You don’t have to pay big money to enjoy live performing arts. There are free concerts and theater and dance performances offered around the Bay Area.
Bay Area-wide
Shakespeare in the Park. The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival offers free outdoor performances of classic plays each summer in parks around the Bay Area. www.sfshakes.org.
East Bay
Friday Nights @OMCA. Visit the Oakland Museum of California every Friday night for free live music, dance lessons, hands-on art workshops, storytimes, food trucks and more. Ages 18 and under get into galleries free; adults pay half price. www.museumca.org/friday-nights-omca.
Peninsula
Courthouse Square Events. Come summer, Redwood City’s Courthouse Square is the place to be, for free live music, weekly movies, and more. Check website for dates and times. www.redwoodcity.org/events.
Peninsula Symphony. It offers free family concerts in the spring and summer as well as performances at local senior centers, town halls, schools and libraries. peninsulasymphony.org.
Redwood City Kidchella Music Festival. An annual free summer music festival featuring live rock bands for families at Redwood City’s Courthouse Square. www.redwoodcity.org/kidchella.
Theatre in the Park. Peninsula Youth Theatre hosts summer camps for elementary-age kids that culminate with free outdoor performances for the public in parks in Mountain View, Saratoga and Palo Alto. pytnet.org/theaterpark.html.
San Francisco
Charity & the JAMband concert series. Charity & the JAMband performs a free concert series at the Park Chalet in San Francisco. www.jamjamjam.com.
San Francisco Chamber Orchestra’s Family Concerts. These free 45-minute performances introduce the young and old to classical music. Seating is first-come, first-served so arrive early. www.thesfco.org/events/family/  
Stern Grove Festival. The oldest free summer performing arts festival in the country, the festival includes live music and dances performances. www.sterngrove.org.
Tricycle Music Fest. This annual music festival features some of the best children’s music performers in free performances at San Francisco and San Mateo County libraries. sfpl.org/?pg=2000919601 and smcl.org/tricycle/.
South Bay
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Head to the Boardwalk Friday nights during the summer for free Bands on the Beach concerts. www.beachboardwalk.com/events.