San Francisco has always been proud of her welcoming embrace for people of every stripe, but one weekend a year we find ourselves more swathed in rainbow flags than usual. And that is saying something. That colorful, crazy and very special weekend is finally upon us, San Francisco. To help you make the best of San Francisco Pride, we've put together a four-day itinerary for celebrating.
THURSDAY
6pm: Start the weekend off early with California Academy of Sciences' Pride NightLife event. Oakland's Hella Gay Dance Party DJs will provide the beats for a night of dancing and drinking among the exhibits. Pop into the planetarium to learn the queer history behind some of your favorite constellations.
FRIDAY
8am: It's Friday! Snap a pic at City Hall before work. The local landmark will be lit up in blue, white and pink today to honor the Transgender March. Otherwise, it's all rainbow, all week long.
6pm: Starting at Dolores Park, San Francisco's fabulous transgender community will walk to Civic Center as part of the annual Transgender March.
SATURDAY
8am: Rise and shine, proud people! Shower, style, and dress in layers.
9am: Fuel up with a hearty brunch. We recommend heading to one of these top brunch spots.
10:30am: Get yourself to the top of Twin Peaks and show support and solidarity in honoring the 22nd Annual Pink Triangle installation and ceremony. While the pink triangle has been embraced as a symbol of strength by the LGBT community, it originated as tool of shame during the Holocaust. The installation serves to remember (and then reject) those origins as volunteers create a massive pink triangle on the side of the mountain that can be seen for 20 miles. Saturday morning is the official unveiling.
5pm: Show your support and join the SF Dyke March, beginning at 18th and Dolores. If you plan to keep this particular party going, Harlot will host the official after-party at 9pm.
7pm: You need to eat something—may we suggest one of the city's best restaurants?
9pm: On the biggest party night of Pride weekend, it can be tough to choose from the hundreds of Pride-themed events happening around town. Personally, we think the Swagger Like Us party at Mezzanine looks particularly fabulous. With a handful of DJs and performers including Trina and Bbymutha, bottle service and a photo booth, this soiree might be the ridiculously over-the-top nightclub experience you're looking for.
SUNDAY
7am: Get UP. Slap on cute shorts and a cute tee and get your cute butt down to Market Street to secure your seat for what is arguably the best parade of San Francisco's whole year. Send a buddy on an errand for some serious coffee while you hold down the fort. If you can squeeze in a folding chair right on the edge of a sidewalk, all the better. You'll want to set up shop anywhere on Market Street at First Street through Eighth Street.
10:30am: The 47th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade begins! The whole thing takes forever and is completely worth it. With high-end corporate sponsorships and the support of just about everyone in town, the parade is pretty mainstream but still a wild and worthy show.
2pm: City Hall and Civic Center Plaza play host to a massive parade after-party featuring all 200 parade contingents, 300 exhibitors, 20 performances stages, DJs, celebrity guests, kids and family areas and more food and drink than you can handle. You should be there!
5pm: Make your way back to the Castro's gorgeous gay bars to toast another amazing SF Pride. If you're single and ready to mingle, this could be your last chance at the timeless Pride weekend hook-up. Otherwise, a cool beer or vodka-infused cocktail is the perfect, slightly tipsy end to a perfect Pride weekend.
8am: Head home, hydrate, and collapse on the couch. Nicely done.
(BONUS!) MONDAY
7:15pm: If you're willing to stretch Pride weekend into Monday, it's LGBT night at AT&T Park! Cheer on your San Francisco Giants and then get some much-needed rest.