About us
Are you thinking of making friends and extend your social circle by going volunteering, learning things, or doing good together? You are looking at the right place.
If you dig deeper, you will find us actually a social org :).
The things we do are very simple, meaningful things in beautiful settings, so connections happen organically, from shared purpose and experience.
Friendship through civic engagements and shared learnings. That is us - the volunteers, the working professionals, a volunteer community that runs events, for the new in towns, the young professionals etc. people in transition.
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So if there is a union for volunteers that do so socially, excluding the court ordered and school requested ones, that would probably be us :). Yes, most of us are professionals active in their fields, and we take care of our volunteers, mostly from the social side as well. In doing so, we also take on organizing social for the general community as our duty.
First thing you will notice that we are active mostly in public community events, from huge city parades to suburb town festivals to professional conferences, down to neighborhood fairs, and even other meetups. Perfect occasions for you to join, go places & meet people, check things out, with a group.
Second is our activities are structured, geared towards more interaction between participants. We recruit and provide volunteer hosts in guiding small group based social, call for after event hosts and social, and facilitate follow up social afterwards. So one event, you have 3 chances to know people more to get connected.
Third is we encourage active participation rather than passive following in our events. As you can read from above, you can volunteer to be an in-event one day host, after-event social host, or follow up social host. We set the stage, you step up and shine.
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These are the main kinds of volunteering and social we do:
- Outdoor, with state parks and other nature orgs.
- Civic, with festivals, big community events etc.
- Professional, with conferences & expos
- Social, we organize community social as a service.
If you are a transplant, community involvement gives belonging. So if you are going through life stage changes, you could take good use of these activities, find your people, (re)build your network, and settle here as your new home base,
So these self-aid and community building is directly in proportion to your social engagement. The more you volunteer & host, the more chances of connection you will make. In hunger of more social chances? Participate and host.
There are different roles to play in helping with a social event, ranking up:
Guide: Be there, be seen
Connector: Talk with people, get people connected.
Host: Read the room, read group's energy. Facilitate others to step up.
Captain: Adapt & organize event series.
We started as festival volunteers organizing social, and we plan to stay true to our community roots. We believe people & social skills can be picked up, as we did. So no charisma required to participate and help yourself, then others. A warm heart, a willingness to try will do. Come to meet your fellow others that share a community heart.
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We cooperate with many orgs around town, so you may see our events posted in other places as well.
And our goal? A gateway to local community social, a connection layer to community events, a student activity center for post-college life, a social engine for connections, a town square for professionals. Oh, have we mentioned some salt? :)
Join an event. Introduce yourself. Find your people. Build the belonging you have been waiting for.
At the end of day, we want to provide belonging, warmth, shared purpose, a human face that says "you're welcome here."
So, Welcome aboard :)
Visit us at: https://www.townflame.org
Upcoming events
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Volunteer SF -- Carnival Parade & Festival, SF
19th St, San Francisco, Ca, USWhatsApp:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/JPFzio2O8fPIuNsb5hkV87Volunteer check in station:
19th Street & Treat Ave, SFUpdate:
We got contact from the Carnaval festival organizer that they are still recruiting volunteers, in passive mode though. So the way to do that now is to find a shift and register at the volunteer link, then press the "Contact Organizer" button, that will send an email to the organizer so they can come to approve your application.The positions they are actively looking for are: Block Captains(4) and Entrance Greeters(5). Deadline is this weekend, so not to miss the online orientation next Tue..
Social Schedule:
- End of Shift group coffee on May 23rd (Sat.) 7pm
- Parade day social party on May 24th, check out its schedule at the Discover SF
- https://www.meetup.com/social-volunteering-crew-community-events/events/313061014
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This is the volunteer track of Festival Social we have been organizing, in contrast to the DiscoverSF participant track. Yes, these two tracks will socialize together in the festival, in different ways.
The Carnival Festival is one of the three largest Festival & Parade in SF, besides Chinese New Year & Pride. It is recruiting volunteers now, both for the 2 days festival and the Sunday parade. Here is the link:
https://carnavalsanfrancisco.org/volunteer/Benefits of the volunteering include lunch, T-shirt and festival insider experience, with said half a million attending this huge community event.
By our past festival volunteering experience, you get plenty of chances to interact with people, but often short and limited to your assigned station. You will be simply let go after your shift. Your chance to connect with other volunteers, or have deeper conversation, is quite limited.
We are fixing that, with two ways.
One is that we will setup a real time whatsapp channel for (volunteer) social, so you can chat with other volunteers and set up after shift coffee / meal debriefing social together. We welcome people to host this after shift social, you volunteered already any way :).
The other is that you are invited to attend the DiscoverSF community structured social in the event, as insiders guides to the festival. This would give you unique position to get noticed in the group. And if you are on duty the parade day, we can visit you on your shift along the parade route. So in addition to social with other volunteers, you get another chance to social a volunteer support group also. Double your chances.
