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Elisabeth Wieselthaler-Toelly
Vice President, Global PR & Media Relations
415.227.2603
/ Laurie Armstrong Gossy
Sr. Director, Global PR & Media Relations
415.227.2615
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
What’s New in San Francisco June/July 2018
June 15, 2018 - In this monthly roundup from San Francisco Travel, you will find:
- San Francisco News
- Attractions & Activity News
- Culinary News
- Arts & Culture News
- Hotel News
- San Francisco International Airport News
SAN FRANCISCO NEWS
New Light Art Installation Is the Highest Altitude Public Art Installation in the United States
“Day for Night,” a new light art installation by San Francisco artist Jim Campbell, officially came to life on May 22, 2018, on the top nine floors of the Salesforce Tower on Mission Street. Eleven thousand LED lights create a screen on the crown of the building, the tallest building west of the Mississippi. Images on the screen are captured in part by cameras located around the city.
For more information, visit Media contact: Jane Gideon, 415-682-9292,
San Francisco Travel Launches “I Am San Francisco and You Are Always Welcome” at
San Francisco Travel is not waiting for the next tweet to drop or anything else that might detract from the city’s appeal to international visitors. The destination marketing organization has taken an unusual approach in launching the second part in its initiative to let international visitors know that all people are always welcome.
“Our first phase addressed the visitor directly to assure them that, no matter where they come from or how they live, they are always welcome here. We wanted to distance ourselves from the rhetoric coming out of the capital,” said San Francisco Travel Association President and CEO Joe D’Alessandro. “Phase two is from the local’s perspective, presenting why San Francisco is the place for them and, by extension, for everyone.”
The latest platform to showcase San Francisco as a diverse and welcoming destination is titled “I Am San Francisco,” an online series profiling the real people of San Francisco – both natives of the city and those who came to visit and found a home.
The nine profiles cover a diverse human landscape of race, gender, age, economics and orientation, including a cable car gripman, a Summer of Love historian, a Muslim tech worker, female entrepreneurs/pop-up chefs, executives, artists, a transgender person, etc.
Each person’s story is told in photos, video, text and audio. And each ends with the person telling the viewer, “I am San Francisco and you are always welcome.”
“We wanted to tell stories that are real and authentically San Francisco,” D’Alessandro said. “This is what San Francisco is all about – not just acknowledging diversity but celebrating and defending it around the world.”
“I Am San Francisco” was developed in partnership with Brenton Gieser and Felix Uribe, creators of the Tender Souls Project, a photo documentary project that began by uncovering the humanity and complexities of the Tenderloin, a neighborhood in the dead center of the innovation capital of the world.
“Brenton and Felix captured our attention with their stories of the Tenderloin, a neighborhood where disenfranchised, lost souls live in San Francisco. Their photos show a sensitivity and humanity not seen in the kind of content we usually create. Their storytelling abilities gave locals a voice in welcoming people,” D’Alessandro explained.
Gieser, Uribe and San Francisco Travel created an unconventional partnership and worked together to find just the right people to feature, people who were willing to go on the record about what San Francisco means to them.
The first three profiles – of rock and roll historian/author Dennis McNally, pop up restauranteurs B.L.U.D. and cable car grip man Ellis Cato – debuted on June 12, 2018 at A new feature will be added weekly for a total of nine.
The “I Am San Francisco” series is a companion to a video launched in early 2017 at The video is available in English and Spanish and was promoted in the U.S., Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom. Its popularity is reflected in the fact that it was viewed on San Francisco Travel’s Facebook page more than 167,000 times between May 2017 and March 2018. It has been seen on You Tube more than 5,000 times.
Rugby World Cup Sevens Make U.S. Debut July 20-22, 2018
Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 will be played by the 40 best men’s and women’s international teams at AT&T Park on July 20–22, 2018. Rugby fans from around with world – many of whom will be outfitted in colorful costumes and country colors – will experience rugby sevens, a faster-paced format that features 15 minute matches and seven players from each team.
This is the first time the Rugby World Cup Sevens will be held in the United States of America. Rugby sevens has proven to be a major factor in America’s rapidly growing interest of the sport, which was kick-started by rugby sevens inclusion in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The San Francisco Bay Area is home to the largest rugby market in America and will be in the spotlight as global media outlets descend here in July for coverage. Rugby is one of the most popular team sports in the world and is the fastest growing sport on U.S. college campuses today. For more information, visit
Single day tickets are now available. For tickets and more information, visit Media contact: Stephanie Martin, 415-565-9234, .
ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES NEWS
Concert Series at AT&T Park Sure to Make a Home Run Summer
AT&T Parkis not only home to world championshipbaseball, but also to a bevy of iconic concerts. The calendar of events in 2018 offers more bands not to be missed in exclusive Northern California appearances.
Ed Sheeran: Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018
Multi-platinum-selling and multi-award-winning artist Ed Sheeran adds AT&T Park to his North American stadium tour this year, appearing on Aug. 21, 2018. This is Sheeran's first-ever stadium tour in the United States and supports his latest album, which recently won Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards.
