By Cheryl Eddy

AUTUMN APPROACHES, which means it's finally time to hang up that jacket you wore all summer. Whether you like hot rods, fine art, bagpipes, or copious amounts of beer and bratwurst, you'll find something in our guide to help you enjoy the Bay Area's sunniest, warmest season.

Aug. 27-29

Goodguys West Coast Nationals Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton, Pleasanton; (925) 838-9876, www.good-guys.com. Fri, 8am-5pm; Sat, 8am-6pm; Sun, 8am-3pm. $6-15. Step into heavy metal heaven at this 18th annual event, featuring more than 3,500 hot rods and custom and classic cars from 1954 and earlier, including a 1936 Ford Coupe owned by Metallica's Kirk Hammett.

Sept. 4-5

Millbrae Art and Wine Festival Broadway between Victoria and Meadow Glen, Millbrae; (650) 697-7324, www.miramarevents.com. 10am-5pm. Free. This Mardi Gras-style event features live music, a juried show with works by 250 artists, and more.

San Francisco Zinefest CELLspace, 2050 Bryant, SF; www.sfzinefest.com. 10am-4pm. Free. Sixty-plus small-press vendors gather at this fest, which also includes workshops for independent publishers.

Sept. 4-6

Art and Soul Festival Frank Ogawa Plaza and Oakland City Center, Oakl; (510) 444-CITY, www.artandsouloakland.com. 11am-6pm. $5. The festival sprawls across 10 city blocks and features a huge array of musical performers, including Los Lobos, Chris Robinson, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Norman Brown, the Presidents of the United States of America, and Mindy Smith; plus art exhibits, a family fun zone, and the Oakland Literature Expo.

Kings Mountain Art Fair Kings Mountain Community Center, 13889 Skyline (Hwy 35), Woodside; (650) 851-2710, www.kingsmountainartfair.org. 10am-5pm. Free. This juried multimedia show features works by 135 preselected artists and 25 local "Mountain Folk" artists.

Sausalito Art Festival Army Corps of Engineers-Bay Model Visitor Center and Marinship Park, Marinship Park Way, Sausalito; (415) 331-3757, www.sausalitoartfestival.org. Sat-Sun, 9am-6pm; Mon, 9am-5pm. $5-20. Sausalito's waterfront is the backdrop for the festival, which boasts work by artists from 38 states and nine countries.

Scottish Gathering and Games Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton, Pleasanton; 1-800-713-3160, www.caledonian.org. 8:30am-6pm. $4-23. The Caledonian Club of San Francisco does it up for the 139th year. Highlights include Celtic rock band Wolfstone, bagpipes and kilts aplenty, and a wide selection of Scottish and British food and drink.

Sept. 6

Soccerfest II Friends Field, East Blithedale and Camino Alto (behind Mill Valley Community Center), Mill Valley; (415) 984-6160, www.mvsc.org. $10 a family. Soccer-loving kids and their families are invited to this event, featuring a skills clinic, live music, and a "fun zone."

Sept. 8-19

San Francisco Fringe Festival Various locations, SF; (415) 673-3847, www.sffringe.org. $8 a show. Fans of innovative, diverse, independent theater and performance look forward to "fringing" at the 13th annual fest, which features works by 45 local, national, and international companies.

Sept. 11

911 Power to the Peaceful Festival Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park, SF; (415) 865-2170, www.powertothepeaceful.org. 11am-5pm. Free. Michael Franti and Spearhead once again headline this fest, with additional performances by the String Cheese Incident, Gift of Gab of Blackalicious, and others, plus speakers and DJs.

Sept. 11-12

Jazz on the River Johnson's Beach, Guerneville; (510) 655-9471, www.jazzontheriver.com. 11am-6pm. $47.50-100. Jazz fans, prepare to head to the Russian River for this fest, which features Chaka Khan, Bobby Caldwell, Brian Culbertson, Rick Braun, a Count Basie tribute by Harold Jones' Big Band, and others.

Mountain View Art and Wine Festival Castro between El Camino Real and Evelyn, Mountain View; (510) 968-8378, www.miramarevents.com. 10am-6pm. Free. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend this year's mix of music, arts and crafts, international food, and kids' events.

