Gay Cities

Folsom Street Fair celebrates 40th anniversary in San Francisco

Here's everything you need to know about Folsom Street Fair 2023...

Mark

Sep 1, 2023 - 20:01

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Folsom Street Fair celebrates 40th anniversary in San Francisco

Two people dressed in sleek leather outfits. — *All photos are courtesy of Folsom Street and GayCities partners*.

It’s time to polish your boots and dust off your best leathers, Folsom Street Fair is back, baby!

On September 24, from 11 am to 6 pm, kinksters will take over a corner of SoMa District in San Francisco, on Folsom Street between 8th and 13th, to create a world where exhibitionists and voyeurs reach perfect harmony. Peruse one of the many fetish vendor booths and watch the hottest scenes unfold on the street. Who knows? Maybe you’ll walk away with a new kink.

The iconic kinky carnival celebrates its 40th birthday this year. So, it’s safe to say, Folsom Street Fair is the Daddy of all kink festivals. For those who want a bit of guidance through this very San Francisco event, here’s everything you need to know, from booths to performance stages and to-go cocktails, as well as solid advice for attendees from local community leaders.

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Map

Folsom Street Fair 2022 Map. — *Folsom Street Fair Map. Click to enlarge*.

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Libations

To avoid traffic jams, your favorite Leather District bars are serving to-go cocktails at booths outside their storefronts. Each bar’s sales will benefit local LGBTQ+ charities.

Cannabis Garden

Person wearing a leather unicorn costume stands in front of a green wall.

After its success last year, Folsom Street will play host to a Cannabis Garden again this year. Since the recreational use of cannabis is legal in California, you will be able to safely purchase and consume cannabis products in the designated area on 12th Street. In this lounge curated by The People’s Ecosystem and Comfort & Joy, you’ll learn how cannabis and sex can go together like whips and chains! (Must be 21+ to enter.)

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Main Stage Performances

Person wearing a black leather harness stands on a speaker holding a crucifix and a sign that reads "sex work".

There are eight main stages with fetish entertainers performing all day long.

Rope Stage hosted by Twisted Windows and Kink POC Bay Area
Drag Stage by STUD Collective and Oaklash
Playground Stage hosted by Alotta Boutté
Wrestling Stage presented by Full Queer
Live entertainment at Folsom Street Live
The Eagle Stage by SF Eagle
BDSM Demo Stage by the Society of Janus
DJ & GoGo Stage presented by Fawkstales

Don’t miss these community-curated acts!

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Folsom Street Fair Booths

Five men wearing leather fashion accessories posing for the camera.

As always, you’ll find a wide variety of leather goods and fetish wear made by local artisans.

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Where to find the queer crowd near Folsom Street Fair

Find Folsom Street Fair before and after parties on Andymatic and Bloom.

Word on the Street

Here’s solid advice for Folsom Street Fair attendees from local community leaders.

Danarama says, “Take it slow.”

“It can often take hours to walk from one end of Folsom to the other. So one of the best ways to enjoy the fair, I have found after decades of attending, is to get out of the flow of traffic and watch the crowd go by. Take a pit stop at your favorite booth or watch a performance at one of the community stages, you might be surprised at what comes across your path.”

“Just remember: You can look, but you can’t touch (without asking for consent).”

Ivy wants some helping hands!

“As a San Francisco native, Folsom Street Fair is like an institution to me. I first started getting into it through volunteer opportunities. I used to help out at a corset booth, and now I know how to get people laced up at lightning speed. This community lives on volunteers, and there are plenty of fun opportunities to help out.”

A note on consent from Blue:

“If you’re not into exhibitionism, you may want to look into a group called Ask First. There’s mutual respect for privacy in our community because some members do not want their family or coworkers to know about their kinky side. If you come to this fair, you may end up in some photos. Wearing a sticker from Ask First lets people know that you would prefer if they asked you before taking a photo with you in it.”

Blue, owner of Voxbody Studio in Oakland

Lief’s advice for out-of-town attendees:

Lief, LA-based rope artist — Lief, an LA-based rope artist

“Folsom Street Fair is not just a West Coast thing, people travel from all over the world to San Francisco for this event. So, you have to book your hotels in advance if you want to stay close to the fair.”

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