Downtown Yerba Buena Neighborhood Adds Entertainment to Arts Offerings with Debut of New Entertainment Zones
Pride and Grateful Dead Celebrations to Boost Nightlife in Yerba Buena Following the Successful Be Free Festival at Jessie West Alley
San Francisco, Calif., June 20, 2025 — New Entertainment Zones are boosting nightlife in San Francisco’s downtown Yerba Buena neighborhood, an area renowned for the arts, with more events on tap including celebrations for Pride and the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary.
“The new Entertainment Zones are part of Yerba Buena’s mix of attractions bringing people together through curated experiences to foster community and benefit small businesses,” said Yerba Buena Partnership Executive Director Scott Rowitz. “New experiences, paired with our arts and cultural scene, are reestablishing Yerba Buena as a destination for both residents and visitors.”
Yerba Buena now has three active Entertainment Zones: Annie Plaza located between the Palace Hotel and the popular Dawn Club and Lark Bar; Yerba Buena Lane, a pedestrian plaza lined with restaurants and bars between Market and Mission Streets, next to Jessie Square; and Jessie West Alley, across from Mint Plaza along 5th Street that includes restaurants and bars. In the future, events will be at Jessie East Alley at 4th Street and at Minna Street between 2nd Street and New Montgomery.
On June 26, Annie Plaza will host its first Entertainment Zone event, the SF Pride Block Party. The free party is hosted by Spring Collins, featuring DJ sets by the legendary Peaches Christ and the disco stylings of Booty Juice.
On July 31, a free Grateful Dead-themed event, A Grateful Gathering, will take over Yerba Buena Lane for its first Entertainment Zone event with music, crafts and more, produced by Adam Swig of Value Culture. The event, held the afternoon and evening prior to a three-day concert series by Dead & Company at Golden Gate Park to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead, will serve as the premiere pre-concert gathering spot. Hotels in Yerba Buena, like the San Francisco Marriott Marquis and the Hyatt Regency, are offering special Dead & Company packages.
The new events come on the heels of the successful Be Free Festival held on June 13 in the Filipino Heritage District that is part of Yerba Buena, including Jessie West Alley, where thousands celebrated Filipino creatively, queer joy and liberation with karaoke, a drag showcase, a Lumpia eating contest, DJ, food and a creative market.
“By activating the streets through Entertainment Zones, we’re turning public space into an engine for local commerce and creative expression. Every DJ, dancer and food vendor is part of an ecosystem that keeps our neighborhoods vibrant and resilient. In uncertain times, it’s critical that we protect both our people and our economies. Be Free is a reminder that culture and commerce thrive when we show up, together, on our own terms,” said Desi Danganan, founder and executive director of Kultivate Labs, a nonprofit that creates opportunities for entrepreneurs that preserve Filipino culture and community.
The Cavalier Restaurant and Executive Order Bar & Lounge, located on opposite ends of Jessie West saw a huge bump in business. “Foot traffic and revenue were five times higher than a normal Friday evening,” said John Eric Sanchez, owner and operator of Executive Order. “Events like the Be Free Festival help build community, amplify the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District within the Yerba Buena neighborhood, draw new visitors to the district and our venue, and allow us to weather slower periods until we fill vacant storefronts and repurpose vacant retail and office space. We look forward to participating in more events utilizing the Jessie West Entertainment Zone as it proved that it can be a compelling outdoor venue.”
New business investment, attractions and events are changing downtown. Rowitz referenced the Downtown First Thursdays street festival that drew more than 20,000 in June to Second Street. Eight new restaurants, cafes and small businesses opened recently in Yerba Buena. The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival of free music and performances and continuation of major SFMOMA exhibits are drawing more people downtown.
“The commitment by the City, community organizations and businesses is building positive momentum every day. The downtown comeback is real,” said Rowitz.
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About Yerba Buena Partnership
Yerba Buena Partnership is a community-based nonprofit organization working to improve the quality of life in the downtown San Francisco Yerba Buena neighborhood. The Partnership manages and maintains several blocks around Yerba Buena Gardens, encompassing roughly Second to Fifth and Market to Perry streets. The district boasts iconic destinations such as SFMOMA, YBCA, MoAD, Children’s Creativity Museum and Moscone Center, along with premier hotels, Academy of Art University, City College, and dining, shopping and entertainment venues. Yerba Buena is also located within the larger Filipino Cultural Heritage District. The Partnership began implementing programs in 2009 involving its Clean and Safe Team, neighborhood marketing, public art projects and many other neighborhood improvement efforts. Learn more at www.YerbaBuena.org.