For those of you who like to plan ahead, below are fun family events for next month and beyond. This list is updated weekly, so check back often.
Return to this month’s events or check out this weekend’s highlights to find out what’s happening now.
October 2026
Free First Friday at the San Mateo County History Museum (Free) – Redwood City, October 2
First Friday at CuriOdyssey – San Mateo, October 2
Free First Friday at the Museum of Science and History (Free) – Santa Cruz, October 2
Zoppe Family Circus – Napa, October 2-12
Sunset Fridays at the Zoo – San Francisco, October 2, 9
African Arts Festival (Free) – San Francisco, October 3
Magic Kitchen – Oakland, October 3
Very First Concerts (Free) – San Francisco, Palo Alto, October 3
Cereal Cinema – Oakland, October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Cal Sailing Open House (Free) – Berkeley, October 4
Crowden Community Music Day (Free)– Berkeley, October 4
First Sundays at OMCA (Free) – Oakland, October 4
Japanese Cultural Festival (Free) – Millbrae, October 4
Star Party at Hidden Villa – Los Altos Hills, October 4
Free First Sundays at NUMU (Free) – Los Gatos, October 4
Fleet Week – San Francisco, October 4-12
Come from Away by Children’s Musical Theater – San Jose, December 4-13
Weekend Farm Tour – Los Altos Hills, October 4, 10, 11, 18
Hanabi Judo Parent’s Night Out – Albany, October 9
Fleet Week at the USS Hornet – Alameda, October 9
Creepy Carrots by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, October 9, 10
Jack and the Beanstalk by Fantasy Forum – Walnut Creek, October 9-11
Kids Night Out at Color Me Mine – Alameda, October 10
Family Nature Adventures – Oakland, October 10
Second Saturday at Gamble Garden (Free) – Palo Alto, October 10
Tarantula Fest – Morgan Hill, October 10
2nd Saturdays on the Farm (Free) – Watsonville, October 10
Day of the Horse – Woodside, October 10, 11
Thomas and Percy’s Halloween Party – Felton, October 10-25
Italian Heritage Festival – San Francisco, October 11
Free Family Day at Marin MOCA – San Rafael, October 11
Batologist for a Day – Walnut Creek, October 11
Marine Science Sunday – Sausalito, October 11, 25
Disney on Ice: Find Your Hero – Oakland, October 15-18
Sundown Cinema: Beetlejuice (Free) – San Francisco, October 16
Port of Oakland Harbor Tours (Free) – Oakland, October 16
Bay Area Science Festival (Free) – San Francisco, October 17
It’s the Great Pumpkin 60th Anniversary Event – Santa Rosa, October 17
Open Cockpit Day – Santa Rosa, October 17
Family Farm Day – Muir Beach, October 17
Halloween Extravaganza – South San Francisco, October 17
Preschool Performance: Magician Brian Scott – Danville, October 17
Spooky Times at Deer Hollow – Cupertino, October 17
Pumpkin Festival – Half Moon Bay, October 17, 18
Great Big Boo Camp Night at Gilroy Gardens – Gilroy, October 17-18
Fall Fest at Children’s Fairyland – Oakland, October 17, 18, 24, 25
Boo at the Zoo – Oakland, October 17-November 1
Sunday Streets – San Francisco, October 18
California Discovery Trail Experience at Oakland Zoo – Oakland, October 18
Family Fun Night – Santa Rosa, October 22, 23
Disney on Ice: Find Your Hero – San Jose, October 22-25
Family Farm Campout – Muir Beach, October 23-24
Sunset Cinema: Coco (Free) – Santa Clara, October 23
Trunk or Treat – Walnut Creek, October 23
Haunted Hangar – San Carlos, October 23-November 1
Sandcastle Classic – San Francisco, October 24
SF Jazz Family Matinees – San Francisco, October 24
Fall Festival – Richmond, October 24
Diwali Celebration Street Fair – Walnut Creek, October 24
Halloween Magic at Gamble Garden – Palo Alto, October 24
Free Community Day at San Jose Museum of Art (Free) – San Jose, October 24
Día de los Muertos Celebration (Free) – Santa Cruz, October 24
