It’s here Tomato pals, the most glorious month of the year in the bay (yes, biased opinion). The days are still warm and sunny, and the pumpkin spice fills the air. And yes, Fleet Week is coming. The Blue Angels are ready to soar. For those who prefer a more literary event, Litquake provides a vibrant forum to highlight the written word. We also have some fairs and fests and shows to entertain as we jump into the holiday season.

Now – Oct. 15. Fleet Week.

Unless you are new to the city by the bay, you are familiar with the fabulous Fleet Week. I love to rent a bike and tool around with friends watching the antics in the skies which will be filled with the topsy turvy planes, but that’s not the only thing worth seeing. If you haven’t yet, I suggest touring at least one of the ships. Tours are free but do plan on a wait. Piers 27, 30/32, and 35 all have ships ready and waiting. You will be amazed and enthralled. If viewing the Blue Angels is what you plan on doing, the best place to watch with the fewest crowds, based on past years, is Crissy Field. Pier 39 is jammed, and you can see some of the tricks from Aquatic Park as well. You could always head to the Marin Headlands or Twin Peaks if you don’t mind being a bit farther away. Yes, the sailors are in town! FLEET WEEK

Oct. 10-16. Litquake

Litquake in San Francisco is about community, connecting readers to writers and writers to other writers. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful author events. The event officially started in 2004 and is the largest independent literary festival on the West Coast, with events too numerous to mention. There will be the usual cutting-edge conversations, unique cross-media events, and hundreds of readings.

If you have ever wanted to know what is involved in ghostwriting, there is a talk for that, some of the other enticing events include a Radical Creative Womanist Workshopping and reflection in community. Or the scintillating conversation, Is non-fiction literature? Exploring the intersection of Fact and Art.   October 10^th you can join with other book lovers for the Booksellers Ball at Club Fugazi. More information at their website. LITQUAKE

Now- Oct. 13. The Smuggler at San Jose Stage Company

This is the West Coast Premiere of Ronán Noone’s THE SMUGGLER, a one-man thriller in rhyme. It’s 2023. Tim Finnegan is an Irish immigrant trying to make it as a writer on Amity, an affluent summer colony in Massachusetts, where tensions flare between the migrant and local communities after a fatal car crash. When he loses his job as a bartender, Tim gets drawn into the dark underbelly of the island. THE SMUGGLER examines how far one man will go to restore his self-respect and asks the question, “What does it mean to be an American citizen today?” THE SMUGGLER TICKETS

Now – Nov. 9. The Play That Goes Wrong

One of the funniest plays I have ever seen is The Play That Goes Wrong now at the San Francisco Playhouse. Go only if you want to spend two hours laughing uncontrollably. This Olivier award-winning comedy is a hybrid of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes.

Welcome to the opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor, where the hapless Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s attempt to stage this 1920s murder mystery devolves into madcap mayhem. With an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines), the accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to survive until their final curtain call. Hilarious. THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG

Oct. 13. Columbus Day Parade

San Francisco is home to the country’s oldest Italian American Parade, which takes place annually as part of the Columbus Day celebration. Follow the parade of floats, bands, and traditional Italian musicians from Fisherman’s Wharf to the heart of North Beach where it will conclude at a small festival in Washington Square Park.  ITALIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Oct. 17-20. Fall Arts, Antiques, and Design

In case you are in the market for some amazing art or antiques or if you just want to browse, The San Francisco Fall Show is the leading international art, antiques, and design fair on the West Coast. Fort Mason hosts this high-end design extravaganza. Founded in 1982, the Show features over 40 of the top dealers from around the world, offering for sale an extraordinary range of fine and decorative arts representing all styles and periods, including paintings, furniture, precious metals, ceramics, jewelry, rugs, photography, works on paper, books, ethnographic art, and objets d’art.

Lectures and events take place each day and include what Tomatoes will love. The Power of Style: Aerin Lauder and Wes Gordon on the Intersection of Fashion & Design. Sure to be a dazzling conversation with two titans of taste: Aerin Lauder, the quintessential queen of timeless beauty and granddaughter of the legendary Estee Lauder, and Wes Gordon, the maestro of modern couture heading the house of Carolina Herrera. Together with moderator and Editor-in-Chief of Town & Country Stellene Volandes, they will explore how the delicate threads of fashion, the decisive brushstrokes of design, and the essence of style interweave to create a tapestry of inspiration. FALL ARTS, ANTIQUES, & DESIGN

Oct. 26. The Sandcastle Classic

Sandcastles are for everyone and this year The Sandcastle Classic which benefits Leap arts in education, celebrates 42 years of “Sand creations”. Teams of architects, engineers, contractors, designers, corporations, and local elementary school students work together to build giant sand sculptures. The funds raised by teams and sponsors make it possible for Leap to continue to provide arts programs to Bay Area students. The theme this year is Out of this World, and the creations are sure to bring a smile to your face and amaze you. SANDCASTLE CLASSIC