with you **together**, sharing the bread. We started this "**Road to**" format in North Beach festival, improved it for the Japantown Nihonmachi (thanks Tony), now we are doing it again for the Autumn Moon Festival, Chinatown, on Sat. Sep 19th. It involves a walk through city landmarks, then visit the festival in small groups, then regather for a group coffee/tea/dinner together. Autumn Moon Festival is the Chinese **Thanksgiving**, a time for family gatherings. Its iconic food is the moon cake. It would be celebrated for two days in Chinatown, starting with a parade at 11am Sat.. https://www.moonfestival.org/ Chinatown sits in a bowl underneath two of the best hills in San Francisco. So we're not going to show up at the Moon Festival. We're going to walk down into it from above. We start with coffee on Polk. We climb a hidden wooden lane that most people who live in this city have never found. Twenty minutes later you're standing on a terrace looking at Coit Tower, Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge — and straight below you, the rooftops of Chinatown. That's the destination. You get to look at it before you walk into it. Then we cross the ridge to Nob Hill, stop at the winding house where the actual cable car cables turn, cut through Grace Cathedral's courtyard, and come out at the corner where California Street drops away toward the bay with cable cars grinding up it. We descend into Chinatown, stop inside a church built in 1854 by Chinese laborers out of granite shipped across the Pacific, and then walk under the Dragon Gate into a street closed to cars, packed with lion dancers, mooncakes, and several thousand people. By the time we get there you'll know the people standing next to you. That's the actual product. The festival is the reward. And needless to say, that Chinatown itself is a district rich in culture and SF history. *** ## The arc **11:30 — Fueling Station Cafe, 2436 Polk St** (Polk & Union). Coffee, introductions, nobody left standing alone at the counter. Grab something — we're on our feet for a while. **12:00 — Step off.** Ten minutes of real climb east up Union. **12:15 — Macondray Lane.** A hidden wooden-plank lane between the buildings. Single file, so you talk to whoever's next to you. **12:35 — Ina Coolbrith Park.** The view, and our Friend Circle — a short structured round on the terrace so you leave knowing the people you walked with, not just their faces. Group photo. Then we point at Chinatown down below and go get it. **1:00 — Cable Car Museum.** Free, indoors, and genuinely great. The machines that run the whole system are right there spinning. **1:15 — Huntington Park & Grace Cathedral.** Nob Hill's front lawn. Second join point lands here. **1:40 — Mason & California.** The postcard corner. Look east and the whole city drops toward the Bay Bridge. **2:05 — Old St. Mary's.** Cool, quiet, and older than almost everything around it. **2:15 — The Dragon Gate.** We gather under it, take the photo, and walk in together. **2:25 — Grant Avenue.** Lion dancing, mooncakes, food stalls, six blocks of closed street. **3:45 — Regroup at Portsmouth Square**, one block off the noise. **4:00 — The alleys.** Waverly Place, the temple balconies, Ross Alley and the fortune cookie factory. Ninety seconds off Grant and it's a completely different city. **4:30 — Dinner in Chinatown.** Big round tables. Optional but strongly encouraged — this is where the day actually lands. *** ## Three ways to join You can't be late to this event. You can only be early for the next door. 1. **The Full Road** — 11:30 AM, Fueling Station Cafe, 2436 Polk St. The whole arc: the lane, the terrace, both hills, the descent, the gate. 2. **Mid-Join** — 1:15 PM, Huntington Park (California & Taylor, by the fountain). Skip the climb, catch the second half and the walk into Chinatown. Look for the TownFlame marker. 3. **The Gate** — 2:15 PM, the Dragon Gate at Grant & Bush. Join for the festival, the alleys, and dinner. Each door has a hard clock. We move on time. *** ## What you're actually getting Every TownFlame event comes with three things, and this one is no exception: * **A welcome buddy.** Someone whose job that day is you. If you're coming alone and you don't know anyone, you will not be standing by yourself. * **Friend Circle.** A short structured round partway through, so the walk produces names and stories instead of six strangers looking at a view. * **A social after, and a crew chat.** Dinner in Chinatown, and a group chat spun up afterward so the day doesn't evaporate on Sunday morning. *** ## The honest part About 2.2 miles with two real hill climbs, including roughly 130 steps on the Russian Hill segment. Good shoes. This is a hike, not a stroll, and the views are the reason it's worth it. If that's not your day, the 1:15 mid-join at Huntington Park skips every stair and drops you straight into the good part. No apology needed, no explanation required — that's why the door exists. Layers. It's warm on Polk and cold on the ridge, always. *** ## Getting there **To the 11:30 staging cafe (Polk & Union):** the 45 Union-Stockton runs from Caltrain up through Chinatown and along Union Street — get off at Union & Polk and you're at the door. From Civic Center BART, the 19 Polk goes straight up Polk. **To the 1:15 mid-join (Huntington Park):** the 1 California bus or the California Street cable car stops at the corner. **To the 2:15 gate:** five minutes' walk uphill from Powell Street BART. Driving is a bad idea. Grant Avenue is closed between California and Broadway all day and the whole neighborhood is a parking dead zone. If you must, the Portsmouth Square Garage at 733 Kearny is the closest option. We are **growing**, talk with our hosts, if you are interested in being a walk captain, or regional anchor, of our Golden Hour Sunset walks. **Join [TownFlame](http://www.townflame.org/), Make Life Happen.** **Liability Waiver:** Participation in TownFlame events is voluntary and involves social interaction in public spaces. Activities are designed to be inclusive and respectful. Participants assume all risks and release TownFlame, its organizers, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for injury, illness, or damages, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. By attending, participants acknowledge that photographs, audio, and video recordings may be taken during events, and grant TownFlame the right to use such media for promotional and marketing purposes, in any format or platform, without further consent or compensation.

