Sunset Dunes Park Hosts New History Exhibit and Hauntway
The 6th annual Great Hauntway Halloween celebration takes over the coast this Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Seasonal Events
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Families and history buffs in the Sunset can now view a new exhibit at Sunset Dunes Park as the area prepares for its annual Halloween celebration. The Shifting Sands installation officially opened this week, preceding the 6th annual Great Hauntway event.
Why it matters
The exhibit provides a 150-year perspective on how local public spaces and freeway infrastructure shaped the city. It offers residents a chance to reflect on the history of our streets before the neighborhood gathers for the popular mile-long coastal festival.
The Great Hauntway draws from a footprint of 1 mile along the coast and last year saw 10,000 attendees receive 200,000 pieces of candy. Future attendance figures remain unknown.
The players
SPUR
An urban planning think tank that created the Shifting Sands exhibit to detail city history.
Lily Hayes
The director of the Shifting Sands art exhibit.
The details
Created by SPUR and directed by Lily Hayes, the Shifting Sands exhibit utilizes 11 panels to narrate the evolution of San Francisco public space and the era of freeway revolts. Visitors can view the panels at Sunset Dunes Park ahead of the Great Hauntway, which will span the coastline between Judah and Taraval streets. The celebration will feature live music, costumes, and trick-or-treating for local families.
Timeline
The Shifting Sands exhibit opened in October 2026.
The Great Hauntway celebration takes place Sunday, October 25, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Across the Bay
The exhibit explores the legacy of the mid-century San Francisco freeway construction by examining 150 years of land-use changes. It provides a visual history of the public resistance that eventually stopped many of these projects.
The Great Hauntway will close off a one-mile stretch of the coast between Judah and Taraval streets this Sunday afternoon. Expect heavy foot traffic and neighborhood activity during the event hours from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The takeaway
Take time to review the 11 panels at Sunset Dunes Park to see how the citys layout changed over 150 years. Keep an eye on the coastline this Sunday to see if turnout exceeds the 10,000 guests recorded last year.
Further reading
Find more local festivities in our Seasonal Events section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Streetsblog San Francisco.
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