Plaza Picnic Celebrates Vaillancourt Fountain and Community Spirit

On Friday, May 23, Embarcadero Plaza hosted community members, art enthusiasts, and supporters of modern architecture for a Plaza Picnic, an event organized by Docomomo US/NOCA. The occasion marked a special welcome for the Vaillancourt family, who traveled from Québec and honored the enduring legacy of the Vaillancourt Fountain—a beloved yet endangered landmark in San Francisco. In addition to the Vaillancourt family, Lawrence Halprin's daughter Rana, activist, and Alcatraz occupier Robert Free, SFRPD project manager Eoanna Harrison Goodwin, Supervisor District 1's chief of staff, friends from SF Heritage, and The Cultural Landscape Foundation, as well as artists, skateboarders, and people who shared personal stories of the plaza and fountain over the past 50 years.

Armand Vaillancourt, the renowned sculptor behind the iconic fountain, spoke passionately about his artistic vision and the fountain’s significance in Bay Area history, inspiring attendees with stories of creativity, resilience, and the power of public art to shape civic identity.

As a token of appreciation, limited edition vintage fountain postcards were distributed to all who stopped by, creating a tangible memento of the day’s celebration. Vaillancourt himself personalized postcards for many of the attendees. The turnout reflected the community’s deep affection for the plaza and its commitment to safeguarding this vital piece of San Francisco’s modernist heritage.

The Plaza Picnic not only welcomed the Vaillancourt family back to Embarcadero Plaza but also reinforced the collective resolve to preserve and cherish this remarkable public space for future generations.