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Park Programs

Union Square Plaza BRV Recess Cart

Free Programming in Union Square Plaza

Park Programs

Website banner depicts the screen times for 5 showtimes for the free upcoming "Cinema on the Square" series

Cinema on the Square

Films at Sunset | Select Saturdays

All films begin at sunset with pre-show activities taking place two hours before sunset, including movie trivia, prizes, performances, popcorn (while supplies last), drinks from the bar (for purchase), and more! Presented in partnership with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and Bank of America.

Please bring your own low chair or blanket, and warm layers! Very limited seating is available. Pets are required to be on leash.

 

Please bring your own low chair or blanket, and warm layers! Very limited seating is available. Pets are required to be on leash. Union Square is ADA accessible. Parking information may be found here but public transit use is encouraged.

June 20: KPop Demon Hunters (Sing Along)

Pre-Show: 4:00pm
Film Starts: 8:40pm (runs 95 mins)

Experience the global phenomenon like never before! Celebrate the One Year Anniversary of the award-winning film KPop Demon Hunters with an interactive outdoor screening of the official Sing-a-long version. We’re encouraging all fans to come in costume and sing along to the entire soundtrack. It’s a high-energy musical celebration for the whole family!

Attendees are encouraged to come early to grab a good seat, a beverage from the bar, catch some pre-show performances and sing some karaoke beginning at 4pm with the movie starting at sunset around 8:30pm. Audience members should bring low chairs, blankets and warm layers for comfort. Union Square Plaza is very transit accessible with multiple BART and Muni lines nearby. Rideshare is encouraged and a parking garage is available underneath the plaza.

June 27: The Birdcage (Parental advisory- rated R for mature content)

Pre-Show: 6:30pm
Film Starts: 8:45pm (runs 117 mins)

Join us for this special PRIDE screening, featuring Bay Area actor Robin Williams, and preshow hosted by drag queen Katya Smirnoff Sky.

July 25: The Princess Diaries

Pre-Show: 6:00pm
Film Starts: 8:30pm (runs 115 mins)

Commemorate the 25th anniversary of this hit Disney film based in San Francisco.

August 29: Pokémon: Detective Pikachu

Pre-Show: 5:00pm
Film Starts: 8:00pm (runs 104 mins)

Celebrate the Pokémon World Championships held in San Francisco.

September 26: The Conversation

Pre-Show: 5:00pm
Film Starts: 7:15pm (runs 113 mins)

Tune in for this classic Francis Ford Coppola movie filmed in Union Square.

Free Amenities

9:00am – 6:00pm | Open Daily

  • Kids Zone – Come enjoy giant foam blocks, children’s toys, and children’s books!
  • Recess Cart – Tabletop games and craft supplies for all ages to borrow while you’re in the park.
  • Reading and Chess Pavilion – Stimulate your mind with chess sets and classic books available to borrow in this quiet corner.
  • Big Games – Challenge your friends to a game of Pop-a-Shot, badminton, ping pong, foosball, corn hole, or giant Jenga!

Mondays

Imagination Mondays

10:00am | Mondays

Get your wiggles out with interactive activities led by Happily Ever Laughter’s Faerie Rosella or storytime led by the Best Bookstore in Union Square, on an alternating basis. All ages are welcome, but the program will be geared towards kids aged 2-4. Caretaker supervision is required at all times.

  • June 1: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • June 8: Storytime with the Best Bookstore in Union Square
  • June 15: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • June 22: Storytime with the Best Bookstore in Union Square
  • June 29: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • July 6: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • July 13: Storytime with the Best Bookstore in Union Square
  • July 20: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • July 27: Storytime with the Best Bookstore in Union Square
  • August 3: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • August 10: Storytime with the Best Bookstore in Union Square
  • August 17: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • August 24: Storytime with the Best Bookstore in Union Square
  • August 31: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • September 7: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • September 14: Storytime with the Best Bookstore in Union Square
  • September 21: Interactive Activities with Happily Ever Laughter
  • September 28: Storytime with the Best Bookstore in Union Square

Sketching Lessons

4:00 – 6:00pm | Mondays

Join City Studio‘s roster of artist/educators for sketch classes in Union Square. Artists will use a wide range of materials and cycle through figure drawing, architectural drawings, botanical illustrations and more! Artist/educators are graduates or students from California College of the Arts and the University of San Francisco.

