What are the dates for the 2013 Fairs?
The Folsom Street Fair® is always scheduled on
the last Sunday in September (2012 being an exception).
This year, the Folsom Street
Fair® is scheduled for Sunday, September 29, 2013 from 11
a.m. to 6 p.m.
Next year, 2014, the Folsom Street Fair
will happen on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
The Up Your Alley Fair is always scheduled on the last Sunday
in July. This year the Up Your Alley Fair (held on Dore Alley) is
scheduled for Sunday, July 28, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Next year, 2014, the Up Your Alley Fair
will happen on Sunday, July 27, 2014.
Can I smoke at the Fair? It's outside right?
In February 2013, San Francisco banned smoking at outdoor festivals and fairs, and is
the first big city in the United States to do so.
The ordinance requires that we post signage, make regular announcements during the fairs,
and make it clear in any promotional materials that the fairs are smoke free.
Can I bring my Dog? Can I bring my Child?
Folsom Street Events STRONGLY discourages people from bringing either
children or pets on to the fairgrounds. The organization feels that
it is not an appropriate environment for them. We post this message
at our gates with signage, and our gate volunteers reinforce this
message upon entry. Given that we produce an event that is on public
streets, we cannot prevent someone from entering into the fairgrounds
(if you choose to bring a child or a pet). Additionally, our security
volunteers repeat this message for anyone found on the fairgrounds to
be in conflict with our policy
Where are the fairs?
The Folsom Street Fair
® is located
in San Francisco's South of Market district on Folsom Street
between 7th and 12th Streets.
The Up Your Alley Fair is located in San Francisco's South of
Market district on Dore Alley between Folsom and Howard Streets
and the adjoining blocks of Folsom Street between 9th and Juniper
Streets. In 2008 we added Tenth Street to the fair grounds and moved
the Magnitude Dance area there in order to alleviate crowding.
Both Fairs are handicap-accessible.
I've combed through the website and I can't find the ticket prices for the fairs?
Addmission to the Up Your Alley Fair and the Folsom Street Fair
is free with a suggested donation of $7.00 and $10.00 respectively.
Attendees who choose to provide the
suggested donation receive a sticker which entitles them to $2.00 off each
beverage purchase.
Please keep in mind that 100% of your gate donations go to our
beneficiaries.
What are the main attractions at the fair?
Aside from the hundreds of thousands of fairgoers
enjoying the day in their kinkiest fetish garb, the other main attractions
of the fair are:
What's the best gate to enter the Folsom Street Fair?
What's the best way to get from the Folsom Street Fair to DEVIANTS?
Can I be nude at Up Your Alley or at
the Folsom Street Fair?
There is no Federal law against nudity but neither
is it a guaranteed right. This means that state, county and local laws
can take precedence. Nudity, per se, is not a crime in California
unless a person is lewd. The San Francisco District Attorney's
office has consistently discharged public nudity citations because
"being naked in San Francisco is not a crime" (D.A. spokesperson
Debbie Mesloh, September 2004).
That all changed in 2012. After nudity activist invaded the Castro
neihborhood a backlash ensued. It is no longer legal to be nude on
the streets of San Francisco. All is not lost, ye seekers of free
body culture, both the Folsom Street Fair and the Up Your Alley fairs
are exempt from the nudity ban. Please use the coat check service at
the fairs to insure your compliance as you enter and exit the fair
boundaries. Don't come to the fairs naked, undress at the fairs.
Use the coat check.
Folsom Street Events maintains local
community standards, such as at Bay to Breakers and the Castro Street Fair.
As fair organizers, we do draw the line with public sex (see below).
What is the policy on lewd behavior?
Folsom Street Events encourages all fairgoers to express behavior that is safe
and within the law. We encourage everyone to take personal
responsibility for providing a positive communal environment for
the adult alternative lifestyle community. Lewd acts will be disrupted
by our security volunteers who reinforce this message for anyone
found on the fairgrounds to be in violation of our policy.
At the suggestion of SFPD, we have implemented a more aggressive
graduated policy for violators of the lewdness policy.
Step 1: Verbal warning
Inform the fairgoer that the behavior is not allowed and that
they will face ejection from the fair on the next occurance.
Step 2: Reminder
Fairgoer will be reminded of the first warning and given a personal escort
off the fair grounds with notification to gate volunteers not to allow re-entry.
Warn the fairgoer that on the next violation of this policy we will
escalate to SFPD.
Step 3: Turn over to SFPD
SFPD will be called to assist and requested to cite
the fairgoer who has violated the lewdness policy.
Lewd behavior in second and third story windows on the fairgrounds
will be referred directly to SFPD for intervention.
I'm 20 years old (or 18 or 19), can I come to the fair?
Of course you can. We look forward to seeing you.
While we don't have any age restrictions at the gates we do inform
attendees of the adult oriented nature of our events. We also
strictly enforce the 21 or over restriction on beer and liquor sales.
So if you are under 21, please don't try and purchase alcohol. We will card you.
Can I ride my bike to the Fairs?
Yes. That's a great idea. Folsom Street Events and the SF Bike Coalition
have teamed up to bring free bike check and $5.00 coat and bag check to
the Folsom Street Fair. Monitored bike parking is also available at the
Up Your Alley fair for $5.00 per bike.
Is there handicap parking available?
