California Festivals

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San Francisco's Castro Street Fair

October 6, 2019, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Always the first Sunday in October!

Castro District
Castro Street between Market and 19th, Market Street between Noe and Castro, and 18th Street between Noe and Diamond
San Francisco, CA
castrostreetfair.org
Suggest donation $5-10 at entry gate

For a fun Sunday in which San Franciscans takes it to the streets like they have done so many times before, the annual Castro Street Fair includes, art, music, dancing, eating, playing and getting a little crazy. Held the first Sunday in October, Castro Street Fair was founded by Harvey Milk in 1974. Proceeds go directly to charitable causes important to the Castro community.

Castro Street was named for Jose Castro, a 19th century soldier and native who fought against U.S. influence in the West. At one time the street and district became known as Little Scandinavia. WWII American soldiers in the Pacific theater who were discharged from the military for being gay migrated to San Francisco and the Castro area.

Castro Street Fair in San Francisco, Calif. continues a 40+ year tradition which began with Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician in California. He was assassinated by another city supervisor, Dan White, who had lost his job. Harvey Milk moved to San Francisco from New York in 1972 amid a migration of gay men to the Castro District. Milk's legacy is remembered in The Castro, or Castro District, where the annual fair is held each year on the first Sunday in October, with proceeds donated to special causes.

In addition to special events and festivals throughout the seasons there's a fairly new attraction, GLBT History Museum (glbthistory.org). The second such history museum in the world contains personal belongings of Harvey Milk chronicling his life, plus displays, photos and information in permanent and rotating exhibitions.

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.

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