Your Guide to Pride Weekend in SF
Your curated guide on what to do for Pride in San Francisco June 24-26. To access the full list of events, subscribe to the Gay Agenda SF Calendar.
If you are considering celebrating Pride in your livingroom as you might’ve done last year, this is not the year to do it.
The energy coursing through the city is electric. After two years of Covid-19 restrictions, the Castro is a crucible ready to explode, and Soma has already kicked off the celebration. On any given day, there are musicians, artists, dancers, and potential lovers just waiting to see you at daytime events and nighttime parties, ranging in level of debauchery.
Here are our picks for the best Pride parties to go to this weekend.
Stay tuned next week for your guide to smaller and/or low key events such as queer arts festivals, food and wine, and more!
FRIDAY JUNE 24, 2022
Top Pick: Electroluxx Party at The Midway SF at 9pm
While there are a number of fun parties that will keep you dancing all night until sunrise, if you want to be a part of something magical, consider Electroluxx (and get your ticket now).
Electroluxx is co-organized by one of San Francisco’s talented artists Elliot C. Nathan. The group spotlights local artists and performers to create an inclusive and vibrant queer space.
What can you expect from this party? Pure joy and exploration. In the past, there have been multiple levels of DJs to find your favorite vibe, facepainting, art including VR, tarot reading, and 'cuddle puddles’.
For Pride, Electroluxx is at The Midway SF featuring 40,000 Sq. ft of space with multiple dance floors, making it the premier venue for these types of mega-events.
What to wear: Anything goes, from mild to wild here. This is your opportunity to experiment.
Pro Tip:
Try to arrive a little earlier to reduce your wait time for entry and coat/bag check. The line can often extend around the corner at peak times.
Getting a Uber can be tough to navigate to/from this venue. Keep your phone charged to ensure you have enough juice if your ride cancels and a spare set of flats in your bag to walk a block or two if you need to after the party.
Best Alternatives:
Heat Party at The Great Northern 10pm-4am
For a deep house vibe, check out Heat organized by Cecil Russell. It’s bound to be more circuity (read: thumping music, harness) but overall lots of fun. What’s cool about this party is its use of lasers and other visual effects which should be enough stimulation to keep you rolling all through the night.
Why we like this venue: Typically the upstairs mezzanine hosts a different DJ which gives you a break from the main dancefloor. The staff that work here are generally very friendly and if you’ve got a small bladder like me, you’ll appreciate a short line at all times to get into the bathroom.
Toro at Club Six 10pm
“Woof, daddy - wanna pull my chain?” If that sounds hot to you, this is the party for you. Organized by Trophydad, known for their Folsom Friday party “Prime”, this is a new party with two floors. The proceeds of the coat check will also benefit AIDS/LifeCycle so make sure to check more than just your…ahem… jacket.
Honorable Mention: Stank Pride @ Powerhouse 10pm
Raunchy and lovely pit fetish party thrown monthly that is expected to take it to another level for Pride. Cum au naturale to this party and let someone sniff ya.
Follow @stankpartysf on Instagram for deets. Cover at the door.
SATURDAY JUNE 25, 2022
DAY
Top Pick: Polyglamorous Pink Block Day Party 12pm-9pm
Hands down, this is the diamond of the season for Pride Weekend as the event to go to on Saturday. Hosted as a block party at The Great Northern, there’s a ton of amazing DJS with varying styles of music. A standout special performance by legendary Rupaul’s Drag Race Winner Jinkx Monsoon can also be expected. (Jinkx & Major Scales canceled due to Covid…womp womp)
This party extends into a nighttime party at 9pm (separate ticket required).
Best Alternative: Hard French Los Homos Pride @ El Rio 1-7pm
For an international vibe with hot DJs Ouissam (Savage, Hanoi) Bouffant Bouffant (Gimme a Reason, NOLA) & Brown Amy (Hard French, SF), this daytime affair will be something special.
Why we like this venue: El Rio is known for being an inclusive space for QPOC and consensual safety practices. It’s always a fabulous, welcoming vibe in this smaller space with a backyard. Afterward, there are some yummy local eateries to sober you up. My pick is Los Panchos on the same side of the street just a block up.
