10 Things to Do in San Francisco in June

There is no doubt that there is plenty to see and do in San Francisco at any time of the year. However, when summer begins, the range of festivals and outdoor activities in San Francisco increases considerably. A good option for your holidays is to take into account these types of events, which will bring you closer to culture and will also provide you with guaranteed fun.

Festivals of all types of music, local fairs and events in the different districts of the city are just some of the cultural proposals in which you can participate in the city of San Francisco in the month of June. Read on to find out all you need to know to plan the perfect itinerary around the city.

The North Beach Festival is the most important cultural festival in San Francisco's North Beach district. If you're travelling to the city in June, don't hesitate to be a part of this well-known event, popular with locals and visitors alike.

North Beach is known as San Francisco's Little Italy and home to the legendary Beat Generation. From here, incomparable figures such as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg have emerged.

This festival, which takes place on the third weekend in June, is a street fair dedicated to Italian culture and cuisine in the middle of the United States. Here, you will find music and good food, classes and performances of Italian street art with chalk, an Italian classic.

This festival has now accumulated around 60 editions, and gained popularity for being, at the time, the first open-air street festival in the country.

It spans numerous streets, which are filled with colour and a lively atmosphere in the heart of the district. Your tour should include Grant Avenue, Green Street, Vallejo Street and Columbus Avenue, where you can capture the essence and spirit of the North Beach Festival at its best.

Useful facts:

• Where: Columbus and Grant Avenues, San Francisco
• Price: free
• Date: 18 and 19 June.

This event is one of the most massive events of the year for the city of San Francisco. More than a million people arrive every year during this weekend to take part in this celebration of LGBT heritage and culture.

During these days, the population doubles in size and the streets fill with people of all nationalities. It's a challenge to get around the city, as everything becomes a parade of colour, dance and music.

The massive Pride parade takes place on the last weekend in June, with Market Street being the centrepiece of the whole spectacle.

The parade consists of some 200 jaw-dropping floats, all designed to represent different themes of social causes. If you're not in San Francisco for the weekend, be aware that gay-friendly events are held throughout the month.

San Francisco is home to one of the strangest and most impressive sporting events: the Alcatraz Triathlon. While many tourists want to visit Alcatraz every year, these athletes simulate an escape from this notorious maximum security prison in the United States.

In total, it is a 2.4 kilometre swim, followed by a 29 kilometre bike ride and a 12.8 kilometre run. No prisoner ever escaped from Alcatraz, but this is what they should have done if they had tried.

Around 1,700 triathletes from forty countries participate in the Alcatraz Triathlon.

It dates back to 1979, when athlete Joe Oakes was returning from Hawaii. He had participated in a competition and thought it would be a good idea to organise something similar in San Francisco. The event was held in the unique setting of Alcatraz Prison, and began as a private event, before being opened to the public and becoming as popular as it is today.

In the late 1960s, Haight-Ashbury wasone of the neighbourhoods where a bohemian movement was born that would revolutionise history forever: the idealistic hippies. This way of life sought to prioritise the harmony of humans with nature and peace in society.

Every year in June, this popular San Francisco neighbourhood celebrates its own festival: the Haight Ashbury Fair. During these days, in addition to the characteristic charm of its streets with multicoloured facades and its relaxed atmosphere, you will find hundreds of craft stalls, food stalls, music stages and family activities to enjoy an unforgettable day.

Haight-Ashbury is also located in the vicinity of Golden Gate Park, so it is a good idea to combine both activities for a single day in your itinerary of your tour of the city.

Since 1977, the Frameline Film Festival has been one of the most important events of its kind, consisting of a complete exhibition of LGBTQ+ cinema. Here you can enjoy old movies, and important and recognized films from around the world in the framework of this wonderful festival.

It is run by Frameline, a non-profit organization whose mission is to change the world through the power of film. Each year, it brings together around 60,000 people, the largest LGBTQ+ arts event in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, there are other screenings and special events with prestigious directors and actors.

The special feature of this festival is that its last night coincides with the celebration of the Gay Pride Day March, which we'll talk about later.

If you're looking for a chance to have fun and enjoy great music, don't miss this year's Country Summer Festival. This country music festival is the largest in Northern California and attracts thousands of fans every year.