Handicap parking at the Folsom Street Fair
® is
available at the following locations. Signs will be posted.
The northwest corner of:
- 11th & Harrison
- 10th & Harrison
- 9th & Harrison
- 8th & Harrison
- 7th & Harrison
The southwest corner of:
- 11th & Harrison
- 10th & Harrison
- 9th & Harrison
- 8th & Harrison
- 7th & Harrison
I lost my favorite 'whatever' at the Fair. Where is Lost & Found?
I found someone's 'whatever', what do I do with it?
If you want to turn in a lost item at the fair, or wish to inquired about a lost
item please go to the Volunteer Check-In on Dore Alley. Any
orange-vested security volunteer can
direct you to this location.
After the fair, please email
the office (See
About Us). We'll let you
know if your item was turned in.
I'd like to help. Do you need volunteers?
Did you say volunteer? Come right this way. We rely on over
500 volunteers to help put on the fairs. Most are provided by
our beneficiaries. However if you'd like more information you
can be placed on our volunteer mailing list.
What about accommodations?
There is extensive lodging available in the South of Market
district, mostly motels. Please see our
Travel Deals section for special
hotel offers. While there is no "host" or "official"
hotel for either fair, Folsom Street Events encourages you to
check out the hotels listed since they have generously agreed to
support the fairs.
Some other area
Hotels and Motels are a Ramada Limited as well as the
Ramada Plaza Hotel nearby on Market Street, several Best Westerns,
and a HoJo (Howard Johnson's) Inn. Other lodging is found throughout
the city, including downtown San Francisco and the Union Square
area. Downtown and Union Square are a long walk or short cab ride
from the fair sites. All accommodations in San Francisco are
required by law to be handicap-accessible.
YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO MAKE LODGING RESERVATIONS AS
SOON AS YOUR TRAVEL PLANS ARE ESTABLISHED, AS AVAILABLE ROOMS
SELL OUT VERY EARLY! Please contact your travel agent for further
assistance!
What about transportation?
FROM THE AIRPORTS -- San Francisco International Airport
(SFO) is located approximately 15 miles south of downtown San
Francisco and the Fairs. Oakland International Airport (OAK) is
located directly east across San Francisco Bay from downtown San
Francisco.
BART now takes you directly into the International Terminal
at SFO. For US domestic flights, you can either walk or take a
free AirTrain shuttle from the BART station to your terminal.
Bus and cab transportation is also available, as well as
van shuttle services. Van service costs approximately $12 - $22
from SFO or OAK into San Francisco, one-way.
San Jose International airport (SJC) is also an option. SJC
is approximately 50 miles south of San Francisco.
IN THE CITY -- San Francisco has extensive public
transportation provided by MUNI (cable cars, buses, streetcars,
subway trains); taxicabs and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). BART
also connects to SFO as well as Oakland and the East Bay. Tickets
are required for the use of BART. Other public transportation
requires coins or passes. Passes for multiple-day use can be
purchased from MUNI.
What kind of weather can I expect?
San Francisco usually has excellent weather in September and
October, although be prepared for cool nights. Bring your leather
jackets! The temperature on Folsom Street Fair
® day
is usually warm. It can get as high as the mid-eighties; in 1997
it was close to 100! In 1998 there were rain showers, although
rain is very unusual in late September and early October. 1999
and 2000 were sunny and hot.
What about nightlife, bars, and restaurants?
We knew you'd ask this question! San Francisco is
internationally famous for its restaurants! Good food, in all
price ranges, are available throughout the city. San Francisco
has extensive nightlife of
all kinds! Gay bars and other
clubs are located mainly in three areas: the Castro, South of
Market and the Polk Street area. The majority of leather bars
and adult-oriented clubs are located South of Market, although
there are others in the Castro, and leather is welcome in the
Polk Street area too.
I am interested in booth space at the fair(s). How
do I get an application?
Applications for booth space at either the Folsom Street Fair
® or Up Your Alley Fair will be available
on-line in PDF format in March 2013.
Now that the applications are available on-line in PDF format
we are no longer mailing out application forms automatically
to last years exhibitors.
You may also send an email to
exhibitors@folsomstreetevents.org
with your name, address and telephone number requesting an
exhibitor application.
How many people attend the fairs?
The Folsom Street Fair® is a major international
destination. More than 400,000 people attend this major leather
event from all over the world every year.
The Up Your Alley Fair is a more local event, much the same
as the Folsom Street Fair®, except on a smaller
scale. Approximately 12,000+ leatherfolk attend.
Who runs the "REAL BAD" party? How can I get tickets to REAL BAD?
REAL BAD is produced by Grass Roots Gay Rights West (GRGR/West), a local, all-volunteer
non-profit committed to raising and distributing funds to grassroots organizations that strengthen
the diverse populations that make up San Francisco's LGBT community. REAL BAD is the only
event of its kind that gives 100% of the money raised from ticket sales back to its beneficiaries.
There is no affiliation between Folsom Street Events and REAL BAD or GRGR/West.
Tickets for REAL BAD are sold primarily through party hosts. If you are not a host or
do not know a host, there are limited tickets sold through retail outlets and
at the door. Complete ticket purchase info for REAL BAD can be found on their
website: realbad.org.
You can also email them at info@readlbad.org.
The best places to find REAL BAD tickets are:
