Pink Saturday

Everyone know about the Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco: it's a legend, a grand event, a spectacle. But the best part of the Pride Festival is Pink Saturday - the party in the Castro District the night before the parade.

It started as a very hush-hush kind of affair, a neighborhood party to celebrate the weekend and get those feelings of community and pride running through the city before the parade on Sunday. Now Pink Saturday is a full-blown extravaganza with multiple stages of live music, delicious food and drink specials and fabulous costumes. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are the annual organizers and this year I was lucky enough to be talking to one at the right time so I got asked to volunteer! Lady D is one of Dique's oldest and best friends and we've become really tight. Lady D is also neighbors to one of the Sisters and at a little backyard gathering involving too much hard alcohol, I joined Lady D in her volunteer position.

On Saturday, June 27th we worked the Market Street gate, ushering in people to the party and asking them to make donations. One of the best things about the Sisters is that they raise funds for programs all over the city. They don't discriminate - all of the causes they support are equally different and equally worthy. Pink Saturday in and of itself if free to the public, but there is a suggested donation - a nominal fee, this year it was $7. With a donation you get a pink sticker with the Sister emblem and then discounts for food/drinks for the night.

We had a ball. Lady D was a seductive temptress and I was a Butterfly Fairy. Lady D's brother was also with us and let me just say that together they make a very good looking bunch of siblings! Thanks to them we had a very successful gate and got a lot of donations! After our shift ended around 9pm we got some dinner and walked around the party until we met up with friends and go where any good lady goes: Moby Dick bar.

The weather was warm, the people were happy, it was a glorious night. I was so glad to be a part of it - thanks to Lady D and the Sisters for including me in the fun! I gave my butterfly wings to a security guard who brought them home to his daughter, so I'm on the lookout for a new pair so I can be ready for next year!

Come back for pictures - they'll be up soon!