The Bernal Heights Story - What is Happening

Fiesta on the Hill: For nearly 20 years, Bernal Heights residents have staged a dynamic, high-energy street fair and fundraiser for the benefit of the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center.  On an October Sunday, Cortland Avenue closes to traffic and opens up to 15,000 people from the neighborhood, San Francisco and all over the Bay Area to support BHNC. The alcohol-free event focuses on the importance of children, youth and seniors to the vitality of Bernal Heights. More than 100 volunteer residents organize a day of pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin patch, local artists, live music, food and much more!

Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema: The artistic community of Bernal Heights includes scores of talented filmmakers including producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, videographers and others. Each year the community showcases the work of local filmmakers through free screenings of their work, meet-the-filmmaker receptions and other events. Neighborhood residents and film lovers from all over the City gain an appreciation of the local talent in Bernal Heights. Some nights, films are screened outdoors in neighborhood parks. Daytime events are held in other neighborhood venues. Bring blankets in case evenings are chilly, but prepare for an entertaining evening of indie films and people watching.

Alemany Farmers Market: A longstanding Bernal Heights institution, every Saturday dawn to dusk, the Farmer’s Market is held at100 Alemany Blvd, in the southeast corner of Bernal Heights where Highway 101 and Interstate 280 intersect.   At the same location since 1947, people come from all over the City for inexpensive seasonal produce from the region including exotic items like bok choy and plantains. This is a more down to earth farmer’s market compared to the more gourmand-oriented Embarcadero farmer’s market.  (415) 647-9423.
 
Alemany Flea Market: Every Sunday-morning between 8 am and 3 pm, people bring their “stuff” to   for this long-running neighborhood flea market, held at the same location as Saturday’s farmer’s market. Depending on the time of year and the weather, the number of sellers varies, with more activity in summer. Regardless, you can always count on finding bargains on such things as vintage clothing, dishware, baseball cards, movie posters, toys and items from the 60s and 70s that are becoming collector’s items. Early birds get the good stuff, so it’s a good idea to go early. Don’t be shy to bargain. The vendors are there to sell. (415) 647-2043.

Illegal Soapbox Derby: A decade long unofficial tradition in Bernal Heights hosted by The San Francisco Illegal Soapbox Society, which meets from 1 to 5 p.m. the third Sunday of the month through October at Bernal Heights Park, on Bernal Heights Boulevard. Residents build and race highly innovative and wacky soapbox cars down the hill surrounding the park. Cars race in three categories: cars with tires, cars with hard wheels and customized kiddie cars. The only absolute rule for the Derby is that every vehicle must contain a beer holder. Apparently this is a safety precaution, because at speeds of 35 to 40 mph, drivers definitely do not have time to be swilling beer. The Derby has no official sanction but neither have authorities attempted to halt the proceedings, and after more than a decade, the Derby has gained too much momentum to stop now.

Bernal Heights Hill-Wide Garage Sale: Each August this neighborhood-wide garage sale provides a golden opportunity to pick up cool stuff being let go by the community’s artists and creative types. More than 100 sites participate each year and maps are available on the morning of the sale at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center, 515 Cortland Ave. (415) 206-2140.)