🌟Local Kiddo

Your weekend plans, handled.

Author

Jasmine Alves
February 13, 2025

📆Issue No. 4 - February 14-20, 2025

I've always wanted to raise a city kiddo. There's something special about children who grow up surrounded by culture, who think museum cafes are normal lunch spots, and who learn early that the best dim sum requires a bit of a wait.

This weekend's particularly good for cultivating that city kid energy: a legendary parade, an indie musical adaptation, some West African rhythms, and even a campfire under city stars. Here's your plan to take advantage of it all.

🎯The Main Event 

The Chinese New Year Parade returns, and this year's Year of the Snake celebrations are worth braving the crowds for. Think less tourist chaos, more cultural spectacle that actually engages all ages.

Saturday, February 15

Sunday, February 16:

Worth Knowing:

  • $: Completely free (unless you buy bleacher tickets for the parade)

  • Over 120 vendors at the Community Street Fair

  • Parade features floats, lion dancers, bands, stilt walkers and a

  • Fair Location:

    • Grant Ave – from California to Broadway

    • Washington, Jackson and Pacific between Stockton and Kearny

  • Parade Location

    • Parade starts at 2nd and Market Street, goes around Union Square and ends at Kearny Street & Columbus Ave

Pro move: Make a day out of the celebrations. Start your day with an egg tart at Golden Gate Bakery before you browse the vendors. Take a break for lunch at House of Nanking or China Live. Head to the entertainment stage on Pacific St. below Grant Ave. to enjoy Chinese folk dancing, opera, drumming and more fun performances. Don’t forget to get a family photo with the giant puppets and the dragon.

🚌 Getting There: Bart/Muni to Chinatown - Rose Pak Station, 8BX-Bayshore B Express, 12-Folsom/Pacific, 45-Union/Stockton

🎨Cultural Queue 

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical P.L.A.Y. Theatre Company turns everyone's favorite stubborn bird into a surprisingly sophisticated show. Perfect for the picture book crowd.

Show times:

  • $24-$34

  • Saturday & Sunday: 10:30am, 2:00pm

  • 1 hour run time with 10 minute intermission (perfect)

  • Get last minute tickets here.

Parent intel:

  • Make a day out of it and let your kiddos explore the animation studio, lil’ critter city and other exhibits at the Children’s Creativity Museum. End your day with a carousel ride!

🚌 Getting There: Muni to Powell Street, 5-Fulton, 6-Haight/Parnassus, 7-Haight/Noriega, 14-Mission, 30-Stockton, 38-Geary, 45-Union/Stockton

Back to the Future: The Musical For the 6+ crowd, this one's actually worth the ticket price. All the nostalgia you want, plus enough new material to keep it fresh.

Worth knowing:

  • $75-$254

  • Orpheum Theater

  • Saturday: 1:00pm & 7:00pm

  • Sunday: 1:00pm

  • No kids under 5

  • 2 hours 40 minutes with intermission

  • Best seats: Orchestra rows J-M

🚌 Getting There: Muni to Civic Center, 6-Haight/Parnassus, 7-Haight/Noriega, 9-San Bruno, 19-Polk, 27-Bryant

🌙After Hours (Adult Only) 

When you finally secure that sitter: 

Noise Pop, the iconic independent music and arts promoter of the Bay Area, kicks off their fan-favorite music fest with an unforgettable party at the California Academy of Sciences. Groove to a DJ set from modern-funk musician DāM-FunK, shop local SF vendors, say hello to your favorite fishes while sipping a cocktail, and more.

Thursday, February 20, 6-10pm

  • $25-$75, ($20 for members)

  • High-energy set from self-taught musician and DJ DāM-FunK

  • Shop second-hand with Crossroads Trading.

  • Live screen printing pop-up with San FranPsycho live screen printing pop-up (buy something or BYO shirt or tote for screen printing)

🚌 Getting There: N-Judah, 5-Fulton, 7-Haight and 44-O’Shaughnessy

Love independent music and arts, but can’t make the Noise Pop opening night party? Check out the rest of the Noise Pop Festival events here. The festival runs from February 21 - March 2!

✨ What Else Is Good This Week

Friday, 2/14:

Saturday, 2/15:

Sunday, 2/16:

Monday, 2/17:

  • Take advantage of the long weekend and the fact that SF Residents get free access to the gardens in Golden Gate Park. Visit Golden Gate Gardens, Groves, Lakes and Meadows. Our favorites are the Conservatory of Flowers when it is wet out and the Japanese Tea Garden when the weather is nice. The Children’s Garden is also open daily (weather permitting).

⚡ TLDR: Weekend Gameplan

Saturday, February 15:

  • 10:00am - 4:30pm Chinese New Year Community Street Fair

  • 10:30am - 11:40am Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Buse

  • 5:15pm - 8:00 pm Chinese New Year Parade

Sunday, February 16:

  • 10:00am - 4:30pm Chinese New Year Community Street Fair

  • 5:15pm - 8:00 pm Chinese New Year Parade  

For Adults Only:

  • Noise Pop Opening Night Party, February 20, 6:00pm - 10:00pm

  • Noise Pop Festival, February 21 - March 2

🔭 On Our Radar

Penguins & Pajamas Sleepover There is still time to grab a ticket to the February 28 sleepover. Sleep next to Cal Academy's penguin colony without the usual daytime crowds? Yes. Click the link for details.

Found a spot that works for both you and the kiddos? Tell us – we read everything.

Until next week,

Local Kiddo — Because good taste doesn’t end at parenthood.

P.S. Forward this to that parent friend who's still mourning their pre-kid morning routine. We've got them.

P.P.S. Want to partner with us? We work with brands that parents actually want in their lives (you know, the ones that don't make us choose between "kid-friendly" and "still cool"). Email us at [email protected] if that sounds like you.

How'd we do? Take our 5-second survey:

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Click the option that fits, and feel free to tell us why. We read every response because we're nosy like that.