The Eagles with Zac Brown Band and the Doobie Brothers: Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018
Legendary band The EagleslandatAT&T Parkfor their only Northern California tour appearance in 2018. Their 2014 tour broke numerous U.S. box office records and sold out Madison Square Garden five times and the Forum in Inglewood six times. The Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2016. Special guests Zac Brown Band and the Doobie Brothers will also appear.
Journey and Def Leppard with Special Guest Foreigner: Friday, Sept. 21, 2018
Challenging for Tour of the Year is the double-bill of rock icons Journey and Def Leppard, teaming up for a 58-city tour. AT&T Park will be the only Northern California stop on the tour. The bands, who also toured together 12 years ago, will perform popular hits such as "Don't Stop Believin'," "Faithfully," "Photograph," and "Rock of Ages." And if that isn't enough rock, special guest and multi-platinum album act Foreignerwill appear to join this epic classic rock show.
AT&T Park's concert series is produced in part byGiants Enterprises, the San Francisco Giants' hospitality and event consultancy team. Giants Enterprises hosts one-of-a-kind experiences at AT&T Park and its facilities, including the annual signatureGiant Race in September, custom private events, and the upcomingRugby World Cup Sevens.
For more information, visit Media contact: Rory Davis, 415-972-1821, .
“Giants of Land and Sea” Opens at the California Academy of Sciences
Starting June 15, 2018 visitors to the California Academy of Sciences will discover the giant wonders that make Northern California like nowhere else in the world at “Giants of Land and Sea.” In this brand new exhibit filled with larger-than-life interactives, visitors will experience the epicness of the state’s iconic landscape, a place of constant change where people and climate are shaping the future.” Giants of Land and Sea” also celebrates California’s rich cultural diversity and will be interpreted in several different languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese and Filipino. This exhibit will be on view for the next several years,
For more information, visit / Media contact: Kelly Mendez, 415-379-5133, .
June 30-July 1, 2018 - 34th Annual Fillmore Jazz Festival
The 2018 Fillmore Jazz Festival returns to the historic Fillmore District celebrating the culture of jazz that flourished during the 1990s. This year’s theme of “90s Throwback”’ pays tribute to the success of the San Francisco music scene during that time and will feature musicians and bands playing everything from jazz and hip-hop to Latin and funk. Popular Bay Area bands reuniting for the weekend festival include The Mo'Fessionals, Alphabet Soup, Jungle Biskit, Dogslyde, Marshall Arts, plus Lavay Smith, the Broun Felinis and many more. Kim Nalley will once again headline Saturday's festivities on the California Street Stage. The Fillmore Jazz Festival is the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast.
For more information, visit Media contact: Denise Lamott, 415-381-8793, .
Storybook Characters Visit the Bay Area Discovery Museum This Summer
This summer, some of children’s favorite storybook characters are visiting the Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM) in Sausalito. On Saturdays and Sundays in June-August, costumed characters including Curious George, The Cat in the Hat, Paddington Bear and more will be at the museum for special story times, meet-and-greets and photo opportunities. Children can see their favorite imaginary characters brought to life while enjoying an engaging literary experience. All storybook character visits are included in the cost of museum admission and for free for BADM members.
View the full schedule of character visits at Media contact: Joanna Kauffmann, 415-339-3998, .
Road Trip: San Francisco Walking Tours Offers “Bohemian Chic” Experiences
A veteran tour guide in both New Orleans and San Francisco, Mindy Rutkovitz has launched a new tour company, Road Trip: San Francisco Walking Tours. Leaving the vehicle behind, Rutkovitz takes her small groups on an adventure through San Francisco, highlighting the places and experiences that are overlooked on most tours. In a style of touring she calls bohemian chic,Rutkovitz shows how seamlessly one can go from place to place on foot and transit, stopping to dine and take in the culture, the scenery and the shopping along the way.
For more information, visit Media contact: Mindy Rutkovitz, 925-695-7842, .
CULINARY NEWS
Aug 23-26, 2018 – Eat Drink SF Returns, San Francisco’s Premier Food and Drink Festival
TheGolden Gate Restaurant Association's annualEat Drink SFcelebration returns in 2018 on Aug. 23-26. The premier annual food, wine, and spirits festival for the city was founded in 2009 to celebrate the Bay Area's world-class restaurant community. Held over four days, Eat Drink SF presents tastings, demonstrations, and signature event sessions that allow chefs to connect directly with more than 8,500 food lovers and culinary aficionados. Sommeliers, brewers, and top mixologists are on-hand as well to complement delicious dishesand satisfy taste buds.
For more information, visit Media contact: Yuliya Patsay, 415-781-5348, .
