25 years later, How Weird Street Faire still embraces burner and raver culture
Rain may have delayed it, but How Weird was ready to party. Fall street festivals have arrived in San Francisco.
With its unexpected postponement at the last minute due to rain this past May, Saturday’s rescheduled How Weird Street Faire sorta kicked off autumn street fair season here in San Francisco —
If this coming weekend’s Folsom Street Fair is your older leather daddy, and next Sunday’s Castro Street Fair is your rich gay uncle, then How Weird, with its colorful costumes and loud sound systems blasting several types of electronic music, is definitely your raver girl little sister.
Read the latest by Adriana Roberts
That time I got ridiculously high at Stern Grove festival
The first time I went to a Stern Grove concert, I was sober. But a voice from the mystical beauty of the eucalyptus forest, deep into a grove in the middle of the city called to me from my heyday as a dabbler. It said: “You need to experience this on molly.”
Cleve Jones marks 70th birthday by raising funds for the causes he built
Turning 70 this October, Cleve Jones has plenty of reasons to celebrate. Among them is simply being with us today. He’s one of the longest-living survivors of AIDS, having learned his positive status in 1979. With that in mind, he said: “As I look back on my life — many ups and downs, mistakes along the way — two things I did right: starting the SF AIDS Foundation and the AIDS Memorial Quilt.”
So in typical fashion, his upcoming birthday party won’t just be a milestone; he’ll be fundraising to support those two projects that continue to define his activism.
Read the latest by Saul Sugarman
Merchant Roots enters a new chapter in a massive SoMa space
Merchant Roots has redefined itself with its August opening in SoMa, giving us a vast 4,500-square-foot space that’s worlds away from its original tiny digs. Now diners experience the seasonal tasting menus across multiple rooms, including an open kitchen, wine room, and ceramics workshop, where much of the tableware is handcrafted. Though the dinners remain intimate with just 12 seats, the new setting allows for even more creativity and culinary storytelling — all backed by Chef Ryan Shelton’s vision.
Read the latest by Virginia Miller
Haight Street Fair was a colorful and chaotic kaleidoscope of fun
Another Haight Street Fair has come and gone, and yes, it was every bit as chaotic and magical as you’d expect. The streets were packed with an explosion of color — primarily tie-dye, of course — while the ever-present scent of cannabis swirled in the air.
Even San Francisco’s Patagonia-clad set seemed to take a break and let the city’s original hippies reclaim their stomping grounds. I swear I spotted a few folks who looked like they’d time-traveled straight from Woodstock, tie-dye shirts and flower crowns in tow.
Read the latest by Courtney Muro and Saul Sugarman
What we’re doing this week
Folsom Street Fair
Folsom Street Fair 2024 promises to bring the usual boundary-pushing fun to the streets of San Francisco, celebrating freedom of expression and kink culture. Expect live performances, fetish gear, and a diverse crowd that embraces the spirit of radical self-expression.
WHEN: September 29, 2024
WHERE: Folsom Street, between 8th and 13th streets, San Francisco, CA
SF Symphony gala
The San Francisco Symphony Gala 2024 will kick off the Symphony's new season with a spectacular evening on September 25. Led by conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, the night features world-renowned pianist Lang Lang, performing Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2, alongside his wife Gina Alice for a performance of The Carnival of the Animals. Guests can enjoy a festive atmosphere filled with classical music, gourmet dining, and support for the Symphony’s artistic and educational programs.
Honestly most the tickets are sold out, but there are some left in the nosebleeds for buko $$. Here are some gala details and this link shows what seats are left.
WHEN: September 25, 2024
WHERE: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA
What’s on our mind
We keep content mostly fun and light at The Bold Italic, but the future of the Bay Area interests us, too. Here’s what we are thinking about in local news. Brought to you by GrowSF.
Zoox robotaxi gears up for SF launch, but when?
Move over, Waymo — Zoox could be the next robotaxi on San Francisco streets. The Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle has gone all-in on a fully custom design—no steering wheels, no pedals, just a futuristic square-shaped design. Testing is well underway in San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Foster City, with expansions planned for Miami and Austin.
Zoox held an open house recently at Sightglass Coffee in SoMa, where crowds got to peek inside even though the taxi didn’t move. The event was part of a larger effort by Zoox to introduce its tech to the public, though the company remains vague about when it will launch commercially in San Francisco, offering only a hopeful “soon.”
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The Bold Italic publishes first-person stories on topics that are on the brains and lips of San Franciscans. We’re a hub for conversations to be heard and discussed, and we celebrate all that’s great about living in San Francisco and the Bay Area. We hope our continuing conversation will get you thinking, talking, and inspiring you to share your opinions with us on living in San Francisco.
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The Bold Italic is brought to you by GrowSF and edited by Saul Sugarman. Send us a pitch, a question, comment, or advertise with us: info@thebolditalic.com