If the rare wake-up call from a thunderstorm rolling through North Beach made you leap out of bed, you may as well continue that motion and jump into the Bay ... for charity.
The San Francisco Plunge & 5K Dash And Splash starts at 8:30 this Saturday, with a brief jog along Crissy Field ending with a jump into the Bay at Aquatic Park. (No one will scold you if you don't go in all the way, though.) Costumes are encouraged, and all proceeds from the event will go to the Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada.
Once you dry off, head on over to Chinatown for all the New Year festivities, including the annual parade, street festival and performances.
In cased you missed it last weekend, Roy Mottini's memorial featured a marching band rolling down Columbus. Attendees included District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin and Caffe Trieste co-owner Ida Zoubi.
Elsewhere in the area, a man was pistol-whipped in a home invasion on the 2100 block of Mason Street.
Further proof you can never move: some folks are putting down six months of rent up front in an effort to secure rental units. On a related note, the Chronicle has a scoop on the "most bizarre" Airbnb story yet, taking place on Telegraph Hill.
There's plenty more good stuff happening around North Beach and the city this weekend, so check out hoodline.com/events before you head out the door. Or, submit your own event for the chance to see it featured in our next events roundup.
Now, on to our editor's picks for the weekend ahead.
