The Charles Unger Experience brings a true San Francisco jazz institution to the Main Stage at Broadway & Columbus, led by saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and Bay Area legend Charles Unger — a major force on the local music scene for over 40 years. Playing alto, tenor, and soprano saxophone across jazz, R&B, and World Beat,...
Marissa McLain brings her classic jazz vocal stylings to Otherwise Brewing for a special Sunday afternoon performance during the North Beach Festival 2026, joined by a rotating cast of friends on musical accompaniment from 12 to 2 PM. A familiar and beloved presence at the brewery's recurring Sunday sessions, McLain's warm, effortless voice is the...
The Word on the Beach returns to the Makers Stage at Broadway & Columbus with a second gathering of powerful voices — David Byrd, Genny Lim, Danny Rosen, Evan Kennedy, Jalal Huyler, and Jessica Loos — continuing the festival's celebration of the spoken and written word in the great San Francisco literary tradition. Each poet...
Experience the ultimate "living theater" of North Beach as The Magic School Busk takes up their weekly residency directly in front of The Red Window. Positioned at the vibrant, sun-soaked corner of Stockton and Columbus, this high-energy busking collective captures the spontaneous spirit of the neighborhood. The performance is a masterclass in Street Swing and...
Valeriana Q and the Swingin' Gatos bring a joyful, cross-generational mix of song and style to the Green & Columbus Stage, with vocalist Valeriana Q drawing on a performing life that runs deep in North Beach history. A proud veteran of Beach Blanket Babylon from 1995 until its closing, she carries on a family legacy...
The Vivants bring their roots-soaked sound to the Main Stage at Broadway & Columbus, a San Francisco acoustic quartet whose musical faith is firmly planted in the inspiring traditions of Southern music and showmanship. Their recently completed third album, Bluegrass Special, shimmers with bluegrass, old-time country, and gorgeous sister-harmonies throughout — a record that captures...
The Good Bad bring their high-octane string music and three-part harmonies to the Makers Stage at Filbert & Grant, a San Francisco bluegrass quintet formed in 2010 by Aaron Lanes and Thom Beneudici that has spent the past decade and a half building a devoted following across the Bay Area and well beyond. The five-piece...
Silverset brings their indie alternative rock sound to Otherwise Brewing on Sunday, June 21st from 3 to 5 PM, closing out the North Beach Festival 2026 weekend with the kind of propulsive, guitar-driven energy that makes an afternoon feel like it could last forever. Whether you're winding down from a full weekend of festival music...
Marc and the Contenders bring the Bay Area's premier Waylon Jennings tribute to the Green & Columbus Stage, delivering the outlaw country legend's music with the passion and authenticity it deserves. The band spans Waylon's entire career — from his early Nashville days and breakthrough outlaw classics to overlooked gems and beloved collaborations with Willie...
Howell Devine bring their hypnotic Hill Country and Delta Blues to the Main Stage at Broadway & Columbus, a trio whose rollicking, deeply rhythmic take on rural blues stands in stark contrast to anything else on the festival circuit today — a sound distinctive enough to make them the first blues act signed to the...
The Jose Simioni Trio brings a singular, deeply personal sound to the Makers Stage at Filbert & Grant, led by a North Beach fixture for over two decades — a self-taught master whose sophisticated, gritty blend of jazz, blues, and rock defies easy categorization. Influenced by everyone from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton to jazz...
The Sunday Blues Jam at Pier 23 is the perfect way to spend a rollicking afternoon on the waterfront — anchored by the inimitable blues drummer Sean Donoghue, this open jam welcomes professional musicians and budding artists alike to jump in and play. Grab a drink, a bite, hit the dance floor, and bring your...