In 2023 we hosted more people than ever at our free outdoor movies and concerts, broke ground on one of the biggest park projects San Francisco has ever seen, and supported over 80 community groups who are improving our collective backyard.
You make this all possible through your advocacy, financial support, and engagement. With you, the next chapter of San Francisco parks and public spaces will be even better than today.
We have more projects in the works that we’re excited to share with you soon. But today, let’s celebrate some of the big wins from 2023!
Moss Street Improvements – January
Over the last three years, we’ve worked closely with Moss Street neighbors to install two murals, string lighting, rain cisterns, planters, and signage recognizing the space’s origins as a tidal wetland. This first phase of improvements was completed in January 2023, and there’s more to come in 2024.
Heart Your Parks Screen Print Giveaway – April
For our spring fundraiser, we hosted our first ‘Heart Your Parks’ pop-up screen printing event. Mobile screen printers popped up on four weekends at four different parks, each time with a new design specific to the park. We gave away an estimated 4,650 prints and raised over $30,000 through donations and memberships.
Muriel Leff Mini Park Improvements and Programming – April
Last February, we added a new nature play area, boulders, dry creek bed, and picnic tables to Muriel Leff Mini Park. In March, local residents joined us to beautify the Inner Richmond park at a community planting day. We celebrated the park’s transformation with a community ribbon cutting on April 3, which was also the launch of the second year of our free Jazz Thursdays concert series held through the spring and summer.
Sutro Stewards – June
Our Community Partners Sutro Stewards work to conserve and expand the wildlife habitat and trail system on Mount Sutro. In 2023, they established a new habitat restoration site, the Quarry Trail Connection, and planted over 1,000 native plants at this site and the Southridge Mugwort site.
Sutro Stewards are just one of our 80+ fiscally sponsored community groups who share a vision for improving their spaces. SF Parks Alliance provides these partners with administrative support, fundraising guidance, and more through our fiscal sponsorship program.
In 2023 over 3,250 volunteers supported public space projects through the Community Partner Network and over 19,250 people attended Community Partner events!
Sundown Cinema Movie Nights – June
For the fifth season of our free outdoor movie series, Sundown Cinema, we hosted eight movies at eight parks across the city including Mamma Mia at Dolores Park, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever at India Basin Shoreline Park, and Ghostbusters at McLaren Park. Over 16,500 people showed up at this year’s series, including Wakanda Forever director, Ryan Coogler who appeared before the show to speak about the movie and take pictures with fans.
“Really enjoy these free events for friend and family gatherings especially if you’re on a budget. Love the spotlight on different neighborhoods in SF and allows discovery around the area. These events are what makes SF a vibrant community and one of the most coveted cities in the world.” -Kyle Wong
Due South Concert Series – July
Southeast San Francisco’s free concert series expanded to four shows in 2023. Over 10,000 attended Due South in 2023, over three times the attendance in 2022! Check out the musicians who wowed record crowds at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park.
- July 29: Shannon and the Clams, James Wavey
- August 26: Cherry Glazerr, Momma (duo), King Isis
- September 16: Y La Bamba, Marinero, Loco Bloco
- October 7: Sheila E & The E-Train, Satya
Action Awards Grants – August
In partnership with the SF Office of Economic & Workforce Development, we distributed ten $5,000 grants, plus technical support, to community groups that bring free, recurring community events to San Francisco public spaces. Grantees included ASL Love, who brought the deaf community together for meet ups at Dolores Park, Create Skateboards who hosted a professional skateboard demonstration, and Other Avenues who gathered Outer Sunset residents for beach clean ups, bike rides, and more. Learn more about our grantees here.
The Park Market at Crane Cove – August
In 2023 we hosted the inaugural season of The Park Market at Crane Cove, a market series that brought local makers, food and drink vendors, and musicians to Dogpatch’s Crane Cove Park. Each market featured a theme – including a Halloween costume market and a winter holiday market – plus unique activities, like free paddleboarding lessons. Stay tuned for more market dates in 2024!
In its first season, The Park Market brought out 14,500 visitors!
Let’sPlaySF! Playground Renovations – August
Herz Playground in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley is the tenth playground we’ve renovated as part of our Let’sPlaySF! initiative in collaboration with the SF Recreation & Park Department. The new park includes two play areas, new paths, benches, picnic tables, a drinking fountain, and more! Up next for Let’sPlaySF! are Richmond and Buchanan Street Mall playgrounds.
Party for the Parks – September
Party for the Parks is the premier social event that supports San Francisco parks and public spaces. On Saturday, September 23, over 600 park lovers bought tickets to feast, dance, and sip on specialty cocktails at The Conservatory at One Sansome. Guests raised over $500,000 – to support parks and public spaces!
Kite the Bay Festival – October
In collaboration with California State Parks and Parks California, we hosted the first ever Kite the Bay, a family-friendly kite festival at Candlestick Point, on October 21. Visitors brought and borrowed kites to fly, and enjoyed live music, free food, and face painting.
“We had a ball! What a wonderful Community Outreach. The diversity was heartfelt and the kites pulled us all together.” – Kite the Bay attendee
Community Innovation Lab at India Basin Waterfront Park – October
San Francisco’s newest waterfront park is one of the most significant park projects in San Francisco history. It will develop three spaces – 700 Innes, 900 Innes, and India Basin Shoreline Park – into 1.7 miles of winding shoreline trails, a new playground, amphitheater, and more on the Bayview’s front porch. The India Basin Project will transform the space into a 21st-century park with an emphasis on public access, social equity, resiliency, and restoration.
While the park is under construction, SF Parks Alliance supported the installation of the Community Innovation Lab (or just “The Lab”), a repurposed shipping container that includes seating, outdoor bean bags, a lending library, electricity, free wi-fi, and games. The Lab serves as a place to build community and test and evaluate free programming that will be a regular feature of the completed park.
Chess at UN Plaza – November
In partnership with SF Recreation & Parks and the Mechanics Institute, SF Parks Alliance launched Chess at UN Plaza, a recurring Sunday event that brought chess equipment to the public. To make the famously complicated game more accessible, the Mechanics Institute provided skilled chess instructors for anyone, from first time players to experts.
Slow Street Sidewalk Gardens – December
In partnership with Friends of the Urban Forest, SF Parks Alliance installed 30 sidewalk gardens along Page, Golden Gate, and Lyon Slow Streets to make them more beautiful, eco-friendly, and flood resistant. Neighbors along these streets applied to have these sidewalk gardens installed in their communities, joined community meetings to advise the plantings in their neighborhood, and assisted with planting.
Entwined: Elder Mother – December
In partnership with artist Charles Gadeken, we brought one of SF’s favorite art installations, Entwined, back for its fourth year in Golden Gate Park. This season, the centerpiece was the “Elder Mother”, a weeping willow that invited park goers to revel under her branches. Ongoing programming like story readings and craft nights made it one of the most dazzling seasons yet.
SF Parks Alliance directly contributed over $775,000 to performing and visual artists in 2023.
