2014-04-09

Golden Gate Park Events – April 2014



You’ve heard the saying, ‘April showers bring May flowers,’ and in Golden Gate Park, this month brings a wealth of creatively fun endeavors to explore at one of San Francisco’s most favorite places to visit. There’s something for everyone to enjoy – including feisty toddlers, party-goers, the adventurous, movie buffs, runners, and nature lovers. So, get out your calendar, and don’t forget to mark down the following April 2014 events for Golden Gate Park.

Teeny Tykes and Tunes – Mothers Meadow – April 1 & 2

Hosted by InterfaceSF.com, there will be music, games, crafts, activities, and snacks that encourage young ones to enhance their creativity and stimulate their mind and body. Available for children aged 4 months to 6 years old (and their caretakers or parents), this free event helps keep lil’ ones occupied during Spring Break. Sessions are held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is encouraged through eventbrite.com, and you can also contact jamessoy3@yahoo.com or call (415) 754-5909. You will find this event location at 19th Ave & Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

SF Film Society NightLife – California Academy of Sciences – April 3

Dubbed the Reel to Real NightLife, the Academy collaborates with the San Francisco Film Society to bring movie magic to life with a selection on films shown in the East Pavilion, ping pong in the Piazza, a red carpet style photo booth, and music by Sweater Funk.

Thursday Nightlife events at the Academy are for an adult-only crowd, held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The cost to enjoy is $12 for non-members and $10 for Academy members.

Other Nightlife events in April 2014 include:

Cosmic NightLife – April 10: With a yet-to-be-announced special guest music performance, the Academy concentrates on celebrating the 53rd anniversary of the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin. The event will include asteroid hunters, astronomy researchers, as well as a live, computer-powered space ship simulation by the San Francisco Star Trek Group.

Dance Party NightLife – April 17: Don’t miss out on the Academy’s first ever museum-wide dance party, where you’ll get to experience popular dance styles from all over the world. ODC hip hop instructor Jocquese Whitfield will help you ‘vogue’ in the African Hall, or you could stick around for a swing dancing lesson. Other features of the night include a line dancing demo, clogging, tap shoes, tutus, and a fun look at dance costumes and rituals.

The Amazing Race – George Washington Grove – April 5

Fans of the popular TV show will certainly want to mark their calenders to remember the IIPC Amazing Race around San Francisco. Just like the show, you’re going to want to choose teammates that possess a wide range of skills, such as speed and agility, map-reading, and riddle-solving. A team can be comprised of one to five members, but it is the team captain who needs to register and pay fees on behalf of the group.

Ride on over to Golden Gate Park for team registration and line-up on April 5, which begins 12 noon sharp at George Washington Grove (and ends at 4 p.m.) There is a $40 registration fee per team (and you do need a car). For more information, contact the IIPC at (415) 752-6006 or email natasha@sfiipc.org

Spring Bloomers Plant Sale – San Francisco Botanical Garden – April 5

When you’re looking to get into the spring season with many different types of blooms in your garden, the SF Botanical Garden is here to help. This month’s plant sale will focus on spring blooms – held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Nursery.

They Came from the Swamp – Conservatory of Flowers – starts April 11

Consider taking a glimpse into the world of carnivorous plants (beyond the Venus Fly-Trap) with this ultra-popular Conservatory event, which highlights the beauty and danger of these fascinating specimens. The exhibition will continue on until October, 19, 2014. It is here that you’ll encounter a swampland with hundreds of meat-eating plants in the Special Exhibits Gallery. For more information, visit http://conservatoryofflowers.org/special-events/coming-soon-chomp-they-came-swamp

EXPAND: 18th Annual New Generations Student Showcase – de Young Museum – April 11

As part of a three-day event where guests may enjoy a juried showcase of visual art, film, museum object talks, music, and performance art created by university and college art/art history students, this part of the Student Showcase is free. The pieces you will encounter have been inspired by the permanent collection and special exhibitions of the museum. From 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., prepare for a night filled with performance, film, DJ music, and visual art on display.

