SF downtown street party gets new philanthropic boost from billionaire elite
San Francisco's biggest free, monthly outdoor block party will continue to be a fixture in downtown through the end of the year thanks to a $1.75 million surge of new funding from the city's billionaire elite.
State of play: Downtown First Thursdays was scheduled to end in April. But organizers on Thursday announced its extension along with a new speaker series beginning this summer and a western theme dubbed "Downtown Hoedown" from May through October.
Follow the money: Crypto billionaire Chris Larsen, the Crankstart Foundation — funded by billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz — and former Gap chairman Bob Fisher and his wife Randi, who have supported the event with a $1 million annual endowment, are among the biggest donors.
Levi Strauss & Co., Salesforce and JPMorgan Chase are also helping fund the expansion.
What they're saying:"Downtown First Thursdays has already brought joy to thousands and delivered a major boost to our local economy. I'm thrilled to see it expand so we can keep building momentum," Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement.
Catch up quick: The monthly event, which features live music, vendors, food trucks and art, was launched last May in an effort to break the post-pandemic "doom loop" by boosting downtown's economy, increasing foot traffic and reviving the city's nightlife scene.
Since then, it has helped rake in nearly $12 million in revenue and drawn more than 160,000 attendees to lively parties that have included street performers, local DJs, drag shows and art installations, according to the event organizers.
Between the lines: The new speaker series, called the "Symposium at DFT" will run from June to October at Salesforce Park Amphitheater from 5-9pm.
KQED will be among the partners to present programming on the lineup of speakers, which will include various entrepreneurs, artists, authors and more. Space will be limited to first-come, first-served, with free tickets provided via RSVP required for entry.
The new western-themed street party will have live country and bluegrass performances, line dancing and mechanical bull rides.
What's next: The art coalition behind the event, which includes the event production company Into The Streets and the nonprofit Civic Joy Fund, hope to continue securing ongoing investments to make Downtown First Thursdays "a tradition for years to come."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man Says His Girlfriend Is ‘Hurt' He's Going to His Son's Birthday Party Because His Ex-Wife Will Be There
A man's girlfriend doesn't want him to attend his son's birthday party because his ex-wife will be there He and his ex-wife divorced two years ago, but co-parent their two kids without any "big conflict" Reddit users were bewildered that the man felt he had to think about attending his son's partyA man has turned to the internet because his girlfriend is upset that he wants to attend his son's birthday party, all because his ex-wife will be there. In a post on Reddit's 'Am I the A------' forum, the father, 36, explained that he shares two children, age 8 and 5, with his ex-wife, whom he divorced two years ago. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! 'There is no big conflict between me and my ex-wife and there has never been one apart of the occasional disagreements about the shared bank account of the kids,' he wrote. 'No big of a deal, just small issues. The only contact I have with my ex is whenever something has to be arranged for the kids." The man said that his son wants to have a party with six of his friends for his upcoming birthday. His ex-wife made the arrangements as he will be at her home on the day of the celebration. 'He wants to go to a big playground,' the man said of his son, adding that it was about 12.5 miles away. 'My son came up to me and asked if I would attend his party and drive half of his friends to the playground and be there when he celebrates his birthday with his friends,' he continued. 'I said yes because I feel like I can't say no to this request.' However, his girlfriend is upset that he wants to attend the party because his ex-wife will be there. 'She doesn't understand why I have to be there. My son will be playing with his friends leaving me with his mother to sit and wait,' he wrote. 'According to her, we will be giving off 'happy family vibes' which hurt her feelings. She says I'm loyal to my ex and I should have my priorities with her. ' The man said he told his girlfriend that he wanted to be there for his son and himself. 'I want to be the kind of father who is part of my kids' memories. I don't want to be the father who was never there because I let my dislike for my kids' mother prevail,' he wrote. He asked the forum if he was wrong to attend the party, and the consensus was bewilderment that the question had to be asked. 'She asked why are you going to your son's birthday.... read that you wanna be with that????' a commentator wrote. Others noted that the girlfriend was exhibiting 'red flags galore.' 'This whole situation screams jealousy and insecurity. Prioritizing your kids' happiness over her feelings is the right move. A healthy partner would support your role as a father, not undermine it,' a poster wrote. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Others were more blunt in their assessment of him. 'He's an a—--- just for asking reddit,' the commentator wrote. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man Says His Girlfriend Is ‘Hurt' He's Going to His Son's Birthday Party Because His Ex-Wife Will Be There
A man's girlfriend doesn't want him to attend his son's birthday party because his ex-wife will be there He and his ex-wife divorced two years ago, but co-parent their two kids without any "big conflict" Reddit users were bewildered that the man felt he had to think about attending his son's partyA man has turned to the internet because his girlfriend is upset that he wants to attend his son's birthday party, all because his ex-wife will be there. In a post on Reddit's 'Am I the A------' forum, the father, 36, explained that he shares two children, age 8 and 5, with his ex-wife, whom he divorced two years ago. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! 'There is no big conflict between me and my ex-wife and there has never been one apart of the occasional disagreements about the shared bank account of the kids,' he wrote. 'No big of a deal, just small issues. The only contact I have with my ex is whenever something has to be arranged for the kids." The man said that his son wants to have a party with six of his friends for his upcoming birthday. His ex-wife made the arrangements as he will be at her home on the day of the celebration. 'He wants to go to a big playground,' the man said of his son, adding that it was about 12.5 miles away. 'My son came up to me and asked if I would attend his party and drive half of his friends to the playground and be there when he celebrates his birthday with his friends,' he continued. 'I said yes because I feel like I can't say no to this request.' However, his girlfriend is upset that he wants to attend the party because his ex-wife will be there. 'She doesn't understand why I have to be there. My son will be playing with his friends leaving me with his mother to sit and wait,' he wrote. 'According to her, we will be giving off 'happy family vibes' which hurt her feelings. She says I'm loyal to my ex and I should have my priorities with her. ' The man said he told his girlfriend that he wanted to be there for his son and himself. 'I want to be the kind of father who is part of my kids' memories. I don't want to be the father who was never there because I let my dislike for my kids' mother prevail,' he wrote. He asked the forum if he was wrong to attend the party, and the consensus was bewilderment that the question had to be asked. 'She asked why are you going to your son's birthday.... read that you wanna be with that????' a commentator wrote. Others noted that the girlfriend was exhibiting 'red flags galore.' 'This whole situation screams jealousy and insecurity. Prioritizing your kids' happiness over her feelings is the right move. A healthy partner would support your role as a father, not undermine it,' a poster wrote. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Others were more blunt in their assessment of him. 'He's an a—--- just for asking reddit,' the commentator wrote. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Down 65%, Should You Buy Nike Stock?
