Posts Tagged ‘zeum’

Museums, live music in the park, and enough chocolate to have the kids begging to stop tasting.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Weekend

Meet characters from The Clone Wars, build your own models and make movies using stop-motion, test your lightsaber skills, and learn how soundtracks are mixed.

When: Sat. & Sun., 9/11-12, 11am-5pm; Age 5+; $8-10.

Where: Zeum, 221 Fourth Street (at Howard Street), San Francisco; 415-820-3320; zeum.org.

Power to the Peaceful Festival

An old-school groovy San Francisco be-in, with drumming, yoga, live music, healing arts, and lots of colorful people on blankets.

When: Sat., 9/11, 9am-5pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Speedway Meadow, 25th Avenue & Fulton Street (in Golden Gate Park); powertothepeaceful.org.

Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival

Chocolate chocolate chocolate. And a kid’s area.

When: Sat. & Sun., 9/11-12, noon-5pm; Age 2+; Free admission, $20 for 15 tastings of chocolate samples.

Where: Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point (at Polk Street), San Francisco; ghirardellisq.com.

Either it’s Earth Day or robot tournaments: your choice.

Diggin’ La Vida Local

It’s Little House on the Prairie time at Sunnyvale’s Full Circle Farm, where Earth Day is celebrated with cheese-making, gardening and composting demos, and natural cooking. There’s even a show-off session from a beekeeper: do I smell honey?

When: Sun., 4/19, 10am-2pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Full Circle Farm, 1055 Dunford Way (at Quail Avenue), Sunnyvale, fullcirclesunnyvale.org.

Cal Day at UC Berkeley

The university opens itself up, and how, to the public for a day of demos, concerts, sports matches, and a zillion other events in the school’s classrooms, stadium, and theaters. There are dozens of events aimed at kids, including pottery, science experiments, and robot tournaments. Oh, and all the museums on campus are free.

When: Sat., 4/18, 9am-4pm; Age 3+; Free.

Where: Various locations on the campus of the University of California, University Avenue (at Oxford Street), Berkeley, 510-642-6000, berkeley.edu.

Earth Day on the Bay

Paddle in a canoe, touch plankton, catch fish, meet some marine mammals, or take a boat ride around our beautiful, freezing bay.

When: Sat., 4/18, 8am-5pm; Age 2+; Free ($20 for boat ride and riders must be 5 and over).

Where: Marine Science Institute, Cardinal Way (at Saginaw Street), Redwood City, 650-364-2760; sfbaymsi.org.

Explore Stop-Motion with Pixar Animators

Animators Dan Mason and Tim Hittle are the star attractions at this one-hour workshop that shows kids how still objects can be manipulated to produce moving images. Advance reservations are recommended.

When: Sun., 4/19, 2-3pm; Age 8-12; Free with museum admission ($8-10).

Where: Zeum, 221 Fourth Street (at Howard Street), 415-820-3320, zeum.org.

Pet a chincilla, make your own star-bellied Sneetch suit, and more fun around the Bay.

Jay Alexander’s Once-a-Year Family Show

Jay Alexander is justifiably famous in local parenting circles for this fun magic show, which will have parents giggling and children’s jaws dropping.

When: Sun., 3/22, 11am; Age 3+; $7

Where: Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco, 510-236-7469, randallmuseum.org.

Invasion of the Land Animals

Come get a close-up sneak peek at the land-dwelling animals that will be in three new Aquarium of the Bay exhibits in April. This week you’ll meet n African pygmy hedgehog and a soft chinchilla.

When: Sat., 3/21, 1-3pm; Age 3+; Free with museum admission, $8-15.95.

Where: Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 29, Embarcadero at Beach Street, San Francisco, 415-623-5300, aquariumofthebay.com.

Free Breakfast at IKEA

Gulp down a small breakfast plate and coffee for free (retail value $1.98) before dropping off your kids at the handy IKEA kid-watch room and browsing. Hey, it’s almost like a date!

When: Fri.-Sun., 9:30-10:30am; All ages; Free.

Where: IKEA, 4400 Shellmound Street (at 40th Street) Emeryville, 510-420-4532, ikea.com.

Dr. Seuss Storytime

In celebration of the National Education Associations’s Read Across America Month, Zeum throws a weekly party with a reading of a Seuss story, and activities in the main gallery including constructing a Seussian garment, writing your own swinging rhymes.

When: Ongoing each Sunday in March including 3/22, 11am-noon; Age 3-8; Free with admission, Free-$10.

Where: Zeum, 221 Fourth Street (at Howard Street), 415-820-3320, zeum.org.

Everyone’s favorite candy-soaked, costume-wearing holiday is next week, but most of the events happen this weekend. Slip on something strange and join the fun.

Pumpkin Patches

One of the best holiday events for small kids, pumpkin patch days involve haunted houses, hayrides, bounce houses, Halloween games and picking out the biggest, roundest pumpkins to take home and carve. Most of the Bay Area’s pumpkin patches can be found on Highway 92 in Half Moon Bay; particularly glorious examples include the Arata Pumpkin Farm and Lemos Farm Pumpkin Patch, which counts a petting zoo, pony rides, and a train ride amongst its wonders. But just driving down Highway 92 and sighting patches from the road will net you a good time. You can also find plenty of patches in Marin; just motor along 101 and look for telltale spots of orange. Happy hunting!

