Thursday, June 28, 2012

Pride Weekend 2012 Recap

The drama "Bruja" by Luis Alfaro.
We had a fantastic, wild and fun pride weekend. This year we decided to spend the weekend in San Francisco. We were able to get a centrally located hotel room in the city. Friday night we attended the Magic Theatre over in the Marina district. Saw "Bruja" by a hot new playwright, Luis Alfaro ("Oedipus el Rey"). The play is a reimagining of Euripides' "Medea" told through the lens of a Mexican immigration story.

After the show, we went dancing at one of the late night official pride dances. I think we made it back to our room around 4am.

Saturday afternoon we shopped around the Castro neighborhood. We ended up at a friend's pre-Dyke March party a couple blocks from the start at Dolores Park. Later that evening we had a tasty, romantic dinner at the restaurant Catch on Market Street. We turned in early to bed after a quick stroll around the Pink Party street gathering in the Castro.
Dolores Park before the Dyke March.

Sunday we were up early and made our way down to our staging area to march in the Pride Parade this year. We marched with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Luckily, the chorus was one of the early continents in the parade and didn't have to wait long at all to march. The groups at the end of the parade can end up waiting hours before they march.
SFGMC marching in the Pride Parade 2012
Link: http://youtu.be/kLTDxrOBTdA

We spent several hours checking out the Pride Festival in the Civic Center. Afterwards, we attend an after pride party hosted by a couple that generously supports of the chorus. At the party we had an opportunity to meet and talk with two celebrated gay icons and activists. We first met Gilbert Baker, the artist and civil rights activist who in 1978 designed the Rainbow Flag. Later we also met Cleve Jones, who conceived of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and co-founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
Rainbow Flag Tribute to Gilbert Baker, SF Pride 2012
Link: http://youtu.be/V1btuGVMOj0

Eddie Reynolds with Cleve Jones
Gilbert Baker poses with Ed Jones
Taking a picture of a shirtless balloon boy
How romantic. A kiss at a beer stand.
Shirtless boys at the pride festival.

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