Civic Groups San Francisco

OpenOakland - Civic Tech for the Community

**NOTE: We will meet on the SECOND Tuesday in August, the 11th, to avoid National Night Out.** Join us for the monthly OpenOakland meeting. This event will bring together professionals, enthusiasts, and experts passionate about utilizing data to drive positive change in Oakland. **Pizza will be served!** The August Meeting will include: * Share upcoming Oakland Tech Week events and volunteer opportunities with OpenOakland * Hear a project spotlight on Project EVOAK * Participate in a brand identity exercise > **If you are interested in development, design, project management, user testing,** **domain research, or just want to get involved, please join us!**

The Community Trails deep behind Laguna Honda

Hiding in the shadows of Twin Peaks and Mt Davidson, the 87 acres of Laguna Honda have been the ranch of the last San Francisco Alcade, and almshouse for the poor, a relief center for earthquake survivors, a teaching hospital, and an asylum. These days it is one of the last publicly-owned skilled nursing facilities in the country. The area behind the hospital- once known as 'Bedpan Alley" because the hospital threw its rubble there -is filled with old growth trees, seasonal flowers and shrubbery, rolling hills, and multi-use paths. On this walk we'll explore the old and new trail system that was recently discovered and restored. It zigs and zags and criss-crosses itself past a flowing creek that led to the "Deep Lagoon." We'll meet at the sign for the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts (McAteer), at the corner of O'Shaughnessy and Portola. **WE START WALKING AT 6:00 PM ON THE DOT.** Please arrive a few minutes early to check in. Several businesses at the shopping plaza on the corner, including Mollie Stone's and Starbucks, have public restrooms, but there won't be any other restroom opportunities on this walk. We take the Troop 88 Trail to the (mis-named) Steep Ravine Trail after the lovely open plaza behind the hospital. From there it's the Timber Trail to the Victory Trail which will lead us to Dan's Lost Trail (I'm still not sure if Dan found a lost trail or he's lost and needs a trail- let's keep an eye out for him in case it's the latter). We come up Sherwood Trail to Clarendon Knob which brings us back to our exit on the other side. This part of the route parallels busy streets, so we'll hear but not see, cars whizzing by as we enjoy the natural world. City Steppers returning to the underground will have a chance to walk down to see the beautiful community murals sponsored by Precita Eyes along the hospital. These murals tell the story of the area, from the viewpoint of the Ohlone (on whose land we walk) to the present day, and tie the trails to the neighborhood. Sunset is at 8:15, so we'll finish well before dark, as this walk will come in at about two hours. There aren't any very steep parts for more than a few feet at a time, but all of the trails are dirt, single file, and uneven paths. This is the foggy side of town, so it may be damp in places. WE SHARE THE TRAILS WITH BIKERS AND JOGGERS, but they tend to be few and far between on weekday evenings. DOGS- Well-behaved and socialized dogs are always welcome on this walk. Dogs are allowed on all the trails but so are raccoons. It's also coyote pupping season, so dogs must remain on leash throughout the walk. HOW TO GET THERE: ____Driving- Market Street becomes Portola as you head up the hill after Castro. Twin Peaks Boulevard veers and becomes O'Shaughnessy as it circles Glen Canyon Park. Junipero Serra intersects with Portola at Sloat, just above St Francis Circle. There should be plenty of neighborhood parking, or use the metered spots at the shopping plaza which only charges until 6:00 pm, so you'd only have to pay for about 1/2 an hour. ____Public Transportation- is plentiful. Bus #36 (Teresita), #44 (O'Shaugnessy) and #52 (Excelsior) all stop the the Portola/O'Shaugnessy/Woodside corner, and can be caught just outside the underground Forest Hill Station which can be reached by the K, L, or M underground lines. The station is about a 10 minute walk up Woodside if you prefer not to wait for a bus. Line #48 (Quintara) also stops at the corner and #43 (Masonic) stops 2 blocks away at Laguna Honda at Portola. WHAT TO BRING: --I live across the street from these trails so believe me when I tell you: ebven though the forecast calls for warm and clear BRING A WARM JACKET. Even if the weather is nice on your side of town, we get the wind and the fog over here. You'll be happy for your jacket. Our meeting spot usually finds us in an arctic wind, but the tree coverage on the trails keeps it away while we walk. \-\- Wear comfortable shoes with a good tread and closed toes\. --Bring water. We won't be stopping for a meal , so if you bring snack it should be one you can eat while walking. --Bring your camera- we love it when Steppers share their photos! --Bring your sense of camaraderie, adventure, and fun. ATTENDANCE: Your "yes" RSVP is your promise to attend. If you have a change of plans, please update your status. No-shows and place holders risk being removed from the group. Crashers will be turned away. This walk is only open to City Steps Members. Please check your settings so Meetup will send you a notice if you are moved off the waitlist. You are responsible for your own safety on all City Steps events. Your RSVP indicates that you have read and agree to the liability waiver which can be found at the bottom of every Meetup page.