Bollywood Nights - Salesforce Park - Free

**Bollywood Nights at Salesforce Park 🎉** Join Rang De Bollywood for some high-energy, outdoor, bollywood fun! This event is sure to leave you feeling loved, lighter, and delighted in excitement after every session. 🌈 Open to all ages, all levels, all backgrounds. ✨ Come casual or dressed, no pressure! 🎁 Free to attend – just bring your joy, your people, and your dancing feet! 🚶🏼‍♂️‍➡️Register for free so we can prepare at rang.eventbrite.com 🕔 5:30 – 7:00 PM – we’ll start with a beginner friendly dance lesson, followed by an open dance party! 💫 This is a repeating event, happening every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, May through October and you can register for as many dates as you like. Register now: [rang.eventbrite.com](http://rang.eventbrite.com) **About Rang De Bollywood** Hailing from the dream dance city of Mumbai and Amritsar, which is also home to Bollywood and Holy Vibes, our energetic, charismatic, and fun dance instructors-performers-entertainers, Manpreet (Certified in Indian Folk by India's Best and also an author) and Amit (percussionist, actor, dancer), have spread Indian dance music and moves across the length and breadth of India, USA, and Europe. Their recent performances were at National Center of Performing Arts in Mumbai and Herbst Theater in San Francisco. **Important Notes:** * Enter through transit center building and take the elevator to rooftop. We will be close to the elevator. * No solicitors allowed. * Classes might be video taped for marketing purposes. * All choreographies are Copyrighted and Original Works of Manpreet Komal/Rang De Bollywood. *"I recently had the pleasure of attending Manpreet’s Bollywood dance class, and I must say, it was an absolute blast! Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced dancer, this class caters to everyone's skill level. The highlight of the class was undoubtedly her teaching style. With a knack for breaking down complex steps into manageable chunks, even the most intricate routines felt attainable. The pacing was just right, ensuring that beginners didn't feel overwhelmed while keeping experts engaged. Highly recommend!" — Kavneet Bindra* **We can't wait to dance together, see you soon!**

