We’re looking at a busy weekend in the Mission, with Valentine’s Day events, including street fairs, card making and vaccinations. We’re also anticipating several art openings, with mediums including sculpture and murals, representing indigenous and Afro-Latin cultures.
Later this week
Community-led planning for 24th and Mission BART plazas
Join the community for a meeting about the future of the 24th and Mission BART plazas. Expect to participate in working groups. Bring constructive ideas; refreshments will be provided.
The meeting will take place Thursday Feb. 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts at 2868 Mission St.
Vaccines and Valentines for kids
The Latino Task Force will be hosting an event, offering gift cards to kids who receive a vaccine ($100 for kids age 0 to 4, $50 for those age 5 to 12). The event will also include card-making, dessert decorating, face painting and musical chairs.
The event will take place on Thursday Feb. 9 from 3 to 5 p.m. at 701 Alabama St.
Fridays at the plaza: Amor Eterno
CLECHA, a nonprofit that assists entrepreneurs, will host local vendors and a DJ in the plaza this Friday, as well as a Valentine’s Day photo booth at 24th and Capp streets, following up on last week’s tamale event hosted by Calle 24.
The event will be Friday Feb. 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the 24th St. BART Plaza. Details here.
‘Heart Wrench:’ A Valentine’s Day edition of ‘The Infinite Wrench‘
The San Francisco Neo-Futurists are a critically acclaimed theater group whose flagship performance, “The Infinite Wrench,” presents 30 plays in 60 minutes; in this case, about love.
Performances cost $20, and will take place on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10 and 11, from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at PianoFight at 144 Taylor St. For tickets, click here.
This weekend
Kick off the weekend by picking up trash
Concerned about the cleanliness of the Mission? Get involved by volunteering to garden, mulch, pick up litter, and clean up graffiti with SF Public Works.
The event will take place Saturday Feb. 11, with registration between 8 and 9 a.m. at 2355 Folsom St. The event will run for about three hours. Details and sign-ups can be found here.
Make letterpress cards on handmade paper
Storefront Lab and Shotwell Paper Mill are celebrating Valentine’s Day by printing your love messages on handmade paper.
The event is free and will take place Saturday, Feb. 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 337 Shotwell St. RSVP here.
Street fair on Balmy Alley
Last year’s “Lover’s Lane” street fair, a festival of food, art, and games, will take place this Saturday, from noon to 6 p.m., hosted by Mission muralist Lucia Gonzalez Ippolito.
Latina pop-up art exhibit at Amado’s
Several Latina artists, including Marina Perez Wong, will be selling artworks and prints at the “Diosas del Arte” fair in Amado’s.
The event will take place Saturday Feb. 11 at 6 pm, at 998 Valencia St.
Indigenous myth-making ceremony at Root Division
This guided exhibition will feature works co-created with community members which reflect on the indigenous past and look towards indigenous futures.
BIPOC community members are invited to view the exhibition on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.; it will be open to all on Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. The show remains open through March 14 at 1131 Mission St. The exhibit is free, with donations appreciated.
Blessing of the cars
The San Francisco Lowrider Council will be hosting a blessing of the cars on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., at the Sunset Circle Parking Lot at the intersection of Sunset and Lake Merced boulevards.
Dancing, sculpture, and Afro-Latin art at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
MCCLA will host two art openings and two dance classes this weekend. On Saturday afternoon, there will be an opening for Mission sculptor’s Javier Pérez exhibition “Heart-Speak: Dichos de Mi Padre” and dance classes in styles including folklore mexicano, danzón and ballet. On Sunday afternoon, there will be an opening for an exhibition reflecting the experiences of Afro-Latinxs in the Bay, as well as a danzón class.
The openings both have a $5 entrance fee; the dance classes are free. The events will all take place at 2868 Mission St.
Next week
Stories from the Central Valley’s white working class
Two stories written by Central Valley native Chelsea Bieker will be read by actors at zSpace next Wednesday, as part of its “Off the Page” program.
The event will take place on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., at 450 Florida St. It is free, though has a suggested donation of $25. Tickets can be reserved here.
Information session for aspiring teachers
The San Francisco Unified School District, SF Youth Development, and City College of San Francisco will host an information session to find and support future San Francisco TK-12 teachers.
The event will take place on Wednesday Feb. 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. at 555 Portola Dr. RSVP here.
Other opportunities
Volunteer for Carnaval
Carnaval SF, a free, multicultural festival that takes place annually in the Mission over Memorial Day weekend, is looking for volunteers for one, two, or all three days. Positions include setup, greeters, block monitors, information booth, crowd control, and clean up. Volunteers will receive a free shirt and meals. They will be required to attend one volunteer meeting prior to the festival.
The festival will take place on May 27 and 28, 2023. More information and the sign-up page can be found here.
$5,000 scholarship for high school seniors
Applications are open for the “Bridge to Excellence Scholarship,” which awards $5,000 scholarships over two years to students graduating from public or charter high schools who will be the first in their family to attend college. Last year, the program gave scholarships to 16 students.
Applications are due Friday, March 17 at 5 p.m. The application can be found here.
I am a Hispanic poet and I would like to share my work with your site also can you please add me to your email so I can get more information on events thank you