The Bay Area’s summertime calendar is filling up with great ways to have fun without busting your budget.
From porch-side concerts in the Mission to Anna Halprin’s annual, peace-loving Planetary Dance in Golden Gate Park, all events noted here offer admission-free options, making a bounty of music, arts and community activities that are accessible to all.
S.F. Porchfest
A neighborly afternoon celebration featuring live, homegrown music performed on porches, parklets and stoops returns to San Francisco’s Mission District for its eighth year. Bike or walk around and check out the talents of more than fifty bands including sets from local artists performing at eight venues. A kickoff party with performances from Porchfest artists is scheduled at the Hotel Utah Saloon on Friday night.
Kickoff party: 8-10 p.m. Friday, May 29. $10. Hotel Utah Music Hall, 500 Fourth St., S.F. • Porchfest: Noon-6 p.m. Saturday, May 30. Free. www.sfporchfest.org
Bay Area Bookfest: YouthLit and Bookworm Block Party
The Bay Area Book Festival returns to downtown Berkeley offering two days of author talks, workshops, readings and family programming spread across multiple venues — and most of it is free to attend. Among the programming highlights are YouthLit, with kid-focused readings, discussion panels and interactive events featuring children’s authors and youth literacy organizations. A lively Bookworm Block Party brings outdoor energy to the literary fair. On schedule are author appearances, live performances, booksellers, food vendors and activities for readers of all ages…