Pride is a protest, as we say, and there is *a lot* to protest this year, from the hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced to state legislatures and the increasingly violent rhetoric against queer and trans people online (and IRL), to the Supreme Court’s threat against same-sex marriage rights and right-wing politicians burning books for queer youth (like mine!) in public.
Two inspiring examples of fighting back came earlier this week when the ever-provocative and necessary Gay Shame and various other organizations held a die-in in the Castro on Sunday to protest in solidarity with Palestinian people and against cops in the Pride parade (“Pride Rides with Genocide”), plus call out local gay-led organizations who they claim perpetuate conservative and colonialist assaults.
All this, of course, doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate being queer in the queerest place on Earth this week! Let it out, syblings! And hey, protest is itself a form of celebration. Below is a list of cute things going on that don’t cost one million dollars and where you can strut your fabulous stuff, for the culture. Friday is the Trans March, Saturday is the Dyke March (although that may be cancelled, you can still gather in Dolores Park with thousands of awesome lesbians), and Sunday is the main Pride March. The Pride celebration is adding an adults-only cannabis component this year called Hottboxx.
Some activists and performers are boycotting Pride this year. Visit sweet new queer bar ZHUZH in the Polk and new art gallery Rosebud in the Tenderloin instead, or go to any of the lovely other spots scattered across our fair city and beyond instead! (Full disclosure, I am a member of the Stud Collective, which just reopened the Stud bar in April. Come by and visit!) Be safe and have all the fun and meaning.
ONGOING THROUGH JUNE
FRAMELINE FILM FEST The world’s largest and oldest LGBTQ+ film fest is in full swing, exploding onto screens throughout the city. www.frameline.org
SF PUBLIC LIBRARY PRIDE EVENTS Readings, shows, parties, and family activities all month long downtown and around the town. www.sfpl.org
“to wear your (little queer) heart“ Photographer Em Monforte presents 70 wonderfully diverse portraits asking “What does it mean to be queer now?” MRKT Gallery, SF. More info here.
“LIVING LIFE GOLDEN” Nicola Bosco-Alvarez curates this gonzo art and photo exhibition full of color, gaiety, and life. Harvey Milk Photo Center, SF. More info here.
THURSDAY 27
THU/27: THE TUBESTEAK CONNECTION PRIDES KICKOFF Such a good party for Pride, it became “Prides”! DJ Bus Station John’s old school celebration of disco dancing and backroom cruising at fantastic dive Aunt Charlies will lube up your fruit machine for the coming weekend. 9pm-2am, Aunt Charlie’s, SF. More info here.
THU/27: STARDELLA PRIDE I have no clue who Stardella is, but the celestial body of DJs ate this party is glowing with promise: CarrieOnDisco & DJ M3, OSCAR , The baptist, Elaine & Robin, Intra Venus and more make the stars come down for Pride at Monarch. Plus, a live show from drag freaks Florida Man and God’s Lil Princess. 9:30pm-2am, Monarch, SF. More info here.
THU/27: MINESHAFT No visit to SF should go without a pop into the bear bar Lone Star Saloon, and this salute to leather bars of old with DJs Rich King (NYC-SF) & Rob Jennings (SYD, AUS) will tie you up right. 8pm-midnight, Lone Star Saloon, SF. More info here.
THU/27: HOUSEBROKEN PRIDE Get your ass in gear for the week by shaking it a little to some good ol’ gay house tunes from master DJ Steve Fabus—who has been spinning for more than 50 years!!—with Mike Bledsoe and NEO24. 9pm-2am, UndergroundSF. More info here.
THU/27: LADIES, THEYDIES & GENTLETHEM: PRIDE PARTY AT ZEITGEIST The first piece of big news about this shindig at rock bar Zeitgeist is that it welcomes all genders to enjoy DJs Sin Dismular and Nardi, with drag king Mudd performing. The second piece of big news? There will be a mechanical bull onsite. 6pm-10pm, Zeitgeist, SF. More info here.
