San Francisco Outdoor Handmade Artisan Show

The Palace of Fine Arts is doing some of the work here. A handmade market beneath its grand rotunda and colonnades gives the usual browse-and-buy routine a more scenic backdrop, and this three-day show makes it easy to take your time rather than race through a few rows of booths. The event is built around independent artisans, with handmade goods and food vendors in the mix, so the appeal is less about hunting for one particular thing than seeing what catches your eye. It is also free to attend, which makes dropping by for an hour or two a pretty easy Labor Day weekend plan. Go earlier if you want a calmer look through the stalls, then take the long way around the lagoon afterward. The show runs September 4 through 6, from 10am to 6pm.