The scope of activities happening in downtown San Francisco on the first Thursday of every month just got bigger with UNSTAGED, a new Mid-Market block party being put on by Market Street Arts. And it will turn the F-line streetcar into a boistrous, mobile jazz venue.
On Thursday, September 5, San Franciscans who are not still hibernating after Burning Man can go from the Downtown First Thursdays (DFT) festivities on Second Street, walk three blocks, and join the fun at UNSTAGED, which will be happening for the first time between Fifth and Sixth streets.
We first heard back in June that Mid-Market businesses and some arts organizations were thinking about doing their own First Thursday thing, following on the success of DFT. The event is seeking, obviously, to activate the stretch of Market Street that is still the sketchiest — and long has been — with live music, performances, and foot traffic of the sort that DFT has been doing a few blocks further downtown.
But, says Steve Gibson, the executive director of the Mid-Market Foundation, "This isn't just another activation; it's a targeted celebration of what makes Mid-Market special — its deep-rooted live performance [history]."
"We're tapping into the area's theatrical DNA to create something unique," Gibson says. "By focusing on live performance, we're leaning into Mid-Market's unique strengths and history."
To that end, Unstaged will feature a vertical performance by Bandaloop — the aerial dance troupe that did that performance on the side of the Transamerica building last year — (possibly up the side of the IKEA shopping center?), outdoor performances by musicians from Busk it!, sidewalk cumbia and salsa lessons, and a DJ and breakdance battle by All The Way Live, among other activities.
The musicians will be playing outside the new beer and wine bar, The Red Tail, which is opening in the former Waystone space in the Warfield Building, as well as outside sneaker store Shiekh, and outside the Warfield itself. There will be a drag lip sync contest outside the Crazy Horse strip club (980 Market) hosted by the Transgender District. And Mystic Midway, the immersive theater group of Barron Scott Levkoff, is putting on something called Frisco Time Machine.
And, excitingly, the F-line streetcar will become a mobile jazz club dubbed The Hotsty Totsy Club — no relation to the historic bar in Albany. It's being presented by local public art consultancy Building 180, and maybe it will actually let people ride up from Second Street while listening to live jazz? (The details haven't exactly been fleshed out in the current release.)
The event will be free to attend, but the first 200 registered attendees will receive $20 vouchers for food or beverages from local businesses and vendors. (Register here.)
"UNSTAGED marks a significant milestone in our ongoing journey to reimagine Mid-Market," says Abra Allan, director of creative engagement for Market Street Arts, in a statement. "We're building on a foundation of sustained investment and community engagement. This initiative amplifies the innovative spirit that has been rekindled in our neighborhood over the past year."
Market Street Arts is a one-year-old program that launched in partnership with the city to help "actualize the true potential of Mid-Market as a world-class arts and entertainment district." It's a program of the Mid Market Foundation, a nonprofit that was founded in 2019.
The organizers of Downtown First Thursdays are all for this second activation as well.
"Block by block, creatives are transforming Downtown San Francisco," says Katy Birnbaum, CEO of Into The Streets and producer of Downtown First Thursdays, in a statement. "We're thrilled to have Market Street Arts as a partner in this work and to welcome UNSTAGED... as an Official DFT Partner this fall."
The inaugural UNSTAGED will take place September 5 from 4 to 7 pm. More info here.
Previously: Mid-Market Street May Get a Block Party on the Same First Thursdays as the Party on Second Street
Photo: Antonio Janeski
