San Francisco Pride Celebration 2008:
San Francisco Pride 2008
LGBT Pride month (June) in San Francisco begins with the hanging of 500 rainbow flags along Market Street. Throughout the month, Pride-related events like the Queer Arts Festival and Frameline (the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival) host films, discussions and other art performances.
San Francisco Pride weekend is a celebratory few days, including the famous and massive SF Pride Parade, as well as entertainment and community-oriented venues.
SF Pride Celebration:
- Sat, June 28: Civic Center from 12p to 6p
- Sun, June 29: Civic Center from 12p to 7p
San Francisco Pride Parade 2008:
See Photos from the 2008 Pride Parade
Sunday, June 29, 2008: Parade begins at 10:30a and makes its way up Market Street to 8th, finishing at approximately 2:30p.
San Francisco Pride - Theme & Grand Marshals:
Theme for the 2008 San Francisco Pride Celebration : "United by Pride, Bound for Equality"
Grand Marshalls
- Celebrity Grand Marshals for 2008: Cyndi Lauper / Charo
- Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal: Theresa Sparks (President of Good Vibrations)
- Individual Community Grand Marshals: Erick Arguello, Joan Benoit, Marvin Burrows, Joey Cain, Evan Low, Julius Turman
- Honorary Grand Marshals: Brett Andrews, Miguel Bustos, Trauma Flintstone, Shannon Minter, Tina Phillips, Carol Queen
Things to Know About the Pride Event:
- Pride History
From Ramone Johnson, About.com's Guide to Gay Life - What to Expect at Your First Gay Pride Event
From Kathy Belge, About.com's Guide to Lesbian Life - Gay Pride: Frequently Asked Questions
Also from Kathy Belge
About the 2008 Pride Celebration:
Performances Stages: Main Stage, A&PI Stage, Country Stage, Homo Hip Hop Stage, Latin Stage, Shadowplay Stage, SwingOUT Stage, Tantra Stage
Additional Event Spaces: Clean and Sober Area, Dance Arena, Deaf/HOH Space, Elder Space, Faerie Space, Family Garden, Leather Alley, NectArena, Smoke-Free Spaces, Soul of Pride, Transgender Pavilion, Writer's Village
Additional Pride Weekend Events 2008:
- 29th Annual Pride Concert
June 26 & June 27, 2008 - 8p at Unitarian Universalist Church (1187 Franklin) - 16th Annual Dyke March
Saturday, June 28, 2008 - March takes off at 7p - Rally and Stage at 3p - Transmarch San Francisco
Friday, June 27, 2008
Dolores Park: Stage at 3p and March at 7p -- See march route - Pink Triangle Installation
Installed on Twin Peaks
7am to 10am on Saturday, June 28, 2008
Volunteers are needed for installation and dismantling
Public Transit Information:
With the massive crowds during Pride weekend, the best way to get around is on foot or by public transit. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation website posts traffic alerts and information on Muni routes affected by the parade or street closures.
Trip Planners & Transit Routes
- Muni Metro Map
Showing all stops on the Muni Metro (train) system - Getting Around San Francisco
Muni and BART tips for newcomers - Hop Stop San Francisco
Door to door directions within the city of San Francisco - BART Website
BART schedules, maps, and rider information - Muni Route List
Bus and Metro route information, schedules and maps
San Francisco Hotels and Travel:
- Find a Hotel in San Francisco
Use Kayak to find your best rates on San Francisco hotels - Search Flights to San Francisco
Kayak search of available flights to San Francisco International Airport - Search Flights to Oakland
Kayak search of available flights to Oakland International Airport
San Francisco Pride - Entertainment & Venues:
San Francisco Pride encompasses so much in the way of activities and entertainment, planning for each year's event begins before the previous year's celebration has taken place. Some of the venues at the 2008 Pride Celebration:
- Main Stage:
Among the events at the 2008 Main Stage: Marriage Equality Commitment Ceremony (including a performance by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus); Hair, the Musical; San Francisco Opera, CheerSF
See the San Francisco Pride Website for full entertainment details.
- Asian & Pacific Islander Pavilion
- artSpace: Art work reflecting the 2008 pride theme: United by Pride, Bound for Equality
- Sundance Country-Western Dance Stage
- Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gathering Space: Near the main stage, for people who communicate in American Sign Language
- Elder Space
- Faerie Freedom Village: A place to chill and enjoy live cabaret, performance art, DJ's, and other art forms.
- Family Garden: Family-friendly space for kids and their LGBT parents
- HomoHipHop Stage:Encouraging the visibility of local queer and allied DJs.
- Latin Stage
- Leather Alley: One block long and safe, friendly environment for beginners or those experienced in the ways of leather
- NectArena: Entertainment focused on the women's community at SF Pride and on building community
- Shadowplay Stage: DJs from Shadowplay spin indie and electronic tunes
- Soul of Pride: African American stage and village
- Transgender Stage & Pavilion
- Writer's Village: Featuring writers reading in a range of genres
Source: San Francisco Pride
