Dykes on Bikes, a Lit Pink Triangle, and More Only-in-SF Pride Events
There are so many parades, parties, and more to enjoy at San Francisco Pride this year.
There’s nothing quite as uplifting and festive as SF Pride, and this year’s celebrations promise to be as raucous, colorful, and full of love as ever. For the entire month of June, San Franciscans will come together to celebrate, uplift, and support the members, voices, cultures, and rights of our LGBTQIA+ communities, culminating in the official Pride weekend on June 29 and 30 (get a VIP pass to maximize your fun or volunteer your time to create the best celebration possible). There are a million ways to celebrate, including dance parties, film screenings, drag shows, conversations, block parties, and so much more, just a few of which we’ve highlighted below. This year we’ll be “Looking Back and Moving Forward,” which is more important than ever considering the political climate.
June 14–16
The annual San Francisco International Queer Women of Color Film Festival is happening at the Presidio Theatre, showcasing films that reflect the lives of queer women of color and address social justice issues that concern multiple communities. (And they’re all free.)
All June
This year’s theme for the largest queer arts festival in North America, “JOYPOCALYPSE” celebrates the convergence of a swarm of queerness and the power of coming together in service of liberation. The festival takes place in spaces all over the Bay Area with performances, visual arts exhibitions, and interdisciplinary showcases.
All June
The Academy, SF’s premier LGBTQ+ social club has plenty of Pride programming throughout June, from a Gay Cabaret Open Mic to a fashion show to a Pride Garden Party.
June 21–23
Mission, $15 and up
Head to Z Space to see Bay Area trans, queer, and gender non-conforming artists performing dance, theater, comedy, live music, and more. There are multiple performances over the weekend, and artists will be performing all over the building during each one, so you get a taste of everything.
June 19–29
Frameline46, the world’s longest-running showcase of queer cinema, is hosting 11 days of LGTBQ+ cinematic events in theaters all over SF and Oakland (plus digital screenings for those who prefer to watch at home). The in-person events kick off with an opening night film and gala at Fairyland in Oakland. During the next ten days, audiences will be able to see over 90 films (narratives, shorts, documentaries, etc.) representing more than 30 countries, plus live talks, Q&As, and more.
June 27
NightLife is getting fierce for Pride with a party featuring performances, cocktail bars throughout the museum, and a chance to explore the museum with an adult-only.
June 28
Make a sign of solidarity, line the sidewalks, or march in one of the largest trans events in the country at the SF Trans March. There will be live entertainment followed by the march downtown.
June 29
While all of the parties above (especially the one at the Power Exchange) are for adults, there’s a block party on Saturday that’s very family-friendly. Take pics with the Castro Unicorn, pet goats and other cute animals at the petting zoo, attend a drag story time, and more.
June 30
La Bande, the patio restaurant at The Proper Hotel, is hosting a Pride party complete with delicious shared plates, live DJ beats, and an up-close view of the festivities.
June 29 & 30
The theme of this year’s official #SFPride celebration is “Looking Back and Moving Forward,” and the official festivities take place over the last weekend in June, including the beloved Pride Parade down Market Street with floats, marchers, and performers, ending at a party at the Civic Center with live entertainment on multiple stages, exhibitors, and more. Download the Pride app for all the details, including maps, line-ups, vendors, artists, and more. Think your feet are going to be tired after a weekend (month) of non-stop dancing? Buy tickets to sit in the Grandstand.
June 30
Juanita MORE! is partying at 620 Jones from noon well into the night on Sunday of Pride weekend. There will be music and drinks flowing, and all the donations raised will go to Queer LifeSpace, a nonprofit counseling agency that provides affordable, evidence-based mental health and substance abuse services to the LGBTQIA+ community in the Bay Area.
Throughout June
You’re guaranteed to find a good time at Oasis any month of the year, but this June, the party is non-stop. Witness grown-ass adults share their most embarrassing teen (queer-themed) traumas at MORT-PRIDE (a special edition of Mortified); party with Hunks and Housewives (featuring Sutton Stracke of RHOBH fame); watch a drag performance of Sex and the City Live; and more.
Throughout June
The GLBT Historical Society preserves and exhibits materials and knowledge that support and promote understanding of LGBTQ history, culture, and arts in all their diversity. Right now, exhibitions include “Queer Past Becomes Present,” a long-term exhibit that shows all kinds of photos and artifacts from the everyday queer life of San Franciscans; a recently discovered segment of one of the original 1978 rainbow flags; and Doris Fish: Ego as Artform, a showcase about the power of drag to change the world. Go for free on the first Wednesday of the month.
Throughout June
Manny’s, a community cafe/bar/event space with cafe-in-the-front and living-room-in-the-back vibes, is hosting Pride events all month long, including a few talks about Trans Grief, the State of the LGBT Movement, and “Queer North Beach Before the Castro,” as well as a marketplace featuring over a dozen LGBTQ+ San Francisco artists and makers.
Throughout June
All through June, this famous pink triangle will be lit up with 2,700 bright pink LED nodes on the hillside of Twin Peaks as a nightly reminder of equity and resilience. (Walk up the car-free part of Twin Peaks Blvd (enter at the Burnett Gate), drive up (via the Portola Gate), or hike up one of the trails if you want to see it close-up. Prefer to see it from afar? The triangle, which covers about an acre, is visible from over 20 miles away (depending on the fog’s disposition, of course).