San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration and Parade

June 27 - June 28

Every year at the beginning of June, 500 rainbow flags are hoisted the length of Market Street and San Francisco explodes with queer pride. For a city known as the gay mecca for the other 11 months of the year, June is Queer Heaven. The energy reaches a crescendo the last weekend in June with the official San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration and Parade.

Marking its 39th anniversary this year, San Francisco Pride has been said to be "one of the last remaining pride events that can truly be called a rite of passage." This year's theme is "To Form a More Perfect Union," inspired by the preamble to the U.S. Constitution and in response to the 2008 California Supreme Court decision to uphold the ban on gay marriage.

With over 200 parade contingents, 300 exhibitors, and 19 stages and venues, San Francisco Pride is the largest LGBT gathering in the nation. The two-day event is packed with a wide variety of vendors, artists, music in a range of genres, performers, dance stages and venues, and fun for all ages. In previous years, world famous acts such as Cyndi Lauper, En Vogue, the B-52's, Chaka Khan, and Third Eye Blind have graced the festival's Civic Center main stage.

On Sunday, the always outrageous Pride Parade marches down Market Street from Beale Street to 8th Street, starting at 10:30 a.m. During Sunday's celebration, a "Family Garden" area is provided, which is a less crowded area for children and their parents to party in, so bring the whole family down to celebrate Pride!