North Beach Week: International Ocean Film Festival, Jack Kerouac

Photo: Spiros Vathis/Flickr

The bad news: you'll lose an hour this weekend. The good news: there are plenty of fun ways to spend the other 23 you'll hang on to.

Since the rain will be hanging around again, why not head indoors for the 12th annual International Ocean Festival at Fort Mason? The four-day festival, which starts tonight, will include ocean-themed independent film screenings and Q&A sessions on everything from sharks and seahorses to coral reefs, fisheries and places affected by rising sea levels. Tickets are available online.

In the heart of North Beach, The Beat Museum (540 Broadway) will celebrate what would have been Jack Kerouac's 94th birthday on Saturday night with readings, storytelling and music by NYC-based reggae group The Dharma Bums. Geoffrey Pond, musician and artistic director for Subterranean Shakespeare Theatre, will present an excerpt from his upcoming solo show SAN FRANCISCO: views of THE CITY, a theatrical recreation of Kerouac’s role in the Six Gallery reading from 1955.

Oh, and don't be shocked if there appears to be more pedal-driven nudity than usual in the area on Saturday afternoon. Just act casual.

Looking towards next week, the Exploratorium (Pier 15, Embarcadero at Green Street) will be celebrating the 28th annual Pi Day on Monday with free museum admission. And on Wednesday, The Critter Lovers at Work will host their 19th Annual Bark & Whine Ball, which benefits the SPCA’s Cinderella Fund for at-risk animals. Tickets are available online.

SF rain and a rainbow. ------------------------------------- #rain #rainbow #dancingupastorm #SinFrancisco #instagood #vsco #mextures #northbeach #theitaliancode #transamericabuilding #downtownsf #sf #umbrellasup #artofvisuals #nowrongwaysf

A photo posted by Antonio- sometimes Alejandro (@aerodynamyc) on Mar 8, 2016 at 1:52am PST

Elsewhere in the news, North Beach got slammed with 1.31 inches of rain last weekend, and could be in for more over the next few days. Gawker used a nice photo of the Montgomery and Green intersection on Telegraph Hill to lead off an expletive-laced plea for the city to build more affordable housing. And if you happen to be strolling near Joe DiMaggio Playground (651 Lombard St.) soon, the Chronicle would like to remind you that the plot used to be an unauthorized graveyard in the 1850s. Probably best not to tell the kids that one.

For a full list of what's going on around town this weekend and beyond, don't forget to check out hoodline.com/events. If you see a local event missing and want to get in on the fun, submit it for free for the chance to see it featured in our next events roundup.