Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco

[Steven_Draker]

After IML in Chicago last May, I decided to pay a visit to the beautiful City by the Bay and check Folsom

Street Fair at the end of the month.

 

I understand that there are various events going on in town. What are the definite must-do and must-see

during Folsom weekend in San Francisco?

[SteveStacks]

Come hang out with me Steven! *grin*

[+ blondeq]

You might get some good ideas from this rather lengthy thread:

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/glbt-travelers/1095094-sfo-folsom-street-fair-weekend-9-23-27-do-gayla-now-confirmed-some-events.html

[Steven_Draker]

You might get some good ideas from this rather lengthy thread:

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/glbt-travelers/1095094-sfo-folsom-street-fair-weekend-9-23-27-do-gayla-now-confirmed-some-events.html

 

Thank you, blondeq for that link. Some pretty good and useful information.

 

Cheers, Steven ~

[+ Axiom2001]

Come hang out with me Steven! *grin*

 

Steve, your avatar is quite alluring. Hope to see you before year's end or in January 2011. With such an enticing avatar-- I wish I could see you sooner!!!! - -

[SteveStacks]

Thanks!

 

Steve, your avatar is quite alluring. Hope to see you before year's end or in January 2011. With such an enticing avatar-- I wish I could see you sooner!!!! - -

 

Thanks! I'm glad you like the avatar....

Please feel free to contact me anytime!

I'd love to give you a closer look! *grin*

 

Have you settled on plans for Folsom yet Steven?

[+ Tygerscent]

There is a guy I have seen for successive years at Folsom and Up Your Alley, (Dory Alley Fair), that stands against this wall near the main entry to the fair and he has injected silicone into his ball sack such that his nut bag is the size of a basket ball. He;s about 5 foot nothing and has this huge nut bag. It;s incredible... not to mention that it's not saline but, silicone and is a permanent situation for him. You can;t miss him. Look for the crowd of people and never ending flashes from cameras. That is more then likely him.

Tyger~!

http://www.tygerscent.biz

[email protected]

503.719.9274

[Steven_Draker]

I had a great time at Folsom in SF. Met a few nice people, attended one of the official parties, went on the Street Fair on Sunday afternoon. My only disappointment was the circus-like nature of the Street Fair. I wasn't prepared for Carnival in late September ... there's a huge difference with Folsom Europe in Berlin. To their credit: the organizers of the event did an excellent job. Next time I'll check probably the Dory Alley Street Fair.

[Luv2play]

Steven, what would be the major difference between Folsom Europe and Folsom SF? And which came first? I am guessing SF but don't know the origins of this fair.

[Steven_Draker]

Steven, what would be the major difference between Folsom Europe and Folsom SF? And which came first? I am guessing SF but don't know the origins of this fair.

 

Luv2play, my google search tells me that the San Francisco event is the older sister by 20 years. The event started in 1984 with its 27th anniversary this year. Folsom Europe celebrated its 7th anniversary earlier this month.

 

Folsom Europe is smaller (25 000 versus 400 000 attendees), much more hard-core leather/fetish and less commercial event. I think the major difference is (as I put it figuratively some time ago) that leather men in Europe sleep in leather, wake up in leather, take their shower in leather ... whereas for Americans, leather is just an outfit, a costume that one wears for a party. Of course, I'm generalizing, but you get my point. Also the other difference is that in Berlin you won't see any fantasy and carnival-like outfits on the Street Fair; it's pretty much limited to leather/rubber. Finally the official parties and the notorious Berghein institution have strict dress-code. Welcome to Berlin :-)

[Steven_Draker]

From folsomstreetevents.org

"And even though you'll see more tourists with cameras than trussed-up hussies, it's all good, charitable fun. Beneficiaries of the fair include Project Inform, the Stop AIDS Project, Project Open Hand, and New Leaf."

 

I'm glad I attended. Check the pictures from this year's event: http://www.sfweekly.com/slideshow/folsom-street-fair-2010-nsfw-31267668/

 

http://vvoice.vo.llnwd.net/e15/folsom-street-fair-2010-nsfw.5403810.87.jpg

[+ deej]

Folsom Europe is smaller (25 000 versus 400 000 attendees), much more hard-core leather/fetish and less commercial event. I think the major difference is (as I put it figuratively some time ago) that leather men in Europe sleep in leather, wake up in leather, take their shower in leather ... whereas for Americans, leather is just an outfit, a costume that one wears for a party. Of course, I'm generalizing, but you get my point.

 

This has been a complaint I've heard for years from the serious leather community: that Folsom (and to a lesser extent Dore Alley) has been co-opted as a Halloween event for pretenders.

[Damascene]

That is a complaint in the New York leather bar (we have had one for a few years) since the original Eagle and the original Spike closed, if not earlier.