San Francisco gets ready for 49th annual Pride Parade; Trans March kicks off weekend
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - San Franciscans are getting ready to show their true rainbow colors as the city gears up for the 49th annual world-famous San Francisco LGBTQ Pride Parade and Celebration, with a slew of events planned through Sunday.
Ahead of the big Pride Parade on Sunday, the event officiallykicks off on Friday with the 15th annual Trans March, at Dolores Park.
Celebrating the city's trans residents, the event starts with a brunch and rally, followed by a march at 6 p.m. Marchers are expected to go from Dolores Park to Market Street, with the march ending at Turk and Taylor streets.
For that event, Taylor Street between Turk and Eddy streets will be closed from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as Turk Street from Mason to Taylor streets.
Drivers, pedestrians and bus passengers should expect delays along the impacted streets. More information is available at www.transmarch.org.
On Saturday, two Pride-related events are set to take place.
The first is the celebration at Civic Center Plaza, which lasts from noon to 6 p.m. That event will feature several stages with an abundance of performers.
Attendees should expect to pass through metal detectors to enter the celebration. Also, all bags will be searched and bags larger than 18 inches by 18 inches will not be permitted, according to organizers.
Also on Saturday, at 5 p.m., the 27th annual San Francisco Dyke March is set to take place, honoring the city's lesbian residents. The march will begin and end at Dolores Park, traveling along 18th, Valencia, 16th, Market and Castro streets.
For the march, some streets in the area will be closed between 9 a.m. and midnight, including Dolores Street between 17th and 20th streets. More details can be found at www.thedykemarch.org.
Finally, on Sunday the big Pride Parade will start on Market and Beale streets at 10:30 a.m., culminating with the Pride Celebration at Civic Center Plaza.
For the famed parade, hundreds of organizations, city departments and companies are set to march with banners and in colorful floats.
Several streets will be closed for the parade starting at 6 a.m., including Market Street from Steuart Street to Van Ness Avenue. Also, Beale, Main, Spear and Steuart streets will all be closed from Market to Folsom streets.
The procession will disband near Market and Eighth streets.
Then at 11 a.m., the Pride Celebration at Civic Center will start, lasting through 6 p.m. and will feature several performers on multiple stages. Just like the Saturday celebration, visitors will have their bags
checked and must pass through metal detectors.
During Sunday's festivities, San Francisco Municipal Railway buses that run along Market Street will be rerouted onto Mission Street, and other lines in the area may be affected.
For transit information, festival-goers can visit www.sfmta.org.
More information about the Pride celebrations on both Saturday and Sunday can be found at www.sfpride.org.