Carquinez Model Railroad Society Open House – Crockett, October 24 & 25
Alice in Wonderland – Sunnyvale, October 24 – November 8
360 All Stars – Santa Rosa, October 25
Sundays at Hagemann Ranch (Free) – Livermore, October 25
Creepy Crawly Trick or Treat (Free) – Campbell, October 25
Math Festival (Free) – San Jose, October 25
Museum Mondays for Little Ones – Santa Rosa, October 26
City Hall-o-ween (Free) – San Pablo, October 29
Yappy Hour – Santa Cruz, October 29
Spectacular Science Homeschool Day at Seymour Marine Discovery Center – Santa Cruz, October 30
26th Annual Halloween Hoopla (Free) – San Francisco, October 31
Halloween at the Boardwalk – Santa Cruz, October 31
Brick Convention – Pleasanton, October 31-November 1
Winnie the Pooh by Playful People – San Jose, October 30-November 1
Bluey’s Big Play – San Jose, October 30-November 1
November 2026
Dia de Los Muertos Celebration – Antioch, November 1
First Sundays at OMCA (Free) – Oakland, November 1
Dia de loa Muertos at Children’s Discover Museum – San Jose, November 1
Free First Sundays at NUMU (Free) – Los Gatos, November 1
Zoppe Family Circus – Redwood City, November 1-29
Homeschool Day: Good Grief! The Science of Expression – Santa Rosa, November 4
How to Train Your Dragon by Children’s Musical Theater – San Jose, November 4-8
First Friday at CuriOdyssey – San Mateo, November 6
Free First Friday at the San Mateo County History Museum (Free) – Redwood City, November 6
Free First Friday at the Museum of Science and History (Free) – Santa Cruz, November 6
School of Rock – Pleasanton, November 6, 7, 13, 14
Boardwalk Winter Wonderland – Santa Cruz, November 6 – January 3
Family Farm Day – Muir Beach, November 7, 14
Cosmic Camp-In at Chabot Space & Science Center – Oakland, November 7
Kids Night at the Museum – Santa Rosa, November 7
Fall Train Show – Santa Clara, November 7, 8
Cereal Cinema – Oakland, November 7, 14, 21, 28
Family Nature Adventures – Oakland, November 8
Outstanding Owls – Walnut Creek, November 8
Marine Science Sunday – Sausalito, November 8, 22
Matilda by Children’s Musical Theater – San Jose, November 13-22
Disney’s Frozen by Berkeley Playhouse – Berkeley, November 13-December 23
Kids Night Out at Color Me Mine – Alameda, November 14
Techs on Decks at the USS Hornet – Alameda, November 14
Hanabi Judo Parent’s Night Out – Albany, November 14
Second Saturday at Gamble Garden (Free) – Palo Alto, November 14
2nd Saturdays on the Farm (Free) – Watsonville, November 14
The Wizard of Oz by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, November 14-22
California Discovery Trail Experience at Oakland Zoo – Oakland, November 15
SF Jazz Family Matinees – San Francisco, November 21
Model Railroad Show – Walnut Creek, November 21-29
North Pole Nights – Gilroy, November 21-January 3
Math Festival – San Jose, November 22
Sesame Street Live – Santa Rosa, November 24
Family Fun Weekend at the Schulz Museum – Santa Rosa, November 27, 28
Nutcracker Sweet (Free) – San Francisco, November 28
Nutcracker Sweet (Free) – Palo Alto, Berkeley, November 29
Sundays at Hagemann Ranch (Free) – Livermore, November 29
December 2026
Hip Hop Nutcracker – San Jose, December 2, 3
Free First Friday at the San Mateo County History Museum (Free) – Redwood City, December 4
First Friday at CuriOdyssey – San Mateo, December 4
Holiday Delites Parade – Antioch, December 4
Free First Friday at the Museum of Science and History (Free) – Santa Cruz, December 4
Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet (Free) – Mountain View, December 4-6
Zoppe Family Circus – Monterey, December 4-7
A Christmas Carol – Half Moon Bay, December 4-20
Kids Night at the Museum – Santa Rosa, December 5
Family Farm Day – Muir Beach, December 5
Carol of Lights Celebration – Campbell, December 5
Carquinez Model Railroad Society Open House – Crockett, December 5 & 6