If you need any help in social, let us know. We set up the separate social event to support our volunteers.
So if you are simply warm hearted to help acting as guides or assistants in the coming DiscoverSF -- Carnival social, you can signup here as well. And let us know if so.
The volunteer application deadline is May 8. We would then change the date to actual event date afterwards.
TownFlame: Community & Connections.
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.
27 attendees
Discover SF -- Carnival @ Mission
Mission District, 1109 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA, USThe feast of vision, the sea of joy --
Carnival.
One of the top 3 parades and festivals in SF, 500k people. All day event on Memorial Day weekend, afternoon optional. Mission District.
Two noticeable things beyond our usual parade & festival programs.
1. We have a volunteer track for festivals social. We have 20+ volunteers working for the festival, see the corresponding VolunteerSF post. We will visit them on duty, and then social together.- Side quest Dolores Park in the afternoon, after the morning festival programs.
Yes, of course, we would connection heavy besides the festival experience, as always. So we will run our hosting game train program in the parade, we hope to get everyone connected in the event. And yes, we will do follow up socials after the event, so be ready to be a follow up social organizer to meet your connections made in the event again.
π The Day
9:45 β 10:15 AM | Meet at Stable Cafe 2128 Folsom Street, at 17th Coffee, hellos, brief intro to the day. Arrive anytime within the window β no need to be there at 9:45 sharp.10:15 AM | Walk to the parade viewing area About 8 minutes on foot. We'll find a spot on Mission Street between 16th and 17th, where the parade has good energy and there's room for our group.
10:25 AM onward | Parade viewing + hosting train game The Grand Parade kicks off at 10 AM at 24th & Bryant and travels north on Mission Street. Lead contingents reach our viewing area around 10:35. We'll run our hosting train game while watching the parade β meeting people becomes effortless when there's something shared to react to.
~11:30 AM | Choose your spoke After about an hour of parade and conversation, we'll regroup and you'll pick a small group from people you've just met. Three rough directions:
π³ Dolores Park strollers β Walk 8 minutes west to Mission Dolores Park, the iconic SF Sunday spot. Pick up burritos at El Farolito or La Taqueria on Mission Street on the way. Picnic on the grass with skyline views, then either rejoin us at lunch or stay longer.
πͺ Festival explorers β Walk east to the Carnaval festival on Harrison Street. 17 blocks of food, 5 stages, vendors, the Soccer Arena at 20th & Harrison, and DJ block parties. Sample widely.
πΊ Brewery early-birds β Head straight to Southern Pacific Brewing on Treat Avenue, grab a table for the group, sip a beer while we wait for the others. Good move if you're already tired or want a head start on the afternoon.1:00 PM | Lunch regroup at Southern Pacific Brewing 620 Treat Avenue, at 19th β one block east of the festivalOutdoor picnic tables, full food menu, drinks, real chairs. This is the Courtyard part of our day β sit, eat, share what you saw. Stay as long as you like.
Afternoon (optional) Drift back to the festival on Harrison Street, walk over to Dolores Park if you didn't earlier, catch the 5 PM headliner stages, or fade out whenever your energy says it's time. The festival closes at 6 PM.
Evening (very optional) For anyone who did the full arc and still has stamina, we'll informally regroup on Valencia Street around 6:30 PM for dinner β location decided based on who's around. Memorial Day weekend, no work tomorrow, why not?***
πͺ What's at Carnaval
The festival runs along Harrison Street between 16th and 24th β 17 blocks, 5 main stages, 4 DJ block parties, 400 vendors, 50 food stalls, designated beer/wine gardens, a Soccer Arena activation at 20th & Harrison (this year's theme), Kids Zone, and the Mission Health & Wellness Pavilion.
The 2026 headliner is Su Majestad Mi Banda El Mexicano de Casimiro, performing at 5 PM on the main stage.***
π³ About Mission Dolores Park
If you're visiting San Francisco, Dolores Park is one of the city's iconic anchors β the social heart of the Mission, with sweeping views of downtown framed through palm trees. On Memorial Day weekend Sunday afternoon, expect peak SF energy: families on blankets, dogs running, music from every direction, the legendary Bi-Rite Creamery line two blocks away. It's a different vibe from the festival β outdoor party that happens to be on grass.The Dolores spoke is especially recommended for first-time visitors to SF. Pair it with burritos from Mission Street's taquerΓa row (La Taqueria, El Farolito, or Pancho Villa) for the canonical SF Sunday combo.
