San Francisco kicked off the new year Thursday with a free block party. Thousands of people were expected for the city’s first Downtown First Thursdays in 2026 on New Year’s Day. The monthly event is part of an effort to bring more people downtown. The event was held on Second Street and o rganizers said they typically see between 15,000 to 25,000 people who attend. Downtown First Thursdays started in 2024 to help bring life and energy back to the downtown district. Organizers said businesses needed support following the pandemic and it was a way to push back against a “doom loop” narrative. Organizers believe the events have generated about $28 million in economic impact. Downtown First Thursdays has been renewed for the season through December 2026. San Francisco 21 hours ago San Francisco rings in the new year with fireworks over the bay San Francisco 12 hours ago San Francisco returns to Rose Parade after decades, wins award San Francisco Dec 29, 2025 San Francisco businesses struggle after prolonged outages ...read more read less