Photo: Al Barna

Neon Speaks 2024
Festival & Symposium
Two weekends: September 7–8
and 12, 14–15.

Register soon, space is limited.

Neon Speaks Festival & Symposium 2024

Sept 7 –15. San Francisco • Oakland • Online
Register now for events celebrating the past and future of neon!

Go on over to neonspeaks.org to register for festival events and join us online and in-person for neon tours, presentations, panels, music, food, and film. This is the the 7th annual festival and we keep it small to give the neon community a chance to share neon preservation stories, techniques, design, and culture. All events sell out so register soon to take advantage of free early bird passes or student/educator/senior discounted tickets. Full schedule and registration at neonspeaks.org

SF Neon North Beach Tour

Check back for new tour dates in October.

Join us for a vibrant and illuminating tour of this historic neighborhood in San Francisco. North Beach has an impressive array of classic watering holes, bakeries, cafes, and restaurants in a neighborhood that is famous for vintage neon and bohemian history. This tour is a treasure hunt to discover these beautiful signs hidden in plain sight. We save the best for last: the glowing signs are at the end of the tour at twilight. Be prepared to walk for 1.5 hours, with rest stops. This is one of our newest walking tours, we hope to see our friends from other neon tours on this one!

SF Neon Chinatown Tour

Check back for new tour dates in October.

Walk with us to find forgotten vintage neon signs in the streets of Chinatown, back alleys and backstories are included. It is a treasure hunt to discover these beautiful signs hidden in plain sight. We save the best for last: the glowing signs are at the end of the tour at twilight. Tour led by SF Neon founders Al Barna and Randall Ann Homan with neighborhood history and architectural/graphic design insights to the historical legacy of vintage neon signs, each one made by hand. Be prepared to walk for 1.5 hours, with rest stops.

99 PERCENT INVISIBLE

Listen to “Tube Benders”, a deep dive into the topic of neon signs, featuring John Law, Shawna Peterson, and SF Neon. Produced by Avery Trufleman of 99% Invisible, a KALW NPR radio show on architecture and design.

MUNI DIARIES

Listen to an illuminating story told by SF Neon authors Al Barna and Randall Ann Homan “SF Neon tells the story of the giant neon dancing leg of Mason Street.” Produced by the MuniDiaries.com, This is a San Francisco neon mystery that remains unsolved!

SF Neon T-shirts: Limited Editions

Each year for Neon Speaks we design a new limited edition t-shirt. High quality printing, 100% cotton. We still have a few different designs, while they last.

Visit our online neon bookstore to donate and receive a book published by Giant Orange Press, the publishing arm of SF Neon and Neon Speaks Festival and Symposium.