MINTED SF DEBUTS TO SPOTLIGHT LOCAL DIVERSE MUSIC CULTURE AND CURATORS 

The free Friday night series in historic Mint Plaza aims to reflect the historical landscape and community voices of San Francisco. 

SAN FRANCISCO, JUNE 9, 2025 — This summer, San Francisco’s Mint Plaza will pulse with rhythm, flavor, and community spirit as MINTED SF launches on Friday, July 4. MINTED SF is a bold new weekly series turning Mint Plaza into an open-air celebration of San Francisco’s creative soul, uniting the Bay’s top DJ crews, music curators, and culture-builders every Friday night through September 19, 2025.

The event aims to showcase the diverse landscape of San Francisco through music, food and community. Additionally, the event will showcase the historic Mint Plaza which is located in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco’s Filipino Cultural Heritage District. Mint Plaza is a redesigned former alley and service street that is being activated for the people to connect and dance the night away. 

Starting July 4, Mint Plaza transforms every Friday evening into San Francisco’s cultural commons — a high-vibe hub of music, movement, and local flavor. From 5:00PM to 9:00PM PT, guests can enjoy exclusive dine-in and to-go menus from neighborhood favorites, while dancing, dining, and celebrating under the city lights. MINTED SF is free, all ages, and open to all — and those who RSVP and check in at the info booth will receive a punch card for a chance to win prizes and vouchers to Mint Plaza restaurants and the onsite bar. 

Located between 5th Street & Mint Street in Downtown San Francisco, the event is helping to build the infrastructure that can help Mint Plaza continue to be utilized on a regular basis. 

Presented by Make It Mariko, and funded by the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), MINTED SF is more than an event series—it’s a movement to activate public space, spotlight SF’s cultural tastemakers, and support the downtown economy.

“Bringing our city back means investing in the people, places, and culture that make San Francisco special,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “MINTED SF is exactly the kind of creative and community-driven event that brings our downtown to life—supporting small businesses and showcasing the best of who we are. I’m grateful to Make It Mariko, Friends of Mint Plaza, and all the partners for helping reimagine what’s possible in our public spaces.” 

Confirmed crews include vinyl-only selectors Sweater Funk, forward-thinking DJ/live instrumentalist J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science, queer and trans-BIPOC culture builders Soulovely, SF nightlife institution Motown on Mondays, and tropical bass music for the people, Sazon Libre, to name a few. Each MINTED SF evening showcases the soundtrack of current day San Francisco and the creatives who define it. Music programming will rotate weekly with a variety of musical genres reflected like Pop, R&B, Funk, Hip-hop, Disco, House, Reggaeton, Electronic, and more. KALW Public Media, a long-time champion of Bay Area music and culture, will be joining as a community media partner with four of the station’s music programmers being highlighted alongside their respective crews.

“San Francisco is alive because of the people who never gave up on it, and MINTED SF is here to honor them,” said Gina Mariko Rosales, CEO of Make It Mariko. “This weekly series is for the locals and lovers of The City who’ve been building community, creating, and showing up through it all. We’re celebrating the rhythm, flavor, and resilience of San Francisco – not by chasing what’s gone and who left, but by lifting up who has always been here.”

Adding to the experience, Mint Plaza restaurants (Sushi Hashiri, Burma Love, and 54 Mint) will offer exclusive to-go menus and in-house dining specials during the events, giving attendees a taste of the neighborhood’s vibrant food scene while boosting local business engagement.

The series is made possible through a powerful collaboration between city agencies, community-driven nonprofits, and culture-focused producers including Make It Mariko, creative producer and cultural curator, led by event visionary Gina Mariko Rosales, Friends of Mint Plaza, nonprofit stewards of the historic plaza, Kultivate Labs, a nonprofit economic development organization focused on supporting creative entrepreneurs and Non Plus Ultra, event logistics and beverage partner. Ten percent of all bar sales will benefit Friends of Mint Plaza to help them continue making the Plaza vibrant, safe, and inclusive for the community. 

“The Community Benefit District thanks MINTED SF and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development for bringing these fun, festive, family-friendly, and free events to Mid-Market,” said Tracy Everwine, Executive Director, Mid-Market Community Benefit District. “The foot traffic and positive energy will be a boon for participating vendors and surrounding local businesses.”

MINTED SF is part of a broader mission to reenergize San Francisco’s downtown by supporting small businesses, activating underutilized public spaces, and amplifying the city’s cultural scene. By gathering locals and visitors alike for a uniquely SF experience, MINTED SF helps rewrite the narrative of a downtown in flux—proving that community, creativity, and joy are still at the city’s core.

To see the full lineup for the season and to RSVP, visit: www.mintedsf.com and follow along on Instagram at @mintedsf.

About MINTED SF
MINTED SF is San Francisco’s new Friday night Happy Hour experience – a free, all-ages celebration of music, food, and community lighting up Downtown San Francisco’s historic Mint Plaza all Summer long. From July 4 to September 19, 2025, the Bay Area’s top DJs and music culture makers are partnering with local restaurants to transform the plaza into a vibrant open-air dance floor and culinary hotspot. Presented by Make It Mariko and powered by the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and Mayor Daniel Lurie, MINTED SF is on a mission to re-energize downtown, support small businesses, and showcase the creative heartbeat of The City. Each event is a tribute to the sounds, flavors, and spirit that make San Francisco unique. Come for the beats, stay for the community. Learn more at www.mintedsf.com.

About Make It Mariko
Make It Mariko is a San Francisco-based creative events agency led by women of color, producing meaningful and inclusive community experiences. Founded by Gina Mariko Rosales, Make It Mariko challenges the status quo by centering BIPOC creators and fostering joy through intentional event curation. Learn more at www.makeitmariko.com.

About Friends of Mint Plaza (FoMP)
Friends of Mint Plaza (FoMP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the management, maintenance, and cultural programming of Mint Plaza in San Francisco. Through art, music, and community events, FoMP ensures the plaza remains a vibrant, safe, and inclusive gathering space. 

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HERE.