Other de Young Friday Nights events for April 2014 include:

April 18 – Bridges: It’s a celebration of bridges, as well as The Bay Bridge: A Work in Progress, 1933–1936 with the Marcus Shelby Ensemble. A hands-on art-making project will center on the works of Georgia O’ Keefe. You will also encounter a curator lecture and Bay Lights presentation.

April 25 – Feathers and Fedoras: In collaboration with the SF Bay Guardian, visitors are treated to a night filled with fashion, music, and dancing.

5th Annual Wag Hotels’ Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs – Hellman Hallow – April 12

Dog lovers will certainly want to mark their calendars for an Easter egg hunt that has gone straight to the canines. The 5th annual Wag Hotels’ Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs will be held from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at 50 Overlook Drive. While pooches have a chance to locate eggs filled with treats and valuable prizes, their companions can explore a range of local vendors and finger foods.

The Easter Bunny will also be on hand to take a professional picture with your dog.

Check-in begins at 12 p.m., while the egg hunt starts at 1 p.m. sharp. A raffle to benefit Friends of San Francisco Animal Care & Control caps off this event at 1:30 p.m.

Lunar Eclipse Watching Party – Park Chalet – April 14

Following a San Francisco Amateur Astronomers (SFAA) event, which is not open to everyone, the general public may partake in an eclipse viewing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Park Chalet Garden Restaurant in Golden Gate Park. Come see the beauty of astronomy unfold before your very eyes – right next to Ocean Beach. The full Moon will travel through the shadow of the Earth to create a total lunar eclipse from 12:06am PT to 1:25am PT.

Earth Day Performance: USF Dance Generators – California Academy of Sciences – April 22

If you’re visiting the Academy at 10:30 a.m., come check out a special Earth Day performance by the USF Dance Generators – an interactive dance program that uses the ocean as inspiration. It’s an interesting collaboration between performers aged from teenage-years and those in their eighties.

Wild Crafted Cocktails and Twilight Tour – SF Botanical Garden – April 24

From 5:30 to 7:30 pm., the SF Botanical Garden celebrates spring with the wild flower bloom in the California Native Garden. Just as the sun starts to set, take in the sights of a flowering meadow filled with douglas iris and wild lilac as you sip on signature cocktails crafted with ingredients gathered from the Botanical Garden. Garden naturalists will lead a twilight tour of the Arthur Lee Menzies Garden California of Native Plants as dusk approaches. Those interested will check-in at the Main Gate at 5:30 p.m. with last entry at 6 p.m. The cost to enjoy this event is $20 for members and $30 for nonmembers.

Orange Bicycle Ride: Dutch King’s Day Celebrations – Dutch Windmill – April 26

The Queen Wilhelmina Windmill at Golden Gate Park will host a celebration for Dutch King’s Day (in honor of the King’s birthday) by filling the Dutch Windmill area with the color orange, and organizing in a free group bike ride, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The rest of the festivities continue on until 5 p.m. Bring your own bike in order to participate in the ride, which is best enjoyed by ages 12 and up. This event is brought to you by the Consulate General of the Netherlands, and supported by the SF Bicycle Coalition.

California Native Carnivorous Plant Terrarium Workshop – SF Botanical Garden – April 26

When you’re looking for a fun activity to enjoy on a Saturday with the family, the Garden has you covered with an interesting educational adventure – creating a mini-garden full of insect-eating plants, such as sundews, Venus fly traps, and even the native Darlingtonia californica pitcher plant. All materials are included when you pay a class fee of $50 for members and $60 for nonmembers, a cost that is by the terrarium and not per person. This event is being held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the SGBGS Nursery.

Playworks Run for Recess 2014 – GGP-Bandshell/Music Concourse – April 27

With registration opening at 8 a.m., join in the fun of enjoying a 5K (9 a.m. start) and 1-mile fun run (10 a.m. start) alongside students, teachers, business leaders, and community members – all for a good cause. Participation fees are $25 for the 5K registration and $15 for the Fun Run when pre-registering, and $35 when you pay for the 5K on the day of registration. For more information, check out http://www.playworks.org/communities/norcal/news/playworks-norcal-run-recess-april-27-2014.

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