Trivia at Original Pattern

Trivia starts at 7pm. We’ll be there by 6:15 to start saving tables for our group (come early to help us save seats). Please remember to keep your RSVP updated if plans change, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Visio Divina -free Visual Meditation with Divine Feminine images

On the second Sunday of each month from 12-1:00 p.m. at herchurch, 678 Portola Dr. San Francisco, enjoy a free drop in meditative process. Visual Meditation (Visio Divina) at herchurch is a simple process of meditating with paintings of the divine feminine. The process can include journaling and asking for guidance. Katie Ketchum will be standing in the front doors of herchurch at noon to show you the downstairs Altar Art Gallery, or feel free to ask anyone for directions. The Visual Meditation is in silence and self-guided with instructions provided. You're welcome to come for any length you wish; this is a drop in hour, not a full one-hour meditation (unless you want it to be!)

Chill Vibes Ride

SAVE the TREES near a large Oakland air polluter

Nearly 90 new trees in the median need TLC. Park at 8000 Edgewater Drive median (off Hegenberger near Oakland Airport) parking lot. We have recently planted trees that need mulch, water and weed removal. These trees are currently alive, so now with this infusion of TLC, they will be safe until winter rains to resume growth. The temperature is likely cooler than most of Oakland as it is near the San Leandro Bay. You will need sun hat, water bottle and closed toe shoes. We will have gloves and water refill and a shade canopy.

J-Town Community Clean-Up Day

Meet in front of Asawa Origami Fountain on Osaka Way ([1707 Buchanan St](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Origami+Fountains/@37.7858932,-122.4298881,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x3f0c5278b364ee6d?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111 "https://www.google.com/maps/place/Origami+Fountains/@37.7858932,-122.4298881,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x3f0c5278b364ee6d?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111")) to grab our supplies and form our crew. Then, cleaning will occur from 10:00am to 12:00pm around the neighborhood. Sign up on Meetup, this [Civic Joy Fund Mobilize](https://www.mobilize.us/civicjoyfund/event/755813/) page, or email info@refuserefusesf.org with event name.

Start Your Saturday with Qigong 免费大雁功, 开始美好一天

**Start your Saturday with Qigong** Gentle movement. Mindful breathing. Restored balance. Join our **free weekly sessions** to improve focus, reduce stress, and boost energy. All levels are welcome—perfect for beginners and families! **When & Where** 📍 San Francisco Marina Branch Library – Outdoor Patio *(Between the library and the children’s playground)* 🚍 Short walk from Muni lines 30, 45, 22, 28, and 43 🚗 Free/permit parking at Marina Green Park (12-min walk) **What to Bring** ☀️ Sunscreen, hat, gloves for sun protection 🌧️ Sessions canceled if it rains **Featured on the SF Marina Branch Library calendar:** https://sfpl.org/locations/marina