The Pigeon Gets a Big Time Holiday Extravaganza – San Francisco, December 5-20
Cereal Cinema – Oakland, December 5, 12, 19, 26
First Sundays at OMCA (Free) – Oakland, December 6
Menorahs and Miracles – San Jose, December 6
Free First Sundays at NUMU (Free) – Los Gatos, December 6
Cole Valley Nights: Holiday Nights – San Francisco, December 10
The Night Before Christmas by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, December 11, 12
Circus Bella – San Francisco, December 11-January 4
SF Jazz Family Matinees – San Francisco, December 12
Kids Night Out at Color Me Mine – Alameda, December 12
Hanabi Judo Parent’s Night Out – Albany, December 12
2nd Saturdays on the Farm (Free) – Watsonville, December 12
Full STEAM Ahead Overnight on the USS Hornet – Alameda, December 12-13
Gingerbread Doghouse Workshops – Santa Rosa, December 12, 13
A Magical Cirque Christmas – San Jose, December 16, 17
The Biggest Gift by Fantasy Forum – Walnut Creek, December 17-20
The Physics Show – Los Altos Hill, December 19
Open Cockpit Day – San Carlos, December 26
Happy New Year Charlie Brown – Santa Rosa, December 31
Coming in 2027
Free First Friday at the Museum of Science and History (Free) – Santa Cruz, January 1
The Physics Show – Los Altos Hill, January 2, 9, 10
Free First Sundays at NUMU (Free) – Los Gatos, January 3
El Día de los Tres Reyes Magos – San Jose, January 9
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, January 22, 23
Cosmic Camp-In at Chabot Space & Science Center – Oakland, January 23
Lunar New Year Festival – Santa Rosa, January 30
Very First Concerts (Free) – San Francisco, Palo Alto, January 30
Shrek the Musical by Children’s Theatre Association – San Francisco, January 30-March 6
She Persisted, The Musical – January 30-February 14
Free First Sundays at NUMU (Free) – Los Gatos, February 1
Cosmic Camp-In at Chabot Space & Science Center – Oakland, February 3
Very First Concert (Free) – Berkeley, February 6
Alice in Wonderland by Children’s Musical Theater – San Jose, February 10-14
Rumpelstiltkin’s Daughter by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, February 12, 13
Cosmic Camp-In at Chabot Space & Science Center – Oakland, February 13
Shrek the Musical by Children’s Musical Theater – San Jose, February 19-28
SF Jazz Family Matinees – San Francisco, February 20
Boardwalk Fun Run – Santa Cruz, March 6
Descendants: The Musical – Sunnyvale, February 20 – March 7
Free First Sundays at NUMU (Free) – Los Gatos, March 7
The Crimson Pirate by Fantasy Forum – Walnut Creek, March 11-14
Family Fun Night – Santa Rosa, March 12
Singin’ in the Rain by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, March 13-21
Pi Day at The Exploratorium – San Francisco, March 14
SF Jazz Family Matinees – San Francisco, March 20
Descendants The Musical by Playful People – San Jose, April 2-11
Spring Train Show – Santa Clara, April 3, 4
Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, April 9, 10
Sensory Friendly Family Concert (Free) – Palo Alto, San Francisco, April 10
Mean Girls – Sunnyvale, April 10-May 2
SF Jazz Family Matinees – San Francisco, April 17
Sensory Friendly Family Concert (Free) – Berkeley, April 17
Rainbow Fish The Musical – San Francisco, April 17-May 9
Sleeping Beauty by Fantasy Forum – Walnut Creek, April 22-25
North Bay Science Discovery Day – Santa Rosa, May 2
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, May 7, 8
Matilda by Playful People – San Jose, May 14-30
Alice in Wonderland by Peninsula Youth Theatre – Mountain View, May 14, 15
Shrek the Musical by Berkeley Playhouse – Berkeley, May 21-June 20
SF Jazz Family Matinees – San Francisco, May 22
Proud of My Family – San Jose, June 5
Dare to Dream by Children’s Musical Theater – San Jose, June 23-27