FRIDAY 28
FRI/28: BUSTIN’ OUT PARTY AGAINST THE PRISON-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX This official Trans March afterparty and annual fundraiser for currently and formerly incarcerated Trans, Intersex, and gender-nonconforming community members is always a highlight of the weekend. This year, the party spills over from El Rio to next door’s Mothership bar in the Mission, wo there are two places to party for justice. 6pm, El Rio and Mothership, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: QUEERMERICANA PRIDE FEST The queer country scene goes back at least to 1972, with the groundbreaking band Lavender Country paving the way (RIP founder Patrick Haggerty). Musical descendants Secret Emchy Society, Proud Mary, and Risque Country keep the sparkly spurs a-jangling at this concert. 7pm, Verdi Club, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: DISTANT CHARM Artist Logan T. Sibrel presents lovely figurative paintings that evoke photographs of intimate, ephemeral moments gone too quickly, but essential in the construction of self: “A quiet record of care.” as they put it. This opening at Schlomerhaus gallery in the Castro will bring out a fun crowd. 5pm-8pm, Sclomerhaus, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: ELECTROLUXX PRIDE It’s been 10 years for this awesomely art-filled party, which has grown big enough to draw thousands of young dancers to the Midway, with seven stages of local music and DJs, and Bay Area visual artist showcases throughout the joint. 9pm-late, Midway, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: FOREVER Drag princess VivvyAnne ForeverMore left us for a minute to bring her art to Europe, but no one said she’d be gone forever. Here she is, back at last, with a cavalcade of drag and dancing at the newly reopened Stud. If you know Vivvy, you know anything goes! 9pm-2am, The Stud, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: CLUB ABLUNT PRESENTS: JUST US! PRIDE 2024 WITH UNIIQU3 The irresistible bounce of Jersey Club music will take over Monarch Club when ever-effervescent Uniiqu3 hits the decks. This smokin’ party is sure to elevate your Pride weekend. 10pm-3am, Monarch, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: SUNDANCE PRIDE HOEDOWN The long-time two-step (and more) dance club Sundance Saloon holds its annual gala at the Bayview Opera House, with lots of fancy moves and country tunes. 7:30pm, Bayview Opera House, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: STANK FETISH PRIDE Did you know that Pride can also be sexy? We are all for the kink community, and hey, also its love of various smells. Stick your face into the hairy armpit of love at this party, with DJs Masha Mar, Fawks, and Jumpr, and a Mr. S Leather Ripe Pit contest at midnight with cutie Spencer Adam. 9:30pm-2am, Powerhouse, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: STRAPT PRIDE Prepare your self for the boom! Global bass DJs descend on UndergroundSF: LA/NYC-based Bass legend Anna Morgan (Worst Behavior Recs) and Oakland-based producer and vocalist Mars Kasei (Moveltraxx) join STRAPT party residents DJ CARO (NYC), Discnogirl (OAK) and 40Split (OAK) for the giant rumble. 9pm-2am, UndergroundSF. More info here.
FRI/28: BEARRACUDA SAN FRANCISCO: PRIDE 2024! They’re big, they’re burly, and they’re ready to dance. The Bearracuda party attracts gay bears like a glowing honeypot, bringing hundreds of larger men together to the sounds of local house legend DJ David Harness. 9pm-3am, Public Works, SF. More info here.
SATURDAY 29
SAT/29: POLYGLAMOROUS PINK BLOCK 2024 This may be the largest Pride party outside of Pride itself, with dozens and dozens of DJs pumping out house and disco beats on several stages ourdoors and (later) in. Detroit’s incredible DJ Holographic headlines. Noon-3am, Great Northern, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: HARD FRENCH 🔻 LOS HOMOS True gay party fiends know the Pittsburgh scene is waaaaay too hot right now, so of course SF’s terrific Hard French party is flying the folks behind PGH’s Honcho techno party out for a daytime Pride fiesta. 1pm-7pm, El Rio, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: YOUNG HEARTS DAYTIME PRIDE J’adore the Young Hearts parties, which have been lighting up the Eagle for many moons with hip DJs from around the world and a very, very cute crowd, enjoying a “Cross Generational Trans Galactic Souls Strengthening Discoteque.” (No hyphenating needed!) Check out DJs Rafael Cancian (Brazil), Jeremy Rosebrook, and Jimmy DePre and sun yourself on the generous patio pre-Pride. 2pm-8pm, Eagle, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: ONYX PRIDE “Black, Brown, and Kinky: Standing with Pride for Palestine” is the theme for this evening affair, pumping up the liberation solidarity at Powerhouse. 5pm-9pm, Powerhouse, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: EW! PRIDE Carlos Souffront is probably SF’s most adventurous and techno connoisseur when it comes to wowing on the dance floor: he’s headlining this party with truly underground vibes at UndergroundSF, with DJs Trevor Sigler, Oscar, and Five. 8pm-2am, UndergroundSF. More info here.
