San Francisco Pride, June 24 – 25, draws a crowd of about 1 million from all over so we’ve compiled some tips to navigating the festival and parade like a pro!
A Pride Celebration has been taking place every year since 1972, though the first “Gay-In” took place in June 1970, and has gone through several names through the decades but most of them reflected the themes of freedom and celebration. Come on out to San Francisco to celebrate the LGBT community this June and take part in one of the biggest Pride events around the country.
Getting there
It’s highly recommend you use public transportation to get to San Francisco Pride! Use BART and get off at the Civic Center BART Station and then walk a short block to Civic Center Plaza. You can also use Muni and get off at Civic Center, Powell, and Montgomery.
If you must drive, San Francisco Pride does partner up with Parking Panda to reserve spaces so plan ahead for this transportation option.
Parade
The parade is free to attend unless you want to sit in the Grandstand Seating but voluntary donations are very much appreciated to help cover the cost of the event and then distributed to local non-profits. Since 1997, Pride has been able to provide monetary assistance to the tune of $2.5 million to these LGBT non-profits.
The parade route simply follows Market from Beale to 8th Street and is on Sunday, June 25 at 10:30 a.m.
Children
The celebration is open to everyone but there will be a special Family Garden open on Sunday for younger attendees and their parents/guardians.
Get to know the Community Grand Marshals
There are six Grand Marshals at the 2017 San Francisco Pride and they’re selected by their work and contributions for the LGBTQ community. They can be chosen by public votes, by the board of directors, or by the San Francisco Pride members’ choice. So, who are we honoring this year?
Chris Carnes, Community Grand Marshal
Chris has been active with LGBTQ causes for more than 40 years as an activist, fundraiser, and event producer. She’s served as a board member of the SF LGBT Center and Equality California, fought for marriage equality, and fundraises through her own companies.
Alex U. Inn, Community Grand Marshal
Alex, founder of Momma’s Boyz and KINGDOM! Drag King House, has been fighting for equality for more than three decades in San Francisco. Alex has also won 32 gold medals at Gay Games/Gay Olympics and has assisted the efforts of the SF LGBT Center, the Committee for Queer Justice, MyNameIs Coalition, and UNLEASH! Dance Party for Women.
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, Community Grand Marshal (Organization)
Since 1978, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus has been an iconic choral program and inspired other programs around the globe to use its members’ orientations in the name. The organization not only performs concerts but also participates in human rights activism efforts.
Amy Sueyoshi, Community Grand Marshal
Amy’s specialties lie in Asian Pacific Islander histories and studies as she implemented the Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community scholarship and the Queer Ethnic Studies Initiative at SFSU. She’s also a founding co-curator of the GLBT History Museum and author of “Queer Compulsions.”
Danielle Castro, Community Grand Marshal
Danielle works with and advocates for the transgender community by serving the Trans Advocates for Justice and Accountability Coalition, the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at the University of California, San Francisco, and recently received an award for her work with AIDS prevention studies.
Dr. Marcy Adelman, Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal
Dr. Adelman is well-known and respected for her work with gay and lesbian seniors after founding Openhouse, providing services, safety, and housing for the elderly LGBT community. She was the 2009 Purpose Prize Award recipient for addressing these social challenges and the City and County of San Francisco passed a resolution in 2016 recognizing her contributions. Dr. Adelman is also a psychologist and edited a collection of published essays, “Long Time Passing: Lives of Older Lesbians.”
Main Stage
Main Stage performances run from noon to 6 p.m. on June 24 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 25. Betty Who is performing on Sunday and Maysam Sodagari is speaking at the rally. Performers and speakers are still being added and confirmed, so check the Main Stage page for updated information closer to the event.
Sharing your Pride photos and updates on social media? Be sure to use the 2017 hashtags: #SFPRIDE, #SUMMEROFLOVE50, and #RESIST!
Attending San Francisco Pride this summer? Find the perfect retreat to return to after a day of celebration and activism at Inn San Francisco! Plus, you can enjoy a fresh breakfast each morning before you attend the celebration.
