FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 19, 2026
Contact: Hayden Anderson | hayden@gfpublicaffairs.com | 480.848.2946
THE TENDERLOIN TAKES CENTER STAGE AS I LOVE TENDERLOIN WEEK RETURNS FOR FOURTH YEAR
Six-day celebration brings residents, small businesses, artists, service providers, and City partners together for cleanups, coffee, music, nightlife, and neighborhood events
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The Tenderloin’s signature annual celebration, I Love Tenderloin Week, returns for its fourth consecutive year, running from Sunday, June 21, through Friday, June 26. The weeklong series will bring together longtime neighborhood partners, including the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, the Tenderloin Museum, Healing WELL, Skywatchers, Faithful Fools, and St. Anthony’s, alongside newer participating organizations and businesses such as Bottle Club Pub, UC Law, City Hope, and others. Events will range from neighborhood restaurant crawls and beautification projects to music, nightlife, community gatherings, and family-friendly activities, offering residents, workers, visitors, and neighbors across San Francisco a chance to experience the Tenderloin’s creativity, resilience, and community spirit.
“The Tenderloin is one of San Francisco’s most dynamic neighborhoods, not because of any one event or institution, but because of the people who show up for each other every day. I Love Tenderloin Week is a chance to experience that firsthand: grab a coffee, support a small business, meet a neighbor, stay for the music, and see the creativity and care that define this community,” said Supervisor Bilal Mahmood. “The Tenderloin has always had a strong sense of identity and pride, and this week is about celebrating that while continuing to invest in the neighborhood’s future.”
“I Love Tenderloin Week brings together organizations across the neighborhood to celebrate the unique fabric of the Tenderloin while shining a spotlight on the small businesses and cultural assets that make this community so special,” said Anne Taupier, Executive Director, Office of Economic and Workforce Development. “When we uplift small businesses in the Tenderloin, we uplift the entire city. This week reflects the City’s commitment to an economically sustainable Tenderloin by supporting community‑led revitalization initiatives, from improving storefronts and reducing vacancies to supporting entrepreneurs and investing in vibrant public spaces.”
I Love Tenderloin Week is funded primarily by the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development and coordinated in partnership with the Tenderloin Community Benefit
District and the Tenderloin Museum. Since its launch, the weeklong celebration has brought thousands of attendees into the neighborhood over the last few years, highlighting the opportunity to patronize local businesses, enjoy public spaces, and engage with one of San Francisco’s most dynamic and often overlooked communities.
Mike Vuong, I Love Tenderloin Week organizer and Deputy Director of Policy & Voice at the Tenderloin Community Benefit District stated, “The Tenderloin is rich with pride that deserves to be seen, recognized, and celebrated. I Love Tenderloin Week gives the many organizations and people here a chance to come together and share that love and pride as a community”
TLCBD and SFLuv will kick off the week with the neighborhood’s annual beautification project, which draws dozens of volunteers from across the city to help power wash sidewalks, pick up litter, and paint over unwanted graffiti. This year’s neighborhood cleanup will take place around several blocks in the neighborhood, creating a visible and meaningful start to a week centered on care, connection, and shared investment in the Tenderloin.
Festivities continue Monday with Beats & Brews at Spro Coffee, located at UC Law, offering a unique blend of lo-fi music, coffee, and community gathering space. Beats & Brews will continue later in the week with events at Carousel Patisserie and Tilden Hotel on Thursday, giving attendees additional opportunities to explore the neighborhood, support local businesses, and connect with a diverse mix of residents, workers, students, and visitors.
Rich Lee, co-founder of SPRO Coffee Lab stated “Some of my favorite moments in our cafes happen when strangers become regulars and regulars become friends. We’re happy to partner with the Tenderloin to create a place where people can gather, listen to music, share stories, and feel part of the community.”
Natalia Petrova from the Tilden Hotel said “Tilden Hotel is proud to participate in I Love Tenderloin Week and Thursday’s Beats & Brews event. This is a meaningful opportunity to welcome people into our space, showcase the vibrancy of the Tenderloin, and highlight the diverse people, businesses, and community partners that make this neighborhood so special. We’re excited to be part of an event that celebrates hospitality, connection, and community.”
Throughout the week, events will take attendees across the Tenderloin to try new things, meet neighbors, and experience the district through the people and places that help define it. For those looking to enjoy the neighborhood after daytime work hours, evening programming will include a happy hour celebration at Bottle Club Pub, karaoke at City Hope, and a movie night at Faithful Fools. To close out the week, the Taste of the Tenderloin restaurant crawl will give attendees a
chance to experience the flavors of the Tenderloin and learn more about the neighborhood’s diverse restaurants and culinary community.
“The Tenderloin comes alive after dark, and we’re proud to be part of that.” said Alexandra Garrett of the Bottle Club Pub. “Though we may be newer to the neighborhood, Bottle Club Pub was built to be a great neighborhood joint—a place where regulars and newcomers can pull up a seat and feel right at home. Hosting a happy hour during I Love Tenderloin Week is our way of saying this neighborhood is worth celebrating, and there’s a seat here for everyone.”
City Hope’s Program Manager Paige MacLaren stated, “We all need a place to go and have fun! City Hope’s Karaoke night is a great way for our neighbors and visitors from all walks of life to come and enjoy an evening of laughter, singing and community”
I Love Tenderloin Week comes amid a broader wave of creative efforts by neighborhood organizations to draw more people to the Tenderloin and spotlight its small businesses, cultural institutions, and commercial corridors. The Tenderloin Museum, for example, is distributing Tenderloin Passports, allowing participants to collect stamps at 18 participating locations for a chance to win prizes. Content creators are also turning their attention to the neighborhood, highlighting local businesses, events, and activity along thoroughfares such as Larkin Street, which receiving a $5 million investment in infrastructure, programming, safety and cleaning initiatives, and other improvements to strengthen one of the Tenderloin’s key commercial corridors.
This weeklong celebration is in it’s fourth year because of the strength of its community-led programming and the consistent support of residents, local organizations, small businesses, and City partners. Since its inception, the celebration has demonstrated the impact of neighborhood-based events in strengthening community connections, improving public spaces, and supporting local institutions.
For additional details on I Love Tenderloin Week and the full schedule of events, please visit Tlcbd.org/iltw2026
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