Best Buddies Friendship Walk: Bay Area
Let's change the world for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)
April 12, 2025
8:00 AM | San Francisco, CA
Thank You!
Thank you for participating in this year’s Friendship Walk! Through your amazing efforts, we raised vital funds and awareness to sustain and expand our local Best Buddies programs. We look forward to seeing you at next year’s event. With your support, our mission of friendship and inclusion is stronger than ever!
The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading event in the country supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Join more than 50,000 participants at 80 events across the globe to support the Best Buddies programs in schools, workplaces, and communities. You’ll be making the world more welcoming to people with IDD — one friendship, one job, and one life-changing connection at a time.
Parking:
– Free parking can be found along MLK Drive and Nancy Pelosi Drive. Note: JFK Drive is closed to vehicle traffic on Saturdays—for more information about Golden Gate Park road closures, click here.
– The parking structure below the Concourse (and California Academy of Sciences) is pay-by-the-hour
– There is an ADA-only parking lot directly behind the bandshell. It is open to the public and first come, first serve.
Food & Drink: We will have coffee, water, JAMBAR organic energy bars, bagels, and fruit. Walkers are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles. We will have water stations throughout the walk route with small compostable cups, but no plastic water bottles will be distributed.
Accessibility: We will have a Quiet Zone for those who need to take a break from the large crowd. The Quiet Zone will have two Kulture City sensory bags available for those with sensory sensitivities. The bags include headphones, fidget toys, and a visual cue card.
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Emcee: Athenna Crosby
Schedule
April 12, 2025
Check-in: 8:00 AM
Opening Ceremonies: 8:30 AM
Walk: 9:00 AM
Celebrate: Until 12:00 PM
Location
Golden Gate Park
Music Concourse & Bandshell
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
Event Contact
ChristinePreziosi@bestbuddies.org
Walk Route
Approximately 2 miles
Mission Movers – Top Fundraisers
Fundraising Rankings
Going the extra mile for Best Buddies.
Below are the rankings of the top 100 individuals and teams for this year’s event.
Supporting Local Programs
Funds raised through the Friendship Walk benefits Best Buddies – the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower people with IDD to form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure jobs, improve communication and advocacy skills, and live independently, while also offering support for their families.
The IDD community that Best Buddies serves individuals with IDD and their families. The IDD community includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, and other undiagnosed disabilities.
We Love Our Sponsors!
Title Sponsor
Presenting Sponsor
Additional Sponsors
For sponsorship opportunities and other event inquiries, please contact:
ChristinePreziosi@bestbuddies.org
Best Buddies in San Francisco
901 Mission Street
Suite B-13
San Francisco, CA 94103
Frequently Asked Questions
Every person who raises $50 or more will receive the official Best Buddies Friendship Walk t-shirt on walk day. It’s our way of saying thank you for supporting a more inclusive world and going the extra mile! Want to make sure you receive this year’s shirt? Get registered and start fundraising today!
First things first: Thank you! Your donation will count toward your child’s fundraising total, so they will be the one who earns the t-shirt. Want to make sure you receive one? Register to walk alongside them, make a donation of $50 or more, and the shirt is all yours on walk day!
We do! Simply bring it with you to the walk or contact your local Best Buddies office. Online donations are the easiest and safest, most secure way to give to Best Buddies, but either way — you’re making a difference!
Absolutely! Volunteers are vital to the success of the Friendship Walk, whether it’s assisting with event planning, day-of support, and more. Want to sign up to volunteer? Contact your local Best Buddies staff member — scroll up on the page one section to find more information!
Service animals are always welcome at the Friendship Walk! However, the allowance of other pets depends on the specific venue. For more information regarding bringing non-service animals, please reach out to your local Best Buddies staff member.
Best Buddies does not sell, share, or rent personal information collected through our website’s registration or donation forms. For more information, visit bestbuddies.org/privacy-policy