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MLK Weekend 2025 in San Francisco: 15 Best Things To Do With Kids

Take the free NorCalMLK Celebration Train to SF for the MLK Day March. Photo by Pax Ahimsa Gethen, via Flickr. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Take the free NorCalMLK Celebration Train to SF for the MLK Day March. Photo by Pax Ahimsa Gethen, via Flickr. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
1/15/25 - By Sandra Lee

Looking for the best things to do in San Francisco and the Bay Area during MLK weekend? Add these family-friendly events to your list for the long weekend. 

2025 may have just started, but it's already time for a long holiday weekend. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day takes place this Monday, and the Bay Area has a variety of events honoring the trailblazing activist. Start the historic day by taking the free Caltrain NorcalMLK Celebration Train which picks up passengers at various Bay Area stops and takes them to the 2025 MLK March in San Francisco. Then, bring the kids to the MLK2025 Music Festival at Yerba Buena Gardens to continue celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. and to continue learning history outside the classroom.  

Cheer on the Harlem Globetrotters and enjoy lively basketball games as they take the court doing trick shots to long jump shots in Oakland and San Francisco this weekend. 

Many Lunar New Year events are also beginning to take place. Start the Year of the Snake celebrations at the Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Year Bazaar, which features entertainment, art, and free fun for kids. 

More Things To Do in the San Francisco Bay Area This Week with Kids:

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See the Harlem Globetrotters do impressive trick basketball shots. Photo courtesy of the Harlem Globetrotters
See the Harlem Globetrotters do impressive trick basketball shots. Photo courtesy of the Harlem Globetrotters

MLK Weekend Events in the Bay Area

Harlem Globetrotters at Oakland Arena

Oakland
Friday, January 17, 2025
Get ready for all the amazing basketball spins, slams, and dunks that you’ve come to expect at every Globetrotters game, plus new trials as players face-off to see who can pull off astonishing trick shots and more. See your favorite Globetrotter stars and their renowned rivals, the Washington Generals as they challenge themselves and each other to new moves, new shots, and new innovations. READ MORE

Tully's 20th Anniversary and Lunar New Year Festival

San Jose - FREE
Friday, January 17, 2025
The Tully Community Branch library celebrates its 20th anniversary and the Year of the Snake. Families can enjoy a live Lion Dance performance by Evergreen Wushu to celebrate the Lunar New Year, arts & crafts, games, goodie bags, and more. READ MORE

Community Day Big Draw 2025: Drawing in Motion at the Walt Disney Family Museum

San Francisco - FREE
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Join The Walt Disney Family Museum to celebrate The Big Draw, the world’s largest drawing festival. Explore the theme of “Art in Motion” with a variety of interactive activities and drawing delights. Visit the Learning Center for some hand-drawn fun as you help create a community collaborative animation, visit the theater to try your hand at capturing movement in new and innovative ways of painting, or try your hand at controlling your own Scribble Bot and watch as your drawing comes to life. READ MORE

Music for Families

San Francisco
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Part of the series especially for younger audiences, the Music for Families is a concert recommended for kids ages 5-12. It is a great introductory symphony experience with kids in mind.  READ MORE

SF Giants FanFest Tour - Napa

Napa - FREE
Saturday, January 18, 2025
The Giants & KNBR FanFest Tour is a new experience for fans that is going on tour through Northern California. Current and former Giants players, coaches, broadcasters and Lou Seal are meeting fans to sign autographs, participate in Q&A sessions, distribute merchandise, and more.  The tour concludes on March 8 with special access to restricted ballpark locations like the dugout clubhouse and more. Meet-and-greets and autograph opportunities with trophies are also available.  READ MORE

Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Year Bazaar

Oakland - FREE
Saturday & Sunday, January 18 & 19, 2025
The Annual Lunar New Year Bazaar highlights Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and other cultural traditions and art forms connected to the Lunar New Year holiday. Families can enjoy two days full of entertainment, art, food, beverages, and an opportunity to support local businesses. READ MORE

Harlem Globetrotters at Chase Center

San Francisco
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Get ready for all the amazing basketball spins, slams, and dunks that you’ve come to expect at every Globetrotters game, plus new trials as players face off to see who can pull off astonishing trick shots and more.  See your favorite Globetrotter stars and their renowned rivals, the Washington Generals as they challenge themselves and each other to new moves, new shots, and new innovations. READ MORE

Oakland Little Saigon Lunar New Year Festival (Hội Chợ Tết)!

Oakland - FREE
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Immerse yourself in the rich culture of Little Saigon to commemorate the Year of the Snake. Indulge in a variety of Asian cuisines, enjoy cultural performances, lion dances, and firecrackers, and explore the bustling marketplace filled with unique crafts and gifts.  READ MORE

India Basin Waterfront Park's RecFest

San Francisco - FREE
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Bring the family for a community day during the long Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend! Free food, a DJ, prizes (including a PS5), a fitness station, recreational activities and contests, and more.  READ MORE

2025 BCAF Expo and Family Day at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

San Francisco - FREE
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Explore an expansive artist alley, meet, interact with, and purchase unique creations from comic artists, illustrators, and writers. Families can enjoy activities throughout Yerba Buena Gardens, including the famed Leroy King Carousel and the BCAF Expo at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Budding artists can learn to create their own comics, guided by talented creators. There are captivating storytelling sessions that bring to life diverse characters and narratives, promoting inclusivity and cultural awareness. READ MORE

Lunar New Year 2025 Celebration at the Museum of Sonoma County

Santa Rosa - FREE
Sunday, January 19, 2025
The Museum of Sonoma County and the Redwood Empire Chinese Association host a celebration of Lunar New Year. Featuring amazing performances by the RECA including lion dances, traditional Chinese music, a traditional tea ceremony, and a Xinjiang performance. READ MORE

2025 MLK March

San Francisco - FREE
Monday, January 20, 2025
A symbolic journey that pays homage to the Selma to Montgomery marches and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Bay Area community comes together to parade from the SF Caltrain Station to the Yerba Buena Gardens. A lively tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his dedication to justice and equality.  READ MORE

Caltrain NorcalMLK Celebration Train

Multiple Bay Area Locations - FREE
Monday, January 20, 2025
Families can take the Caltrain NorcalMLK Celebration Train for free to participate in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March in San Francisco. The train stops in San Jose, Palo Alto, San Mateo, and Millbrae. Attendees who RSVP will receive a complimentary ticket worth a free return trip after 1 p.m. READ MORE

MLK2025 Music Festival

San Francisco - FREE
Monday, January 20, 2025
The music festival is on its 15th year celebrating MLK with amazing talent performing on the Esplanade Stage. With Grammy Award-winning and acclaimed artists and performers taking center stage, it's an afternoon of celebration for the whole family.  READ MORE

Magnificent Magnolias

San Francisco
Daily through Mid-March
Experience one of the most significant conservation collections of Magnolias in the United States in bloom from mid-January through March. Admire the sights and scents on the branches of more than 200 elegant trees, as velvety silver buds and saucer-sized pink, white, and magenta flowers make an appearance in this always spectacular annual bloom at the Garden. READ MORE

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