Free Circus: Sat. May 30: 12pm & 2:15; Yerba Buena Gardens

This Saturday, May 30, the Circus is coming to town! Circus Bella that is.
This FREE performance is part of the Yerba Buena Garden Festival.
There will be 2 shows: 12pm & 2:15. You can meet the performers after the 2:15 show.
Circus Bella is an outdoor, one-ring circus featuring high-level acts set to the sounds of the Bella All-Stars. The show combines contemporary performance with the rich tradition of the American Circus and features acrobatics, juggling, slackwire, beatboxing, eccentric performance, aerial artistry, and musical mastery.

Taking a Break

Sorry that I've been remiss in posting much this past week. School is winding down, which means dance performances, graduations, gymnastic performances, etc, etc, etc......
Until I am able to come back up for air, I recommend you check out the following site to keep up with low cost things going on the Bay Area. Not SF specific, but it's a pretty good resource!

http://sf.funcheap.com/

Free* Showing of Slumdog Millionaire at The Independent: Mon. May 18 8pm

The Independent (628 Divis @ Hayes) is a music venue (amazing sound system) that also has Cinema nights. While they say the movie is FREE, there is a 2 drink minimum, so.... still likely cheaper than a regular cost of movie, popcorn, soda!

This Monday at 8pm (doors open at 7:30), they are showing the Academy Award Winning Slumdog Millionaire.

Set and filmed in India, Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of a young man from the slums of Mumbai who appears on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and exceeds people’s expectations, thereby arousing the suspicions of the game show host and of law enforcement officials.

Free Food and Small Business Advice: Mon. May 18 6-8pm

Flavors of San Francisco is the kick-off event for SF Small Business Week 2009. The evening will provide networking opportunities as well as tastings from some great San Francisco's local restaurants. There will be a Resource Fair to help small business owners connect with a wealth of assistance and resources available to help your businesses.

This takes place at City Hall.

FREE food generously provided by: Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, B’s BBQ, Bi-Rite Market & Catering, Chaya Brasserie, Chez Papa Resto, Chilayo, Chill, Debbie Does Dinner, Destino Restaurant, Pisco Latin Lounge, Emporio Rulli Gran Caffe, Kika’s Treats, La Mediterranee, MAYA Resturant, Medjool, Mexico DF, Meze’s Taste of Greece, Nectar Wine Lounge, Pralines by Yvonne, Prana Resturant, Regalito, Ryan Scott 2 Go, Samovar Tea, Seltzer Sisters, Spice it Up Catering, Taco Shop @ Underdogs, and X Roads.

Steve Earle: FREE Thursday at 6pm: Amoeba in the Haight.

Get yourselves over to Amoeba in the Haight this Thursday at 6pm for an exclusive engagement with singer-songwriter Steve Earle! I love Steve Earle and have heard him play lots of times in all types of venues. This will be by far the most intimate and I am kicking myself hard that I will be unable to make it (my oldest has a dance recital at the exact same time....grrrrr). Between this and the showing of Amelie in Dolores Park at 8:15, you've got an entire FREE evening.

Steve Earle’s new album Townes gets released the day before and the 15-song set is comprised of songs written by Earle’s friend and mentor, the late singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt.

When speaking about Townes, Earle stated, "This may be one of the best records I've ever made." The album features such guests as Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine/The Nightwatchman, Steve's wife and acclaimed singer-songwriter Allison Moorer, Dennis Crouch, Tim O'Brien, Darrel Scott, Shad Cobb and Steve's son, Justin Townes Earle. The songs selected for Townes were the ones that meant the most to Earle and the ones he personally connected to. Some of the selections chosen were songs that Earle has played his entire career (“Pancho and Lefty,” “Lungs,” “White Freightliner Blues”).

Go see this, you will not be disappointed.

Dolores Park Outdoor Movie Thurs. May 14: AMELIE

The weather should be warm all week and this month's FREE OUTDOOR MOVIE being shown in Dolores Park is Amélie and it starts at 8:15. I love this movie!

Amelie is a 2001 French/German film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Audrey Tautou. The film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story of a shy waitress who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better, while struggling with her own isolation. Amélie was nominated for five Academy Awards.

Click below to watch the trailer.



Dolores Park
8:15pm
Thurs. May 14

Free Admission on Mother's Day to 17 Bay Area Museums

17 museums around the Bay Area are offering FREE admissions all day this Sunday, May 10 (Mother's Day) courtesy of the Koret Foundation.

It's a perfect activity for Dads to take the kids to so Mom can have some quiet time to do what she wants!

Participating museums include:

Asian Art Museum

Bay Area Discovery Museum

Chabot Space & Science Center

Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose

Contemporary Jewish Museum

Exploratorium

Judah L. Magnes Museum

Lawrence Hall of Science

Legion of Honor

M. H. de Young Museum

Museum of the African Diaspora

Oakland Museum of California

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

San Francisco Zoo

San Jose Museum of Art

Tech Museum of Innovation IMAX Movie

Zeum

Free Bluegrass Music & Picnic: Saturday May 9 GG Park

You might be familiar with the large Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival that comes to GG Park in the fall (if not, its a great line up of music and its free), and this weekend there is a much smaller sort of DYI version.

This Saturday, from 12pm-6pm, the California Bluegrass Association is hosting a FREE bluegrass picking party in Golden Gate Park with Jeanie & Chuck's Roundup. This event is open to all who play or like to listen to bluegrass music.

Bring a side dish or something to throw on the grill along with something to drink (they'll provide plates, condiments, utensils) and bring your instruments.

The Event takes place at the Dahlias Picnic Area which is just east of the Conservatory of Flowers in the northeastern corner of the park. It can be a little tricky to locate, but this map shows it pretty well.

SFMOMA Artist Gallery Warehouse Sale: 5/6 - 5/10

Since 1993, art lovers in the know have looked forward to this annual event, when artworks are on sale for up to 50-percent off regular retail prices. Proceeds benefit the programs of the SFMOMA Artists Gallery, which in turn supports the museum and regional artists. The Artists Warehouse Sale offers original art by more than 300 emerging and established Bay Area artists at affordable prices (from $50 to $5,000), making it an excellent way to acquire paintings, sculpture, drawings, and unframed works on paper without breaking the bank.

Thursday-Sunday 11:30am-5:30pm
SFMOMA Artists Galeery
Fort Mason Building A
Admission is FREE
More Info

FREE Cab Rides on Cinco de Mayo!

For the 5th year in a row Alameda-based law firm Berg Injury Lawyers will team up with Luxor Cab in San Francisco to provide free transportation to those who can’t drive or feel they don’t have a safe way home on Cinco de Mayo.

The Safe & Sober Free Cab Ride Home program is available from 3pm Tuesday, May 5 through 3am Wednesday, May 6. They will take you home from a bar or club within the city limits. The operative word here is home, they will not take you to another drinking establishment for bar hopping

Luxor Cab: (415) 282-4141. When they pick up, make sure to tell them that Berg Injury Lawyers is picking up the tab.

Lines are bound to be busy, so be patient. Remember, rides are provided to an individual’s residence—not to other drinking locations. Due to the high number of ride requests, rides cannot be guaranteed for everyone who calls; however, every attempt will be made to accommodate everyone who requests a ride home.

The Picklewater Free Circus Festival: Sundays at Union Square

The Picklewater Free Circus Festival returns for its second year at Union Square. A FREE festival of circus arts featuring some of the best in Circus Arts from around the Bay Area, the festival will offer a mix of professional and student performers, free circus lessons and a wide variety of circus styles.

2 different acts will take the stage each Sunday starting at 2pm.