Where To Go Dancing In The Bay Area
Dancing bars San Francisco, Ballroom Dancing Bay Area, Dancing Over 40 SF, Dancing For Adults Bay Area... Salsa, bachata, 80s, swing & more.
Eddie’s List is the newsletter the other new outlets, journalists, writers, insider, scholars, founders, publicists, friends who plan your weekends subscribe to.
Learn more about me and why you should sign up for this newsletter and avoid fomo.
Sign up below for the free email newsletter with events, things to do each week (1 email per week, no AI, manually curated, usually sent on Mondays). Over 25,000 subscribers and counting, including many pop-up dancing events, festivals, block parties & more that come together last minute not listed below
Where To Go Dancing San Francisco Bay Area
I would like to think I know a thing or two about dancing in the Bay Area. I received ‘best dancer’ superlatives in middle school. For several years (late 2000s-early 2010s), I ran a Facebook group called Salsa Aficionados that captured the best salsa dancing events, festivals, pop-ups, and more across the Bay Area. It was the most popular place to get your salsa dancing info, with 6,000+ subscribers at one point.
Places to go dancing in the San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland, and more from salsa, swing, bachata, 80s & more.
Places below skew toward salsa dancing as that is what I know best. I took lessons all over the Bay Area in my 20s, went out dancing regularly 2-3 days a week. I got pretty good at it that I eventually taught salsa dancing at Rassela’s Jazz club on Fillmore.
San Jose Mercury News Article from 2010 (re: San Jose Salsa Festival)
“It’s the type of salsa dancing I’d like to see more of,” said Eddie Hernandez, a San Francisco-based events promoter and founder of Salsa Aficionados, an online social network with a website listing dozens of salsa dances and festivals.
He said many serious salsa dancers, especially working women, don’t care for the meat-market atmosphere of some nightclubs or don’t have the time for late-night dancing. He added that salsa musicians typically earn less when playing at family-oriented festivals but don’t mind because the performances allow them to increase their fan base.
In terms of attendance, Hernandez ranks the Alum Rock festival behind the Redwood City salsa fest and the salsa stage at the annual San Jose Jazz Festival. Both attract 15,000 or more. The Alum Rock festival organizers expect at least 10,000 this weekend.
Check out my other guides: Free | Paid
Depending on interest, feedback, I will update with details, links, more options etc.
Bay Area Dancing Events Sunday
Sausalito Seahorse
Mad Oak, Oakland (select Sundays)
Alberto’s, Mountain View, Tango
Salsa Sundays, Santa Cruz Boardwalk
Swing Dancing, Golden Gate Park
Skate & Dance, Golden Gate Park, 6th Ave
Nueva Sol, Campbell (2nd Sundays)
EL Cielo, 2nd Sundays, High 5ive, Oakland (rooftop Timba)
Bay Area Dancing Events Monday
Madrone, NoPa (Mo Town Mondays)
Neck of the Woods, Inner Richmond
Hello Stranger, Oakland, Mo’ Town Mondays
Blues Monday, Eli’s, Oakland
Death Guild, San Francisco
Bay Area Dancing Events Tuesday
Retro Junkie, Walnut Creel, Salsa Dancing
Alberto’s, Mountain View, Salsa Dancing
Bay Area Dancing Events Wednesday
Alberto’s, Mountain View, Bachata
El Timbon, San Francisco (Nob Hill), UpCider (Timba, Cuban Salsa)
El Valenciano, San Francisco (Mission District), Salsa Dancing on 2
Tips, edits, suggestions? Leave me a note below or use the contact link in the weekly email newsletters.
Bay Area Dancing Events Thursday
Ahi Nama, Oakland, Salsa Dancing
Alberto’s, Mountain View, Salsa Dancing & Bachata
Vinyl Room, Burlingame, Salsa Dancing
Savoy, San Francisco (North Beach), 1st & 3rd Thursdays
Skate & Dance, Oakland, Panthers Skate Plaza
Cat Club, 80’s Night
Bay Area Dancing Events Friday
Cigar Bar, San Francisco - Jackson Square, Salsa Dancing
Space 550, Bayview (Salsa, Bachata)
Alberto’s, Mountain View, Salsa Dancing
El Pirata, Potrero Hill, Last Fridays
Mucha Salsa, San Francisco - Potrero Hill, Verdi Club, 3rd Fridays
Days Like This, Oakland, Lake Merritt
The Beat Social, Berkeley, 2nd Fridays (Salsa Dancing)
La Pena, Berkeley: Baila Community Dance Party (Salsa Lesson & Dancing); ~3rd Fridays
Bay Area Dancing Events Saturday
Cigar Bar, San Francisco - Jackson Square, Salsa Dancing
Mad Oak, Oakland, Salsa Dancing (select Saturdays)
Mambo Social, San Jose (Third Saturdays)
The Ramp, San Francisco (Dogpatch), Salsa
San Francisco Bay Area Dancing Events (Seasonal)
Salsa by the Lake, Oakland (pop-ups)
Brooklyn Basin, Oakland, Salsa Dancing pop-ups
Below are my personal notes, things to research.