🌟Local Kiddo SF

Your weekend plans, handled.

Author

Jasmine Alves
October 03, 2025

📆Issue No. 36 - October 4-5, 2025

Happy Friday, friends! October arrives with the perfect mix of autumn magic and San Francisco's signature musical spirit. This weekend brings your last chance to catch Frog & Toad on stage, free music at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and the Tricycle Music Fest, circus performances in Civic Center, harvest festivals with pumpkin patches, and more family music and cultural celebrations than you can shake a tambourine at. From intimate opera storytelling to outdoor concerts, moon festival celebrations to dance films, we've curated experiences that capture both the cozy vibes of fall and the vibrant energy of live performance. Whether your crew is ready for their final theater visit, bluegrass under the eucalyptus, circus acrobatics, pumpkin picking, or dancing tutorials, you'll find the perfect way to celebrate, groove, and harvest the joy in this issue.

If you live in Hayes Valley, then this is for you. The Hayes Valley Families meetup is happening tomorrow (Saturday) from 10am-12pm. Please bring a costume if you'd like to participate in a costume swap!

If you have a kiddo 0-5 years old, then this is for you. Did you know that your kiddo could receive a free book every month because of a partnership between Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, SF Department of Early Childhood and SF Public Library? Visit this link to register your child for this incredible literacy program.

⚡ TLDR: Weekend Gameplan

All Weekend:

Saturday:

Sunday:

💌 Love Local Kiddo? Know about an event that we didn’t feature? We thrive on your feedback! Email us at [email protected] with your thoughts, event suggestions, community bulletin posts, or sponsorship inquiries.

Want to see your event in an upcoming issue?

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Weekend Highlights

🐸 A Year with Frog & Toad (LAST WEEK!)

Your final chance to experience the beloved friendship of Frog and Toad brought to life on stage! This charming theatrical production celebrates the timeless stories by Arnold Lobel in an intimate theater setting perfect for young audiences.

Worth Knowing: 

  • Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, at 10:30am and 2:00pm

  • Children's Creativity Museum Theater, 221 4th St

  • $25.43-$45.83

  • 1 hour run time

  • Perfect introduction to live theater for young children

  • Perfect for ages 18 months to 12 years old

  • Celebrates friendship, kindness, and the changing seasons

  • Intimate theater setting ideal for families

  • Great way to bring beloved books to life

Experience one of San Francisco's most beloved free music festivals as Golden Gate Park transforms into a multi-stage celebration of bluegrass, folk, and Americana. This three-day festival brings world-class musicians to beautiful outdoor settings—no tickets required.

Worth Knowing: 

  • Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 11:00am-7:00pm

  • Golden Gate Park

  • FREE admission

  • Multiple stages featuring bluegrass, folk, and Americana

  • World-class musicians and emerging artists

  • Family-friendly atmosphere with space to roam

  • Bring blankets, snacks, and enjoy a SF tradition

Saturday Highlights

Discover the magic of opera through the charming storytelling of Opera Bear at this special family music circle. Perfect introduction to classical music and opera for young children through engaging performance and participation.

Worth Knowing:

  • Saturday, October 4, 10:15am-11:00am

  • SFPL Potrero Branch, 1616 20th Street

  • Free

  • Make music with Opera Bear from SF Opera

  • Perfect introduction to opera for kids

  • Interactive and engaging for young audiences

  • Great way to experience classical music together

🎵 Tricycle Music Fest: Megan Schoenbohm

Enjoy family-friendly live music at this beloved neighborhood music festival featuring Megan Schoenbohm. The Tricycle Music Fest brings quality performances to an accessible, kid-friendly format.

Worth Knowing:

Watch St. Mark’s Square transform into a circus wonderland with acrobatic performers from the beloved Circus Bella bringing their talents to this free community celebration!

Worth Knowing:

  • Saturday, October 4, 11:00am-2:00pm

  • St. Mark’s Square, 1111 O’Farrell Street

  • Free

  • FREE circus performance

  • Features talented Circus Bella performers

  • Perfect outdoor family entertainment

  • Enjoy face painting and games when you’re not enjoying the performance

Teen-focused programming at this specialized film festival celebrating the intersection of dance and cinema. Perfect for young dancers and film enthusiasts.