Discover SF -- Filipino Pistahan Parade and Festival

33rd Pistahan Parade & Festival https://www.pistahan.net/ Most people watch a parade from one spot on the curb. We're doing it the better way: **walking with it.** Pistahan is the largest Filipino parade on the West Coast — floats, dance troupes, drumlines, and marchers in full color, rolling down Market Street from Civic Center to Yerba Buena Gardens, where a two-day festival with eight cultural pavilions is waiting. Our plan: meet for coffee, catch the parade lineup at its most photogenic, then walk the whole route alongside the parade — music the entire mile — and arrive at the festival together, right as it opens up. Come solo — most of us do. You'll have company from the first handshake. ## The Plan — Saturday, August 8 **10:00 — The Meet.** Paris Cafe, 142 McAllister St — a spacious, welcoming cafe two blocks from the parade start. Coffee, pastries, hellos, meet your walking crew. **We roll at 10:40 sharp.** **10:45 — The Lineup.** Two blocks and we're at Civic Center Plaza as the parade assembles — honestly one of the best parts: floats up close, performers warming up, everyone in costume and in a great mood. Group photo here. **11:00 — The Parade Walk.** The parade steps off and so do we — down Market Street on the sidewalk, keeping pace with the floats. About a mile of music, dance, and color. We mix up the walking pairs along the way so you meet more than one person. **12:15 — The Festival.** We arrive at Yerba Buena Gardens with the parade itself. First stop: the Filipino food court — lunch together is the plan, and it's some of the best festival food in the city. Then we hit two of the eight pavilions (our members who know Pistahan best are picking which ones). **1:30 — Friend Circle.** We gather on the Great Lawn for our signature close — the part where the faces you've been walking with become names you'll remember, and weekend plans get made. **\~2:00 — Release.** Stay and enjoy the festival as long as you like — some of us usually keep exploring together, and there's talk of a halo-halo dessert run. Flat, easy walking — about 1.5 miles total. The parade sets the pace. ## Three Ways to Join 1. **Full Road** — 10:00 at The Grove. Coffee, lineup, parade walk, festival, Friend Circle. 2. **Parade Gate** — meet us at Civic Center Plaza by 10:50 (look for our group near the plaza's Market Street corner — someone will be watching for you). 3. **Festival Gate** — join us at Yerba Buena Gardens at 12:15 for lunch, pavilions, and the Friend Circle. **First time with us?** Perfect event for it — the parade does half the conversation work for you. ## Getting There * **BART / Muni:** Civic Center Station — Paris Cafe is a 3-minute walk from the station (exit toward McAllister St). * **Caltrain from the South Bay:** Take a train arriving SF by \~9:30, then Muni or a 15-minute walk. Ask in the comments — a group of us usually rides up together. * Festival end point (Yerba Buena Gardens) is 1 block from Powell Station for an easy trip home. ## Bring * Comfortable shoes and a water bottle * Sun layer or hat — Market Street at noon in August * Lunch appetite and a few dollars for the food court *** ## Who We Are We're TownFlame — the crew behind festival outings at the Chinese New Year Parade, Cheery Blossom, SF Pride, the North Beach Festival, and the Fillmore Jazz Festival, plus festivals and outdoor group volunteerings in the South Bay. We turn the Bay Area's best community events into the easiest place to meet people: show up solo, walk with a crew, leave with friends and weekend plans. **Want to try hosting?** Our Co-hosting with TownFlame program lets you guest host an event with full support from our team — ask any of us at the Friend Circle. **Join [TownFlame](http://www.townflame.org/), Make Life Happen.** *** **Liability Waiver:** Participation in TownFlame events is voluntary and involves social interaction in public spaces. Activities are designed to be inclusive and respectful. Participants assume all risks and release TownFlame, its organizers, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for injury, illness, or damages, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. By attending, participants acknowledge that photographs, audio, and video recordings may be taken during events, and grant TownFlame the right to use such media for promotional and marketing purposes, in any format or platform, without further consent or compensation.

Aug 9th Tree CARE- along Oakland/Alameda Tidal canal off High st

SAVE the 24 TREES 4 years old along the tidal canal with mulching, watering, and low branch pruning. etc. Trees for Oakland (TFO) volunteers avoid tree damage via drought and sun with these actions. Please bring closed toe shoes, water bottle and sun protection. TFO will arrange for wood chips, access to water, tools, and for volunteers we provide cold refill water and gloves. .

Gravel Riding Social (Team Roaring Mouse)

# Gravel Riding Social - women friendly! [San Francisco Cycle Sport (formerly Roaring Mouse Cycles)San Francisco, CA](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gravel-riding-social-women-friendly-tickets-1994754717056?aff=ebdssbdestsearch#location) Saturday, August 15 • 9 AM - 11:30 AM Join us for a fun day out on gravel trails in the Marin Headlands. This free, in-person event is designed to be women-friendly, with time to ask questions and get your gear checked out before the ride, with male and female hosts. Perfect for intermediate or above riders looking to meet others for some good miles and company. Here's the 17-mile route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3501980968027162806 Register here: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gravel-riding-social-women-friendly-tickets-1994754717056](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gravel-riding-social-women-friendly-tickets-1994754717056)

San Francisco Bike Party - #169 All Bike, All People, One Love

**All bicyclists are welcomed! We encourage you to decorate your bikes, stay out late and enjoy the summer vibes this Friday night! Ride with the San Francisco crew of amazing bike partiers! Attire is casual and comfortable. Pack them snacks, beverages, repair kits, tubes, and recharge them lights! Be sure to bring your positive vibe and summer energy.** **Theme: All Bike, All People, One Love** **Start: In Chan Kaajal Park** **Party Stop #1: TBA on 8/4/26** **End: Mission Dolores Park** **Route Map:** **Public 8/4/26** **Meetup: 7:30 pm PST** **Rollout: 8 pm PST** **How We Ride:** **• Stay in the RIGHT lane** **• Stop at RED lights** **• Leave no trace** **• Ride predictably & in control** **• Roll past conflict** **• Ride prepared** **• When in doubt, BIKE PARTY!** **Bring the joy of bicycling with you! See you on the route!**