The Presidio Trust Announces Free Fall and Winter Programs

​Presidio of San Francisco (October 14, 2015) – With the fall breeze cooling down much of the Bay Area, now is the perfect time to get outside to surround yourself in nature at The Presidio of San Francisco.  The urban national park offers a quintessential place to experience and explore the rich history and natural environment available at the edge of a world-class city. A new (and mostly free) line-up of free public programs this season includes live music and dance performances, talks and lectures, arts and crafts, tours and hikes. Below are some of the great examples of why the Presidio is loved by visitors of all ages:

Celebrate International Archeology Day on October 17:  See archaeology in action from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as archaeologists uncover the foundations of the Spanish colonial settlement, El Presidio de San Francisco. Follow the journey of an artifact after it is discovered at the Presidio’s outdoor dig, through a state-of-the-art lab, and into collections storage. Enjoy making a ceramic craft that the whole family can create together, and get your hands dirty making adobe bricks! Please register for this free event here.

Hear Legends of Presidio Ghosts: Pianist, storyteller, and sonic archaeologist Jill Tracy uncovers the Presidio’s haunted past and shares chilling stories from those who have walked in the footsteps of spirits beginning at 7 p.m. on October 22 . The evening includes a live concert of Tracy’s music, with new works inspired by these ghostly tales at the Presidio Officers’ Club. Register here.

View the Night Sky with SF’s Amateur Astronomers: Presidio Stargazing Parties on Thursday, October 22nd and Saturday, December 19th from 5:30 – 9:30 pm. include telescopes and guided night sky tours to help guests explore the stars.  Open to all ages, weather dependent.

Enjoy the last month of picnic season with Off the Grid. Join Picnic at the Presidio every Sunday through November 1st from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. as San Francisco’s best picnic offers favorites from the local food scene, lawn games, and music. Each Thursday evening through October 29th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. celebrates evenings in the Presidio with lantern-lit dining cabanas, blanket-side cocktail service, fire pits, live music, and views of the sun setting over San Francisco Bay on the Main Parade Ground during Twilight at the Presidio.

Feel the music with Bright Lights + Broadway by the Bay Concerts at the Presidio: Thursday & Friday, November 5 & 6 in the Golden Gate Club. San Francisco Conservancy of Music singers perform highlights from Rodgers + Hammerstein, Lerner + Lowe, Cole Porter, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the Gershwin brothers beginning at 7:30 p.m. Explore the universe a billion years after the big bang on at Observation Post: Tuesday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m., one billion years after the Big Bang, U.C. Berkeley’s Aaron Lee contrasts star formation today and star formation in the early universe.

Learn about animation and visual effects with Industrial Light & Magic: Thursday, November 19th from 7 – 8 p.m. Mike Jutan, Research and Development Engineer for Animation and Creatures with Industrial Light & Magi explores the history of ILM in the Bay Area and his own cutting-edge work in visual effects on blockbuster films.

Start a new holiday tradition and celebrate Mexican culture with Chef Traci Des Jardins on Thursday, December 3rd at 7 p.m. Join Traci at the Officers’ Club for a delightful cooking demonstration of her favorite festive tamales, a delicious way to bring family together.

Light the tree and sing holiday classics with the Golden Gate Carolers on Friday, December 4th at 5:30 pm at the Main Post. Light refreshments and kids activities will follow in the Presidio Community Y gymnasium. Later in the month, enjoy a lantern-lit evening forest walk on Thursday, December 17, at 6:15 p.m., followed by a Holiday Sing-A-Long at the Officers’ Club at 7 p.m., led by performers from 42nd Street Moon. Festive drinks from Arguello restaurant will be available for purchase.

Create holiday décor with trimmings from the Presidio forest at a Wreath Making Workshop Saturday + Sunday, December 12 + 13 from noon to 5 p.m. Greens, wire, clippers, and frames are provided. Bring your own trimmings – ribbons, cards, and mementos. Food is available for purchase. Registration is required.

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.