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Summer street festival season is mightily upon us, and on Sat/15 and Sun/16, the North Beach Festival—the first event of its kind in both San Francisco and the country—will celebrate its 70th anniversary in grand and sprawling style. The tradition is now synonymous with the neighborhood itself, and brings with it a refresher on the city’s deep and vibrant arts roots.
Originally called the Upper Grant Avenue Street Fair, the festival was the brainchild of a group of North Beach artists and merchants, including Peter Macchiarini (aka the Mayor of Upper Grant Avenue), Rhonda Pack, Gretchen McAllister, Herman Baker, Yone Arashiro, Lloyd Demerick, and Kenneth Kneelings.
Like many great ideas, theirs was born out of necessity. Dan Macchiarini—son of Peter Macchiarini, a modernist metal artist—explained how the festival sprang from measures that craftspeople and other less conventional artists took after World War II to get exposure for their work. Back then, it was often tough for these artisans to show in traditional museums and galleries.
“They were forced to create this amazing thing, which was a combination of a production studio and a gallery, so the public could come in and see what they were making,” Macchiarini told 48 Hills. Following in his father’s footsteps, he’s also a metal artist, as is his daughter Emma. Their studio-gallery, Macchiarini Creative Design, is located in North Beach at 1544 Grant Avenue.
To get more eyes on their work, Peter Macchiarini and his peers also participated in open-air art shows. While these weren’t new, the idea of closing Upper Grant to vehicles to showcase their art at an outdoor street fair was. Though they had a lot less red tape to deal with than they would today, the festival founders did need the Board of Supervisors’ blessing. And that almost didn’t happen. Their concept was considered pretty radical at the time. But thanks to support from a newly formed neighborhood organization, the Telegraph Hill Dwellers, the artists and merchants got their way—by one vote.
“Think about how many thousands of street events like this there are in the United States now,” said Macchiarini. “And the idea for them started here, with this handful of artists and merchants.”
The live music and adult libations that lure many to the North Beach Festival these days weren’t allowed back then. But Macchiarini has fond memories of attending as a teenager in the ’60s. He recalled catching moving poetry readings and seeing Janis Joplin perform at the Coffee Gallery.
Put on by the North Beach Business Association, this year’s free extravaganza will blend the best of the festival’s original, artist-centric spirit with attractions attendees have come to love over the years as its grown and evolved: great live entertainment; food from North Beach restaurants and other Bay Area vendors; beer gardens; and family friendly activities. Most of the action is happening on 10 blocks around Columbus Avenue and Green Street.
“Our passion is bringing the community together,” said Angie Petitt-Taylor of Sunset Mercantile, the festival’s producer. “We put a lot of energy into creating an event filled with more local makers and organizations.”
To help honor the festival’s rich history, Macchiarini dug into his treasure trove of old photos from its early days to create two displays. You’ll find one at Macchiarini Creative Design. The other will be in the new North Beach Art, Culture, and Heritage Zone on Vallejo Street. (This is also where adults can test-drive another festival first, a wine and spirits tasting garden.)
Classic rock, swinging jazz, indie pop, and bluegrass will have folks head-bobbing and dancing in the street all weekend long from three stages. The musical line-up includes The Unauthorized Rolling Stones, Young and Up Too Late, Alpha Rhythm Kings, 7th Sons and a number of other performers. If techno’s your thing, head over to Green Street where KXSF DJs will transform a parking lot into a lit, non-stop dance party.
You can also thrill to the heart-stopping antics of the “Dear San Francisco” acrobats from Club Fugazi and get a cuteness fix at the Blessing of the Animals (or bring your own pup to get blessed). With more than 150 artisans, merchants and organizations—most of them local—this year’s Makers’ Block on Grant promises to be better than ever. Besides shopping for unique clothing, jewelry and other goods, attendees of all ages can join in fun interactive art and educational activities. Think coin forging, screen printing, sewing demos, making clay pinch pots, and more.
Artist Natalie Gabriel, who’s participated in the festival several times said she’s excited to live-paint a large wood panel in front of SFOG at 1314 Grant Avenue). The painting will complement her exhibition inside the store: Something for Everyone, a series of portraits. Known for her dreamy mural of Carol Doda—the iconic North Beach stripper who shimmied her way to international fame as a topless dancer in the ’60s and ’70s—at the festival, Gabriel’s painting another individual who left their mark on San Francisco.
“I’m hoping the person I’m live-painting will surprise a few people,” she said. “It’s someone I’ve heard most people say they didn’t know was originally from San Francisco.”
If you haven’t been to North Beach in a while, the festival is the perfect opportunity to check out the many new shops and restaurants that have opened in the neighborhood since the pandemic. Or visit beloved institutions that are once again thriving. And see for yourself why this community is one of the city’s most vibrant success stories.
NORTH BEACH FESTIVAL Sat/15 and Sun/16, 11am-7pm, SF. More info here.
