San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed, City Attorney David Chiu, and Board President Aaron Peskin announced a series of upcoming events in Chinatown to attract residents and visitors to shop and dine in the neighborhood this summer. The scheduled events are part of ongoing investments, which include the City’s Shop Dine SF initiative, that support economic recovery efforts by boosting cultural celebrations throughout the City.
This summer and into the fall, the series will also include weekend events on the upper plaza of the Chinatown Rose Pak Central Subway Station.
“Chinatown has long been a beloved neighborhood to residents and visitors from around the world,” said Mayor Breed. “It is more important than ever that we continue to show up for this amazing community and experience firsthand what this neighborhood has to offer. By creating fun events and activities throughout the neighborhood, we are supporting all of our merchants and residents. I want to thank all of the grantees, OEWD, and SFMTA for stepping up to support and help us build on our economy recovery efforts.”
The opening of the Chinatown Rose Pak Central Subway Station in January this year marks an important milestone as it now serves as a critical connection point for Chinatown, allowing visitors to easily access and explore all the shops and restaurants in the neighborhood.
Through collaboration among the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency (SFMTA), and Community Youth Center (CYC), the City will be hosting weekly events and activities at the Chinatown Rose Pak Station Upper Plaza, creating a vibrant atmosphere. As part of SFMTA’s opening of the new station, three ambassadors continue to provide transit and wayfinding assistance to riders while offering a welcoming presence to visitors.
“Chinatown’s economic and cultural potential remain undeniably strong now more than ever,” said District 3 Supervisor & Board President, Aaron Peskin. “Through funding earmarked by our Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, and State Representatives over the past year, we’re finally able to celebrate some of the community’s return on that investment, including all the upcoming programs at the Rose Pak Plaza and community activities throughout the summer. Thanks to SFMTA and CYC for their ongoing commitment to making the Rose Pak Plaza a true community space and the Office of Economic & Workforce Development for their ongoing support and funding management. I urge everyone to visit Chinatown, and shop and taste everything that our merchants have to offer this summer and fall!”
Arts, entertainment, and tourism are key drivers of employment, commerce, and neighborhood economic vitality in San Francisco. Events and festivities that showcase culture and arts are restoring San Francisco’s vibrancy and driving its economic recovery. Mayor Breed has invested $3.9 million since reopening post COVID to support community-serving nonprofit organizations selected through an open call Request for Proposals (RFP) process with OEWD.
Over the next few months, San Franciscans and visitors will be able to enjoy music and dance festivals and art programs that celebrate Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) culture and history in Chinatown, Japantown, Excelsior, Richmond, Sunset, Bayview, Portola, Little Saigon in the Tenderloin, SOMA Pilipinas, and along Ocean Avenue.
Additionally, this community investment leverages $1 million in state funds, secured by City Attorney David Chiu during his tenure as Assemblymember, to support neighborhood commercial recovery. The funding complements resources to community partners to provide linguistically and culturally-oriented small business technical assistance.
“Our AAPI communities and neighborhoods have so much to offer residents and tourists alike,” said City Attorney Chiu. “I am thrilled that the state funding we secured will help support our small businesses and neighborhood recovery while allowing more people to experience the vibrancy of Chinatown.”
Historic and cultural destinations such as Chinatown are vital to the vibrancy and diversity of San Francisco. Sales tax revenue in the neighborhood has been steadily recovering since 2020, the start of the pandemic. Sales tax is one of many data points that can help measure the neighborhood’s economic progress. The City is committed to continuing the important work to ensure communities across San Francisco thrive.
As part of the City’s ongoing economic recovery, these investments aim to attract residents and tourists to the historic commercial corridors in celebration of culture and in support of local small businesses and the arts, entertainment, and tourism industries.
Over the next few months, Chinatown will host the following events:
Chinatown Rose Pak Station Upper Plaza activation weekends, Saturdays and Sundays - June 1 through November 30
The activation programs aim to engage and mobilize the community, attracting increased foot traffic and driving sales for small businesses.
Summer on Waverly - June 24
"Summer on Waverly" kicks off summer school break. Organized by CYC, this is a family-friendly gathering that features a wide range of engaging activities suitable for all ages. Prepare for adrenaline-fueled tricycle races, immersive virtual reality games, and a host of other exciting surprises that guarantee a memorable experience for everyone.
Craving Chinatown - July 22
This tasty culinary extravaganza event offers a delightful experience as over 30 local eateries participants to offer an enticing selection of appetizers, entrees, baked goods, desserts, and refreshing beverages.
Hungry Ghost Festival - August 26
This cultural festival honor ancestors and deceased loved ones through various rituals and blessings. By combining traditional customs with contemporary approaches, the festival fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture while stimulating economic growth within the community.
Chinatown Autumn-Moon Festival - September 23-24
The annual Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival is a popular street fair that celebrates the abundance of the autumn harvest. Grant Avenue will come alive with vibrant booths selling a variety of goods, while live music and performances will be played throughout the day to pay tribute to the arrival of autumn.
Chinatown Dance! - September 30
The exciting fusion of traditional and urban dance event arrives this fall! Chinatown Dance! will showcase the captivating blend of cultural heritage and contemporary movement, celebrating the harmonious merging of traditions. Stay tuned for more information.
Chinatown Halloween Festival - October 28
Get spooky at the Chinatown Halloween Festival this fall! Engage in a costume contest, strike a pose at the photobooth, get your face painted, and enjoy many other thrilling activities. It’s an event for all ages to get wild and celebrate Halloween in a Chinatown uniquely way!
“A thriving San Francisco is dependent on reliable and equitable public transportation. It is also critical at this time to have small businesses operating in densely populated neighborhoods and communities like Chinatown to assist in our city’s economic recovery,” said SFMTA Streets Director, Tom Maguire. “The Central Subway Chinatown Rose Pak Station is committed to serving the Chinatown residents, workers and visitors while providing an efficient, centrally located rapid-transit connection, vastly improving public transit in San Francisco’s vibrant Chinatown community.”
“I want to thank Mayor London Breed, City Attorney David Chiu, and Supervisor Aaron Peskin for spearheading the effort in uplifting and revitalizing Chinatown small businesses. A huge appreciation to the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and SFMTA for their financial support that made the weekend activation program possible.” said Sarah Wan, Executive Director of the Community Youth Center. “We invite everyone to join our Chinatown summertime events, made possible by the remarkable dedication and efforts of our incredible community-based organizations. Together, we are creating a lively and thriving Chinatown for everyone to enjoy.”
“Thanks to the support by the Mayor’s Office and OEWD, we are working every day to assist the small business community in Chinatown,” said Anni Chung, Executive Director and CEO, Self Help for the Elderly. “Through the Chinatown Businesses Strengthening Program, our Chinatown Corridor Manager is able to support the businesses in Chinatown by engaging merchants to address their needs, developing campaigns and supporting the City’s efforts in economic recovery.”
“Part of our mission to promote grassroots community development in Chinatown is through small business development,” said Lily Lo, Executive Director, Northeast Community Federal Credit Union. “By partnering with the Mayor’s Office and OEWD, we are investing in our community to make sure they live, work and play in a thriving environment while addressing the challenges they face. We look forward to working with our community on bringing some of the most memorizing events to attract local residents and visitors.”
Shop Dine SF is an initiative by the Office of Small Business and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. The campaign encourages residents and visitors to shop at local small businesses, dine at restaurants, and get services locally from the small businesses that make San Francisco vibrant.
For more information, please visit: spotlightchinatown.com
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