Jack o’ Lantern Jamboree

Come in costume to this annual Halloween party, which boasts a pirate school (!), pumpkin crafts, face painting, and the festive, make-believe atmosphere of Fairyland.

When: Sat. & Sun., 10/24-25, 10am-5pm; All ages; $10 per person.

Where: Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Avenue (at Lake Merritt), Oakland, 510-452-2259, fairyland.org.

Gardens Halloween Costume Walk

Music, clownery from the Unique Derique, and group games like ghost stories and Monster Mash are highlights at this costume party, where kids can trick-or-treat the nearby merchants. Kids in costume receive free admission to Zeum’s Haunted House Experience (with parents). The costume walk is at noon, giant pumpkin carving at 2, and Children’s Garden planting/composting at 3.

When: Sun., 10/26, 12-2pm; Age 0-10; Free.

Where: Children’s Garden at Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St. (between 3rd and 4th Streets), San Francisco, 415-543-1718, ybgf.org.

Pumpkin Pandemonium

Watch ’80s Halloween revue “It’s Like, Halloween,” trick-or-treat the many, many shops, and wander the pumpkin patch to pick a free pumpkin. Kids will be invited onstage to show off their costumes.

When: Sun., 10/26, 12-4pm; Age 2-12; Free.

Where: Pier 39, Embarcadero Street (at Beach Street), San Francisco, pier39.com.

Overnight Eclipse Sleepover

No, you won’t be able to view the total solar eclipse in our half of the hemisphere. But if you bring PJs and a sleeping bag to this overnight party, you can view a live simulcast, meet astronomers, learn about the solar system, and sleep with other star fans.

When: Thu., 7/31, 9pm-6am; Ages 4+; $11-16.

Where: Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon St., 415-563-7337, www.exploratorium.edu.

Friends of the San Francisco Library $1 Book Sale

Pick up the chaff of the SF Library when this bargain book sale takes place on the steps of the Civic Center Main Library. Books for adults, kids, teens — don’t miss your chance to own a book with a dust jacket!

When: Fri., 8/1, 11am-2pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Main Library, 100 Larkin Street (at Grove Street), San Francisco, friendsandfoundation.org.

Summer Garden Fair

Take a stroll through the gardens with gardening experts, who’ll give onlookers a tour of a thriving bee colony and other natural wonders. Representatives from local gardening societies will be recruiting, and plants and gardening accessories will be on sale. And it’s just a nice place to walk around, in any weather.

When: Sat., 8/2, 10am-3pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum, 9th Avenue (at Lincoln Way) in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 415-661-1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org.

UrumaDelvi Animation Festival

Bring your anime fans to Zeum, where the famed husband-and-wife animation team UrumaDelvi have an installation of their anime cells and some of their more than 400 anime shorts. While you’re at Zeum, don’t forget to make your own claymation and ride the historic carousel.

When: Ongoing daily Tue.-Sun. through 8/10; 11am-5pm; Age 7+; Free with admission (Free-$10).

Where: Zeum, 221 Fourth Street (at Howard Street), San Francisco, 415-820-3320, zeum.org.

Are you enjoying San Francisco in the springtime as much as we are?

Film Night in the Park: The Wizard of Oz

Watch the children’s classic on a blanket under the stars. Dress warmly and watch for flying monkeys in the trees.

When: Sat., 5/17, 8pm; All ages; Free ($3-6 donation encouraged).
Where: Dolores Park, 18th St. (at Dolores St.), San Francisco, 415-453-4333, filmnight.org.

Lollipop Family Fun Run

Make the whole family sweat at this kid-friendly 1-mile or 5K run. There’s a party at the finish line featuring a DJ, scavenger hunt and face-painting, and all participants get a T-shirt and goodie bag. Strollers are welcome, and all proceeds benefit Girls on the Run running club.

When: Sat., 4/17, Registration begins at 9am, runs begin at 10am; All ages; $15-30.

Where: Meet in front of the De Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive (at JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park), San Francisco, 415-831-2700 or 415-863-8942, gotrbayarea.org.
Young at Art: SFUSD Art Festival Family Day

Celebrate budding young artists at this annual festival where thousands of K-12 kids display their visual or performance art. Admission to the de Young is free today, with performances from young dancers and actors at noon and 1pm.

When: Sat., 5/17, 9:30am-5pm (festival continues through May 25); All ages; Free.

Where: De Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive (at JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park), San Francisco, 415-863-3330, youngatartsf.com.

Zany Patterns: Quilting With a Twist

A teenage quilter shows kids aged 6-12 how to make paper quilts, a great way to experiment with color, form, and design.

When: Sat., 4/17, 2pm; Age 6-12; Free with museum admission, free-$8.

Where: Zeum, 221 Fourth St. (at Howard), San Francisco, 415-820-3320, zeum.org.