  • June 1: Botanical Drawing with Kaeli Mcleod and Sound Drawings with Nancy Nguyen
  • June 8: Zentangles with Delanie Lippert and Comics with Alex Hwang
  • June 15: Animal Drawings with Vicky Li and Botanical Drawing with Kaeli Mcleod
  • June 22: Statues and Icons of SF/Comics with Isaiah Torok and San Francisco Postcards with Lark Chang-Yeh
  • June 29: Botanical Drawing with Kaeli Mcleod and Sound Drawings with Nancy Nguyen
  • July 6: San Francisco Postcards with Lark Chang-Yeh and Architectural Drawing with Gui Veloso
  • July 13: Botanical Drawing with Kaeli Mcleod and Animal Drawing with Vicky Li
  • July 20: Statues and Icons of SF/Comics with Isaiah Torok and Zentangles with Delanie Lippert
  • July 27: Animal Drawing with Vicky Li and Sound Drawings with Nancy Nguyen
  • August 3: Sketching Lesson with City Studio
  • August 10: Sketching Lesson with City Studio
  • August 17: Sketching Lesson with City Studio
  • August 24: Sketching Lesson with City Studio
  • August 31: Sketching Lesson with City Studio
  • September 7: Sketching Lesson with City Studio
  • September 14: Sketching Lesson with City Studio
  • September 21: Sketching Lesson with City Studio
  • September 28: Sketching Lesson with City Studio

Tuesdays

Toddler Tuesdays 

10:00am | Tuesdays 

Bring your little ones for interactive and musical activities, led on an alternating basis by JAMaROO Kids and Music Together of San Francisco. All ages are welcome, but the program will be geared towards kids aged 2-4. Caretaker supervision is required at all times.

Tuesday Blues
4:00 – 6:00pm | Tuesdays 

Turn your Tuesday into a celebration of music and joy as the vibrant sounds of blues and jazz music fill the Square! Curated by Jazz in the Neighborhood and Biscuits and Blues on a rotating basis.

Wednesdays

Low Impact Fitness
8am – 9am | Wednesdays 

Achieve greater physical and mental wellness by practicing the art of Tai Chi with 64 Movements or Strength and Balance Fitness with Chinatown YMCA, on an alternating basis.

Cardio Dance
5:30 – 6:30pm | Wednesdays

Get ready to move, groove, and feel amazing at this free outdoor fitness class led by Rae Studios! Break a sweat and meet a new community at this rotating class. All participants should RSVP at www.raestudios-sf.com/union-square or be prepared to sign a waiver onsite each week.

Thursdays

Lunchbreak Music 
11:30am – 1:30pm | Thursdays 

Bring your lunch for an alfresco escape and tap your toes to local indie and singer-songwriters. Curated by Trixie Rasputin Presents.

Crafternoons
4:30 – 6:30pm | Thursdays

Learn to make and take home a wide-ranging variety of arts and crafts, from knitting to upcycled sculptures to natural printmaking. Drop in anytime during the program and stay as long as you’d like. Led by Rebecca Saylor Studio and SF Etsy, Coffee N Cream Press and SF Etsy, SCRAP, and Spark Studio, on a rotating basis. All ages are welcome, but children should be accompanied by a grown-up helper.

Fridays

Chess Lessons and Social
11:30am – 1:30pm | Fridays 

Come learn to play chess, hone your strategy, or meet new opponents during weekly programs led by the Mechanics’ Institute. Located at the Reading and Chess Pavilion in the southeast corner of the park.

Saturdays

Juggling Lessons
11:30am – 1:30pm | Saturdays 

Test your dexterity and meet the talented jugglers of Circus Bella! Join in for a quick lesson, stay the whole time, or just enjoy watching others put their skills to the test. All skill levels are welcome and beginner equipment (scarves and balls) will be provided. 

