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The weekend’s almost here and, wow, there is A LOT going on in the Bay Area. From Outside Lands — yep, it’s here! — to San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, to the return of a blockbuster musical, not to mention museum hacks, crazy ice pops, and a fresh mozzarella bar. And glitter beer. Yes, glitter beer. So there are all sorts of fun ways to eat, drink and play this weekend in San Francisco and beyond. Here’s a look.
1 EXPERIENCE: The awesome sensory overload that is Outside Lands
Yes, Outside Lands is one of the premiere music festivals in the country, featuring acts such as The Weeknd, Florence and the Machine, Janet Jackson, Carly “Call Me” Rae Jepsen, Janelle Monae and The Future, but there is so much more going on — comedy, dancing, amazing people watching, and sumptuous food and drink options. Check out our hour-by-hour guide on how to spend your time at OSL, plus some general stuff you should know about.
2 EAT & SIP: Blissed-out ice pops and beachy vibes
Beat summer’s heat with a trek to Santa Cruz, where fun new eateries and sipping spots compete with sand and surf for beachy popularity. Here are five sensational Santa Cruz hot spots to explore, from Humble Sea brews to Capitola beach bites — plus the new Abbott Square market hall, which buzzes night and day with live music, cocktails, a fresh mozzarella bar, a craft ice-pop stand and more.
3 HEAR: World-class jazz all over San Jose
There’s another major music festival in the Bay Area this weekend — San Jose Jazz’s annual Summer Fest, which brings blues, jazz and Latin artists to stages all over the tech capital’s downtown Friday through Sunday. Here’s our guide to the fest and picks for some of the best shows.
4 PLAY: Renegade museum tours
Sure, you could hit one of San Francisco’s world-class museums and — yawn — just read the little placards. Or you could take one of the renegade museum tours that have sprung up lately from outfits like Museum Hacks and Watson Adventures. This weekend, take an Un-Highlights Tour of the de Young — or wait till next weekend, when the lineup includes a Badass Bitches tour at the deYoung and a Hogwarts-esque adventure at the Legion of Honor. (Accio, Botticelli!)
5 WATCH: Raggedy French revolutionaries sing their hearts out
“Les Miz” is back in the Bay Area, and for many Bay Area fans, resistance is futile. The musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s sprawling tale of love, courage and revolution has enjoyed several successful runs in these parts, and the touring version of the acclaimed 2014 Broadway revival just landed at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre. How does the latest production measure up? Here’s our review.
6 SEE: A powerful new work from one of America’s best directors.
Few filmmakers have commented with such force and passion about American race relations as Spike Lee, with such releases as “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X.” Now he’s back with the racially and politically charged “BlacKkKlansman.” It’s one of his best movies, says our reviewer. As for the rest of the new movies landing in theaters this weekend, you’ve got huge, ravenous sharks, a supernatural killer with weight issues, and a romantic comedy with lots of dogs in it. Your basic weekend fare. A rundown is here.
7 SIP: Glitter beer. Seriously.
Yep, you read that right. Glimmering, shimmering glitter beer is the newest trend to hit the NorCal beer scene. Here’s the scoop on how it’s made and where to look for it. The Instagram pics are up to you.