Downtown Street Parties and Symphony Specials: What’s On Today in San Francisco

Downtown First Thursdays Takes Over the Streets

San Francisco kicks off the spring season today, Thursday, March 5, 2026, with the return of the massive Downtown First Thursdays (DFT) street party. Starting at 5:00 PM and running until 10:00 PM, the city transforms the blocks between Market and Howard on 2nd Street into a vibrant outdoor festival. Attendees can expect a high-energy evening featuring local DJs, live musical performances, drag shows, and fashion showcases. The event is free to the public and includes a variety of local food trucks and outdoor bars, making it the premier community meetup for residents and visitors alike.

Culture and Creativity: Bouquets to Art and SFMOMA

For those seeking a more curated experience, the 42nd annual Bouquets to Art continues today at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. This popular week-long event features over 100 floral designers who create living arrangements inspired by the museum’s permanent collection. Meanwhile, at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the interactive Sound Maze exhibition is open today, allowing visitors to navigate a labyrinth of unique musical instruments. Additionally, the blockbuster KAWS: FAMILY exhibition remains on view, showcasing over 100 works by the renowned artist Brian Donnelly.

Evening Entertainment: Theater and Symphony

The local theater scene is bustling this Thursday with several major productions. At the Golden Gate Theatre, the hilarious revival of Monty Python’s Spamalot takes the stage for an evening of knightly nonsense. For fans of thrillers, American Conservatory Theater is currently running the spine-tingling stage adaptation of Paranormal Activity at the Toni Rembe Theater. If you prefer a more intimate drama, the SF Playhouse is hosting a performance of FLEX, a play set in the 1990s exploring the pressures of a high school girls’ basketball team.

Music lovers should head to the Civic Center district, where the San Francisco Symphony presents a special evening at Davies Symphony Hall featuring the legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman. Performance starts at 7:30 PM.

Late Night Discovery at the Exploratorium

Rounding out the day is the weekly After Dark session at the Exploratorium on Pier 15. Open specifically for adults aged 18 and over, the museum stays open until 10:00 PM, offering a chance to explore hundreds of hands-on exhibits with a cocktail in hand. Today’s theme focuses on the intersection of art and technology, providing a perfect late-night intellectual escape on the waterfront.