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π Getting There
BART (best option for SF and East Bay): Get off at 16th St Mission or 24th St Mission. Both are a 5β10 minute walk to our meeting spot at Stable Cafe.Caltrain (from South Bay): Take the 8:16 AM Caltrain
Train 605, weekend service)β also picks up at every station between Mountain View and 4th & King. Arrives at 4th & King station at 9:15 AM. From there, take Muni 22 Fillmore bus east to 16th & Folsom (about 20 min total) or walk through SoMa (about 30 min). Stable Cafe is one block north of the bus stop.Driving: Strongly discouraged. The festival corridor and parade route are closed to vehicles all weekend, and Mission District parking on Carnaval Sunday is essentially impossible.
Out-of-town visitors: If you're staying anywhere downtown, in SoMa, or in the central neighborhoods, BART or Muni will get you to the Mission in 15β20 minutes. Rideshare into the Mission on Carnaval Sunday is slow β public transit is faster.
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π What to Bring
- Comfortable shoes β you'll be standing 2+ hours before our lunch sit-down
- Water and sun protection β the parade route gets hot, and Dolores has no shade
- Small foldable stool or sit-pad if you have one β the curb and the park grass are both your friend
- Cash for festival food vendors (cards work most places but cash is faster)
- A small blanket if you're doing the Dolores spoke
- A friend who'd enjoy the day
Please leave pets at home β the parade and festival crowds are too much for them, and the festival officially recommends against bringing animals. Dolores Park is dog-friendly if you're going there only.
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π€ The Vibe
This is a long flexible day, not a rigid tour. Our only structured time is the morning hosting train game during the parade. After that, you're with new friends choosing your own adventure.
You can show up late, leave early, find us again at lunch, or do the whole arc through dinner. The goal is connection, not coverage. If you came at 11:30 and only stayed for the parade tail, that's a good day. If you stayed until the 5 PM headliner and then dinner on Valencia, that's also a good day.For visitors to SF: this day is designed to give you both the headline cultural celebration and the iconic Mission Sunday experience in a single arc. Come open, leave with a few new friends.
Bring openness. Bring curiosity. Leave the agenda at home.Join TownFlame: Growth Social Volunteering Professionals
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.60 attendees
Volunteering & Festival Social -- Arts & Wine Festival, Sunnyvale
Bean Scene, Murphy Street, Sunnyvale, CA, USThis is Sunnyvale's 50th Art & Wine Festival. And as always, we do volunteering and organize festival social in the event, for people to build connections, with each other, and with local community.
Sunnyvale's downtown changed a lot after the Covid years, it has this livable urban village feel, adding a combo of high end apartments with first floor retails shops. The management company CityLine also added a string of events along the McKinley ave., making it a vibrant city life block.
The festival is organized by Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce, for the whole weekend. It covers the a large area from Washington Ave. to McKinley Ave., detailed info is at:
https://www.sunnyvaleartandwine.com/aboutAs usual, we come in with two tracks at the festival, the volunteer insider track and the festival social track:
Volunteer track: Registration
https://www.sunnyvaleartandwine.com/volunteerSunnyvale festival offers the standard volunteer package, free volunteer T-shirt, with after party invitation. As usual, the popular shifts are beer & wine pouring, and some others. To join this track, you must register using the above link.
You can select any shift that work for your schedule. We will be onsite organizing the Sun. festival social, so you can invite your shift mates to join the social as well.
Festival Social track:
This is for people to get connected in a city community festival, to support our volunteers, to experience the festival crowd and spend a nice afternoon together.We do perimeter walk together, and treasure hunting style festival scouting, enjoy the festival, and end with an optional group gathering coffee chat. As usual, we will do our connection game.
We have openings for host trainees. If you are interested in meeting more people by learning organizing events in a fellow team together, please come talk with the host(s) on site.
Location: Bean Scene Cafe
186 S Murphy Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Festival Social Schedule:
12:30 pm. Meet outside Bean Scene Cafe on Murphy Ave.
1 pm. Perimeter walk of the festival.
Social connection game.
1:30 pm Grouped Festival Treasure hunt scouting, food, people, activities etc.
2:30 pm Re-group, collection of recommendations, full festival immersion
5 or 6pm Optional group coffee chat at end of festivalJoin TownFlame events, 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.
1 attendee
Stern Grove Music Festival Volunteering Social -- Peter Cat Recording Co.
Stern Grove, Corner 19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd., San Francisco, ca, USThis is info post.
Volunteering & Social with SF's summer music festival series -- Stern Grove, the nationβs longest-running free music festival in the country.
Bringing free music to The Bay since 1938. Each show is limited to 10k participants, plus hundreds of volunteers.https://www.sterngrove.org/
For the June 14th show -- Peter Cat Recording Co., all lottery tickets are taken, there are 100+ volunteer seats open, take yours at:
https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/#/join-party?k=5er5ffthtewsoh
Besides attending the June 14th show for free, you can also claim free tickets for another two future shows.We will provide WhatsApp channel for people to communicate with each other before and after. Invite your fellow volunteers to join us for future volunteering social.
Join TownFlame event, 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.
1 attendee
Past events
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