Hoodline: Japan Day Festival, sail aboard the USS Potomac and other weekend fun

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- If you're looking for something fun and tasty to do this weekend, we've got you covered. We teamed up with our partners at Hoodline to bring you the best weekend activities.

Japan Day Festival

The Japan Day Festival is coming to San Francisco and there's amazing food, dance, art and hands-on workshops to enjoy!

Perhaps you've seen examples of taiyaki in your Instagram feed, the delectable fish-shaped sweet waffle/cake hybrid, filled with Nutella and house-made ice cream; at least that's the way Uji Dessert Time makes it in Japantown.

Benson Leung of Uji admits that, for them, it's a bit of an obsession. They use an infrared thermometer to make sure the heavy molds are above 400 degrees before pouring the batter in, working quickly and precisely and letting the waffles cook for exactly 3 minutes. Leung says they can sell as many as 400 a day, and they're expecting many more during the festival.

The ice cream is made with pared-down ingredients. Their lavender honey ice cream, which they'll have as a special during the Japan Day Festival, is made by a slow process, infusing lavender flowers right into the milk. The result is fragrant and herbal, unbelievably rich and perfectly sweet. This weekend, you can grab a free sample of their lavender ice cream.

Beyond culinary adventures, explore hands-on workshops in art, music and martial arts, with activities for the whole family. The celebration is from 12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 1. It's centered in the Japantown Peace Plaza.

"They're going to have such a wonderful time and it's hands-on learning. What's better than live music, and really getting to know the Japanese culture? And it's totally free, you can't go wrong," said Melody Takata with GenRyu Arts, the group putting on the celebration.

Click here to find out more about the event.

Sail Aboard the USS Potomac

If you're feeling swanky, this is a wonderful way to celebrate the 4th of July. Sail across the Bay aboard the USS Potomac, FDR's historic presidential vessel. The organizers say there are all sorts of hidden gems on this ship, from Franklin D. Roosevelt's seal in the floorboards to a secret elevator. It'll be transformed into the perfect venue for a speakeasy; 20's and 30's outfits are encouraged, enjoy cocktails, live music and dancing as the ship sails under the Golden Gate Bridge. The Independence Day Sail is on Sunday, July 1 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Click here for all the information, visit Hoodline here:

MORE TO DO: Enjoy the weekend, and don't forget to check out Hoodline's events calendar for more ideas.