SF's Up Your Alley Street Fair Returns to SoMa

It's late July in San Francisco. That means it's time for the Up Your Alley street fair and the flurry of events and happenings that surround it. This year the Fair happens on Sunday, July 31, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. As it was last year, the Fair will take place on Dore Alley between Howard and Folsom and continuing on Folsom from 9th to Juniper and the adjoining block of 10th Street.

Even as I'm writing this ahead of this week's busy leather and kink schedule, I've noticed a lot of out of town kinksters are already visiting our wonderful city. Up Your Alley, even though it has historically targeted local leathermen, has begun to attract an increasing number of out of towners. Many of them use the opportunity to be a tourist ahead of or just after the weekend.

If you're one of those visitors reading this, welcome to our city. We think it's the best place on Earth, especially if you're kinky. We have a lot for you to do this week. For the locals reading this, start examining your calendars because there's a wide array of places where you can revel in your fetishes and kinks.

In addition to the vast sea of hot geared-up folks, this year's Fair will have more vendors than ever with a record 70 vendor spaces. There will be spaces for the K-9 Unit of San Francisco and a big play area run by The 15 Association. Coat and clothes check is being operated by the San Francisco Leathermen's Discussion Group.

Music is always a big part of the fair's atmosphere and they've got a great lineup of stellar DJs including Hawthorne and Dan DeLeon.

I'll mention a few other event highlights here, but please refer to the calendar that accompanies this column for a full listing of everything going on this week, along with links and more details about the events mentioned. There's no way I have the space here to mention everything.

BLUFsf, the local network of this worldwide "Breeches, Leather and Uniform Fanclub," is hosting their annual InGear dinner at San Ramon's Mexican Restaurant on Thursday, July 28. Each year this dinner is a sellout. So if you're thinking about going, check ahead to make sure there's room. If there is, throw on your kinky garb and go. It's a wonderful event.

On Friday, July 29, The GLBT Historical Society is honoring this leather-themed week. Their monthly Mighty Reels series, curated by media preservationist John Raines, continues with That's MS. Leather to You , featuring the first-ever International Ms. Leather competition of 1987. Raines will present an hour-long video highlighting the excitement, laughs and thrills of this playful erotic romp held at San Francisco's long-vanished DV8 Lounge. The special guest for the showing is Audrey Joseph, a longtime entertainment producer and LGBTQ rights activist who was closely involved with the inaugural Ms. San Francisco Leather event.
Full leather, cigars, and community booths are just part of Up Your Alley street fair. photo: Rich Stadtmiller

While Up Your Alley and the overall kink scene in San Francisco has typically been associated primarily with leather, both as a community name and as what we often wear, that's been changing over the past few years. The iconic leather image is no longer the only game in town anymore. We've been embracing a much wider spectrum of fetish dress in recent years. A few events this week showcase those changes in the alternative erotic aesthetic.

The first of these is the Full Nelson Singlet/Gear Party taking place at the Powerhouse on Friday, June 29. Among gay men, sports gear, and wrestling singlets in particular, have become one of the go to outfits of choice, especially among the younger newcomers.

Two other parties the following night, Saturday, July 30, celebrate other popular non-leather options.

Rubber Room at the Powerhouse is hosted by Rubber Men of San Francisco and they, along with some rubber women, will offer attendees an assortment of fun rubber-related activities. Sneaks at Club Six is hosted by the guys from Polyglamorous who are bringing us a Berlin-style sneaker and sports fetish dance and play party.
Local hottie Xavier Caylor, one of the driving forces behind Flagging in the Park, flags at Folsom Street Fair in 2014. photo: Tim Wessman

Earlier on Saturday a unique "San Francisco-only" event takes place. It's an event that does not on the surface appear to be of a leather or kink nature, but its origins are since flagging appears to have originated in the men's leather community. Flagging in the Park will be held in the AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park with DJ Sharon White, benefiting the National AIDS Memorial Grove.

Flagging in the Park is one of those quintessential San Francisco events and that's why I'm such a fan. Whether you're a local or a visitor, this event gives you a true San Francisco experience like no other.

South of Market tends to get most of the attention during Up Your Alley week, but the guys at The Edge in the Castro want you to remember that they're trying to bring leather back to the Castro with their Code: Up Your Alley Edition party on Saturday night.

One of our local kink socializing treasures, Wicked Grounds, is expanding their hours on the day of the Fair, Sunday, July 31. They'll be open from 9am until 9pm with a full range of beverages and a special streamlined menu of food and milkshakes to help you get powered up for a day at the Fair.

Sunday after the Fair there's still a lot to do, too.

A new party called Rough, the official closing party of the Fair, takes place at Mezzanine. It's a dance party with DJs Russ Rich and Paul Goodyear that will offer some entertaining erotic performances and dancers to add to the somewhat darker than usual tea dance vibe.
A gaggle of hot men at Up Your Alley street fair last year make use of the popular selfie to document the good times. photo: Rich Stadtmiller

Another post-Fair option is the Queer Black & Blue post-Up Your Alley Party at the Citadel. Queer Sphere is a club in the Bay Area for people of all genders who identify as queer and kinky and they're hosting this all-gender play party for all you queer and kinky perverts.

Okay, that's a lot going on, but that's not all. Check out the calendar for a lot of other fun things to do in this embarrassment of kinky riches we have here in San Francisco. Enjoy Up Your Alley and all of the events surrounding it. (Oh, and remember to wear sunscreen at the Fair.)