Presidio Officers' Club Announces Opening Season Events

​​​​​​Presidio of San Francisco (August 29, 2014) – The Presidio Trust today announced the opening season event lineup for the Presidio Officers’ Club, a former gathering place for military brass that has been reborn into the Bay Area’s next cultural destination. The historic landmark is set to open to the public on October 4th & 5th.

​Located in the heart of San Francisco’s Presidio, the Officers’ Club will feature a robust weekly schedule of free public events, including live music, topical discussions, and family activities, as well as special events such as swing dance lessons and big band music. The Club’s opening season will kick-off with a community celebration the weekend of October 4th 5th. The fall program schedule runs October 9th through December 2014. Events are free, open to the public, and sponsored by the Presidio Trust, in partnership with cultural institutions from across the Bay Area.   

​”The Officers’ Club was a place where officers and their families gathered to celebrate and socialize,” said Craig Middleton, Presidio Trust Executive Director. “When the Club reopens in October, everyone will be welcome to enjoy a robust schedule of events that enlighten, engage and entertain.”

​Notably, Friday nights will feature jazz, contemporary and classical music curated by the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music. The Presidio Sessions will deliver the intimate atmosphere of a house concert to Officers’ Club guests.

​”We are thrilled to partner with the Presidio Trust to bring the best of the Bay Area’s musicians, many internationally recognized, to the Presidio Officers’ Club,” said Dominique Pelletey, San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music Executive Director. “The Moraga Hall performance space is a welcoming and comfortable venue that will allow the audience to have a special encounter with the music.”

To view a full calendar of events, visit: http://www.presidio.gov/officers-club/events.​

Opening Season Highlights:

Moraga Hall Dance: The 1930s

Saturday, October 11 from 7 to 10 pm

6:30 pm – doors open for cocktails from Arguello and dance tutorials with Cynthia Glinka Music by the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, Performance by The Jitterbugs, and dance lessons from hostess Cynthia Glinka

Alexander String Quartet 

Friday, October 10 at 6 pm 

The Alexander String Quartet, one of the world’s premiere ensembles, is as admired for its interpretations of Beethoven and Mozart as for its music by cutting-edge contemporary composers.  

Saturday Family Specials: Mexican Folk Music and Dance 

Saturday, November 1 at 2 pm 

In partnership with Young Audiences of California Cascada de Flores –
The Tree & The Donkey Who Wanted to Sing 

 Cascada de Flores magically weaves together Mexican and Caribbean music and dance in this bilingual and participatory program, telling a story of the diverse roots of Mexican people, of improvisation and inventiveness, and of the making of musical instruments from nature.  

Marcus Shelby Quartet 

Friday, November 7 at 6 pm 

One of the most influential musicians in the Bay Area, jazz bassist Marcus Shelby rocks audiences while weaving meaningful stories of the African American experience into the fabric of his compositions.   

Captain Charles Young and the Buffalo Soldiers at the Presidio 

Thursday, November 20 at 7 pm 

Author Brian Shellum will present the annual Redmond Kernan Lecture, discussing the compelling history of the Buffalo Soldiers at The Presidio and in particular the trailblazing Charles Young, the third black graduate of West Point and the highest ranking black Regular Army officer at his death in 1922.   

​Ongoing Programming:

Presidio Dialogues ​

Thursday Nights, Weekly 

The Officers’ Club will host the Presidio Dialogues series every Thursday featuring notable authors, artists, and thought leaders. The evening events will explore themes from ancient history to current events through interactive dialogues, stimulating talks, panels, and films. Audience participation will be invited.   

Presidio Sessions 

Friday Nights, Weekly 

Friday evenings bring Presidio Sessions. With the intimate atmosphere of a house concert, guests will experience jazz, contemporary and classical music curated by the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music, producers of the popular SFMusic Day Live + Free event. The Officers’ Club space will act as a perfect backdrop allowing for comfortable movement and mingling between the performance space and Arguello, the club’s restaurant and bar by chef Traci Des Jardins.   

Family Friendly Events ​

Saturdays & Sundays 

 Every Saturday and Sunday between 10 am and 3 pm, families can drop in for Family Fun at the Officers’ Club, imaginative craft-making based on the Presidio’s natural and cultural heritage (tailored to kids aged 5 to 12). Additionally, every Saturday at 2 pm will feature Family Special Events, engaging, performance-based activities including theatre, live music, and dancing.   

Signature Events 

Signature Events will occur throughout the year and will include major dances, San Francisco’s annual birthday commemoration, and more.

About the Presidio Officers’ Club 

The Presidio Officers’ Club was first established in 1776 by Spanish explorers as a gathering place for the military throughout the 20th century. Celebrities of stage and screen were in regular attendance, including Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Veronica Lake, Joan Crawford, and many others. The Presidio Trust recently completed a three-year revitalization of the building, transforming San Francisco’s most historic structure into a multi-faceted cultural destination. The updated Presidio Officers’ Club will serve as a dynamic cultural center that reflects the diversity of the Bay Area and will offer exhibits and programs that help visitors establish a deep understanding of the Presidio’s vital role in shaping California and the nation.  

About the Presidio Trust 

​​​The Presidio Trust, a federal agency, is an innovation in the management of a treasured American place. The Trust was created to save the Presidio and transform it for a new national purpose. The Trust’s vision is that the Presidio will be forever a public place: vital to the Bay Area, important to all Americans, and recognized for achieving broad benefits for the nation. Today, the Presidio welcomes visitors, is home to a vibrant community of residents and tenants, and inspires greater good through programs that draw on its history and natural resources. The Presidio Trust serves the public with events, lodging, venues, and recreational opportunities. To learn more, visit ​www.presidio.gov.