April finds us with a multitude of offerings as the sun shines brighter and longer and the trees bloom. Speaking of trees, the Cherry Blossom festival takes place in JapanTown this month. Bay Area Dance week kicks off in a few weeks and Berkeley Rep has a very powerful play in production. The San Francisco International Film Festival returns and secondhand fashion explodes on the Peninsula

Starts April 25. Bay Area Dance Week

This 10-day celebration of dance includes workshops, performances, open rehearsals, and classes—all free, and in a range of styles including hip hop, modern, salsa, folk, Bollywood, ballet, and West African dance. The festival kicks off in Union Square on April 25^h.  dancersgroup.org

Now-May 11. Here There Are Blueberries at Berkely

Developed over the course of a decade by Moises Kaufman, a descendent of family killed at Auschwitz, this play was inspired by one of 116 photos in an album that once belonged to an SS officer at the infamous concentration camp. Rather than depicting its atrocities, the images show its officers enjoying themselves without a trace of remorse.  berkeleyrep.org

Now-Sept. 2. Ruth Asawa Sculptures at SFMOMA

When writer and art historian Bridget Quinn toured her book Broad Strokes: 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History, outside of California, she said very few people had heard of Ruth Asawa, a hero of the Bay Area’s art world. Thankfully, that’s changing. SFMOMA will show about 300 pieces: the delicate wire sculptures she’s known for, plus works on paper, and masks of her friends and fellow artists. April 5 through September 2; SFMOMA,  sfmoma.org

April 17-27. SF International Film Festival

After flirting with a five-day program in 2024, the San Francisco International Film Festival returns to an 11-day run this year for its 68th iteration, April 17–27. Filmgoers who thrill at having too many options to choose from can once again assiduously plot their schedules, even if it involves some tight layovers. As SFFILM Executive Director Anne Lai said during the March 26 program announcement, “We like to see people running.” Like last year, most programming will take place in the Marina and Presidio  neighborhoods and at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Archive.

Boasting over 150 films from over 50 countries, this year’s festival is packed with world premieres, films with local ties, feature-length debuts and special appearances. Unlike other film events, this one showcases, documentaries, short films, features and now mid length films as well.

One film we want to highlight provides a lighter fare than most. We see an emerging fashion designer attaching high-end tags to her own work to sell pieces online. Much of the film’s comedy comes from her chaotic life with her extended Russian Jewish family in West Hollywood. When a reality fashion show called Slay, Serve and Survive comes calling, Margarita signs on to save — and/or escape — the family home. Of course there are the intriguing and educational festival talks as well. One of these talks will focus on films made in San Francisco. Another free talk will be presented by director Lee Isaac Chung, along with scientific experts and effects wizards from the film “Twisters” as they discuss whether a tornado can actually be “tamed,” the world of tornado chasers, and how they embraced science to depict the awesome power of nature through cinematic craft and create the vastly entertaining world of Twisters.  SFIFF

Perhaps it’s the rising price of buying straight off the rack or a heightened awareness of the environmental impact of fast fashion, but south of San Francisco they’re experiencing a boom in secondhand shopping. Pre-loved shopping on the Peninsula comes in many forms:  authentic, dealer-sourced vintage ranging from the 1930s to the early 2000s; gently used clothing from contemporary brands, big and small; and luxury consignment from designer labels. These three destinations sell secondhand gems at a range of price points, from Lululemon to Louis Vuitton.

Julianna’s Luxe, San Bruno

Owner Jan Regala Freeman, a San Bruno resident with a background in banking, always dreamed of opening a brick-and-mortar business to give women the chance to buy their dream handbag at a reasonable price—without the impersonal experience of resale sites.

In September last year, she opened her charming boutique, Julianna’s Luxe, in one of San Bruno’s oldest strip malls on San Mateo Avenue. In it, shoppers can find a selection of high-end and contemporary gently worn pieces, all personally authenticated by Freeman. Also offering personal styling services and hosting pop-up events, Julianna’s Luxe is more than just a haven for luxury consignment—it’s a concept store. This past January, they hosted the Iconic by Julianna’s Luxe fashion show at the Philippine Center in San Francisco, where models wore entirely pre-owned outfits in support of local schools and nonprofits. JULIANNAS LUXE

Sainted Goods, Belmont

In 2021, friends Carissa Noelle Galvez Rey-Hipolito and Evangeline McNeil turned their mutual love for fashion, jewelry, and vintage into Sainted Goods, a small store packed with personality in Belmont’s Carlmont Village Shopping Center. Inspired by the previous “sainted” lives of vintage clothing, entering the store feels like stumbling into the closet of a woman who’s lived a glamorous life, racks full of party dresses, sparkly bags, and ’60s fur coats. With a trove of pieces to work with, Rey-Hipolito and McNeil often style customers in-store to curate looks brimming with vintage flair. Sainted Goods

Fillmore & 5th, Palo Alto

This longtime fixture in Palo Alto’s Town & Country Shopping Center is the mature older sister brand of Crossroads Trading, with its name referencing the original Crossroads location, which opened in 1991 on Fillmore Street. Fillmore & 5th came along in 2012 as a new concept to cater to an audience hungry for consignment. While the flagship in San Francisco closed in 2015, the Town & Country location is in its 13th year in business and has since expanded to double its original size, with racks of activewear, seasonal pieces, trendy items, and formalwear. Your SF editor frequently consigns and buys at this location, guaranteed it’s worth a visit. Fillmore & 5th

Cherry Blossom Festival

Since 1968, the Festival has served to cultivate the continued alliance between Japan and the United States using culture as its bridge. Each year, over 220,000 people attend this dazzling display showcasing the vibrant colors and grace of the Japanese culture and the diversity of the Japanese American Community in the festivities as San Francisco’s Japantown celebrates Japanese and Japanese-American culture. The celebration coincides with the blooming of the cherry blossoms, a gorgeous sight to behold. April 12 – 13, 19^th and 20^th. CHERRY BLOSSOM FEST