BY: DM
Published 51 minutes ago
San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair isn’t your average block party — it’s a whole vibe. Folsom Street is where LGBTQIA+ history, kink culture, and self-expression link arms and take over the streets. Every September, tens of thousands of people from all walks of life — queer, straight, doms, subs, pups, fairies, femmes, daddies, zaddies and everything in between — gather for the Folsom Street Fair.
For those not local to San Fran, or if you’re looking to travel to the area, here is a rundown on the fair and what it entails.
The Folsom Street Fair is a legendary LGBTQIA+ experience.
Folsom Street is asphalt and sidewalks, but every September, it transforms during the Folsom Street Fair. Since its founding in 1984 as a grassroots response to the AIDS crisis, the fair has raised millions for LGBTQIA+ and HIV/AIDS nonprofits. It also gives a global stage to kink culture and alternative sexuality. In the mid-1960s, bars like The Stud and Febe’s opened along Folsom Street, laying down roots for San Francisco’s gay leather scene. When the AIDS epidemic slammed the community in the early 1980s, bathhouses closed, and fear ran rampant. Organizers responded by creating the first Folsom Street Fair — a bold public fundraising rally that reclaimed the gay narrative.
Folsom Street Events — the nonprofit behind the Fair—hosts multiple flagship gatherings. These range from the massive street takeover in SoMa to the more intimate Up Your Alley Fair. They partner with sex-positive advocates, center BIPOC and trans voices, and make it clear that consent is non-negotiable. Their mission statement includes a commitment to “cultivating a safe, open, and inclusive environment for the kink, leather, and alternative sexuality communities while centering equity for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ people.”
The next Folsom Street Fair will be held between 8th and 13th Street on Sunday, Sept. 28. Organizers expect over 300,000 visitors to converge on the blocks, dancing under the city lights, checking their triggers, and stocking up on custom harnesses, handcrafted loggers, and all-access delight zones. The real fun kicks off at Magnitude 2025, Folsom’s legendary kickoff party, on Saturday, Sept. 27.
However, gate donations start at $40 for folks just attending the fair, and VIP passes are also available online at folsomstreet.org.
The Folsom Street Fair has something for everyone.
Over 150 vendors set up shop along Folsom Street, offering everything from handcrafted harnesses and custom collars to some of the city’s softest leather creations. At the Food Court, attendees can recharge with vegan empanadas, loaded fries, and specialty cocktails. Even the fiercest leather aficionados need a bite.
You can also pop over to the Leather & Lace Stage for live performances by drag superstars and queer punk bands. Or catch a late-afternoon set of industrial beats at the Alternative Sounds Stage. Each stage spotlights BIPOC, trans, and gender-diverse artists.
Folsom Street Fair isn’t just a spectacle — it’s a nonprofit powerhouse. Net proceeds from gates, beverage sales, and fundraising activations go toward LGBTQIA+ wellness programs, HIV/AIDS organizations, and grassroots sex-positive advocacy.
Have you ever been to Folsom Street Fair? What was the wildest thing you experienced?
