Free Programming with The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department
/The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department offers a variety of free programs aimed at promoting community engagement, physical activity, and cultural enrichment for residents of all ages. These initiatives are designed to foster a healthy and active lifestyle, providing accessible opportunities for recreation throughout the city.
Golden Gate Bandshell Concerts
Illuminate and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department will present more than 125 free concerts at the historic Golden Gate Bandshell in Golden Gate Park in 2025, starting with women-fronted bands on March 1. The 2025 season will run through mid-November, featuring shows most Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and select Saturdays.
Free daily programming Open 9am – 6pm | Tuesday – Sunday in Union Square Plaza offerings from January 30 – April 30, 2025.
UN Skate Plaza: Free Skateboarding Lessons
Come join us at UN Plaza for Skate Plaza Free Skateboarding Lessons every Tuesday from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Learn the basics of Skateboarding at UN Skate Plaza, 355 McAllister Street, San Francisco.
FREE Dance at the Plaza with Rae Studios, United Nations Plaza
R&B Fitness Class
Thursday, March 13 5-6pm, March 19 6-7pm, March 20 5-6pm, March 27 5-6pm, Come explore the smoother side of commercial dance with this RnB technique class! Grounded in hip-hop style, RnB dance uses a vocabulary of smooth movements, isolations, and urban footwork to build slower tempo choreography that is feel good, look good, and full of swagger - all danced to your favorite RnB hits!
Thursday, March 13, 5-6pm & March 20, 6-7pm, March 27 6-7pm, Afro-dance is a choreography-based class with some freestyle elements. Afro dance is a huge umbrella of dance styles influenced by East, West, South, and Central Africa. In this class, you will learn the history and foundation, choreography, muscle memory, as well as stylized and freestyle movements.
March 15 10-11am, March 19 5-6pm March 22 10-11am, March 26 5-6pm, March 29 10-11am, Hip-Hop dance consists of Breaking (commercially known as Breakdancing) and Hip-Hop Party Moves (e.g., Bart Simpson, Biz Markie, Roger Rabbit, Running Man) and Hip-Hop is an artistic and cultural movement that started in the 1970s in The Bronx of New York City by Black and Latiné youth who expressed joy through Hip-Hop during a time of oppression. In this class students will focus on A beginner-friendly Hip-Hop dance combo that will help with choreography and movement quality. This course is a prerequisite requirement for many of our intermediate/advanced classes.
Shuffle Fitness Class
March 15 & March 22, 11am-12pm, March 29 11am-12pm, Shuffle originated in Melbourne, Australia in the late 1980’s and was danced in the club scene to Electronic Dance music. Over the years shuffling has taken the world by storm from clubs to festivals. Shuffling is known to be inclusive, liberating, spiritual, free of judgment, and true expression. Shuffle Dance connects you with the music you love in a special way. In this class students will learn basic shuffle skills like the running man, and the T-step, while also learning to incorporate their own stylistic movements.
March 16 10-11am, March 18 6-7pm, March 23 10-11am, March 25 6-7pm, March 30 10-11am, DRENCHED! is a signature Rae Studios cardio dance-based class created by Jessica Rae featuring pre-choreographed dance combos. Music genres include Hip Hop, Latin Dance, Dancehall, Afro Dance, Reggaeton, and Pop. In this class, prepare to bring a towel and bottled water. Class will continuously move with three levels of movement. Levels 1-2 are easy to follow with Level 3 designed to move vigorously while pushing choreography retention. We suggest taking this class for at least 3-5 weeks to get in the swing of learning combos. Class is great for all levels. Modified movements available and instructed by the teacher for every class.
BollyX Fitness Class
March 16 & March 23, 11am-12pm, March 30 11am-12pm, A Bollywood cardio dance fitness class inspired and driven by the heart-pumping, energetic rhythms of Bollywood. The class embodies dynamic choreography and easy-to-follow dance aerobics. Learn the origins and vocabulary of traditional Bollywood dance steps in this all-level class.
K-Pop Fitness Class
March 17, 18, 24, 25 & 31 5-6pm, K-pop, short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gospel, reggae, electronic dance, folk, country, disco, and classical on top of its traditional Korean music roots. Originally known as 'Gayo' in Korea, modern K-pop "idol" culture began in the 1990s. Our KPOP instructors will either highlight other KPOP choreographers reteaching combos from various music videos or create their own choreographed influences from various styles of dance. Students should expect to learn fun combos and increase their performance quality.
Jazz Funk Fitness Class
Monday, March 17, 24 & 31 6-7pm, Jazz Funk dance, a super-set of Jazz and influenced by the Hip Hop dance style. This style of dance is usually fast-paced pointed gestures and quick movements. In this class, you are expected to have basic knowledge of jazz foundations while learning quick pace combos emphasizing on feminism and intricate movements.
Beyond these initiatives, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department offers a wide range of free programs, including:
After School Programs: Providing recreational activities for youth, including sports, arts, and educational support.
Therapeutic Recreation: Offering specialized programs for individuals with disabilities to promote inclusion and community engagement.
Outdoor Recreation: Organizing activities such as hiking, camping, and environmental education to connect residents with nature.
Senior Programs: Providing fitness classes, arts, and social activities tailored for older adults.
For a comprehensive list of programs and schedules, refer to the Recreation Programs page on the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department's website.