Julia Morgan,Architecture Tour-Elmwood&Claremont Ct.+add*Berkeley City Club Tour

**\*\*Don't be a no-show or a last minute canceller. *See the Group's no-show policy below.*** Do the Meetup tour in the morning, stop for the pizza and then: ***\*On*** *the 4th Sunday of the month there are **45 min**. docent led tours of*[ Julia Morgan's Berkeley City Club](https://berkeleycityclubconservancy.org/docent-tours/), *2315 Durant St., starting at 1:00pm-3:30pm.* (Photo above JM in Paris, 1900, Cathedral Notre Dame in the background. For more information about JM, read here and see the photos below.) We're meeting outside the, Berkeley Playhouse/[Julia Morgan Theater on College Ave. at Derby St.,](https://berkeleyplayhouse.org/) our first stop on the tour. (Optional stop after the tour, at nearby, Nabolom Bakery & Pizzeria.) If you're not going for the City Club Tour, consider a matinee performance at the Julia Morgan Theater and a chance to really take in the interior of a classic JM design. Public places like Asilamar and Hearst Castle offer a chance to see a JM interior, a must to fully appreciate her work. (Along the way we'll see Bernard Maybeck's, First Church of Christ Scientist, a Nat'l Landmark site, where free tours are offered on the first Sunday of every month at 12:15 PM. [One of the best ways to experience these buildings is to attend an event there.](https://www.friendsoffirstchurch.org/tours-and-events) Across the street is Julia Morgan's 1918 Baptist Theological Seminary. (Bowditch & Dwight Way). Built having a brick facade to resemble the Ashmolean Library of Oxford. Britain's first public museum and the world's first university museum. *note.* The Seminary's windows and Tudor details recall the period when the Baptist Church was founded. (We'll pass 2727 Dwight Way, one of the oldest, non-JM houses on the tour, 1891, remodeled in 1917 by Willis Polk.) Morgan graduated UC in 1894 with a degree in Civil Engineering, one of her specializations was structural engineering. (This benefited her clients greatly, as was seen after the 06' earthquake in her still standing buildings.) She arrived in Paris in 1896. A few years later it was reported in the San Francisco Call: **Paris, Oct.30,1902** - *Julia Morgan of San Francisco passed the examination with honors at the Architectural section of the School of Fine Arts, Ecole de Beaux Arts, Paris France.* The first woman to do so. Ironically one of the greatest architects in history, was made to wait two years, taking entrance exams before admission. By the end of her 45 yr. career she had received over 700 commissions. It was said, "Her rational approach to home design and the public success of her large commissions gave Julia Morgan a solid reputation. It also won her the confidence of her clients. With the hard work, genius, inspiration and true artistic and historic perception to create memorable works. Over the course of her career, Morgan designed nearly one hundred buildings across California and the nation for women’s organizations. Her commissions included social and civic clubs for women; academic, residential, and recreational buildings; primary schools; orphanages; hospitals, sanitariums,and nursing residences. She also designed more than thirty YWCA buildings, including those in San Francisco and Berkeley. We'll concentrate on the many Julia Morgan designed houses, churches and buildings in the Claremont Ct. and Elmwood neighborhoods. Unique here are the Julia Morgan ensemble houses, where she creatively and economically placed two houses on one large lot. We'll see several of these ensembles. In fact when JM bought her own house at Washington & Divisadero in SF in 1925, she bought a pair of houses there. To read more about the many Julia Morgan public buildings, such as the Hearst Castle etc. go to wikipedia. She was one of California's most prolific architects. The first woman to receive the American Institute of Architects highest award, the AIA Gold Medal, awarded posthumously in 2014. The three projects that immediately solidified her future career as a great architect, engineer and fully capable project/construction manager were the rebuilding of the new Fairmount Hotel after its semi-destruction following the earthquake. The design, engineering and building of the beautiful Bell Tower at Mills College and Carnegie Library there, both of which survived the earthquake without a crack. And the completion on time and within budget of the construction of the Greek Theater at UC for John Gayland Howard, campus architect. **\*\*Don't be a no-show.** Don't be a no-show and lose your membership in the Group. *Attendance is always taken per name tags that are not picked up.* After the last Julia Morgan home we'll find our way back through what I call the "Pacific Heights" of Berkeley. Look for parking on the smaller side streets or College Ave. Option for lunch afterward. (In my opinion the best slice of organic flour pizza or best overall, in the Bay Area.) Here are some links if you would like to help with Meetup expenses. [Here is a Venmo link.](https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3262702482882560580&created=1757371525), for my account. Here is my Paypal account. '[herrmann48@comcast.net'](http://herrmann48@comcast.net'/) *\*Docent-led, 45-minute tours of Julia Morgan's Berkeley City Club on Durant, are offered on the fourth Sunday of every month (except December) from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM. These are drop-in, public tours that cost $10 per person.*

