“Excelsior Buzz” is a recurring column on changes, tidbits and news from the Excelsior. Got news? Send us tips at xueer@missionlocal.com.
As you can feel in the air, San Francisco summer is here.
And if you’re feeling the heat, even in the normally chilly Excelsior, but don’t have air conditioning at home? Check out the cooling centers at public library branches here.
Spoiler: For those living in the Excelsior, the nearest cooling centers are in the Glen Park branch at 2825 Diamond St. and the Portola branch at 380 Bacon St.
You can also find directories of public pools, water fountains and cooling centers on the city’s page of resources for dealing with extreme heat.
The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival is in its 44th season of Free Shakespeare in the Park, with annual outdoor productions of Shakespeare plays. It’s coming to the Excelsior beginning this weekend, at McLaren Park’s Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.
This year, the festival features its first-ever staging of Shakespeare’s Antony and Ceopatra, a drama about the clash between love and political power. The play is directed by Katja Rivera, a director, writer and actor from Los Angeles.
Come see one of the shows:
- McLaren Park’s Jerry Garcia Amphitheater (off John F. Shelley Drive between Cambridge and Mansell streets):
- Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 13, at 2 p.m.
- Sue Bierman Park at Washington and Drumm streets, just north of Embarcadero Plaza across from the Ferry Building:
- Saturday, Sept. 19, at 2 p.m. (preview)
- Sunday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m. (opening day)
- Saturday, Sept. 26, at 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m.
Admission is free, and the show runs for about 90 minutes without intermission. See more from the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival here.
Excelsior night market is coming up on Friday, Sept. 18, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Ocean Avenue and Mission Street, with a celebration of Latino culture.
The evening will feature the luchadores of WFC Wrestling — the masked, high-flying Mexican professional wrestlers who perform for the nonprofit Wrestling For Charity. You’ll also get a chance to meet these fabulous wrestlers!
There’s an afterparty at Rocks Den, 4753 Mission St. between Persia and Russia streets, featuring live music by Rojai & The Pocket, a San Francisco-based funk, soul and R&B band, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
RSVP for the afterparty here.
Salvadoran Soul Encuentro, an annual celebration of Salvadoran heritage and culture, is returning to the Excelsior from Wednesday, Oct. 14, to Sunday, Oct. 18. The event is organized by the civic nonprofit Sunday Streets.
- Saturday, Oct. 18: A panel at the Excelsior Library at 4400 Mission St. from 3 to 4:30 p.m. called “Niña Memita’s Kitchen Table: Stories on Salvi Legacy in SF.”
- Sunday, Oct. 19: A “Salvi Soul Art-Walk,” with print-making, poetry readings, live dancing, and more, at various locations throughout the neighborhood. Check for details at Salvadoran Soul Encuentro’s Instagram account.