 

Second Saturdays ‘Round the World
11:00am – 2:00pm | Second Saturdays 

Experience the many cultural traditions represented in San Francisco through a day of themed music, dance performance, and crafts. Check back for more info on upcoming months’ themes. 

  • June 13: Calle 24 Latino Cultural DistrictExperience a selection of folkloric dances from the Colombian Caribbean Coast, artistic expressions that reflect the cultural richness and historical legacy of the region. Through Afro-Caribbean rhythms, energetic movements, and a colorful staging, the performance pays homage to the indigenous, African, and European roots that make up the Latin heritage.

    This exhibition is not only a festive journey filled with music and tradition, but also an act of remembrance and cultural pride, inviting the public to recognize the diversity and strength of our shared roots.

  • July 11: Japantown Cultural District

Karaoke 

4pm – 7pm  |  June 20, August 15 

Bring your friends, your questionable singing voice, and your main character energy to Union Square’s stage! Hosted in partnership with local spot  Sool Bar & Lounge.

 

Union Square Open Air 

4pm – 8pm  |  June 6, August 1 

Free techno! No walls, no tickets, just pure beats in the heart of the city. Hosted by Free Techno SF.

June 6: FREE TECHNO returns to Union Square on Saturday, June 6th with two foundational figures in American techno: Adam X and Frankie Bones.

Emerging from the warehouses, record shops, and late-night undergrounds of New York City in the early 1990s, Frankie and Adam helped shape the raw foundation of American techno culture as we know it today.

Frankie Bones became a defining figure of the early U.S. techno movement and is widely associated with the spread of “PLUR” — Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect — a phrase that still echoes through dance music culture decades later.

Together, they helped open Groove Records, the first techno-focused record store in North America, creating an essential meeting point for DJs, producers, and underground culture in NYC. Adam X would later found Sonic Groove Records, one of the most influential techno labels in the United States.

Their influence extends far beyond the dance floor, helping shape the sound, infrastructure, and spirit of modern dance music itself.

Opening the afternoon is 2Dahlia.

Join us as we continue our ongoing activation of Union Square through free, community-centered techno programming in the heart of downtown San Francisco.

Golden Gate Park Band

12pm – 2pm  |  June 20, August 15

Elevate your Saturday afternoon with a quartet performance by San Francisco’s oldest musical organization, the Golden Gate Park Band. Since 1882, the band has been part of the rhythm of San Francisco life. Their mission is simple but powerful: keep great music accessible, keep the tradition alive, and keep welcoming new audiences into the circle.

Sundays

Sunday Fun Days
11am – 2pm | Sundays 

Calling all kids and their families! Join us for fun and free drop-in S.T.E.A.M. activities led by Maker Studio Kidz, California Academy of Sciences, Walt Disney Family Museum, Randall Museum, and the De Young Museum. Activities geared towards kids aged 5 – 12. Caretaker supervision is required at all times.

 

Mahjong & Mixer  

3:00 – 6:00pm | Sundays 

Unwind with a sophisticated afternoon of strategy and community at these free mahjong lessons and social hour sessions led by local enthusiast Andrew Keeler. Come for the tiles, and stay for the smiles!  

  • Lessons: New to the game? Our friendly instructors will guide you through the basics and have you winning your first hand in no time. 
  • Social Hour: Meet fellow locals and visitors for a relaxed, open-play session. It’s the perfect way to bridge cultures and generations over a friendly match. 

Park-Programs-Sponsors (San Francisco Office Of Economic, Biederman Redevelopment Venues, Mayor daniel lurie, Bank Of America)

Program schedule is subject to change. Follow @unionsquaresf on social media for the latest info.

Free Programming is made possible with support from Bank of America and a grant from the Office of Mayor Daniel Lurie and the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development to Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, in cooperation with San Francisco Recreation and Parks and the Union Square Alliance.

Note: Union Square Alliance is not directly managing these events. For questions and comments, please contact unionsquare@brvcorp.com.

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