ARTS & CULTURE NEWS
June 17-Aug. 19, 2018 - Stern Grove Festival 81st Season
The 81st season of this free outdoor concert series will kick off with a soulful double-header starring R&B/soul sensations Peabo Bryson and Jeffrey Osborne on June 17 at Sigmund Stern Grove, located at 19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd. in San Francisco.The beloved free summer series continues with concerts every Sunday through August 19, including performances by San Francisco SymphonyandSan Francisco Ballet.
For more information, visit Media relations contact: Anne Abrams, .
June 20, 2018 - “Photosynthesis” Light Art Installation Returns to Conservatory of Flowers for Summer
Celebrate summer with an amazing night of music in Golden Gate Park at the iconic Conservatory of Flowers. Beginning on the June 20 solstice and continuing through summer, the Conservatory welcomes back the Summer of Love light art installation launched in 2017. “Photosynthesis” transforms the Conservatory into a canvas of colorful light art every night. The flower-powered celebration is free and open to all ages. Developed in partnership with San Francisco Recreation and Parks, the light art installation, initiated by Illuminate, the nonprofit arts group behind The Bay Lights, together with Obscura Digital, a world-renowned creative studio specializing in large scale light-based art, uses gobo projectors to transform the all-white landmark with a series of exquisite scenes inspired by the rare tropical flowers within this national landmark.
For more information, visit Media contact: Madison Sink, 415-831-2766, .
June 22-23, 2018 – San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Presents World Premiere of “Unbreakable”
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus concludes its 40th Anniversary season with “Unbreakable,” a groundbreaking world premiere work by Tony Award-nominated composer Andrew Lippa on June 22-23. Starring Lippa, internationally acclaimed soprano Lisa Vroman, Broadway’s Britney Coleman and rising tenor Marcus J. Paige—and backed by the 250-member San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and a 10-piece chamber ensemble, “Unbreakable” presents an historical arc to the experiences of LGBTQ people over the last 12 decades, illuminated by four characters drawn from real-life stories from throughout LGBTQ history.
For more information, visit Media contact: Kevin Kopjak, 415-296-0677,
June 30-Sept. 30, 2018: “Truth and Beauty: The Pre-Raphaelites and the Old Masters” at the Legion of Honor
Premiering at the Legion of Honor, “Truth and Beauty: The Pre-Raphaelites and the Old Masters” is the first major international exhibition to juxtapose works by England’s 19th-century Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood with those that directly inspired its members: Italian and Netherlandish art that predated the High Renaissance. Through major loans of paintings, tapestries, and decorative arts, as well as significant works drawn from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s own collections, the exhibition will demonstrate the Pre-Raphaelites’ fascination with the Italian old masters, including Fra Angelico and Pietro Perugino and their northern contemporaries, such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling.
The exhibition will trace the Pre-Raphaelite circle’s “rediscovery” of Sandro Botticelli. It will also explore how the second generation of Pre-Raphaelites’ tempera revival practices were influenced by Raphael and artists of the late Renaissance, such as Titian and Veronese. Major loans of famous Renaissance paintings from collections in Italy, Austria and the United Kingdom, will illustrate these artistic affinities for the Legion of Honor’s audiences.
For more information, visit Media contact: Miriam Newcomer,415-750-3554, .
July 6-22, 2018 – 40th Anniversary San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival
The San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival will return to the War Memorial Opera House in July to celebrate its 40th anniversary as the largest, longest-running, and most comprehensive world dance and music event of its kind in the U.S. The 2018 40th anniversary lineup will feature Bay Area-based groups at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House and City Hall presenting dance and music from Alaska, Bolivia, Cambodia, China, Cuba, India, Korea, Liberia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Spain, Tahiti, the continental U.S., and Zimbabwe. Four groups will make their festival debuts and the season will feature eight world premieres created specifically for the 40th anniversary season. The festival opens with a free public celebration with performances in San Francisco City Hall’s rotunda on Friday, July 6. Two different programs will be presented at the Opera House July 14 and 15 and July 21 and 22.
For more information, visit Media contact: Scott Horton, 510-735-9200, .
July 26-Dec. 2, 2018 – “Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo” at the Contemporary Jewish Museum
The Contemporary Jewish Museum presents an original exhibition that examines the work of “Lew the Jew” Alberts (born Albert Morton Kurzman, 1880–1954), one of America’s most influential tattoo artists at the beginning of the 20th century. Drawn in large part from the private collection of San Francisco artist, author, and tattoo legend Don Ed Hardy whose 2015 book “Lew the Jew Alberts: Early 20th Century Tattoo Drawings" inspired the exhibition, "Lew the Jew and His Circle" includes never before exhibited original tattoo artwork, newly discovered documents and photographs from Albert’s early life, correspondence with contemporaries, and more.
Alberts was the original creator of what is now known as tattoo flash, the samples used in tattoo shops. Operating primarily on New York’s lively Bowery where a who’s who of tattoo artists could be found, Alberts was the first to design and market the printed design sheets to other tattooists. His artwork in these flash displays codified the repertoire of American tattooing, and many are still in use today.