The Country Summer Festival has evolved each year, and the staging is truly incredible. The festival stages are covered with spectacular video walls, and the sound system is state-of-the-art.

But it's not all about music, you can also take part in different interactive activities inside the festival grounds. Of course, there are also sectors with local gastronomic proposals, where you can try a variety of local delicacies and drinks. The region is a great producer of beer, wines and spirits, so don't miss this opportunity.

If you're travelling through San Francisco on the second weekend in June, book your tickets in advance and be part of this great country music party.

On June 19, 1865, 2,000 Army soldiers landed in Texas with the news that enslaved people were now free, and that the ordinary bonds of slave and master were changed to one of employer and salaried employee.

Beyond this historical fact, it was not until 2 years later that Abraham Lincoln finally marked the end of this era.

The Juneteenth festival has a very emotional and important meaning for the history of the United States. Every June 19th, the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the country is celebrated and a series of events are held to educate the community. There are also fun activities and popular festivities.

As well as enjoying the best music, you'll find a street fair with several blocks of stalls from around the city. Each one pays homage to the history, food, art and culture of the native peoples. And if that wasn't enough of an event, you'll find a health and wellness pavilion, a car show and even an interesting job fair.

The festival takes place in San Francisco's Harlem, more specifically on Fillmore Street between Post and Turk Streets.

The Union Street Festivalsis one of San Francisco's premier outdoor neighborhood fairs. Each year, the first weekend in June is the largest family-friendly event in the city.

In the Marina district, there are two large stages with live music throughout the day, a wine tasting pavilion and a carnival area, something to do in San Francisco with the kids. There's also a fashion show featuring a variety of unique designs which you can then purchase from the stalls.

If you want to browse art, photography and other unique items, you can explore over 100 boutique stalls where you're sure to find what you're looking for. All of the activities I mentioned above are located on Union Street between Gough and Fillmore Streets.

The San Francisco Documentary Festival is a film festival that you can enjoy the first 10 days of June every year.

It's devoted entirely to documentary film, so you'll see a range of titles on all sorts of interesting subjects ranging from politics to music to social issues.

The films are screened at the Roxie Cinema, the oldest auteur cinema west of the Mississippi, so it's a very special location.

Sessions of the festival are also streamed, so if you're reading this article but not travelling to the city in June, you can see what it's all about via the streams on their website.

TheSF Jazz Center is a non-profit organisation recognised worldwide for its dedication to jazz and jazz education. Their performances feast the ears and eyes of their audiences, and in June, they host the San Francisco Jazz Festival.

This three-week festival consists of three weeks of incredible performances, where you can enjoy some of the best jazz music in the world. You'll see concerts by legendary artists and up-and-coming new-age singers, world-renowned performers and new explorers of the jazz genre. Without a doubt, it is a festival that brings together artists from every corner of the world.

Remember to buy your ticket in advance, as it is an event that is eagerly awaited and attended by a large number of people. To give you an idea, it has been going on since 1995 without interruption.

As always, proceeds from the festival benefit the organisation's music education programmes in all its schools.

San Francisco's summer does not conform to the stereotypical sunny weather of the California region. Instead, the days tend to be very foggy, as the heat and geography of the landscape means that it attracts a lot of moisture from the ocean. Highs hover around 20 degrees Celsius and lows around 12 degrees Celsius, so you'll enjoy fairly mild days.

June is a month where rain is unlikely, so this could be a great advantage when touring the city and its attractions. Bear in mind that this month is the start of the high visitor season, so you'll find a lot of tourists in the city in June.

When packing your luggage, bear in mind that foggy days can get a little chilly, so pack some warm clothes.

I also recommend packing a rain jacket for any rainy days you may encounter, as this will give you a chance to continue your day's sightseeing without getting wet. You will be comfortable when wearing layers to easily adapt to temperature transitions.

The peak season in San Francisco coincides with the summer season, from June to August. During this period you will find the largest crowds looking to take advantage of the pleasant temperatures.

If you are planning to travel to the city, remember to book your accommodation in advance, as demand increases considerably and accommodation rates peak.

Prices also increase for this time of year, as it is the busiest period for tourists.

If these conditions aren't what you're looking for, keep in mind that pleasant temperatures continue into November in San Francisco, so you may want to consider visiting the city in one of the less crowded and less crowded months if your plans allow.