San Francisco’s Neon Gems: A Walking Tour with SF Neon

Thursday, March 7, 2024 | 6–7:30pm

ADMISSION: SOLD OUT

2024-03-07 18:00:00 UTC2024-03-07 23:00:00 UTC America/Los_AngelesThe CJM - 736 Mission St, San Francisco, CASan Francisco’s Neon Gems: A Walking Tour with SF NeonDowntown San Francisco glows at twilight, reminding us of a time when the city’s nightlife was even more ablaze with beautiful neon. Discover the history of neon in the city with San Francisco Neon authors and photographers Al Barna and Randall Ann Homan on a walking tour of San Francisco’s neon signs, offering insights into esoteric local history and the unique legacy and design of San Francisco’s surviving neon signs. The tour route spans several neighboring areas and includes Front Street, SoMa, and Union Square.

Sold Out

Downtown San Francisco glows at twilight, reminding us of a time when the city’s nightlife was even more ablaze with beautiful neon. Discover the history of neon in the city with San Francisco Neon authors and photographers Al Barna and Randall Ann Homan on a walking tour of San Francisco’s neon signs, offering insights into esoteric local history and the unique legacy and design of San Francisco’s surviving neon signs. The tour route spans several neighboring areas and includes Front Street, SoMa, and Union Square.

SCHEDULE and details

Tour Start

The tour begins at 6pm and will meet outside Harrington's Bar & Grill at 245 Front Street. Please arrive a few minutes early.

Tour End

The tour will end at 7:30pm at Powell and Sutter streets, one block away from Union Square.

Comfort

Dress in layers in case of cold weather, wear comfortable shoes, and be ready to walk for 1.5 miles (with rest stops).

Transit

From Embarcadero BART station, walk up California Street for two blocks, then turn right on Front Street. Take the 1 California Muni bus and exit at the Front Street stop near Clay Street. Walk 1.5 blocks on Front Street to Harrington's.

Parking

The Embarcadero Center Parking Garage is located near the starting point for the tour. Other nearby garages include the Union Square Garage and the Sutter-Stockton Garage.

Photography and Participation

Photography and open Q&A are encouraged!

About the Tour Leaders

Al Barna and Randall Ann Homan are a husband-and-wife team who authored San Francisco Neon: Survivors and Lost Icons, San Francisco Neon Icons from the Archive, and Saving Neon: A Best Practices Guide. They are the producers and hosts of the annual International Neon Speaks Festival & Symposium. Through the fiscal sponsorship of the Tenderloin Museum, they formed the tiny advocacy organization SF Neon to help preserve the artistic legacy of historic neon signs via talks, tours, events, sign design, consultations, and books.

About the Exhibition

First Light: Rituals of Glass and Neon Art

An exhibition by She Bends

First Light: Rituals of Glass and Neon Art explores mastery in craft as a devotional practice, presenting breathtaking works that connect both artists and viewers to spirituality, wonder, and universal questions of human existence. The exhibition features artworks in neon, glass, and plasma, large-scale sculptures, and installations that invite you to learn about fascinating scientific processes while inspiring deeper contemplation of the role of light in our quest to understand our place in the universe. Experience awe, make spiritual connections, and discover the science and craft of neon and glass artwork.

A glass and plasma crown from the exhibition "First Light"

Kamila Mróz, Well Done—What Was the Cost?, 2023.

Learn more