This year, the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration Committee is hosting its 46th annual Pride event in the City by the Bay. The festival is committed to uniting, educating, and supporting all members of the community. Known as one of the wildest and most colorful Pride bashes in the world, the event is nothing like anything you’ve ever experienced. Take a peek at our picks for the best things to do in San Francisco to ring in the Pride celebration in style during the weekend of June 25-26.
Main events
LGBT Pride Festival
Date: Saturday, June 25
Time: 12-6 p.m.
Fee: Free, but a $5 to $10 donation is encouraged.
Location: Civic Center
Transportation: Ride the Muni, Golden Gate Transit, or BART to the Civic Center/U.N. Plaza. The event is a 3-minute walk from the station.
Fast facts: The line-up has yet to be announced, but local and national talent will hit the stage for a day full of entertainment. The festival is a family-friendly event and attendees of all ages are welcome. Dogs are permitted, but because the celebrations can get crowded and noisy, you may want to leave your four-legged ones at home.
Gender-neutral bathrooms: Em’s Place, Celtic Coffee Company, and Philz Coffee are a few of the nearby public bathroom options that are gender-neutral.
SF Pride Parade
Date: Sunday, June 26
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fee: Free, but ticketed Grandstand seating is available at U.N. Plaza (first-come, first-served basis). Seats are free when you purchase the 2016 Pride Pass.
SF Pride parade route: The route starts at Market and Beale Streets and heads straight down to Market and Eighth Streets. Post-parade celebrations will take place at Civic Center Plaza.
Transportation: Embarcadero Station, which is both a BART and Muni Metro station, is less than a minute’s walk from the starting point of the parade. To access the tail-end of the procession, ride the BART or Muni to the Civic Center/U.N. Plaza station. There are various transit stops along the parade route, too, such as Powell and Montgomery.
Viewfinder tip: Pride passes offer access to grandstand seating, a VIP party, drink specials, and discounts around town.
Fast facts: This year’s Celebrity Grand Marshals include the cast of the TV Series TRANSCENDENT: Bambiana, Bionka, L.A., Nya, and Xristina. The Community Grand Marshals are Larry Yang, Fresh! White, Mia Satya, and Janetta Johnson, while Mike Shriver and Black Lives Matter were selected as the Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshals. After the procession, head to Civic Center for a continuation of the SF Pride Celebration.
Gender-neutral bathrooms: Options near the parade route include Starbucks, 77 Chinese & Hawaii BBQ, and the Ferry Building.
Party spots
On June 24, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., BeatBox is hosting Bearracuda Pride: SF Night. Guests are invited to strip down to their skivvies and join the nation’s largest bare (and bear) dance party with DJs Paul Goodyear and Ryan Jones. Get ready for all the warm and fuzzies. Tickets are available for purchase in advance and at the door.
Wear white to the EDEN Friday: Color Me Wet Paint Party at The Sound Factory on June 24. This racy bash is going to get delightfully messy as the paint starts to splatter. DEVMO, Lady Cultura, and Zulu Nasty are performing, and DJs such as Lady Ryan, Val G., and Motive will turn the tables. With go-go dancers, three dancefloors, and five bars, this party is sure to bring out your true colors. The festivities start at 9 p.m. and run until 3 a.m. Pre-purchase your tickets to secure entry.
Even the wildest Vegas pool parties have nothing on this wet and wild rager in the Tenderloin neighborhood. Make a splash at the Phoenix Hotel’s Mighty Real Poolside Pride Weekend Party. On June 26, between noon and 7 p.m., the annual pool party will take place with special guests Sugar Girl Squad: Ultra Nate and Lisa Moody. Resident DJ David Harness and Homero Espinosa will play sets, too. Purchase your ticket in advance.
From 2-5 p.m. on June 26, the Official San Francisco Pride VIP Party is kicking off at the historical City Hall Rotunda. Strut your stuff around the three rooms—Under the Rotunda, Purple Stardust Discotheque, and the Dirty Mind Cabaret—where fashion, drag, burlesque, and dance performances will shine under the spotlight. Purchase a ticket for entry into this legendary event with epic entertainment, drinks, and appetizers.
No doubt the crowds will be flocking to Powerhouse, a local LGBT favorite in SoMA. On June 25, the club’s hosting Pretty in Ink with go-go dancers and a DJ set.
Twin Peak is another place that will be wild with Pride revelry. Sitting under the rainbow arrow, the joint in the Castro is fondly referred to as the gay Cheers bar. Pop in for a fancy cocktail or draft beer to kick off the wild weekend.