SAT/29: MANGO PRIDE For almost 30 years, Mango has brought the dance floor heat and the Latin/hip-hop beats especially for woman-identifying hotties. The party is truly a local treasure, and, again, I cannot stress the “hot” part enough. 8pm-1:30am, El Rio, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: GLAMAMORE’S NUTZ Drag legend Glamamore has her bejeweled finger on the pulse of San Francisco drag, and this showcase will blow you away with our underground-arty talent. With DJ Josh Cheon of Dark Entries Records. 9pm-2am, Powerhouse, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: VAMP X PRIDE Time to get a bit witchy and turn it out on the dance floor. Performers Jazmine Black and Aima the Dreamer enchant Public Works’ downstairs area with DJs aplenty while the Histrionixx crew keeps the upstairs rave room steamy with hard techno. 9pm, Public Works, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: BORED LORD One of our most interesting techno DJ-producers at the cutest all-natural wine bar I the city? We say yes, fill ‘er up. 9pm-1:30am, Bar Part Time, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: PRIDE SATURDAY AT GINGER’S: POP AWFF! FOR PRIDE Making a triumphant return, Ginger’s bar downtown finally reopens after its closure during the early months of the pandemic. A stacked lineup of local drag queens and DJs helps the venue throw open its doors during this party on Pride weekend. 9pm-2am, Ginger’s SF. More info here.
SAT/29: AFTERGLOW PRIDE 2024 Looking to party all night and then go straight (no pun intended) to the parade? Afterglow attracts a Bohemian, Burning Man-adjacent crowd of cosmic characters that dance beneath huge fluorescent sculptures until dawn. For this year’s theme, summon the four elements—water, earth, air, and fire—with this gaggle of faerie unicorns. 10pm-6am, Space 550, SF. More info here.
SUNDAY 30
SUN/30: JUANITA MORE PRIDE 2024 + AFTER PARTY The drag goddess’s annual Pride afternoon party at Jones in the tenderloin is packed with a who’s-who of GLBTQs rubbing elbows and dancing to sweet house and disco tunes while raising tons of money for charitable causes (this year it’s all for fabulous youth org LYRIC). Then everyone hitches it up to SoMa’s Audio club for sequined keister down to the Audio club for a night of classic house grooves served up by DJs David Harness and Tedd Patterson. Afternoon: Noon-7pm, Jones, SF. More info here. Afterparty: 7pm-midnight, Audio, SF. More info here.
SUN/30: PRIDE SUNDAY “POOL” PARTY AT OASIS Let me let you in on a little secret: Some of us love to hole up on a lovely rooftop away from all the hubbub with a strong fruity cocktail and watch the fabulous chaos unfold below. Club Oasis’ rooftop is open all day with music, drinks, comfy chairs, and fellow parade refugees (and a kiddie pool and bubble machine, why not). See you there for a breather. 1pm-8pm, Oasis, SF. More info here.
SUN/30: ÜBAR PRIDE Or you could flee the neighborhood all together and gather yourself ins the Lower Haight at UndergroundSF, for this delightful weekly party that’s going big for Pride Sunday, with wonderful DJ Sappho down from Portland and local wiz Ken Vulsion on the decks—plus they are serving Idle Cellars wines and baseline Coffee Cocktails to pick you right up. Noon-dark, UndergroundSF. More info here.
SUN/30: PRIDE AT THE STUD Twelve whole hours of dancing, drag, and debauchery as only the city’s oldest operating queer bar can do it, with DJs Chuck Gunn, Elaine & Robin, Rich King, Micahtron, and so many more. Plus there is a big patio now. 2pm-2am, The Stud, SF. More info here.
SUN/30: DISCO DADDY PRIDE SUNDAY DJ Bus Station John “spins a seven-hour marathon set of classic & rare disco, Hi-NRG, & R&B” to the Eagle for an adoring crowd of post-Pride dancers for the 11th year in a row. One of my absolute favorite parties, and also relatively cheap! 7pm-2am, Eagle, SF. More info here.
SUN/30: QUEERLY BELOVED This Pride dance party has grown from a small gathering to a huge annual event at 1015 Folsom, packing revelers of every persuasion in for headliners like live techno act Pixel Grip and DJ Your Muther. 9pm, 1015 Folsom, SF. More info here.
SUN/30: QUICHE Like fuchsia-feathered flamingos, colorful club kids flock to the Quiche parties at SOMArts gallery for plenty of ki, and music by DJs Michael Magnan, Brown Amy, Matthew Paul, and more. 7pm-2am, SOMArts, SF. More info here.