Sept. 12

Opera in the Park Sharon Meadow (near Stanyan at Fulton), Golden Gate Park, SF; (415) 565-6416, www.sfopera.com. 1:30pm. Free. San Francisco Opera's annual free outdoor concert features favorite stars from the 2004-05 season, with accompaniment by the San Francisco Opera Orchestra.

Solano Avenue Stroll Solano from the Alameda, Berk, to San Pablo, Albany; www.solanoavenueassn.org. 8am-6pm (parade 11am). Free. The East Bay block party marks its 30th anniversary with the theme "A Pearl of a Stroll," featuring sidewalk sales, some 100 food booths, live music, crafts, and a "kidtown."

Sept. 17-19

'A Taste of Greece' Greek food festival Annunciation Cathedral, 245 Valencia, SF; (415) 864-8000, www.annunciation.org. Fri-Sat, 11am-10pm; Sun, noon-9pm. $5. Traditional Greek delicacies, wines, and music highlight this cultural festival.

Sept. 17-Oct. 3

San Francisco World Music Festival Various locations, SF; (415) 561-6571, www.sfworldmusicfestival.org. Some events free; go to Web site for prices. A specially commissioned world premiere work by the Kronos Quartet highlights the fifth annual festival.

Sept. 18-19

Autumn Moon Festival Grant between California and Pacific, SF; (415) 982-6306, www.moonfestival.org. 11am-6pm. Free. The 14th annual festival packs Chinatown with traditional lion and dragon dancers, children's games, cooking demonstrations, and moon cakes.

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival Old Mill Park, 300 block of Throckmorton, Mill Valley; (415) 381-8090, www.mvfaf.org. Sat, 10am-6pm; Sun, 10am-5pm. $7. The 48-year-old festival features more than 140 artists and craftspeople from California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as live music and children's activities.

'A Miracle on Market Street' Cyril Magnin at Eddy, SF; www.nextarts.org. Sat, 1-7pm; Sun, 1-5pm. Free. Participants in NextArts's homeless training program staff this downtown fair, featuring live performances, art installations, and music.

Sept. 19

Alice @ 97.3 Now and Zen Fest Sharon Meadow (near Stanyan at Fulton), Golden Gate Park, SF; www.ticketweb.com. Noon-5pm. $35. The radio station hosts its seventh annual concert in Golden Gate Park, with headliners Morrissey and Tears for Fears.

Arab Cultural Festival County Fair Bldg (near Ninth Ave at Lincoln), Golden Gate Park, SF; (415) 664-2200, www.arabculturalcenter.org. 10am-7pm. $2-5. Now in its 10th year, the largest celebration of Arab heritage in northern California features modern and classical music, arts and crafts, and tasty Arabic food.

'How Berkeley Can You Be?' parade and festival Parade: starts at California and University and ends in Civic Center Park (between MLK Jr Way at Milvia, and Center at Allston), Berk. 11am-1pm. Free. Festival: Civic Center Park, 12:30-5pm. Free. www.howberkeleycanyoube.com. The sky's the limit at this annual parade (this year's theme is "Loco-Motion!") and outdoor festival (featuring two stages of live music) celebrating Berkeley's unique spirit.

Upper Grant Avenue Fall Art Fair Grant from Vallejo to Filbert, SF; www.uppergrantartfair.com. 11am-7pm. Free. Some 150 local artists take center stage at the North Beach fair, which also features live music and performances.

Valencia Street Fair Valencia between 20th and 22nd Sts, SF; www.valenciastreetfair.com. 11am-6pm. Free. This brand-new festival kicks off with performances by La Plebe, Japonize Elephants, Whysall Lane, and others, plus art and food by Mission District favorites.

Sept. 25

PeaceFest: A Sacred Festival of Global Peace and Harmony Speedway Meadow, Golden Gater Park, SF; (707) 552-9886, www.globalpeacefoundation.org. 11am-6pm. Free. Musicians, dancers, and healers gather to celebrate the pursuit of global peace.

Sept. 25-26

Bay Area PaddleFest Coyote Point County Park, 1701 Coyote Point, San Mateo; (650) 306-0405, www.bayareapaddlefest.com. 8am-4pm. $10-40. The sixth annual version of California's largest canoe and kayak festival features more than 300 new boats for "test-paddling," an elite kayak race, and an array of classes.

