The Big Sur Marathon is the most scenic race in North America, according to Runner’s World. The 32-year-old event hugs the rugged California coast, testing runners with hills, valleys, uneven terrain, and a firm six-hour time cap. Given the spectacular views—and the opportunity to run across the iconic Bixby Bridge—the race remains relatively small: In 2018, there were 10,000 registered runners for race weekend events, including 4,700 marathon runners. Next: April 28, 2019
We’re living in a moment when society is obsessed with experiences. Every day, there’s another report announcing that the cult of things is passé and people—millennials in particular—only care about interaction, authenticity, and artsy selfies.
It’s a thrilling time to host events. It’s also daunting. When tech conferences aim to out-spend each other booking the most Oscar-winners-turned-humanitarian-aides-and-entrepreneurs for keynotes, can a small festival, fund-raiser, or meeting get noticed?
The drive toward increasingly mind-blowing experiences means that San Francisco events keep improving: more celebrity appearances, flashier lights, slicker technology, fancier photo booths. Here's our list of the weird, wonderful events that make the Bay Area unique from Folsom Street Fair to TechCrunch Disrupt and more.
To choose and rank the annual events on this list, we look at several factors, including economic impact, buzz, innovation, and an event's prominence within the communities it intends to serve.