Bollywood Festive Nights at Union Square

Join us for an unforgettable **Bollywood Night** in the heart of San Francisco at Union Square – rhythm, fun, community. **5:00 – 6:00 PM** – *30 minute Bollywood* *Dance Lesson* + *Party* — we’ll teach you the steps, the flair, and the fun; then we dance it out together! **6:00 – 7:00 PM** – *30 minute Bollywood* *Dance Lesson* + *Party* — we’ll teach you the steps, the flair, and the fun; then we dance it out together! **7:00 – 8:00 PM** – *Dance Party* — We turn up the music and light up the floor with a 1-hour open dance party. 🌈 Open to all ages, all levels, all backgrounds. ✨ Come casual or dressed, no pressure! Bring your friends, learn some moves, find your groove, find your friends, be a part of a magical community once a month at Union Square. Previous class in 2025 summary joy v[ideo: ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHSENixJaVA&list=RDnHSENixJaVA&start_radio=1) Free class every month on 4th Friday of the Month except in August it will be on August 14th Classes go till end of September Park in garage, Uber over, or take Powell exit on Bart Do come say hello to us so we can welcome you in our La Dolce Vita :)

SF Camerawork - Opening Celebration & Members’ Party

Bollywood Festive Nights | Sep 25

**Bollywood Festive Nights at Union Square – Free & Open to All 🎉** Friday\, Sep 25 \| 5:00–8:00 p\.m \| Union Square\, San Francisco **Get ready to twirl under the city lights! ✨** Join us for an unforgettable **Bollywood Festive Night** in the heart of San Francisco — a vibrant celebration of rhythm, joy, and community. 💃🏽 **Schedule:** Unique choreos taught each hour! 🕔 **5:00 – 6:00 PM** – *30 minute Bollywood* *Dance Lesson* + *Party* — we’ll teach you the steps, the flair, and the fun; then we dance it out together! 🕔 **6:00 – 7:00 PM** – *30 minute Bollywood* *Dance Lesson* + *Party* — we’ll teach you the steps, the flair, and the fun; then we dance it out together! 🕕 **7:00 – 8:00 PM** – *Dance Party* — We turn up the music and light up the floor with a 1-hour open dance party. Dance solo, with friends, or in circles of celebration! **More details:** 🌈 Open to all ages, all levels, all backgrounds. Beginner friendly. ✨ Come casual or dressed, no pressure! 👑 Unique festive theme each month 🎁 Free to attend – just bring your joy, your people, and your dancing feet! 🚶🏼‍♂️‍➡️Walks ins are more than welcome. But we encourage you to register before hand. Donations via PayPal → rangdebollywood@gmail.com Sign Up → rang.eventbrite.com *"I recently had the pleasure of attending Manpreet’s Bollywood dance class, and I must say, it was an absolute blast! Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced dancer, this class caters to everyone's skill level. The highlight of the class was undoubtedly her teaching style. With a knack for breaking down complex steps into manageable chunks, even the most intricate routines felt attainable. The pacing was just right, ensuring that beginners didn't feel overwhelmed while keeping experts engaged. Highly recommend!" — Kavneet Bindra* **Let’s fill Union Square with color, culture, and connection.This is *more than a dance* — it’s a celebration of culture, community, and love.**

