San Francisco, CA – Today, Mayor London N. Breed announced the launch of Bricks at Embarcadero Plaza, a new and free event series that brings fun weekly scheduled activities to Downtown. A schedule of programs will officially launch next week, on August 7, and will run as a pilot through the end of October.
Weekly activities, free for the public, will include trivia nights with rotating themes and guest hosts, tango dance lessons, Friday happy hours with DJs, live music, arts activities/displays, lunch-time professional networking and panel discussions, and family days every Saturday with the Children’s Creativity Museum hosting drop-in free play and workshops.
Supported by the City’s Office of Economic Workforce Development (OEWD) and Recreation and Parks departments, Bricks is the latest initiative to activate Downtown public spaces as part of the Mayor’s broader strategy to reinvigorate Downtown and reaffirm San Francisco as a thriving global destination and the Bay Area’s economic center.
“San Francisco’s Downtown is in a much better place, but we know there is more work and investment needed to build on the excitement we are seeing more and more of,” said Mayor London Breed. “Downtown is the beating heart of our City and oftentimes the first stop for tourists from around the world and visitors here for work. We are proud of how much has been accomplished in our pursuit of a total economic recovery, and Bricks at Embarcadero Plaza is the perfect complement to a suite of events and activations happening throughout Downtown.”
Recent efforts initiated by Mayor Breed as part of the City’s Roadmap to San Francisco’s Future include a range of investments to enliven Downtown as a 24/7 neighborhood, including:
- Landing at Leidesdorff, a public gathering place, launched at the intersection of Leidesdorff and Commercial alleys at the foot of the Transamerica Pyramid last year
- The Crossing at the East Cut, which provides ongoing outdoor movie nights and screenings, soccer and pickleball, and a variety of food and beverage vendors
- Bhangra & Beats Night Market series
- Holiday seasonal programs like Union Square’s Winter Walk and the annual Let’s Glow SF holiday light art festival
- Rec and Park worked with Park Padel to open two padel courts and are expanding to a third in October
- Another Planet Entertainment welcomed approximately 5,000 people to the Plaza for a free concert on July 21
“Our goal is to make Downtown not just a place where people have to be, but a place people want to be,” said Sarah Dennis-Phillips, Executive Director of the Office of Economic & Workforce Development. “And the enthusiasm and audiences for downtown events like Downtown First Thursdays and Bhangra & Beats continue to show that people do want to be Downtown. Bricks is another exciting addition to the menu that allows the public to engage with one of the City’s most spectacular and iconic locations in a fresh way and paves the path for this space to be a more everyday part of the Downtown experience.”
The new activation bolsters related efforts Mayor Breed has undertaken recently to invest in enhanced and updated Downtown public spaces to ensure a world-class physical environment. The Recreation and Parks Department and OEWD are currently developing a community-supported public-private partnership that will work to ensure the revitalization of the Plaza and that the neighborhood-serving park remains an iconic destination for music, civic gatherings, and other special events. Improvements may include residential infrastructure such as a children’s playground, a dog run, spaces for entertainment, and a marketplace.
The Mayor’s Healthy, Vibrant San Francisco bond that will appear on the November ballot also includes $41 million in funding for improvements to Downtown public spaces like Embarcadero Plaza.
“Rec and Park has a proven track record of revitalizing Downtown spaces through creative programming and activations, and Embarcadero Plaza is no different. From introducing pop-up padel courts to hosting World Cup watch parties and free music concerts, the Plaza has greatly benefited from this effort. The launch of Bricks will help further this goal,” San Francisco Recreation and Park Department Manager Phil Ginsburg said. “I look forward to working with partners with innovative ideas—ideas that will ensure the Plaza remains a go-to Downtown destination.”
Bricks will also provide a direct boost to local businesses in the area that will provide a variety of food and beverage offerings in the plaza from their Embarcadero Center locations, including Osha Thai and Vacant to Vibrant pop-up locations who have recently signed long-term leases downtown.
"Partnering with Bricks at Embarcadero Plaza offers a fantastic opportunity to bring Osha Thai’s flavors to a vibrant community initiative energizing locals and visitors alike. We look forward to adding our unique touch to the array of activities and being a part of the movement to revitalize and celebrate one of the city’s most cherished spaces,” says Osha Thai Managing Director Paul Vongjarit Knepp.
This latest series of events is a collaboration with presenting partners Into the Streets, the local production company behind the successful Bhangra & Beats Night Market and Downtown First Thursdays series, and SF New Deal, a local non-profit committed to strengthening neighborhoods by making it easier for under-resourced small business owners to succeed.
“In addition to activating this often-overlooked space, Bricks at Embarcadero Plaza is set to support nearby small businesses and create an inclusive space for all San Franciscans to enjoy," said Simon Bertrang, SF New Deal’s Executive Director. "This new event series is an opportunity not only to foster downtown neighborhood vibrancy and community pride, but also promote economic growth for the City."
“We’re on a mission to make downtown a destination for everyone, and we can’t wait to expand our work to Embarcadero Plaza,” said Katy Birnbaum, founder and CEO of Into The Streets. “The time is now and the invitation is sent—join us in dreaming big about the future of our downtown.”
Other partners who have played a significant role to ensure the success of this series include, the Children's Creativity Museum, the Port of San Francisco, SF Gaymers, Jaffe Events, Back Lit Media, Golden Gate Toastmasters Club, and many more to be announced in the coming weeks.
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