Seven notable SF Music Week 2026 events highlight industry talks, tours, and live recordings

SF Music Week returns Feb. 23–March 1 with citywide programming

SF Music Week is scheduled to run from February 23 through March 1, 2026, with events staged at multiple locations across San Francisco. The initiative is presented through a partnership that includes SF Live, Noise Pop, and the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and is framed as a citywide gathering for the Bay Area music community. Organizers have described the week as combining public-facing events with professional development programming, including an Industry Summit and an Artist Development Day.

The 2026 calendar emphasizes a mix of panels, workshops and tours alongside performance-centered events. Several programs are set in well-known venues, including the Swedish American Music Hall, Public Works and the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center. Ticketing varies by event, with some offerings listed as free and others sold through common ticketing platforms; at least one listing was still to be announced as of publication.

Industry discussions focus on media, affordability, and music’s civic role

A central component of the week is a slate of panel discussions that connect local music-making with broader economic and cultural pressures. One Industry Summit program, “Bay Area Sounds: The State of Independent Radio,” is scheduled for Friday, February 27 at the Swedish American Music Hall. The session is positioned as a discussion of how non-commercial radio stations are adapting amid funding pressures and changing media conditions, with a moderator and multiple panelists drawn from the local radio community.

Another public program, “Saving Space for San Francisco’s Creative Class,” is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25 at Manny’s. The panel description centers on high living costs and the conditions for sustaining creative work in San Francisco, and is slated to include panelists spanning government, real estate development, advocacy and creative industries.

• Feb. 27: Panel on independent radio (Swedish American Music Hall)
• Feb. 25: Panel on affordability and sustaining creative work (Manny’s)
• Feb. 28: Panel featuring members of the Oakland Rising collective (Public Works)

Hands-on production, venue access, and live documentation of performances

Programming also includes events geared toward practical skill-building and behind-the-scenes access. A “Music Production Pop-Up Lab” is scheduled for Monday, February 23 at Fault Radio, described as a hands-on workshop focused on music creation and sound design, with brand partners listed for the lab.

For audiences interested in venues as much as performers, a public tour of the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center is scheduled for Monday, February 23. The tour listing includes access to multiple spaces associated with the complex, including Herbst Theatre and Davies Symphony Hall.

Several events are structured to connect audiences with the production process—through workshops, tours, and recorded performance formats.

Performance programming highlighted in current listings includes the “SF SOUNDS Live Recording Experience,” scheduled for Friday, February 27 and Saturday, February 28 at the Ruth Williams Opera House. The listing describes a live recorded concert format across two nights, with different featured acts each evening.

Another highlight on the calendar, “50 Years of SF Punk,” is scheduled from Saturday afternoon, February 28 into the morning of March 1, split between Mabuhay Gardens and On Broadway. The event description includes an afternoon panel and an evening show designed to place long-running local punk history alongside newer acts; ticket details were listed as to be announced.