Breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay, charming historic buildings, a new tastefully designed conference space—there are dozens of reasons for why Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture is a top choice venue for events and parties of all sizes.
Sure, we’re a little biased, as FMCAC is Off the Grid’s landlord. But that also means we have the inside scoop on the place. No only have we worked with FMCAC as an event parter, we’ve had front-row seats to some of the amazing parties they’ve hosted. If you’re looking for a spot to book your next memorable event, you should consider one FMCAC’s many venue options.
This week’s spotlight: Amanda Mathews of Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture
What should people know about your venue?
Situated on the waterfront, our campus is home to ten unique venues ranging in size to accommodate groups of anywhere from 5 to 3800 guests. With sweeping views of the Bay and historic San Francisco charm, our venues make for a memorable experience—whether it be a small meeting or a large multi-space conference.
What makes Fort Mason Center unique as an event space within San Francisco?
Fort Mason Center was a former military base that served as the primary port of embarkation for WWII and the Korean Wars. In quite the flip, we have been operating the campus as a nonprofit arts and culture center for over 40 years. We are located right on the waterfront with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Many of our venues also have access to outdoor space, which are perfect for having an Off the Grid food truck roll right up.
What types of events are hosted at your venues?
We have done a little bit of everything! From conferences, to weddings, to performances, and art shows. It definitely keeps things interesting, and we are always looking for ways to think outside the box and do something different.
What’s the most memorable event that has been hosted in your venues?
There have been so many great events in the past, so it is hard to choose just one. However, a few years back we did host a corporate summer picnic that was carnival themed. The setup included a Ferris Wheel, huge slide, carnival games, and food all overlooking the San Francisco Bay. The weather cooperated and the views from atop the rides were incredible!
Tell us about the most surprising thing that’s happened at your venue.
During COVID, we erected a 40’ screen in our parking lot and started showing films drive-in style. Never in a million years did I think I would be selling drive-in buyouts, but it was a lot of fun to see the joy it brought to people during an otherwise dreary time. It had the added benefit of allowing us to keep our staff working. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to the drive-in once we were able to host events indoors again, but people loved it and I am still getting drive-in inquiries to this day!
What are you most looking forward to as an event space in 2022?
We have a new venue on campus! We are so excited to include ‘The Store House’ in our catalog and see the creative ways this new space will be utilized. As we all look forward to more time together this year, we can’t wait to see all of the unique ways our clients will make this happen!
Want to book a party? You can inquire about events at Fort Mason Center here.
