Whew. I don’t know about you, but it’s been a looong week. Luckily, our spirits are up, because Halloween and Día de los Muertos are lurking around the corner and should ward off the Sunday scaries.
Here are some festive events being held at some old Mission haunts. Don’t miss out!
Mission Community Market
Thursday until 7 p.m., you can pick up some Day of the Dead merchandise at the Community Market on Bartlett Street near 22nd.
Grab the groceries for the week and drop the kids off at the coloring and tattoo station. If that doesn’t sound like a treat, maybe decorating sugar skulls, free pumpkins, stickers, and honey sticks does.
We know the holidays aren’t quite here, but the market welcomes families dressed in their best costume attire.
Events run from 3:30 to 7 p.m. More info, here.
Hub of Halloween
The Latino Task Force Hub on 701 Alabama St., too, has goodies for the young ones from 3 to 6 p.m. today. The warehouse will be converted into a hub of festivities, and deliver bags brimming with goodies for the first 60 kids present. Even if you miss out, there will still be pumpkin painting and Día de los Muertos crafts like sugar skull coloring and beats by DJ Tati.
And the hub has decided that contracting Covid-19 can indeed be very scary. So, they’re offering vaccines — and even treat you to a gift card if you get one.
David Ireland is the captain now
Two artists evoke David Ireland at the eponymous house at 500 Capp Street with multimedia videos and artworks that will be exhibited within the house’s own walls. Neo S. Sora and Albert Tholen who, as a duo, go by the artist name Zakkubalan, lived in the David Ireland house all of October and observed sound, light and other sensations. Together, they decided to weave the house’s history with their artwork, and will unveil four new multimedia installations.
“Similar to how Ireland collected rubber bands, nail clippings, and brooms, we are accumulating light, sound, and routine — details that usually sit at the edge of our perception,” Zakkubalan said.
One work attempts to summon old myths of David Ireland as a sea captain. Scenes from a seascape that are elevated with light patterns get projected along a “ghost-like” fabric along one of the house’s walls.
The exhibition is called “Below the lighthouse is the darkest part of night,” and will be the duo’s first solo exhibition in the United States.
Witness the immersive experience yourself on opening day, Oct. 30, from noon to 5 p.m. at 500 Capp St. It shows through Feb. 19, 2022. Claim your free tickets here.
Funny bones
Take a chance and see if HellaFunny actually kills … with jokes, that is. This weekend, four comedy sets run at a mystery location in San Francisco and feature some of the city’s funniest jokesters from Cobb’s, Punchline, and SF Sketchfest. Each show includes four to five comedians and lasts about 70 minutes.
Additionally, consume a spread of Korean and Japanese pop-up food and some witch brew (uh, cocktails).
SF’s HellaSecret Halloween Comedy Weekend runs from Oct. 28 to the 31st with shows at 7 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. each night. Sorry, kiddos and underage college students, events are 21+ only and require proof of vaccination. Score your tickets here.
It’s your party, you can cry if you want to
Nothing like a little TLC, am I right? For those of you too old for trick or treating and too young to die, here’s a “No Scrubs” Halloween/’90s themed party. On Saturday, Oct. 30, come dressed in your costumed best and boogie with some bogeymen at Neck of the Woods at 406 Clement St. There shall be a contest, of course, and plenty of tunes to remind you of chokers, flannels, and oversized clothes. A little ghost even told us they’d play TLC, Fresh Prince, Kid ‘N Play, Usher, and have some boozy drinks. Eek!
The event, like nearly all good spooky tales, starts later in the night, at 10:30 p.m. RSVP here — but if you’re a scrub, don’t bother.
Halloween vaccines and testing
We get it. Some of Halloween’s most horrific movies involve jabs. But this one that protects people from Covid-19 could be life-saving, doctors argue, and they’re willing to stake out on the holiday to give them out.
On Sunday, Oct. 31, a group of medical organizations, the city, and Unidos en Salud will provide Covid-19 vaccines to the community from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Unidos en Salud vaccination site, at 24th and Capp streets.
The docs want to see your mask; whether that’s part of a costume is up to you, but I’m just saying there will be a competition. Prizes will be given away at every hour to sweeten the deal.
Mark your calendars:
“Ni Tanto Ni Tan Muertos”
It’s good to be back. The 35th annual “Ni Tanto Ni Tan Muertos” Day of the Dead exhibit at Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts returns. The reception kicks off on Nov. 2, and costs between $5 and $10 per ticket.
“As we slowly emerge from months of mortal pandemia, mandated lockdowns, life losses, and disruptions, we confront, even more so, this human duality — the fragility of our existence, and the resiliency of our bodies and our spirit.”
This exhibit runs until Nov. 19. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Proof of vaccination required.
Bayview bash
Not to be outdone by the Mission, the Latino Task Force, Umoja Health, and other community organizations are holding an all day Día de los Muertos celebration in the Bayview.
Reminisce on cherished memory of loved ones and enjoy music, food, vendors, kid-friendly activities, and free Covid-19 vaccines.
Arrive at 1329 Evans Ave. anytime from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 1. Contact 415-431-2233 for more information and enter from the back on Fairfax Avenue.
Masks are recommended for entry.
Vigils
If you would like to spend the day reflecting with extra healing and remembrance, Calle 24 Latino Cultural District holds two events on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. These particularly intimate settings will honor women, queer people and people of color, and children who died from violence.
On Monday, Nov. 1, the community healing vigil starts at 6 p.m. and lasts an hour. The following day, a longer community healing vigil and living ofrenda celebration runs from at 5:30 to 9 p.m.
Manny’s Afghanistan fundraiser
Manny Yekutiel, owner of the civic space Manny’s on Valencia and 16th streets, wants to educate the community and raise funds to resettle Afghan refugees in the Bay Area. A presentation on the resettlement headed by organizations on the frontline of the effort is also planned.
“This is personal to me. I’m Afghan — and my heart is broken over the situation in the country of my father’s birth,” Yekutiel wrote in an email addressed to previous event-goers. “There is something we can actually do about the situation in Afghanistan. We can welcome these refugees into our part of the world and do it properly.”
Expect Afghan art, dance, music, performance, and food.
Bring your money and your attention to Manny’s on 3092 16th St. on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11. The fundraiser starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. Get your tickets or learn more here.
My dogs are barkin’
Tacolicious wants your hump days to turn into ruff days. The taco restaurant invites everyone and their furry best friends to come to “Barklet” happy hours on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at any of its locations.
As the description says, special doggo food is available and it will be their “parklet, your pups.” Oh, and did we mention $9 margaritas?
For our benefit, please choose to park your pups at the Mission store on 741 Valencia St.