Honorable mention: For the last ten years, The Phoenix Hotel boasts a whole weekend of parties and this year kicks off the annual The Mighty Real Pride Weekender with DJ David Harness and others.
While it’s a fun party with an amazing DJ, it doesn’t get full marks from Gay Agenda SF because logistics and communication could be improved. Throughout the years, there’s always been a long line to get into the party and purchase expensive drinks on top of an already hefty ticket price. Despite the pool party advertisement, there is no pool access available, so the marketing is slightly misleading. Overall, you’ll still have a good time and it’s worth going at least one year if you’re in San Francisco.
NIGHT
Top Pick: Afterglow Blacklight Discotheque 10pm
We’re pretty excited for this one, actually. It’s organized by Comfort & Joy, a burning man camp known for good vibes and for providing a 24/7 playspace on the playa. All of their parties celebrate artists and seek to foster community.
Afterglow will be a very full night of frolicking with light effects, poledancers, incredible glowy art, and performances by local legend Grace Towers and RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Raja Gemini (she is such a fashion icon).
Fabulous DJs like David Harness will be spinning across 4 spaces including a silent disco. You can also explore the cuddle tent or venture into a space, where according to the organizers, you can “fall into a debaucherous dream of luscious delights”. We’ll let you read between the lines.
Pro Tip: Go all out on your lewks, if you’d like - the shinier, the better. And try to just take it in. It can be quite a lot of stimuli, at first, but worth letting go. Have fun and be safe.
Best Alternatives:
XOXO Pride Main Event - Forever Tel Aviv: Gay Agenda SF recognizes this is going to be a generally well-produced large production with thousands of gays with chiseled abs pouring in. You’ll get your fix here, for sure, but for the price of the ticket, we’re not sure it’s the best ‘bang’ for your buck, considering other party options. Make sure you come prepared with supplies for this marathon and a warm jacket — it might be a long line to get in. Last year, attendees reported 2.5 hours of waiting to get into the venue.
The Castro:
If you are visiting and dead set on partying in The Castro, you can dance the night away and get turnt at Beaux SF for the Us Pride 1- year party, celebrating and spotlighting queer people of color. Here you’ll dance to more pop music rather than EDM/House.
The Cafe across the street will also be popping for their Pride party. Music is typically more latin, hip hop, and reggaeton vibes.
These venues close at 2am, so if you are with a group that wants to party in The Castro, you can check that off your list and then hit the larger parties going until the early morning.
At both venues, the queue will be all the way down the block by 10pm and cash cover pricier than usual, but definitely not as much as some of the ticketed parties.
SUNDAY JUNE 26, 2022
WOW, so if you managed to wake up and go to the San Francisco Pride Parade (which is a huge party unto itself and totally worth a visit at least once), kudos to you.
For those waking up late from the parties and ready to go at it again, we see one clear favorite (aside from The Mighty Real Pride Weekender at The Phoenix Hotel):
Top Pick: Juanita More! at 620 Jones 12-7pm
What more do you need to know? It’s a party with dragqueens.
Benefitting the Q Foundation, SF’s iconic host Juanita More throws this party annual and once again, it promises to be fabulous. To get a ticket, you have to bring $60 cash to select locations. There are very limited door tickets, so it is advised to plan ahead!
Why we like this venue: 620 Jones has a beautiful outdoor space which is a quiet respite from the busy downtown area, especially after the parade. Bring a light jacket or sweater, because it can get windy. This venue also holds regular drag brunches and makes delicious craft cocktails.
Honorable mention:
Hot Tea 5pm-12am
DJ Dan Slater is spinning, so this will be good. If you aren’t tired from the weekend, it’ll be worth a visit to this party, utilizing two clubs combined (Audio and Bergerac).
There you have it! It’s Gay Agenda SF’s first guide to Pride Weekend. We hope no matter what you do, you get to celebrate you being you. And remember that no matter what, consent is sexy and no fboy is worth your time. So dance, be merry, make out with cuties, and be safe - we want you to party another day.
For more info and the full events calendar, subscribe to the Gay Agenda SF Calendar.
And, of course, we’d like to hear all of your pride stories and reviews of the events you go to. Feel free to e-mail those to gayagendasf@gmail.com and follow us @gayagendasf on Instagram.
XOXO,
The Gay Agenda SF