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Entertainment Commission unanimously approves permits for Figma conference, Valencia Live and Downtown First Thursdays
Summary
The San Francisco Entertainment Commission unanimously approved a set of permits and the meeting minutes, including a multi-day street closure for the Figma CONFIG 2025 conference and monthly street events on Valencia and downtown.
The San Francisco Entertainment Commission voted unanimously to approve minutes and multiple one-time and series outdoor entertainment permits, including a multi-day street closure for the Figma CONFIG 2025 conference and two recurring neighborhood events.
The approvals came during the commission’s public meeting, where commissioners also voted to grant two indoor LLP permits on the consent calendar and to approve three outdoor permits on the regular agenda with staff conditions.
Why it matters: the permits authorize large public activations that will affect street closures, amplified sound, and police and fire coordination downtown and in neighborhood commercial corridors. The commission attached staff-recommended conditions, including a special sound limit applied to Downtown First Thursdays and standard good-neighbor conditions required of other organizers.
The commission approved the April 1 meeting minutes at the start of the meeting. The consent agenda, described by staff as two indoor LLP (limited live performance) permits with no opposition and no added SFPD conditions, was approved on a single unanimous vote.
On the regular agenda, the commission approved a one-time extended-duration outdoor permit for Figma’s CONFIG 2025 conference, scheduled for Monday, May 5, 2025, through Thursday, May 8, 2025. The permit covers an SFMTA-approved street closure on Howard Street between Third and Fourth streets adjacent to Moscone Center, where organizers anticipate more than 10,000 attendees over multiple days. Brad Kurtz, permit and transportation manager for George P. Johnson, told the commission the event will use a small stage focused toward Moscone North and that he had been coordinating with SFPD on staffing and with nearby venues during outreach. The commission approved the permit with the staff recommendations.
The commission then approved two permits filed by Into the Streets. The first, Valencia Live, will activate Valencia Street between 16th and 19th streets on the second Thursday of each month beginning May 8, 2025, through December 2025, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Javier Sanchez, representing Into the Streets, said the event will feature live busking in three designated spots, family activities and vendor participation by neighborhood businesses; he also described communications and block-captain arrangements to respond to noise or access concerns. Staff reported one outreach question from a nearby appliance store during the application process; SFPD Mission Station did not submit recommendations in the response window.
The second Into the Streets permit, Downtown First Thursdays, will repeat monthly on the first Thursday from May 2025 through April 2026 and is expected to draw an estimated 10,000 attendees per event. Staff told the commission that since last year the city received six noise complaints tied to last year’s series and that Inspector Zavrina set a special sound limit for the stage closest to residential buildings; staff recommended the same limit this year. Javier Sanchez said the event received substantial merchant support and that organizers will continue sound‑monitoring and coordination with police and fire.
All motions to approve the items passed unanimously with the following recorded votes: Vice President Xin Wong — Aye; Commissioner Davis — Aye; Commissioner Perez — Aye; Commissioner Poggio — Aye; Commissioner Thomas — Aye. Approved permits are conditionally granted pending follow-up with commission staff for final steps and required management plans.
The meeting also recorded two recusals: one commissioner recused from the Figma item and a different commissioner briefly left the dais during another permit presentation; staff handled each recusal according to the meeting record.
Looking ahead, staff instructed successful applicants to complete the follow-up administrative steps outlined in the commission memos, including final management and security plans and any required sound monitoring protocols.
