San Francisco’s weekend calendar brings holiday skating, a plant-based celebration and a handmade-gift market into the mix. There’s also tea to sample and live music to catch across the Bay Area. If you’re deciding what to do on 14 and 15 November, these events offer a lively spread of ways to spend a few hours out.
Essential Takeaways
- Skate in Union Square: The outdoor holiday rink is open daily through 18 January 2027, with skate hire included in admission.
- Try VegFest: The 27th annual San Francisco VegFest runs on Saturday, with more than 80 exhibitors, cooking demonstrations and speakers.
- Shop from independent makers: Renegade Craft Fair brings handmade goods and creative work to Fort Mason across the weekend.
- Make room for music: The Black Women’s Roots Festival features an intergenerational line-up at The Freight on Sunday.
Holiday skating is back in Union Square
The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink has opened in downtown San Francisco, bringing a bright, slippery patch of winter fun to Union Square. The rink is scheduled to operate daily from 4 November 2026 to 18 January 2027, so there’s time to plan a visit beyond this weekend.
The official rink website lists general admission at $22 and admission for children aged eight and under at $17, with skate hire included. Sessions start every 90 minutes, and special events include Drag On Ice, Silent Skate and Polar Bear Skate. Drag On Ice is a scheduled event, rather than a feature of every skating session.
New skaters can also look into the rink’s Learn to Skate programme. Free lessons are allocated by lottery, so check the official site for registration details before heading out.
VegFest puts plant-based living on the menu
San Francisco VegFest returns on Saturday, 14 November, for its 27th year. Formerly known as the World Vegan Festival, it runs from 11am to 5pm at the Event Center at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption.
The San Francisco Vegan Society says the programme includes more than 80 exhibitors, alongside vegan chefs, speakers, comedians, educational presentations and cooking demonstrations. There’s also a food area offering vegan meals and snacks from local restaurants and small businesses.
It’s a broad introduction to plant-based food and ideas, whether you’re already committed or simply curious about what’s being served. Check the organiser’s page for current ticket details and visitor information.
Handmade gifts take centre stage at Fort Mason
Renegade Craft Fair lands at Fort Mason Center on Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 5pm. The event brings together independent artists and craftspeople, with handmade goods and original work across a range of creative disciplines.
The appeal is more personal than a quick dash through a generic gift aisle: visitors can browse work by individual makers and buy directly from the people who created it. If you’re starting your seasonal shopping, it’s a chance to look for something with a maker’s touch.
Find your next cup at the tea festival
The San Francisco International Tea Festival is also set for 14 and 15 November at the Ferry Building Marketplace. Its ticketing page describes an event centred on tea, tasting and the people and businesses behind it.
The weekly guide says more than 30 international vendors will offer teas to sample, with a porcelain cup provided for tasting. As event details can change, check the current ticket listing before you go.
Sunday brings roots music and a community fundraiser
On Sunday, The Freight hosts the Black Women’s Roots Festival, a gathering focused on the range of Black women’s work in roots music. The programme named in the weekly guide includes Miss Faye Carol, Linda Tillery, Jazzmeia Horn, Silk-E and August Lee Stevens.
The Freight’s event page is the place to check the current programme and ticket information. It’s a chance to hear artists from different generations and musical backgrounds share the same bill.
For a different kind of Sunday outing, Lesbian Lube Wrestling runs from 4pm to 6pm as a fundraiser for Lesbian Visibility Week. The event listing provides ticket information and practical details, so check it before making plans.
Pick a plan that suits your pace, from a quiet cup of tea to a lively afternoon on the rink.
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