40 | EDIBLE SF FALL 2025 CULTURE CALE NDAR Whatever the San Francisco version of the season known as fall is has arrived, and there's lots to see and do and eat and drink and learn around the city! For Edible's Abundance issue Culture Calendar, we're taking you to street fairs, food and drink festivals, cooking classes, cookbook events, shows and concerts, and a bevy of other events. Let's face it, there's no better time to be outside in SF than now, so here's where to go this "fall." SEPTEMBER An Evening of Good Things With Samin Nosrat at City Arts Sept 12 - 13 - 7:30pm To say that the follow-up book to Samin Nosrat's groundbreaking 'Salt, Acid, Fat, Heat' is highly anticipated is a vast understatement. Celebrating the launch of 'Good Things,' Nosrat comes to the Sydney Goldstein theater for two nights in conversation with alpha-podcaster Hrishikesh Hirway of 'Song Exploder' and Nosrat's 'Home Cooking.' Nosrat's new book centers on 'Recipes and Rituals to Share with the People You Love' and is sure to be another smash for the Berkeley grad. Japanese Streetfood And Sips At Nisei and Bar Iris' 4th Annual Block Party Sept 14 - 11am-8pm Bar Iris is hands down the best Japanese cocktail bar in the city, and Chef David Yoshimura's expression of Japanese cuisine at Nisei is unparalleled. The entire block in front of the sister businesses on Polk Street in between Union and Green will be closed off for this epic celebration of Japanese street food, drinks, and culture. Come for binchotan-grilled yakitori skewers, chicken katsu sandwiches, and kakigori shaved ice from Nisei, stay for a legit Suntory highball machine and a secret cocktail menu from Bar Iris. It's all set to live music, local vendors, and more in store on this vibrant stretch of Russian Hill. Relive The Historic Compton's Cafeteria Riot with the Tenderloin Museum Multiple dates - 7pm The TL Museum's presentation of Director Ezra Reaves' Compton's Cafeteria Riot has been drawing rave reviews, and we're delighted that it'll be running every Friday and Saturday through September and October. The interactive theatre piece recreates the historic acts of resistance for transgender rights in the summer of 1966 at Compton's Cafeteria in the Tenderloin. The audience gets immersed in the makeshift cafeteria (at a dedicated theater at 835 Larkin St) over breakfast for dinner, as the cast boldly takes them through that fateful night. OCTOBER Raise Your Stein At Park Chalet's Oktoberfest Celebration Oct 3 - 6pm Park Chalet's expansive outdoor patio and open-air dining room along the idyllic Great Highway edge of Golden Gate Park will transform into a festive biergarten for this Oktoberfest celebration. Lederhosen encouraged, as the Alpine Sound Band will play polka classics over sausages, pretzels, and lots and lots of beer. Park Chalet's seasonal Oktoberfest will be flowing, including a ceremonial stein-holding contest. Prost! The Greatest Free Music Festival in the City, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Oct 3 - 5 Warren Hellman gave San Francisco the gift of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in 2001, and the yearly festivities return at Golden Gate Park, still "free and noncommercial," as its benefactor intended. Bring friends and family, chairs, blankets, a picnic, drinks, or support one of the many local food vendor options on-site like Sandy's mufulettas, Mozzeria's brick oven pizzas, El Garaje's quesabirria tacos, and so many more across this glorious three-day affair. There's something for everyone here and lineup highlights include: Courtney Barnett, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, The String Cheese Incident, and Sinkane. Castro Street Fair October 5 Founded by Harvey Milk in 1974, the Castro Street Fair is celebrating its 51st year. It takes place smack at the intersection of Market and Castro Street, with a number of adjacent street closures including Market Street from Castro to Noe Street. The fair features multiple stages with local staple LGBTQ+ performers, DJs, bands, drag queens, and even two-stepping and line dancing at the Sundance Saloon in the parking lot behind the Castro Theatre. All surrounding bars and eateries will be open as well, like Brazilian outpost Cafe de Casa and the iconic Twin Peaks Tavern. Proceeds go to charitable causes and also fund the giant rainbow flag that proudly soars over the neighborhood. Primal Dining At the Treasure Island (M) eat Carnival Oct 10-12 Already holding court in Napa and Mare Island, the absolutely extreme (M) eat Carnival food fest is having its first SF edition at the Gold Bar Distillery on Treasure Island. Overlooking the Bay and city skyline, 20 chef stations churning out 100+ unique dishes on each of three nights take over for what's dubbed, "The party your taste buds didn’t know they were invited to." If it sounds a little over-the-top, that's kind of the point. Wagyu Steaks, prime chops, ribs of all sorts, marrow, caviar, and then some, all get cooked in extravagant, Mediterranean-inspired live fire cooking demos, and attendees indulge in unlimited wine and eat with their hands. Writer—Adrian Spinelli
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