'Radical Happiness': 51st Annual Castro Street Fair Returns This Weekend To San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The 51st Annual Castro Street Fair returns to the Bay Area on Sunday with several entertainment options that will highlight local talent, event organizers said.

The fair was founded in 1974 by Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. He founded the fair as a way to support gay-owned businesses and celebrate the community's "vitality," organizers said.

This year's theme will be "Radical Happiness," which is meant to represent the embodiment of "joy, resilience and defiant community spirit" in the Castro neighborhood, which is a historically significant hub of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in San Francisco.

"At a time when LGBTQ+ residents and visitors face escalating attacks, the Fair rallies the neighborhood with joy, solidarity, and over $1.6 million given back to local nonprofits," organizers said in a statement online. "This vibrant celebration offers a safe space where the community can gather, express, and uplift one another through music, dance, and shared culture."

There will be three stages at the event, featuring performances such as Drag Story Hour with Per Sia, the Castro Magic Hour and music from DJ 80085.

The event will take over several blocks west and east of Castro Street, between 17th to Diamond streets, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For a full list of the performances and the schedule, click here.