Bollywood Nights at Salesforce Park - Free

**Bollywood Nights at Salesforce Park 🎉** Join Rang De Bollywood for some high-energy, outdoor, bollywood fun! This event is sure to leave you feeling loved, lighter, and delighted in excitement after every session. 🌈 Open to all ages, all levels, all backgrounds. ✨ Come casual or dressed, no pressure! 🎁 Free to attend – just bring your joy, your people, and your dancing feet! 🚶🏼‍♂️‍➡️Register for free so we can prepare at rang.eventbrite.com 🕔 5:30 – 7:00 PM – we’ll start with a beginner friendly dance lesson, followed by an open dance party! 💫 This is a repeating event, happening every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, May through October and you can register for as many dates as you like. Register now: [rang.eventbrite.com](http://rang.eventbrite.com) **About Rang De Bollywood** Hailing from the dream dance city of Mumbai and Amritsar, which is also home to Bollywood and Holy Vibes, our energetic, charismatic, and fun dance instructors-performers-entertainers, Manpreet (Certified in Indian Folk by India's Best and also an author) and Amit (percussionist, actor, dancer), have spread Indian dance music and moves across the length and breadth of India, USA, and Europe. Their recent performances were at National Center of Performing Arts in Mumbai and Herbst Theater in San Francisco. **Important Notes:** * Enter through transit center building and take the elevator to rooftop. We will be close to the elevator. * No solicitors allowed. * Classes might be video taped for marketing purposes. * All choreographies are Copyrighted and Original Works of Manpreet Komal/Rang De Bollywood. *"I recently had the pleasure of attending Manpreet’s Bollywood dance class, and I must say, it was an absolute blast! Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced dancer, this class caters to everyone's skill level. The highlight of the class was undoubtedly her teaching style. With a knack for breaking down complex steps into manageable chunks, even the most intricate routines felt attainable. The pacing was just right, ensuring that beginners didn't feel overwhelmed while keeping experts engaged. Highly recommend!" — Kavneet Bindra* **We can't wait to dance together, see you soon!**

Noche de Español: Cultura, Juegos Y Buena Vibra. Sept 24

Bienvenidos a Noche de Español! Un meet-up relajado y divertido donde la cultura, los juegos y la conversación en Español se combinan para crear una experiencia única.
Aquí no importa tu nivel de español, desde principiantes hasta hablantes nativos, todos son bienvenidos. Jugamos, practicamos, nos reímos y compartimos en un ambiente amigable, mientras descubrimos nuevas formas de conectar con la lengua y la cultura hispana. para que nos encuentres fácilmente busca la mesa con los globos a rojos 🎈 🎈

Thursday Kirtan and Supper

#### Thursday, 6:30–8:00 PM KIRTAN & SUPPER * Kirtan, or mantra meditation, is a call-and-response chanting practice, blending sacred mantras with music and dancing. It fosters ecstatic joy and deep collective participation. No experience needed. Suggested donation: $15. **Registration is not required.** Bhakti SF [https://bhaktisf.com/](https://bhaktisf.com/) 3250 17th Street San Francisco, CA 94110

Bollywood Festive Nights at Union Squar

### **Bollywood Festive Nights at Union Square – Free & Open to All 🎉** Friday\, May 22 \| 5:00–8:00 p\.m \| Union Square\, San Francisco **Get ready to twirl under the city lights! ✨** Join us for an unforgettable **Bollywood Festive Night** in the heart of San Francisco — a vibrant celebration of rhythm, joy, and community. Follow @rangdebollywood for out latest class samples and videos 💃🏽 **Schedule:** Unique choreos taught each hour! 🕔 **5:15 – 6:00 PM** – *30 - 45 minute Bollywood* *Dance Lesson* + *Party* — we’ll teach you the steps, the flair, and the fun; then we dance it out together! 🕔 **6:15 – 7:00 PM** – *30 - 45 minute Bollywood* *Dance Lesson* + *Party* — we’ll teach you the steps, the flair, and the fun; then we dance it out together! 🕕 **7:00 – 8:00 PM** – *Dance Party* — We turn up the music and light up the floor with a 1-hour open dance party. Dance solo, with friends, or in circles of celebration! **More details:** 🌈 Open to all ages, all levels, all backgrounds. Beginner friendly. ✨ Come casual or dressed, no pressure! 👑 Unique festive theme each month 🎁 Free to attend – just bring your joy, your people, and your dancing feet! 🚶🏼‍♂️‍➡️Walks ins are more than welcome. But we encourage you to register before hand. Donations via PayPal → rangdebollywood@gmail.com Sign Up → rang.eventbrite.com *"I recently had the pleasure of attending Manpreet’s Bollywood dance class, and I must say, it was an absolute blast! Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced dancer, this class caters to everyone's skill level. The highlight of the class was undoubtedly her teaching style. With a knack for breaking down complex steps into manageable chunks, even the most intricate routines felt attainable. The pacing was just right, ensuring that beginners didn't feel overwhelmed while keeping experts engaged. Highly recommend!" — Kavneet Bindra* **Let’s fill Union Square with color, culture, and connection.This is *more than a dance* — it’s a celebration of culture, community, and love.**

Asian Singles & Those Who Love Them