Worth Knowing:

  • Saturday, October 4, 2:00pm-3:15pm

  • SFPL Main, 100 Larkin Street

  • Free

  • Experience the power of dance on screen

  • 10 short films at the intersection of dance and culture

  • Perfect for young dancers and movie lovers

  • Educational and inspiring

  • Great exposure to dance as an art form

End your Saturday with this beloved Disney-Pixar film celebrating family, music, and Mexican culture under the stars or on the big screen—perfect for families who love heartwarming stories.

Worth Knowing:

  • Saturday, October 4, 7:00pm

  • Duboce Park

  • Free (donations to Friends of Duboce Park are welcome)

  • Family-friendly film

  • Celebrates music, family, and culture

  • Perfect for all ages

  • Beautiful storytelling and animation

Sunday Highlights

Experience the joy of fall at this harvest festival complete with pumpkin patch! Pick your perfect pumpkin while enjoying beautiful bay views and autumn activities on Treasure Island.

Worth Knowing:

  • Sunday, October 5, 10:00am-4:00pm

  • Cityside Park, 387 Avenue of the Palms

  • Free

  • Pumpkin patch and harvest activities

  • Beautiful bay views as your backdrop

  • Family-friendly fall celebration

  • Perfect autumn photo opportunities

  • Great way to celebrate the season

  • Live music

  • Bounce House

  • Petting zoo

  • And Much More!

Combine literacy and movement at this unique event featuring both storytelling and dance instruction. Harry Shum, Jr. and Shelby Rabara will bring life to “Martee Dares to Dance“, the story of a brave young Filipino boy finding the courage to dance. Perfect for kids who love books and getting their bodies moving.

Worth Knowing:

  • Sunday, October 5, 10:30am

  • Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin Street

  • Free

  • Part of the Asian Art Museum’s Free First Sunday programming

  • Book reading component

  • Dancing tutorial and movement

  • Perfect combination of literacy and physical activity

  • Free copies of the book are available for signing to the first 200 families

End your weekend with pure joy at this aptly-named STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) event designed to bring wonder and fun to families through activities, entertainment, and community celebration. This event is also the Exploratorium’s annual fundraiser that makes the museum’s iconic programming (field trip essentials, hiring high school explainers, welcoming Title I schools for free field trips, and much more!) possible.

Worth Knowing:

  • Sunday, October 5, 2:00pm-5:00pm

  • Exploratorium, Pier 15

  • $75-$350

  • Family-focused fun and activities

  • STEAM activities and demos

  • Design challenges

  • Crafts

  • Entertainment

  • And much more! e weekend Great for families looking for pure entertainment

Celebrate autumn's bounty at this harvest-themed community festival featuring seasonal activities, food, and family fun that honors the fall season.

Worth Knowing:

  • Sunday, October 5, 3:00pm-6:00pm

  • Salesforce Park, 425 Mission Street

  • Free

  • Harvest-themed celebration

  • Mini-pumpkin patch

  • Square dancing

  • Seasonal activities and community fun

  • Great way to celebrate fall together

✨Full List of What’s Good This Weekend✨

Ongoing:

Saturday, 10/4: 

Sunday, 10/5:

🔭 On Our Radar

Join Wizard Moonwhisper for an enchanting Halloween puppet show in the San Francisco Botanical Garden. (October 11)

Share the excitement of live classical music with the kiddos and SF Symphony at Around the World Through Dance. (October 11)

Found a spot that works for both you and the kiddos? Tell us – we read everything.

Until next week,

Jasmine @Local Kiddo — Because good taste doesn’t end at parenthood.

P.S. Forward this to a parent who is still trying to figure out what to do during their kiddo’s wake window.

P.P.S. Want to partner with us? Have an event we should highlight? We work with brands that parents actually want in their lives (you know, the ones that don't make us choose between "kid-friendly" and "still cool"). Email us at [email protected] if that sounds like you.

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