Nike made some missteps, including cutting out wholesale partnerships. The current challenging environment isn't helping, and sales are declining. That leaves Nike stock trading at a discount to its three-year average. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Nike (NYSE: NKE) is the largest activewear company in the world, by far, and the largest of any kind of apparel company in the U.S. However, it's going through some rough times, and the stock is 65% off its all-time high. This could look like a value trap, but if you're looking for a value stock or reliable passive income, and you have the time to wait out the recovery, Nike stock could fit the bill. Here's why. Nike has nearly $48 billion in trailing 12-month revenue, making it larger than all of its major activewear competitors combined. It's also larger than other major U.S. apparel companies like Gap, American Eagle, and Levi Strauss. It has an unbeatable brand, with the highest brand value in the world at more than $71 billion, according to Statista. That has clear implications for its overall health despite recent setbacks. Sales have been declining over the past few years after a number of missteps. It made a major pivot to focus on its direct-to-consumer channels, cutting out long-held wholesale relationships, and the timing was wrong as people cut back on discretionary spending. In good times, Nike can count on its relationships with its loyal customers across demographics to power higher sales. These days, the majority of that customer group can't buy premium, and the more affluent shoppers are trying new brands like On Holding. It has also lost out to brands focused on performance, like Berkshire Hathaway's Brooks and Deckers Brands' Hoka. Nike brought back former executive Elliott Hill to lead the company in a turnaround last year, but it's going to take some time to get out of this rut. Not only does it need to redo its strategy, but the external environment is still unfavorable to premium spending. In the fiscal 2025 third quarter (ended Feb. 28), sales were down 7% from the prior year on a currency neutral basis. Direct-to-consumer sales were worse than the total with a 10% decrease, but Nike's been rebuilding its wholesale partnerships, and wholesale was down 4%. That's worse for margins, though, and there were other factors sending them down. Gross margin narrowed 3.3 percentage points from last year to 41.5% in Q3. Part of that came from discounting, higher costs, and missing inventory as the company scraps some models and replaces them with new designs that it hopes will revitalize the brand. With its size and brand power, it doesn't make sense to give up on Nike, and the market is enthusiastic about Hill's chances for success. Despite its declines, Nike remains the industry leader. It's especially resonant with younger shoppers, and it topped Piper Sandler's annual Taking Stock With Kids survey as the favorite footwear brand again this year. The company is already in the throes of a major strategy shift. It's leaning into sports, with a focus on performance lines, and it's launching new products weekly to keep the brand in shoppers' minds and keep them buying. It's moving away from legacy products and innovating, deepening its brand storytelling, and releasing a greater variety to meet demand across its customer base. Nike is also reigniting its Wholesale partnerships and redoing its digital channels to bring customers back, starting with paring down promotional activity. Hill noted that in January and February, promotional days in U.S. digital channels went from 30 last year to zero this year. He said that in the third quarter, Nike met its expectations, and that this reinforced his thinking about how Nike needs to change. The change isn't going to happen overnight, or even in a few quarters. Management explained that while it tightens the Nike Direct marketplace and shifts promotional activity to its factory stores, it expects traffic to decline by double digits before growing again. Shifting back to premium pricing will also concentrate its buyers. Some legacy items will be out of stock while it brings out newer styles. There's definitely risk in investing in a company that's on the decline, but that's often where the greatest opportunities lie. Nike is less risky than other turnaround plays because it's still at the top of its industry. Nike stock won't be the right choice for every investor, but it looks like a good play for the value investor or dividend investor. It's trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 21, well below its three-year average of 28, and the dividend yields 2.5% at the current price. If you're looking for solid passive income and have a long time horizon, Nike could be the right stock for you. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you'll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a 'Double Down' stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you're worried you've already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it's too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you'd have $377,293!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you'd have $37,319!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you'd have $659,171!* Right now, we're issuing 'Double Down' alerts for three incredible companies, available when you join , and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.*Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway, Deckers Outdoor, and Nike. The Motley Fool recommends American Eagle Outfitters and On Holding. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Down 65%, Should You Buy Nike Stock? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