San Francisco Blues Festival Great Meadow, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna, SF; (415) 421-8497, www.sfblues.com. 11am-6pm. $25-70. The 32nd annual incarnation of the popular fest boasts two days of blues artists, including Buddy Guy, Keb'Mo, Marcia Ball, and Charlie Musselwhite.

Sept. 26

Folsom Street Fair Folsom between Seventh and 12th Sts, SF; (415) 861-FAIR, www.folsomstreetfair.com. 11am-6pm. Donations accepted. Nearly half a million folks – most clad in creative costumes of leather and/or latex – are expected to attend San Francisco's most famous street fair.

Future Forward Festival Mezzanine, 444 Jessie, SF; (415) 640-6484, www.futureforwardfest.com. Expo-showcase noon-5pm; concert 7pm-3am. $10-45. This "exploration of feeling and sound" offers a daytime expo with local electronic music artists, software demos, and seminars; the concert showcases Thunderball featuring Fort Knox Five, Bonobo, B. Fleischmann, and others.

Sept. 30-Oct. 24

San Francisco Open Studios Various locations, SF; (415) 861-9838, www.sfopenstudios.com. Check out the overview exhibit (SomArts Gallery, 934 Brannan, SF), then tour the studios of more than 800 local artists in this monthlong event presented by ArtSpan. The Web site features a map and searchable database of participating artists.

Oct. 2

Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival Civic Center Park (between MLK Jr Way at Milvia, and Center at Allston), Berk; www.poetryflash.org/WS04.html. Noon-5pm. Free. Robert Hass, Pattiann Rogers, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, and others highlight this annual poetry event.

Oct. 3

Castro Street Fair Castro and Market, SF; www.castrostreetfair.org. 11am-6pm. Free. Now in its 31st year, the block party features nonstop dancing, food, and arts and crafts.

Oct. 8-10

Italian Heritage Parade weekend festivities Washington Square Park, Columbus and Union, SF; www.sfcolumbusday.org. Grand banquet and ball: Fri, 6:30-10:30pm, $150. Cal-Italia wine and food tasting: Sat, 2-6pm, $35-40. For more information call (415) 469-7115 or go to www.cal-italia.org/wine_food. Parade: Sun, 12:30-3:30pm (begins at Stockton and Jefferson, ends in Washington Square Park), free. A variety of events one up to the main one, the 136th annual parade including floats representing Italian cultural organizations and "Queen Isabella" and her court.

Oct. 9

FallFest Embarcadero Center, Embarcadero at Market, SF; (415) 398-3595, ext 300, www.sffallfest.com. 11am-4pm. $15-75. Meals on Wheels benefits from this fest for gourmet fans, featuring wine and food tastings, chef demos, panel discussions, and live music.

Oct. 10

Fillmore Jazz District Big Band Duel and BBQ Cook-Off Fillmore and Eddy, SF; (415) 346-1099, www.fillmorejazz.com. 11am-6pm. Free. Two stages of danceable jazz – by Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, the Asian American Jazz Orchestra, and others – rock the Fillmore as a barbecue cook-off fires up alongside.

Oct. 14-17

Oktoberfest by the Bay Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna, SF; 1-888-746-7522, www.oktoberfestbythebay.com. Thurs-Fri, 5pm-midnight; Sat, 11am-11pm; Sun, 11am-7pm. $12. The 21-piece Chico Bavarian Band adds oompah to this fifth annual fest, which also features German beers and culinary delights.

Oct. 14-Nov 7

San Francisco Jazz Festival Various SF and Oakl locations; (415) 788-7353, www.sfjazz.org. Some events free; go to Web site for prices. The "whole universe of jazz" is represented at the 22nd annual fest; highlights include a tribute to Fats Waller and performances by Etta James, Caetano Veloso, and Dianne Reeves.

Oct. 17

Fiesta on the Hill Cortland between Folsom and Bennington, SF; (415) 206-2140, www.fiestaonthehill.org. 11am-6pm. Free. Bernal Heights hosts its 16th annual fair, featuring a petting zoo, a pumpkin patch, two stages of entertainment, and more than 100 vendors.

Oct. 31

Comedy Day Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park, near Stanyan at Fulton, SF; www.comedyday.com. Noon-5pm. Free. Technically, this guide isn't covering Halloween events (check back mid-October). However, the free concert featuring more than 30 laffmasters is being held later than usual this year, so here's a heads up for diehard fans.