By: Kyrie Sismaet By: Kyrie Sismaet | June 22, 2022 | Parties, Travel & Recreation, City Life, Events, Local, Community,
San Francisco’s monumental return of its historic Pride Parade is set for this Sunday on June 26 right at 10:30 a.m. Once it kicks off, those marching in the free parade will begin at the Ferry Building end of the mile-long path at Market and Beale, and for two hours continue along the city’s main artery all the way down to Civic Center, where a separate celebration will be occurring.
The fitting theme for this year is "Love Will Keep Us Together," underscoring the resilience and community that has persevered through tumultuous history and the recent pandemic.
With over 200 parade marchers, 300 exhibitors, and 20+ community stages, this weekend event is one of the absolute largest queer gatherings worldwide. It can become reasonably hectic to attempt navigating to and around this festivity, and so we have created this transportation guide to ensure you know the optimal method to getting here.
See also: All The Must-Attend Pride Club Parties Happening This Year
We recommend heading there as early as you can to secure a clear view wherever you are on Market. The best option is to watch from the end near Civic Center, in order to have access to the Civic Center festivities as well as be in an area where people won’t be crowding to as compared towards the front end.
There will be a main stage at the City Hall Steps within the Civic Center, which will also have food vendors and other community stalls from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
There are also limited grandstand seats towards the front of the route if you desire elevated views, located between 7th and 8th Streets.
If you are using public transportation, here are the best routes and stops:
There will be several BART lines flowing into the City, and as mentioned we recommend exiting off at the Civic Center stop. Powell and Embarcadero are also good choices if you plan to grab food before or after at either the Westfield Shopping Center or the Ferry Building, respectively.
The efficient light rails are also quick and convenient, stopping at the same underground Market Street points that BART does. The M, K, and T lines also continue “outbound” past the parade onto Castro Street, which is the perfect after-parade party and food destination.
See also: The Ultimate Guide To The Castro's Gay Bars & Clubs
There are several bus lines that pass through Market from any direction, but as the street is closed off, we recommend getting off a few parallel blocks right before the commotion and just walking to the route.
The main Caltrain stop from the peninsula is on 4th and King St. From here you can either catch the adjacent T or N lines that crest around the wharf towards the Embarcadero stop, or simply walk 7 blocks up 4th Street to catch the parade from Powell.
With all of these options, definitely peruse the SFMTA site for exact and detailed information for your location, and ensure to get to the parade early, and in your Pride best!
See also: Find Your Perfect Pride Outfit At These Best Castro Fashion Shops
Photography by: Josh Wilburne/Unsplash
