Celebrate Pride Month with BART
Don’t miss the San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration June 27-28. Photo courtesy of San Francisco Pride.
The Bay Area is recognized as a global center for LGBTQ+ rights, culture and community. The roots of the local Pride movement date back to June 27, 1970, when a small group of activists and community members marched down Polk Street in San Francisco to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the historic Stonewall Riots in New York City. The movement expanded in the 1970s, with the now-widely recognized rainbow flag flown publicly for the first time on June 25, 1978, at United Nations Plaza during the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade.
With annual Pride festivities kicking off this month, we’re highlighting some of the history, neighborhoods, businesses and events that make the Bay Area a center of LGBTQ+ rights and pride. Whether you’re in San Francisco, the East Bay or South Bay, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to celebrate and show support for the community.
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Explore the CasFGTRtro neighborhood in San Francisco to immerse yourself in the local LGBTQ+ community. Photo courtesy of the Castro Theatre.
Neighborhoods
Several Bay Area neighborhoods are steeped in history when it comes to the gay rights movement, and they continue to be centers of LGBTQ+ life today. The two most notable include the Castro in San Francisco and Lakeshore in Oakland.
The Castro in San Francisco is one of the best-known LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in the world. By the 1970s, it was considered a haven where members of the gay community could live openly. It remains a vibrant center of gay rights today. Notable landmarks in the neighborhood include the Castro Theatre, the GLBT Historical Society Museum and Pink Triangle Park, along with numerous bars and restaurants that give the neighborhood its vitality.
Oakland’s Lakeshore and Grand Avenue corridor forms the city’s first designated LGBTQ cultural district. As a diverse, family-friendly, multi-generational neighborhood, the area is designed as a daytime sanctuary for the community. Situated on the edges of Lake Merritt, it features the LGBTQ Community Center, rainbow crosswalks, local queer-owned boutiques and community health spaces.
You’ll truly find a variety of goods at Cliff’s Variety in the Castro. Photo courtesy of Craig Lee/The Examiner.
Businesses
From bars to bookstores and boutiques, the Bay Area has numerous businesses that center the LGBTQ+ community.
Bars:
Twin Peaks Tavern in San Francisco is a historic gay bar in the Castro, with San Francisco Designated Landmark status. If you want to watch a big game in the Castro, head to Hi Tops, San Francisco’s first sports bar for the gay community. Other San Francisco venues like Oasis host drag shows, and 620 Jones has a weekly drag brunch every Sunday. Across the Bay in Oakland, you’ll find White Horse Inn, often cited as the oldest operating gay bar in the US. The South Bay has its share of hot spots as well, including Mac’s Club, the oldest gay bar in San Jose.
Bookstores:
The Bay Area is rich in independent bookstores, and that includes shops that specifically serve the gay community. Fabulosa Books in the Castro carries a large selection of LGBTQ+ titles. Moments Cooperative and Community Space in Oakland carries a curated selection of QT/BIPOC books and frequently hosts events for the community.
Other Shops:
Beyond books, other boutiques that support and cater to the LGBTQ+ community include San Francisco Mercantile Castro (formerly known as Welcome Castro), a retail gift shop featuring goods from over 70 LGBTQ+ artists, makers and owned companies. Also in the Castro, Cliff’s Variety is a hardware store that has become a neighborhood staple for everything from garden supplies to drag queen wigs.
Join the San Francisco Dyke March on June 27th. Photo courtesy of Beth LaBerge/KQED.
Events
It wouldn’t be Pride Month in the Bay Area without a number of celebrations to mark the occasion. Here’s a selection of can’t-miss events this summer:
Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival | June 17-27
Hosted by Frameline, the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival celebrates 50 years with Frameline50. With 11 days of film screenings, parties, industry panels and other events at venues in San Francisco and Oakland, the festival runs from June 17-27. The festival hub is located at 531 Castro St., with San Francisco venues including the Castro Theatre, Roxie Theatre and Vogue Theatre. To BART to the Castro Theatre from the East or South Bay, transfer to a MUNI Metro line (K, L or M) at select downtown San Francisco BART stations, and get off at the Castro Station.
San Francisco Trans March | June 26
Head to Dolores Park for the 22nd annual Trans March on Friday, the 26th. San Francisco’s largest transgender liberation event welcomes anyone to show up and march. Head to 16th St. Mission BART Station, which is about 0.6 miles away from the park.
San Francisco Dyke March | June 27
The San Francisco Dyke March and Rally takes place on Saturday, June 27th, beginning at 3 p.m. with speakers, art and music in Dolores Park. A march through nearby streets officially kicks off at 5 p.m. from the corner of 18th St. and Dolores St. Take BART to 16th St. Mission, and walk 0.6 miles to the park.
San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration | June 27-28
The 56th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration will be held on June 27th and 28th, with the theme “Resistance in Action.” The free festival at Civic Center Plaza takes place on both days, while the parade will head down Market St. on Sunday. Take BART to join the parade and festivities at any point on Market St., from Embarcadero to Civic Center/UN Plaza.
Oakland Pride Parade and Festival | August 16
Pride celebrations continue through the summer, with the Oakland Pride Parade and Festival taking place on August 16th. With a parade down Broadway and a festival at Frank Ogawa Plaza, this all-ages event will feature multiple stages and live entertainment. Take BART to 12th St. Oakland City Center Station, located directly beneath the festival grounds at Frank Ogawa Plaza.
Silicon Valley Pride | August 29-30
Head to Plaza Park in downtown San Jose to celebrate Silicon Valley Pride with a festival and parade featuring vibrant floats and entertainment for all ages. The Night Festival starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 29th. Come back the next morning for the parade at 10:30 a.m. on the 30th, followed by the Day Festival at noon. From the Berryessa/North San Jose BART, catch the VTA Rapid 500 Bus Line at the Berryessa Transit Center for a 15-minute ride to downtown San Jose near the park.
How are you celebrating Pride?
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