Presidio Picnic’s Eighth Season

The crowd at the opening of Presidio Picnic (Photo and icon photo courtesy of CKO+)

The Presidio of San Francisco, in partnership with Off the Grid, unveiled an eighth season of Presidio Picnic last March 31, 2019, with an exciting line up of new and returning mobile food creators and cultural dance performances. This beloved community picnic is an opportunity for locals and visitors alike to enjoy San Francisco’s urban national park and celebrate the food and cultures of the Bay Area.

Presidio Picnic takes place every Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm, rain or shine, through early October on the Presidio’s beautiful Main Parade Ground, an expansive seven-acre lawn with views of the park, the city skyline, and the San Francisco Bay. In addition to the monthly dance performances, Presidio Picnic will feature the return of other family-friendly elements that visitors love: more than 30 international mobile food creators representing the best of the San Francisco food scene, free bike safety classes for kids offered by the Presidio YMCA, nature-based arts and crafts for kids, lawn games, yoga from LubbDubb, music, and free bike valet by the SF Bicycle Coalition.

The season opened with a very special welcome blessing from the Ohlone Costanoan Rumsen Carmel Tribe, which honors early inhabitants of the Presidio. Cultural dance performances will be offered the third Sunday of each month and will be announced shortly.

“Presidio Picnic welcomes one and all to come enjoy their national park,” says Allison Stone, director of visitor engagement for the Presidio Trust. “Each year we welcome thousands of enthusiastic visitors, and we’re especially excited to engage those who have never before explored the Presidio. There is so much that awaits!  Come with your family and friends for the Picnic, and stay for the views, hiking trails, beaches, museums, and much, much more!” 

“There are few events more entrenched in the social fabric of San Francisco than Presidio Picnic,” says Off the Grid Founder and CEO Matt Cohen. “It’s a privilege to be able to return to the Presidio’s historic Main Parade Ground for the eighth year, along with some of the most exciting mobile food creators we’ve had to date.”

New to Presidio Picnic this year are Off the Grid mobile food creators:

·       Beans N Barbells: mobile pop-up café serving specialty coffee beverages

·       Bowl’d Acai: made-to-order juices, smoothies, and acai bowls

·       Estas Manos: just-launched artisan coffee roaster proudly based in San Francisco

·       Fruity Moto: organic, all-natural, fruit-centric craft beverages

·       Gio Gelati: traditional Italian gelato made with impeccable California ingredients

·       Horn Barbecue: much-lauded authentic Texas barbecue with a cult following

·       The Base Co: LA-based natural sweetener company serving guilty-free, plant-based beverages in refillable “happiness jars” that feature designs by local artists

·       La Santa Torta: tacos, tortas, elotes, and more that showcase the gastronomy of the Jalisco region of Mexico

·       Lobsterdamus: Southern-California shellfish favorite serving up Maine lobsters on a mesquite grill

·       Mi Morena: La Cocina entrepreneur offering fresh Tacos de Guisado on housemade tortillas

·       Milk & Waffles: authentic Liège waffles topped with imported pearl sugar

·       MOMO Noodle: high octane sauces and toppings on traditional Asian noodles

·       On a Roll - Calcutta Style: Indian kathi rolls fusing traditional and modern flavors

·       Pye: savory meat and veggie pies made in small batches with honest ingredients

·       Spunbyss: classic, made-from-scratch sliders, fries and sides with vegetarian options that include a plant-based burger patty from Impossible Foods

·       Turontastic: crunchy and irresistible Filipino desserts with inventive fillings, like ube mochi, and strawberry-Nutella

Señor Sisig Founders Gil Payumo and  Evan Kidera

Jeepney Guy Owner, Dennis Villafranca

Participating alums from Off the Grid’s 24-month mobile food incubator in partnership with Google, Instructional, include:

·       Bollocks: Globe-spanning spherical delights from meatball master Greg Spangler.

·       Manjé: Haitian Caribbean cuisine from entrepreneur Dimitri Lilavois.

Picnic devotees are delighted to discover that many of the event’s most popular mobile food creators are back for the 2019 season. Returning creators include Oakland-based Nashville-style hot chicken purveyors Hot Bird (easily identified at last year’s Presidio Picnic by their sizable queues), masters of Peruvian fusion Lamas Peruvian, and Pacific Island-meets-Philippines dessert favorite Hula’s Sweet Treats. 

Presidio Picnic strives to be a zero-waste event and encourages visitors to show their love for the environment and their national park by participating in the “leave no trace” ethos. All food containers and service-ware are 100% compostable, and a free water refilling station is available in lieu of the sale of bottled water.  Leave the car at home and take the free shuttle to the Presidio from Embarcadero BART or the Transbay Terminal. Arrive on two wheels and enjoy free bike valet service provided by the San Francisco Bike Coalition. Or take one of the many park trails to the Main Parade Ground. Presidio Picnic is also easily accessed via MUNI Route 43.

To receive updates as new details are announced throughout the season follow #PresidioPicnic, @OfftheGridSF and @PresidioSF on Instagram, and @OTGSF and @presidiosf on Twitter.

About Off the Grid

Founded in San Francisco in 2010, Off the Grid is a placemaking platform that empowers people and businesses to create authentic experiences. Off the Grid unlocks the value of space through curated food and event design services, offering innovative public and private event production and scalable employee dining experiences. Credited with reviving and cultivating street food in San Francisco, Off the Grid sets the stage for discovery with public markets in 15 Bay Area locations including over 60 events routinely serving more than 100,000 people weekly.  Follow Off the Grid by visiting www.offthegrid.com and following them on Twitter: @OTGSF, Instagram: @OffTheGridSF, Facebook: @OffTheGridSF.

About the Presidio and the Presidio Trust

The Presidio Trust is a federal agency that manages the Presidio of San Francisco, a national park at the heart of the 82,000-acre Golden Gate National Recreation Area. In partnership with the National Park Service and the non-profit Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Presidio Trust brings alive the park’s historic, natural, and recreational assets for the inspiration, education, health, and enjoyment of all people at no cost to taxpayers. Spanning nearly 1,500 acres in a spectacular setting at the Golden Gate, the Presidio is defined by its history, spectacular views, natural habitats, and beautiful open spaces. It is home to 3,000 residents and 200 tenant organizations, many of which welcome and serve the public. The Presidio Trust is focused on welcoming all to the national park experience, protecting and enhancing the environment, and operating in service to the public. Learn more at www.presidio.gov. Follow the Presidio on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @presidosf